T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 141
Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #141!
Here are some things I really like and that you might too.
Financial Independence/Work Life/Retirement Articles & Content
An 80 year old reflects. Are things that much harder today than when he was building a life, marriage and career? (Humble Dollar) “Are things that much harder now? They are very different for sure.”
What’s the number one way Americans are becoming millionaires? (Yahoo Finance) “Despite challenging economic conditions, the U.S. keeps producing more millionaires. The total number of U.S.-based millionaires more than doubled from 2020 to 2023, reaching nearly 22 million individuals.“
Video
I love data. And I love my country. So I thoroughly enjoyed this video which does a great job with graphics in laying out various factoids about America and our people. I especially like the parts that show changes over time which are very interesting.
What I’m Grateful For
That a dangerous mole I had removed came up negative.
Lyrically Speaking
Maybe there’s an island at the edge of the world
Where people live in castles in the sand
And you don’t need to dive for pеarls
‘Cause you got one right herе in your hands
From “Just Like Paradise” by Sarah Jarosz
Sarah Jarosz is a singer-songwriter with a gorgeous voice and lots of accolades. And I even mentioned her in this column back in 2023 for her stunning duet with the now deceased David Crosby. Somewhat of a musical prodigy, Jarosz signed her first recording contract while still in high school. Since then she’s released seven full length albums dating back to 2009 and numerous other singles. Her style is mostly folk-Americana with some bluegrass elements. She’s an accomplished mandolin, guitar, and banjo player and has the songwriting chops to make it all come together. Only two of her albums are on Bandcamp but if you like her stuff support her there.
As for the lyrics above, I have a “What I’m Grateful For” section in every T.G.I.F. Friday for a reason. We’ve all got pearls in our hands, we just need to appreciate them more.
Miscellaneous
Obesity On The Rise Worldwide, Report Says – “More than half of adults and a third of children and teens worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050, a comprehensive global analysis has concluded.” Dave’s comment – With the astronomical proliferation of the quick-fix GLP-1 drugs I’m a bit surprised rates are still going up. Time will tell.
Google, Amazon, and Meta want a big boost in nuclear energy – “Hungry for energy to fuel their AI ambitions, the tech giants signed a pledge supporting the tripling of nuclear energy by 2050.
Astronomers Confirm 4 Rocky Exoplanets in Earth’s Backyard, Just 6 Light-Years Away – “A new study finally sheds light on our mysterious cosmic neighbors and sets a planet-hunting record.”
i liked that humble dollar post. a lot of those guys went the military route. my dad did the same and got out to become a modest prison guard and we lived in a little house, maybe 1400 sq. ft. we never went without food or decent clothing but also never had much “pocket money” until i got a part time job at age 16. it is not compulsory but i would suggest the younger angst ridden folks just starting out to keep in mind patience and “realistic expectations.”
and…. get off my lawn.
I’m off!! Put away the gun!
Haha.. As my longest term fan and someone who has graciously read my dribbles and commented thousands of times, you know that our stories are very similar. My Dad was drafted into the Army in 1947 and sent to occupied Germany, then Japan. Then he fought in Korea. Our eventual house in Baltimore was about 1550 sq. feet – a mansion compared to yours! I have friends now who have combined walk-in closet space bigger than that and they call themselves “middle class”. I also got my first job at 16 and worked all through college – sometimes 40 hrs a week with a full class load. I’m not complaining about anything. LIFE IS AWESOME!