FROM THE EDITOR It’s a good thing I’ve always preferred to look on the bright side and avoid negativity where possible, because this is a time when those qualities come in handy. Not to suggest that we should bury our heads in the sand, but, on the other hand, intensive hand-wringing isn’t going to help much either. During our brief discussion of how the economy affected the restaurant business (yes, I was just now referring to the Great Recession, as we’re calling it), restaurant owner Joe Salvatore simply stated, “You control the things you can control.” That’s what I think. Whether your troubles are as benign as not being able to take the vacation you had planned, or as severe as having to find new employment, it’s essential to find a way to enjoy life in spite of such worries. And it’s possible. There are all kinds of creative and inexpensive things we can do in Western New York that will help us enjoy our surroundings, our friends, our families, and ourselves. As we proofread this month’s calendar, I was surprised at how much was either free or fairly cheap. For example, a new Thursday evening film series at the Albright-Knox is free with admission, and the activity-packed Fridays at the museum are completely free. As the weather finally begins to break, I notice several nature walks and talks given at our local state parks are unaccompanied by a charge, while—more free fun outside—we‘re lucky enough to have not one, but two St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to enjoy. And then there is a plethora of gratis discussions and demonstrations at such cultural treasures as the Roycroft Inn and—if you don’t mind a drive—the Corning Museum of Glass, just to name two venues from this month’s calendar. It’s ironic to me that many of the places that give the most for the littlest amount of money (cultural organizations) are the most apt to lose support from the agencies that ought to recognize their value—but that’s another discussion. The more worries we have, the more important it is to be able to forget them—if only for a Saturday afternoon. In future issues of Spree, we’ll be highlighting such opportunities as we find them—and be sure to choose some of your favorites in our “Best of” ballot, which is included in this issue. Cheers! SUBSCRIBE NOW Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top