Welcome to SmartsMatter

Last year I wrote an article that opened, “It can be difficult to buy a house without much money.” This year a more accurate line would be…”It can be

Last Wednesday I was interviewed on KTAR radio about the current state of the housing market. I was asked: How low is the current inventory of homes

Last week while having lunch with a friend, I could tell he was trying to ask me something but simply couldn’t spit it out.  So I

Many schools are closed across the country, and it could be a while before they fully reopen.   Schools systems have scrambled to make online education

As early as I can remember I’ve been fascinated with flight. I credit my father, Chubby, with this intrigue. He was a flight instructor in World War II and

Today’s real estate market is like a rodeo. The competition for buying homes is more fierce than Bodacious.  In case you don’t know, he’s the 1,900

Cows kill more people than sharks. Surprised?  So was I. But it’s true. More people are trampled or kicked to death every year by cows. So why do sharks

She was 17, but in India, it was forbidden. She liked him, he liked her, but it wasn’t an arranged marriage, so they dated in secret. It

Do you know about The 100% Rule? I learned it from my dad, Chubby. He was the epitome of “all in” — never unclear, uncommitted, or “kinda

With 2021 around the corner, many are pondering New Year’s resolutions. Some will be setting goals, but I will be making choices, taking chances, and causing changes.

Is it the beginning of the end? With the Covid vaccine shots now being administered, we all hope this nightmare ends quickly.  But is it also end

I write a lot about my dad, Chubby. His guidance, inspiration, encouragement, and life lessons propelled me to a better life. Chubby earned the right to

It’s ironic…as I begin writing this article about language, I realize that the very subject I’m writing about is what gives me the ability to

Ever wonder where the word “buck” comes from?   In the 18th century, buckskins (deerskins) were often traded as a form of barter.  Ever hear someone say they had

A deadly virus is ravaging the country.  It’s a national emergency.  The quest to find an effective vaccine is critical. Sound like today?  It was actually 1952. Before COVID, poliovirus

A few weeks ago I wrote the first article in a new series called The Key To Captivating. It was about interesting and often unknown facts that

It’s been about a week since the election. While some celebrate, others commiserate. I expect we can all rejoice at the disappearance of political ads. Now

The Plaza Hotel.   I don’t have to tell you where it’s located (because you already know).   20 stories.  282 rooms.  A Manhattan masterpiece. Over the past 113 years it

Hummingbirds can fly backwards and even upside down. Their shoulders have unique ball and socket joints that allow 180 degree wing rotation. This characteristic also

Many years ago my son, Brian, was excited to buy his first new car. He did weeks of research before deciding on a top of the line