T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 139

Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #139!

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

Financial Independence/Work Life/Retirement Articles & Content

I Am Rich And Have No Idea What To Do With My Life (Retirement Manifesto) – “Vinay was the Co-Founder of a tech company called Loom. After an “intense 10-year journey,” he sold Loom for just under $1 Billion to Atlassian.“

Financial Literacy Can Change Your Life (Budget Life List) – “Financial literacy isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Instead, it’s a plodding process towards better decisions over a lifetime of fixed income.“

Video

Danny MacAskill (aka Spiderman on a bike) tours the world doing stunts.  It’s a good gig if you can get it.  Here’s a nice short video of some of his highlights traveling around in 2023 and doing things on a bike that very few humans can do.

What I’m Grateful For

My triglyceride/HDL ratio coming in at a super-low and super-healthy .45 in recent blood tests.

Lyrically Speaking

I work my hands like they’re getting paid
But I can smile at all the things I’ve made

From “Gold Rush” by Why Bonnie

The lyrics of “Gold Rush” by Why Bonnie start with the line “After the gold rush…“.  If it’s a nod to Neil Young it becomes quickly apparent that Why Bonnie’s sound isn’t the rootsy folk of Young, but something definitely descended from it a few generations down.  Why Bonnie is the musical project of Blair Howerton, a Brooklyn-based songwriter originally from Austin Texas.  I love their low-fi vibe with shoegaze overtones and sometimes dissonant sounds.  And Howerton’s vocal style fits their sound perfectly with emotion and melancholy dripping out of every line.  I was highly anticipating their 2024 release Wish On The Bone and even attended their pre-release listening party on Bandcamp.  It didn’t disappoint, the album is amazing.  If you like their music please support them on Bandcamp. 

As for the lyrics above, I love doing manual work and do much more of it since I’ve been semi-retired.  Just this week I shoveled the sidewalk of my entire street after a nice 7 inch snowstorm.  Life is good.

Miscellaneous

Decluttering can be stressful − a clinical psychologist explains how personal values can make it easier – “Defining value-consistent goals for using your space can help to maintain motivation as you declutter.”

Omega-3s can slow down aging process – “A daily intake of one gram of omega-3s can slow down biological aging by up to four months, according to an analysis of clinical data from the international DO-HEALTH study.”

Is playing in the dirt good for kids’ immune systems? – “As a child, you may have been told that playing outside in the dirt is good for you because it strengthens your immune system But is there any evidence to back this claim?”