T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 17

Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #17!

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

Finance Articles

The Amazing Tax Benefits of Semi-Retirement (Can I Retire Yet) – “Semi-retirement can feel a lot less risky and allow you to dip your toes into the water sooner than you may otherwise feel comfortable. I’m happy to share that this path offers many of the same tax benefits as full early retirement.”

Why Meaningful Work is an Essential Part of Life (Spills Spot) – “It may take time, but eventually you can get to the point where you have more options to pursue meaningful work – gaining more control over your schedule, working remotely, changing jobs, switching careers, taking a sabbatical, starting a business, or more.”

Video

Some people think my hobbies like rock climbing and mountaineering are risky and crazy. No, this is risky and crazy. Wow, just wow. 

Who’s Inspired Me

Peter Diamandis.

Diamandis founded the XPRIZE Foundation, which is the most prominent organization leading, designing, and operating large-scale incentive competitions.  He’s also started or chaired about a dozen space and technology companies that have contributed to humanity in tons of ways.  He’s sort of like the Elon Musk you’ve never heard of, and more humble.

Watch his Ted Talk. Be aware it’s from 2012 so a little dated on things.  He mentions a device, if deployed properly, that could sequence a virus RNA in the field and prevent a pandemic. Well the technology is there as he predicted, it was quite easy to sequence the RNA of coronavirus.  Stopping it is another matter.

If you don’t like Steven Pinker’s message that things continue to get better and these are the best times to be alive, then you won’t like Diamandis’.  But you also don’t have any facts to show they’re wrong.  And yes even with the current pandemic I fully believe the message is still true.  Sure, there’s always rough waters, but the state of humans continues to get better.  Just like the stock market continues to go up over time, despite some bumpy troughs.

What I’m Grateful For

My childhood on the rough streets of Baltimore. Honestly if I had kids I wouldn’t inflict it on them because the undeniable danger. But having made it through and looking back, the school of life is a great teacher.

Lyrically Speaking

The life I’ve always wanted
I guess I’ll never have
I’ll be working for somebody else
Until I’m in my grave
I’ll be dreaming of a live of ease
And mountains oh mountains o’ things

From “Mountains Of Things“, by Tracy Chapman. 

I love Tracy Chapman so much.  To me this should be one of the theme songs of the FI movement.  Specifically the one that doesn’t teach frugality but preaches against rampant consumerism and materialism.  Read the full lyrics, the song is one big denunciation of our modern 1st world culture that prioritizes the accumulation of stuff.

My favorite part is when she sings “I’ll have it all prearranged, A grave that’s deep and wide enough, For me and all my mountains o’ things”.  The song’s protagonist is so disillusioned, so deep in materialism, he thinks he can take it with him.  In reality I’m sure no one thinks that’s true, but good art uses extremes to hammer home truths, and Chapman does it superbly here. 

Life is so much more than mountains o’ things. 

Miscellaneous

The Food That Helps Battle Depression – “The right kind of diet may give the brain more of what it needs to avoid depression, or even to treat it once it’s begun”

To the Driver Who Hit Me and Ran – “I was biking home when you barreled into me with your car and left me to die”

Simple, solar-powered water desalination – “System achieves new level of efficiency in harnessing sunlight to make fresh potable water from seawater.”