Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver (1935-2019) was an avid observer: Her work often centers the natural world in all its minute, astounding details. Her meditations on everything from a bird’s plumage to the color of oysters are undeniably grounded in the present, free of anxiety about the future. “Attention is the beginning of devotion,” she wrote in her essay “Teach The Children.” Oliver’s contemplation of nature’s small wonders reminds us that the simplest things have the power to change us in the deepest ways. In paying attention to our surroundings, we can invite in joy and avoid letting our negative thoughts spiral. She reminds us we have a choice: We can let the world delight us, rather than let it beat us down.
James Baldwin was an essayist, novelist, and playwright born in Harlem in 1924. In 1948, he traveled to France, where he wrote his first collection of essays along with two novels, including the semi-autobiographical work “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” In an interview published in 1984 by “The Paris Review,” Baldwin spoke of returning from Paris to the United States, meeting Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and finding himself in the center of the civil rights movement. “I didn’t think of myself as a public speaker, or as a spokesman,” he said, “but I knew I could get a story past the editor’s desk.” Realizing he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he didn’t, he spent the rest of his life writing on themes of race and justice.
The Sargent Elementary School is extending an invitation to the Senior Citizens of BHA to attend their Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. If you are interested in attending please RSVP to the BHA Office on Friday October 21, 2022. Spots are limited so don’t delay. This year’s event should be special so put on your “Sunday Best” and enjoy an afternoon with the children at Sargent Elementary.
Attention Tenants of BHA if you are interested in a Medicare Educational Seminar to learn about Medicare Advantage and Supplement Plans we would like you to notify the BHA Office to enroll for an upcoming Seminar.
The date for the seminar is tentative and will be determined once we have a head count on the number of Tenants interested.
If you prefer to speak with a Licensed Medicare Specialist directly please see the information below:
With this quote, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Fiona Apple — whose lyrics, including those on her universally acclaimed 2020 LP “Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” often express dark and deep emotional truths — encourages us to let go of our fears and simply speak from the heart. The artist followed her own advice when, at age 19, she delivered a courageous and memorable acceptance speech at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, imploring people not to sacrifice their own originality for the sake of others, but rather to “go with yourself.” Although the unconventional speech received plenty of criticism at the time, Apple said she “will never, ever regret” standing up for what she believes.
Join Mutual Aid Beacon on Tuesday, October 18th, at 6:30pm at the Beacon Rec Center pavilion (23 West Center St) to talk about mutual aid, where we are, where YOU are, and how we can strengthen our bonds of love and care for each other.
When writing a check, you typically need to fill in six items:
Date
Pay to the Order Of
Dollar amount box
Check amount line (written using words)
Memo line
Signature line
Let’s walk through each of these items in turn.
Fill in the Date
The date blank is on the upper right-hand portion of the check. You can use any typical format, including:
Month/Day/Year (such as 10/22/2021 or 10/22/21)
Month Day, Year (such as October 22, 2021, or Oct. 22, 2021)
The important part is to include the month, day, and year. All three of those need to be in place or the check isn’t filled out correctly.
Print the Name of the Payee
In the “Pay to the order of” line, you’ll print the payee’s name. This may be your landlord’s name or a rental company name, depending on who you’re renting through and how they want it listed.
In our example, the tenant is renting a property through Acme Property Management. As a result, they would print “Acme Property Management” in the “Pay to the order of” field.
You’ll want to make certain you fill your rent out to the right entity. In some cases, you’ll write in the landlord’s name. In others, you may need to use a rental management company name.
Often, landlords include that information in the lease. However, if you are unable to find it there, you should contact your landlord to confirm who the payee is, ensuring you write in the correct information.
Write Your Rent Amount in Numbers
Just to the right of the “Pay to the order of” field is a blank spot with a dollar sign printed next to it. Here, you write out your rent amount using numbers.
For example, if your rent is $1100.00, you’d write “1100.00” in that blank. Since the dollar sign is printed on the check, you don’t need to include that; just the numbers are fine.
However, you do need to make sure you include both dollars and cents, even if your rent is a flat dollar amount. With checks, specificity is important, so include the “.00” when you fill yours out.
Write Your Rent Amount in Words
Just below the “Pay to the order of” field, you’ll see a blank line with the word “Dollars” printed on the right-hand side. Here, you need to write out your rent amount mainly using words.
The only exception is when it comes to cents. With that, you write the cents as a fraction, with the bottom number being 100 (such as “##/100”). The 100 notes how many cents are in a dollar, while the top number is the number of cents in the amount you’re paying.
For example, if you were writing a check for $350.46, you write the cents as 46/100.
When there aren’t any cents, you do use a different approach. Instead of writing “00/100,” you use “no/100” in its place. That’s because “00/100” could easily be edited by someone else to read another amount, like “100/100” by putting a “1” in front. With the “no/100” approach, that can’t happen.
So, if you’re rent amount is $1,100, like our example, you would need to write “One thousand one hundred and no/100” in that line.
Add a Memo
The memo line – which is on the lower left-hand side and is usually labeled with “memo” or “for” – is a spot where you can write a quick note regarding the reason for the check. Technically, it doesn’t have to be filled out for a check to be accepted by a bank or landlord. However, using it is a smart move.
A good option for the memo line rent check is to write in which month’s rent you’re paying. For example, if you were handling your January payment, you could write “Rent – January,” like our example.
In some cases, you could also add a detail about your rental apartment or home. For instance, if the landlord runs one apartment building, also include your apartment number. If you lived in 2B, you would write “Rent – Apt 2B – January.”
The latter approach is a good move if your personal information in the upper left-hand corner doesn’t have the rental’s address. It ensures the landlord knows what rent you’re paying right away, which works in your favor.
Sign the Front of the Check
To the right of the memo line, you’ll see a blank. That’s where your signature goes when you’re writing a check.
Without a signature, your check can’t be cashed or deposited. As a result, this is the most crucial step. However, it’s also one you should do until you’re ready to send the check on its way, as pre-signed checks put you at risk for fraud or theft.
Once your signature is in place, you’ve successfully written your rent check. Now all you need to do is get it to your landlord on time, and you’re done.
The celebrated Dominican American writer Julia Alvarez has an uncanny ability to cut to the center of the human experience. Her poetry and prose often focus on her identity as a Dominican woman growing up in the United States. This quote, however, comes from Alvarez’s essay “Aha Moment,” in which she describes a terrifying plane ride, and the many moments of kindness she saw in that one small space. Reflecting on that experience, she found that kindness inspires more kindness, and we should pay it forward whenever we can.
The month after Albert Einstein’s death in April of 1955, an interview with the famed scientist appeared in “Life” magazine. A journalist and editor of the magazine, William Miller, had stopped by Einstein’s home a few months earlier with his son Pat in tow. Pat wondered what life advice Einstein had to share, and the physicist responded with this piece of advice. It’s more fulfilling to give as much as you can — becoming a person of value — than to take what you can to become a person of “success.”
The BHA office does close due to inclement weather and dangerous driving conditions. We recommend that you call ahead if you have an appointment and the weather is questionable.
