T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 10

Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #10!

Here are some things I really like and that you might too. 

 

Finance Articles

I’m Glad My Parents Crushed My College Dreams (Financial Mechanic) – “I thought I had done everything right, but when it came down to it, my parents told me I couldn’t go to my dream university.”

Living The FI Life: The Struggles (Young FIRE Knight) – “I’m sure I will figure out the best path for me at some point, but in the meantime the indecisiveness will continue to be something that takes up my mental capacity.”

Can We Have Prosperity Without Growth (New Yorker)

 

Video

I’ve seen lots of urban downhill and freeride videos, but not like this.  This guy is insane, this is next level. Holy crap… 

 

Who’s Inspired Me

Jessica Cox was born without arms, but she didn’t let that hold her back in life.  Even though she was initially terrified of flying, she sought to become a pilot after being allowed in the cockpit of a plane.  She went on to become the first licensed armless pilot.

Cox is also a certified scuba diver and a third-degree black belt in taekwondo.  You can read about her amazing story here.

 

What I’m Grateful For

My cycling friends. I’m convinced that the key to getting regular exercise and becoming fit is to find an activity that you like doing, and cultivate groups of friends around that activity. When you have that, workouts aren’t seen as workouts anymore, they’re just ways to hang out with your friends.  My cycling friends push me to become better, and I will no doubt get better again this year.

 

Lyrically Speaking

I’ve been keeping myself busy with my books and with my tapes
Every day’s much better since I’ve slowed my drinking pace
There’s no swimming in the bottle it’s just someplace we all drown
I lost myself in sorrow lost my confidence in doubt

From “Mrs. Rita”, by The Gin Blossoms

The album “New Miserable Experience” from the Gin Blossoms is one of my desert island discs.  When it hit the airways I was in my heavy drinking days as a functional alcoholic, with no end in sight.  I vividly remember loving the four lines above from “Mrs. Rita”, because I wanted them to be true for me. 

But they weren’t. 

The first line was very true – even though I drank way too much, I spent much of my other time buried in books and music.  But I knew I drank way too much, and that I was ‘losing myself in sorrow, and losing my confidence in doubt’.  

Finally in my 30’s after summoning the strength and discipline to beat the trauma behind my drinking, I was able to sing these four lines with honesty. 

I sing them louder than ever now, and I’ve never looked back.  

 

Miscellaneous

Half of Us Face Obesity, Dire Projections Show – “People who choose to blame genetics are fooling no one but themselves, Mr. Ward said. Our genetics haven’t changed in the last 30 years.”

The killer(s) on the road: reducing your risk of automotive death – “These numbers should scare anyone. If I die in the next 10 years, the most probable murder weapon is my vehicle or another vehicle on the road.” This post shows great analysis of how most deaths happen in car crashes, and how you can use that information to try to protect yourself.

Scientists Now Know How Sleep Cleans Toxins From the Brain – We’re learning more about sleep all the time, and this is fascinating…