July 4th at a Distance

ByMichael

America turns 244 years on Saturday. But like a lot of us who have become a year older recently, the celebration and the pop of fireworks will be more muted than in previous years.

Locally cities are mostly skipping their traditional holiday parades, festivals, and concerts. Family cookouts may feature fewer people.

AAA says Americans will take roughly 700 million trips this 4th of July holiday, estimating 97 percent of those to be road trips.

2020’s estimated travel a significantly lower number of travelers than AAA has forecast for the 4th of July in many years. Still, it shows that many are making travel plans again during the coronavirus pandemic, just making different plans.

The Year of the Road Trip

AAA expects we will take 700 million trips this summer. That is about 120 million, or 15%, fewer outings than we embarked on last summer.

While that sounds like good news for the economy, it should come with the warning that objects in the mirror appear larger than they are. Cars make up 683 million of those trips.  Airlines, cruise ships, rail, and other forms of mass transportation are missing out—with business expected to come in at 86% below last year’s levels.

The restaurant industry also relies heavily on tourism. But a lot of eateries—from unique, locally-owned popular spots to national franchises—are not there anymore.  I encourage you to visit your local favorites – take out is a win-win for everyone.

Our Summer Travel Reality Check

The most-searched-for destinations on AAA’s TripTik site this spring were Denver, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.  Many of our clients that we have talked with are taking a “staycation”—traveling mostly locally, or at least avoiding states that require a 14-day quarantine (a la New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut).

If you are hitting the road, be sure to do a Reality Check, so you do not run into any surprise roadblocks on the way to your destination.

If you’re looking to visit beaches, museums, etc., call ahead to see what the local ordinances are. And no matter where you are, you can enjoy socially distant entertainment:

2020 doesn’t look the way any of us thought it would. All around the world, we hear a lot about new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. And we’re watching protests happening in towns large and small across America.

For many, this is an emotional time. And a sobering one. So it’s easy to feel pressured to make our holidays and weekends feel as traditional as possible.

Michael’s 4th of July Creative Idea

I genuinely love and enjoy being outdoors with friends and family and watching fireworks.  With most cities canceling them, what can we do?

Improvise!

Set up an outdoor/backyard movie theatre and watch fireworks.  Not sure how to make this happen?  Check out the complete plan from House Beautiful for a DIY backyard movie and fireworks night.

Here are several ideas to watch

  • This week, Macy’s is hosting several downsized fireworks displays across New York’s boroughs. These socially distanced spectaculars will be recorded and aired in a televised finale.
  • PBS’s 40th annual “A Capitol Fourth” will be prerecorded but will end with live fireworks over Washington, DC, that you can watch on TV, social media, or on PBS’s website.
  • And Founding Fathers fans can catch “Hamilton” on Disney+ this weekend. The $75 million that Disney spent on worldwide rights to the Broadway smash is the most significant price tag ever for a single film. And just in time, Disney+ ended its free trial membership offering.

Whatever you do, stay safe, be well, and do what you can to enjoy this time of celebration, even if that means doing as little as possible.

While you are celebrating, share your pictures on social media.  We could all use some great celebration pictures to liven up our social media feeds.  Tag me – I want to see your creativity and food offerings!

Got something on your mind or have a question?

All of this can occur even at a distance.

Call us 214-239-4700 or click to set up a ZOOM MEETING

Michael Tannery CPA CDFA® AIF® ● CEO
Registered Principal | Tannery & Company

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The opinions expressed in this material is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice.  Individual circumstances do vary.

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    What is wasted time?
    Unscheduled, unplanned time doing the simple things of life
    As kids out summers were spent riding our bikes, playing in the creek or playing any game we could make up. All of this was outside and required very little parental supervision.
    Ain’t it funny how the best days of my life was all that wasted time
    – lyric from Keith Urban’s song – Wasted Time
    Today, I observe adults and children over scheduled with activities and over connected with every electronic device possible. Wasted time is where creativity is created.
    We are the “Attachment Generation”.
    Based on my observation about us becoming the “Attachement Generation”, I began to pose this question to friends and clients in my conversations.
    “What is your daily routine and how connected are you”.
    The #1 answer was – immediately when I get up or I take my phone to bed with me.
    I would get the answers and ask my favorite question – why?
    Why do you have to keep your phone with you, even taking it to bed?
    Why do you immediately look at it when you wake up, no matter the time of the night?
    They answered with various reasons that attempted to make the attachment to their phone seem normal.
    This simple idea of not having your smart phone with you 365/24/7 caused people stress.
    “When people are so plugged into their devices around the clock, they often lose the ability to be fully present to themselves and to other people,” says Jeffrey Rossman, Ph.D., director of Life Management ar Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. “It negatively impacts our peace of mind and relationships with others.”
    When is the last time you had “Wasted Time?”
    If “I can’t remember” is your answer then you have become part of the Attachment Generation. It is time for a digital detox and some “Wasted Time”.
    Take my seven steps toward finding your Wasted Time.
    1. Let go of the phone – start with taking it out of the bed. Your phone needs to sleep in the other room, not in the bed or on the bedside table. I made this change and the results are positive. (the phone was on the bedside table)

    2. Don’t touch your phone for the first 30 minutes of your day. Let your mind and your body refresh from the night’s sleep.

    3. Eliminate all of the “push” notifications on your phone and your desktop. This also includes your watch. I see many people distracted and looking at their smart watch for the text notifications during a meeting. It is unprofessional and inconsiderate.

    4. Drive your car without looking at your phone at stop lights. (No texting should not even be mentioned)

    5. Stop using your phone to occupy all of your free time. If you are standing in line at the grocery store, it is Ok to let your mind be unoccupied.

    6. Meals are Digital Free.

    7. Plan some wasted time each day without a screen in front of you. That includes a TV. Go workout, take a walk or have a conversation with your spouse, your children or take a bottle of wine and go visit a neighbor. I prefer reds however a chilled white will work this summer.
    Be honest
    You probably use your smartphone way more than you should, but you’re far from alone. It’s addictive checking social media, playing games and of course just staring down at it when you’re in a socially awkward situation.
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    Tell me about your results of finding your Wasted Time.