T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 64

Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #64!

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

Financial Independence/Retirement Articles

Relocating for Work? Make These Moves (Freddy Smidlap) – “As most things personal finance related there are some prudent moves a person should make well ahead of their last day at their thankless J.O.B.”

The Perfect and Sexy Power of Some (We Want Guac) – “Take advantage of the power of some, whether that’s in your financial life or in your more boring, domestic-household-maintenance life.”

Video

Watch pro mountain biker Brett Rheeder create two minutes of awe.  The way he dances down the mountain and just as impressively the way it can now be captured by a drone at never before seen angles is stunning. (if the embedded video doesn’t give a full screen option click the link below it, it’s worth a full screen)

Brett Rheeder – Continuum from Ride Shimano on Vimeo.

Who’s Inspired Me

Inky Johnson. 

Somehow I missed this story as it apparently garnered a lot of attention.  But I don’t have TV and even though that fact has made my life unequivocally better, I sometimes miss out on some good stories.  Inky Johnson was a star football player for Tennessee and just a few games from a guaranteed multi-million dollar contract with the NFL.  Then in a game against Air Force he made a tackle that in a micro-second ended his football career, changed his life, and almost killed him.  He lost the use of his right arm. 

Like so many kids who grew up in urban impoverished areas his one and only dream was to play in the NFL, and now it was gone.  But he didn’t let it destroy him.  He went on to earn a master’s degree in sports psychology and become one of the country’s top motivational speakers.  I first learned of him when he recently appeared on the Model Health Show podcast with Shawn Stevenson.  If you don’t have time for a longer form podcast there’s lots of shorter videos about him, I found this one inspirational.

What I’m Grateful For

That social media and smartphones didn’t exist when I was a kid.  

Lyrically Speaking

The lady and I was happy at first
Just livin’ from day to day
Off the wall came the call said we’re destined to fall
If I don’t bring home more pay
Keepin’ up with the Joneses is killing me
Go on and hang that man who says the best things in life are for free 

From “Keepin’ Up With The Joneses” by Little Feat.

Yes way back in 1977 long before “Your Money Or Your Life” or the FIRE movement Little Feat was dialed in.  I’m a casual Little Feat fan, I like many of their hits and “Fool Yourself” to me is their best song by far.  But this song came on one day when I had my massive music collection playing on random and I figured there’s no way I can’t put a song called “Keepin’ Up With The Joneses” in my Lyrically Speaking section.  It’s not a bad song either, from the days when Lowell George fronted Little Feat and they were more groovy.

As for the song and the lyrics, well we all know the truth.  The best way through life is to fall behind the Joneses.

Miscellaneous

Ketogenic Diets: Not For Everyone? – “Elevated blood lipids on a high fat, low carb diet”

What Russia’s Ongoing Cyberattacks in Ukraine Suggest About the Future of Cyber Warfare – “There was a time, in the 1960’s and 1970’s, when the world feared a global nuclear war…… With luck, we will also avoid a devastating global cyber war. “

Road Salt’s Harm to Freshwater Ecosystems Could Ripple Out to All of Us – “If we want to preserve freshwater ecosystems for the future, we need to set stricter limits on salt pollution.”