T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 78

Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #78!

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

Financial Independence/Retirement Articles

Is Geo-Arbitrage A Financial Fairy Tale? (Mr. Tako Escapes) – “For anyone considering a geo-arbitrage move — My advice is to please think twice about the costs involved.“

John Steinbeck’s Hidden Personal Finance Advice In East of Eden (Impersonal Finances) – “Steinbeck’s words of wisdom – intended for the experience of wet and dry years for farmers – apply in good times and bad“

Video

Being a good bike mechanic means being part craftsmen and part artist.  This short film about an independent mechanic in New South Wales Australia is beautifully shot and scored and for whatever reason relaxes me.  Maybe it’s because I love bikes a lot, but as you can see in the Youtube comments even non-cycling fans love it and that’s why it was selected for awards and has almost half a million views.

Who’s Inspired Me

Anthony Vavaro.

Vavaro was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, and Boston Red Sox.  He didn’t have a long career and bounced a bit between the minors and the big leagues, but he was still a major league pitcher.  He decided to leave baseball and the big fat salary in 2016 at the age of 32 to, of all things, pursue a career as a police officer at the New York City Port Authority.  Talk about a career change and a pay cut.  But it was what he wanted to do, he wanted to serve. 

“I figured that I had a pretty successful career in baseball, I had played a number of seasons, and I was fine moving on to the next step of my life,” he told a newspaper at the time.  He made that dream happen and became a Port Authority Officer in late 2016.  About two weeks ago on September 11th 2022 Vavaro tragically died in a car crash while on his way to the 9/11 Memorial ceremony in Manhattan to commemorate that fateful day 21 years ago.  Vavaro’s story while horribly tragic is also inspiring to me because he made a massive change in his life and pursued service in lieu of riches.

What I’m Grateful For

A recent 3rd place finish in a national level bike race.  This season hasn’t been quite as good as last year, but this recent result is a big fat delicious cherry on top of what was still a great season.  Keep showing up, keep putting in the work.  It does reward.

Lyrically Speaking

They say that love well that’s one thing that’s free
Let’s fall in love and not buy anything
I’ll build you a house we can sit in the dark
They say that happiness is for those who work hard  

From “They Say” by Raye Zaragoza 

Raye Zaragoza is the idealist folkie.  She made waves about 6 years ago with protest songs about the Dakota Access Pipeline, and continues to write about cultural issues.  When an artist is talented and can write good songs I tend to not care about their politics, even if I disagree with them.  I love classic 60’s protest folk from Dylan, Baez, Joni, and Phil Ochs regardless of what issue they were planting their flag in the dirt for.  Zaragoza isn’t in their class, but she’s a damn good songwriter and her laid back vocals give off a chillax vibe that easily soothes any objections you may or may not have with her messages.  Her 2020 album Woman in Color is really good and I highly recommend it. 

As for the lyrics above from “They Say”, well can we get any more FI?  “Let’s fall in love and not buy anything”, I think I’ve read a FIRE blog or two that’s kind of purveyed that message, haha.

Miscellaneous

Physical Activity May Play Greater Role Than Genes in Longevity – “Previous research has shown that low physical activity and greater time spent sitting are associated with a higher risk of death. Does risk change if a person is genetically predisposed to live a long life?“

Malthusian Theory Has Always Been False – “The fundamental issue is this: Are humans consumers or creators?“ 

Freedom from liquor – “Ken Burns’s account of prohibition tells a popular story of booze in America. The historical record is far more sobering.“