WagooMusic

Even though the summer concert series are winding down, there’s still things the smart music lover will want to consider before, during and after attending one of these events. these suggestions are meant to enhance your enjoyment while keeping you and your friends safe.

Have a good, hearty meal before heading out to the concert. you don’t know when you’ll get to eat right again and you’ll need the energy. The place that’s holding the event may have all kinds of food but then again they may only have snacks. Hydration is just as important as good nutrition. make sure you drink plenty of water before during and after the event.

Bring a sweater, sweatshirt or coat. even on a hot day, if the concert is held outside, the temperature can drop substantially during the day and especially after sunset. Being cold and uncomfortable will put a damper on the fun. and, speaking of damp, be sure to bring a sheet of plastic, a poncho or even garbage bags are ok. if it rains, you’ll want to keep dry and have something dry to sit on.

Ok, so there’s no rain in the forecast, should be good to go right? wrong. even on a cloudy day the sun can do an number on your skin. Anyone who’s had a sunburn is in no hurry to get another. I know we all want that healthy, bronzed look. well you’re in luck, today’s sunblock manufactures have got you covered by including pigment in the lotions. Oh and whether it rains, shines or somewhere in between, it’s a good idea to where a hat. there may be birds attending the event

Bring your cellphone, but pre-arrange a meeting area at the concert in case you get separated. Cellphones are great but don’t rely on them. Common sense and preparedness are better

Another good idea is to keep your driver’s license or some form of picture id and contact information on your person. if something happens and for some reason you’re at a loss for words, your ID can speak for you. if you’re a Diabetic, have Asthma, Alergies or some other medical condition, be sure to where a medic alert bracelet if you have one and if you don’t, let your friends know about your condition. again, in case of an emergency, you may not be able to communicate with medical personel giving you aid, and this bracelet or the knowledge you impart on a friend could save your life.

Plan on doing a lot of walking. Depending on the parking situation, you may have to walk a mile or more to attend the concert after parking. you don’t want to arrive in pain and you may be standing for long periods; wear comfortable shoes. Women: don’t wear anything with a high heel.Guys: don’t try to break-in that new pair of boots.

Everybody thinks the best seats are up front and while they do provide a great view, that’s where the crowd is most dense. I’m not saying don’t get those seats, but be aware of the potential for danger. Chances are, aside from your friends, you won’t know most of the people there and sometimes even good people make bad choices.

I do not understand the lure of the mosh pit Thank God my generation missed that. People purposely inflicting harm on others in the name of fun? one word – STUPID – ’nuff said.

It goes without saying but don’t go anywhere alone – both guys and girls – restrooms, snackbar, anywhere. Take someone along. I know it’s not the macho thing to do guys but macho isn’t going to help much if you get into trouble.

Drugs and alcohol: It’s my opinion that it’s a personal choice but if you choose to do it, be prepared to deal with the potential consequences. Disorietation, nausea, blurred or double vision are some of the possible effects of abusing drugs and alcohol, but they’re not the worst. you could die. The best answer if someone asks? No, thanks. Period. you may not know the person offering and you most definitely don’t know what they’re offering no matter what they say.

Stay with the group you came with. Meeting new people is one of the great things about concerts but it’s not the best environment to hook up with them. Take names and numbers, follow up later, after the excitement of the day’s events have subsided. if you still think it’s a good idea to stay in touch the next day or the next week, then go ahead and call.

Don’t Be Part Of History

There have been some terrible tragedies at concerts, due in part to poor decisions on the part of the attendees and or poor crowd management by security for the event. The who concert back in December of 1979, where 11 fans were crushed to death. The Perl Jam concert in Denmark back in June of 2000 – hundreds of fans rushed the stage crushing 9 fans, smothering them to death. and more recently in Rhode Island when a pyrotechnics display went horribly wrong and 100 people lost their lives in the blaze. there are many others that could have been avoided with a little forethought and better planning.

The who concert tragedy prompted a report by a special Cincinnati citizen task force. in it they outline recommendations intended to prevent disasters like these from happening. Google concert tragedies to view story and to find a link to the report.

I would like you to consider these suggestions as a way for you to have fun and be able to talk about it later. Be smart and think them and even come up with some of your own. your safety is your responsibility. The people who you care about and who care about you would like you to consider them.

