Suze Orman has written six books about the financial traps folks often fall into. Yet "there's an entire demographic that's being passed by," she says. So she put together The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke, a guide for people in their twenties and thirties. "What this generation needs to do is different than what I would tell somebody to do at the age of 45, 50, and 55," she says. "I needed to gear an entire book to just this generation."
Orman says many Generation X-and-a-Halfers aren't necessarily to blame for their financial woes. "Two generations ago, we didn't go through this outsourcing to China and India like we are now," she explains. "What was the price of a house then? It's almost as if this generation is carrying the financial struggles of the world on their shoulders."
Still, she notes, department-store credit cards -- with their 21-percent interest rates -- have done damage to recent college graduates. Advises Orman: "Be more intelligent with what you do with the money you don't have." Orman signs her book at 7 p.m. Thursday at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 24519 Cedar Road in Lyndhurst. Admission is free; call 216-691-7000. -- Michael Gallucci
Green Horns
Beat the St. Pat's crowds at weekly Irish Sessions.
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Some of the area's most recognizable Celtic musicians create a piece of the Emerald Isle every Thursday at Irish Sessions, where anyone is welcome to bring a fiddle, bodhran, or any other instrument laying around to help make some music. "I'll see someone with a whistle in their pocket," says Jim Smith, who hosts the sessions with his Celtic rock band Brace Yourself Bridget. "Just grab a chair, pull it up, and join in." The free-for-alls are followed by performances from local Irish bands (including Mossy Moran and the New Barleycorn), whose members usually take part in the sessions. They start small, but often grow to groups of 10 or more. Audience members "might say, 'Oh, I'm no good,'" says Smith. "But I say, 'That's fine. That's how you get good.'" Music starts at 7 p.m. at Stamper's, 21750 Lorain Road in Fairview Park. Admission is free; call 440-333-7826. -- D.X. Ferris
The God Squad
Christian rock tour prays for salvation and volume.
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Not all artists who plug in and rock out for God suck -- just the ones that get mainstream airplay. A few of Christian rock's better groups -- including Barlowgirl and newcomers Stellar Kart -- are part of the Strong Tower Tour, which comes to town Thursday. Headliners Kutless (pictured) sound just like the mook rockers they play on 92.3 Xtreme Radio -- except for, you know, the whole God thing. They have two new CDs coming out this year. Their last album, 2004's Sea of Faces, was supremely better than anything Creed's ever done. Show time is at 7:30 p.m. at Church on the Rise, 3550 Crocker Road in Westlake. Tickets are $20; call 800-965-9324 for more information. -- Michael Gallucci
Beat Masters
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The Kodo Drummers sure are an impressive bunch. Clad in only sweatbands and loincloths, the troupe of Japanese stickmen -- who practice the traditional form of taiko drumming --is as much about athleticism as musicianship. There's even an 882-pound instrument! They put on the best drum show since Tommy Lee took a ride in that revolving cage. They perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill Street in Akron. Tickets range from $24.50 to $39.50, available by calling 330-972-7570. -- Michael Gallucci