I'm not sure if it's the combination of watering restrictions during the recent drought and the subsequent record rains that we've had, but it seems that more and more people in Old Towne Orange are neglecting their lawns and parkways.

I understand that there are elderly and disabled folks, who through no fault of their own can't maintain (nor afford to pay others to maintain) their yards and parkways -- so they get a pass. What is troublesome are homes that have changed hands within the past few years that are either owner-occupied, or that are owned by out-of-the-area investors, where the lawns/parkways get little to no attention. Even a dirt parkway is better than a parkway covered with the tall weeds of neglect.

Pro-tip: Landlords, if your tenants ask that you knock $75/month off of the rent and they'll maintain the yard -- guess what --- they won't (in many cases). Chapman University parents who own houses in the neighborhood -- if your son or daughter tell you that they'll take care of the yard -- they won't (again, in most cases). If you can afford to send your child to Chapman, and purchase a house for them while they attend school, then I suspect that you can afford to hire a lawn maintenance service to help keep our neighborhood looking sharp. Likewise, if you are an investor who recently purchased a property as an investment to rent to either traditional tenants or Chapman University students, please have your yard/parkway professionally maintained such that we can maintain our beautiful little oasis here in Southern California! A little bit of effort makes a big difference!

I've been reading a lot lately about student loan debt. What continues to amaze me is how little thought appears to enter the process prior to the loans being procured. Certainly if a student wants to learn for learning's sake, and has the means to pursue that goal, then pursue it they should. For those students with more limited means, perhaps a more pragmatic approach is warranted. In other words, what is the cost/benefit of going to a particular school and/or of obtaining a specific degree? Does it make financial sense? If not, perhaps a degree with more earning potential (or a less-expensive school, or both) would be a better alternative.

In all fairness, prior to heading off to college many years ago, I didn't give this much thought (Ok - none) and my parents weren't in a position to assist me with this analysis, so expecting that of a college bound student today (or their parents) is perhaps a little disingenuous. But I think that the stakes are higher today -- college is more expensive, and the job market is a little more tenuous.

So I prepared a little calculator -- very simplistic -- but maybe at least one young college or trade-school person or their parents will benefit from it. If nothing else, to start the conversation about the overall cost, and the long term impact of taking out those easy-to-get student loans.

Items in BLUE can be changed (the others can as well, but it will disrupt the automatic calculations) -- the remaining items will calculate automatically (Note: the calculator below functions on PCs but the plug-in does not work on mobile devices, unfortunately - but you can download onto your tablet by clicking on the button below):