Spouse Inherits In Only 16 states

Posted by random olio

This is not the most exciting or thrilling topic, but it is an IMPORTANT one. I recently read this Forbes article: “Americans Lack Basic Estate Plans.” The part I want to point out though does not have to do with estate plans, but about the part that says:

“Even if there are no end of life questions, you need at least a basic will to make sure the right person gets your assets. Most couples without estates big enough to be taxable write “I love you” wills leaving everything to each other. But if a husband or wife dies without a will, the surviving spouse inherits everything in only 16 states.”

Fascinating. Did you know that? I did not.

After doing a bit of research it looks like it is called, the “Uniform Probate Code” and these are the 16 states: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah. So if you are not in one of these 16 states it might be worthwhile to look into what the estate laws are for your state. I know I will be!

When each of my parents died, neither of them had a will, health insurance, life insurance, or a living will. My sister, brother, and I had to figure out what to do about funeral arrangements, how to pay for their bills, and deal with their remaining belongings. When my grandma died, she did have a will, but it was very outdated. It still had disbursement going to my mother who had been gone more than 10 years before her. The way her will was set up and worded meant that we spent a few years in probate, ending up in a very large portion of her estate going to probate fees, lawyer fees, and the bank (she had the bank as one of the executors of her will). Bank as executor = lots of lost money. The bank has to sign a lot of the paperwork and they do it in their own time, while charging a monthly fee. It was a mess, and a long, drawn out process that took a few years.

I have heard good reviews that you can go to LegalZoom to have a will put together inexpensively online. If you do not have a will, take the steps now to do so. Especially if you have children!

“I Just Want To Play Ball”

Posted by random olio

Nike truly is amazing at marketing to their consumers. This past weekend Nike launched a new video that will air on NBC, ABC Family and ESPN through July 26. It is called “Voices” or I have also referred to it as: “I Just Want to Play Ball.” It features: Marlen Esparza – Olympic Boxer, Diana Taurasi – Professional Basketball Player, Joan Benoit Samuelson – Olympic Marathoner, and Lisa Leslie – Professional Basketball Player.

After my post last Friday on Title IX this video is so very appropriate and brought tears to my eyes. It is effective at hitting the emotion of a woman. My favorites lines are:

“People are not used to women being so passionate.”

“I’m a girl. It doesn’t mean that I have to wear a skirt.”

I also wanted to share this article about women in Saudi Arabia being allowed to compete in the Olympics. This is a long time coming, and I am so grateful it has come to fruition.

So, thank you again, Nike, for making us think differently about women and girls. I will leave you today with the words of Joan: “I am fifty-five years old, and I run close to 70 miles a week.” Even if I am not doing 70 miles a week, I hope to still be running.

40 Years of Title IX

Posted by random olio

1972. It should be called the year of the woman. The first woman to run the Boston Marathon, Ms. magazine launches, and legislation passed for Title IX. Tomorrow, June 23rd, marks the day, 40 years ago when a law was passed that created equal access to sports for girls.

I was not always active in sports growing up. I ran cross country in middle school, and played softball in high school. I was also a cheerleader in high school, but I was never a hard core athlete. I do more now then I ever did as a kid. However, without Title IX, I might not have even had those opportunities.

middle school cross country meet

Think of all the badass women athletes that would not be where they are today if Title IX had not been passed as legislation? Famous athletes, your best friend, or your next door neighbor. Check out this montage of photos being collected, honoring 40 years since Title IX. It is called: The Power of IX – a photo project, and it is quite inspiring!

Thank you, 1972, for being the year that pushed the envelope for women’s rights.

Happy Friday!

Ms. Magazine Turns 40

Posted by random olio

I am a feminist. I believe in any initiative that fights for and honors the rights for women. I first became passionate about women’s issues in college, and that is when I started reading Ms. Magazine. There were times when I might have considered myself a feminazi. For those of you that have not heard that term, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as: “an extreme or militant feminist.”

I no longer consider myself a feminazi, I no longer have a shaved head, and I do not talk about women’s issues in every other conversation, but the passion is still deep inside me. I crave equality for all women. I want a world where a woman feels safe, has the right to decide what to do with her body, receives equal pay, is not abused, is not owned, and is not discriminated against. I appreciate the work that The Girl Effect, National Organization of Women (NOW), Girls, Inc, to name a few do to help empower women and young girls to grow up and stay strong women.

Ms. Magazine was created to bring the women’s movement to print, and I think the fact that it is still in print may mean women still need the printed word to inspire and invigorate their daily life. A quote from Gloria Steinem explains a bit of why Ms. Magazine started:

“I realized as a journalist that there really was nothing for women to read that was controlled by women, and this caused me along with a number of other women to start Ms. Magazine.”

So Happy Birthday Ms. Magazine. Kudos to having Wonder Woman on your first cover. Hopefully over the years all the hard work you have put into publishing Ms. Magazine have inspired women to be powerful superheros and badass wonder women!

Cheerleading, Wax, and Spiders

Posted by random olio

I have a confession to make. Yes, you may laugh as some folks do when I tell them. Okay, I will just come out and say it: “I was a cheerleader.” Gulp. I said it. Have you stopped reading? No, okay, good. Ready for the rest of the blog that might mention cheerleading?

I just finished reading “It’s Not About the Pom-Poms: How a 40-Year-Old Mom Became the NFL’s Oldest Cheerleader–and Found Hope, Joy, and Inspiration Along the Way” by Laura Vikmanis. At the age of forty, Laura is the oldest NFL cheerleader. When I first heard of her book, the idea intrigued me. How did she do it? How did she make the team, and how did her body handle it? You can find the answers and so much more in her book.

Laura went through a horrible and abusive marriage, and came out stronger, more independent, and in control of her life. It is a must read for anyone that might be in a tough marriage (she gives you a picture of how she made it through her divorce), as well as a view into NFL cheerleading. NFL cheerleading is definitely not as glamorous as it may look on the outside. AND – they make no money at all! Laura was a Cincinnati Bengals (called the Ben-Gals), and the pay was $75 a game. They only cheer at home games (about 10 a season) so that equals $750 a year. They do not get paid for the hours they practice (they spend more time in practice then the football players do). They are not paid for manicures, highlights, hair cuts, waxing, etc. yet they are expected to ALWAYS look perfect on and off-season. Wow. Is it really worth it?

While I did not make note of any specific quotes from her book, I did write down this quote in her section specific to body waxing. As said by Jerry Seinfeld:

“I will never be able to understand how a woman can take boiling hot wax, pour it on her upper thighs, rip the hair by the root, and still be afraid of a spider.” Page 124

I guess I am not that kind of woman because I can handle hot wax and spiders, although I know some men that cannot handle either. From my view of Laura I think she can too.