Agency: Lawrence Arts Center

Contact: Larry Carter,

Tuesday Concerts, a weekly concert series featuring local musicians at the Lawrence Arts Center, is in search of a volunteer with some video recording and editing skills. Local acoustic musicians perform each week for the public, free of charge and simply put out a tip jar rather than charging admission. a volunteer is sought to record each concert and make a DVD of each show for the musician(s) to keep and assist the musicians in posting videos of their song performances to YouTube. Video recording/editing credit will be given to the volunteer on the website and any YouTube videos, and will be provided with a reference for future videographer ventures. the fall series runs from Tuesday through Dec. 20, and concerts are from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the Lawrence Arts Center lobby. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys the local music scene. For more information, contact Larry Carter at .

Immediate needs

• Lawrence Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers to help with their house builds that take place three days a week: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Volunteers are especially needed for the Tuesday and Thursday builds, so if you’re available even on an occasional basis on those days, please sign up to help. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old, and anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian waiver signed before volunteering. Additionally, a few volunteers are needed to serve as work-site hosts, arriving about 10 minutes early on each build day to help set up and manage the sign-in table, as well as drive to pick up lunch during Saturday builds. to sign up as a volunteer, visit lawrencehabitat.org, or for more information, contact Mana Uchida at 785-832-0777 or .

• LINK Inc. needs volunteers to work a concession stand at some upcoming home Kansas University football games. Volunteers will sell concessions throughout the game and help clean up when it’s time to close the concession stand down. Approximately six volunteers are needed to help at each game, and all volunteers will need to wear khaki or black shorts or pants and a white T-shirt. a KU shirt will be provided upon arrival to wear at the concession stand, as well as a KU hat if you don’t have a personal one to wear. LINK will be selling concessions to help raise money for their program at the following games: Oct. 1, Oct. 15, Oct. 22 and Nov. 12. if you’re available on any of those dates to help, contact Deb Engstrom at 785-330-3105.

• Health Care Access is looking for a few volunteers to help with some outdoor cleanup around its building. Tasks would include pulling weeds and cleaning out gutters. This is a great opportunity for a couple of friends or a small family to do together in just a couple of hours. if you’re interested in more details, contact Kim Johnson at .

• the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center is offering a unique way to honor the nearly 3,000 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Challenge 3,000, an outpouring of service in Douglas County. Community members are challenged to pledge 3,000 hours of service, one hour in honor of each of the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks, by make a Difference Day on Oct. 22. It’s easy to participate in Challenge 3,000. just pledge to serve one or more volunteer hours, whether they’re hours you already plan to perform as part of an ongoing volunteer commitment, or you try out a new volunteer opportunity. to get a pledge form, please contact the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center by calling 785-865-5030 or sending email to .

— For more volunteer opportunities, contact Shannon Reid at the United Way’s Roger Hill Volunteer Center, at 785-865-5030 or , or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.

Copyright 2011 the Lawrence Journal-World. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. we strive to uphold our values for every story published.

People don’t like to think of the end of something, but with divorce rates higher than ever before in history, the reality that you and your spouse might split some day is a likely one. How you divide the assets can be complicated.

One of the largest assets couples often accumulate during a marriage is their home. Whether a spouse wants to sell the house or keep it after a divorce is usually an emotional issue. no matter what, you will need to determine how much it is worth, and who it belongs to.

If the home was purchased by one partner before the marriage, it may be considered non-marital equity, and therefore belong only to that one person. However, if there have been re-mortgages since the marriage, then the non-marital equity clause may be void and the home may be considered the asset of both parties. this is when an accurate assessment needs to take place. if neither party wants the home, it can be sold and the assets divided. However it is a complicated process to sell together while undergoing a divorce. Greed or hostility on the part of one or both parties may make it very hard to settle on an offer. On the other hand, an ex-couple might be relieved to get any offer, just to get the situation over with.

If one party wants to keep the house, they need to be sure what its value is so that the division of assets is equal and fair. there have been cases wherein a spouse with an emotional attachment to the marital home accepts it in a marriage settlement in lieu of a much more economically valuable settlement. So maintaining objectivity is very important when determining who gets what.

However, there are some very real reasons why a person should stay in their home, for example if there are young children in the family for whom a move would be stressful. However, getting the house should not replace another more valuable offer, but be one part of an equal division of assets.

When getting an assessment, don’t rely on your annual tax assessment. These tend to be low assessments, and a comparative market analysis will be far more accurate. if there is any concern, it may be wise to conduct any relevant inspections on the home, even if you aren’t planning on selling. this will reveal any problems that may reduce the value, and will allow for a more accurate assessment.