T.G.I.F. Friday: Volume 162
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Welcome to “Thank God I’m FI” Friday, Volume #162
Here are some things I really like and that you might too!
Financial Independence/Work Life/Retirement Articles & Content
Financial Optimization: When More Isn’t Better (Can I Retire Yet) “Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can always learn more. In my opinion, we should all seek to be lifetime learners. Just recognize that over time you will get diminishing returns for your effort.”
The 50-year mortgage is not as bad as we’ve been told! (Early Retirement Now) “The public outcry over how crazy the idea of a 50-mortgage is came from all corners, and the lame reasons put forward fall into multiple categories.”
Video
With AI everywhere and rapidly on the way to becoming our overlord, and increasing numbers of people getting their phones surgically attached to their hands, I’ll start the year off with a left turn. I came upon this video from the US Forest service and loved it. It’s a year old and has a measly 1800 views and no comments, which says a lot about our modern world. I realize this might be too “granola-y” for some folks with lines like “…slow down and feel the Earth beneath you..” but hey, I’m just being me. And the kids in the video look really great with no phones in their hands!
What I’m Grateful For
2025. After a generally crappy 2024 this past year brought much goodness. I was able to get an early retirement with full benefits from my job, I had my best year ever in bike races, I ran my first ultra-marathon, I sold lots of artwork, and I met lots of new people who I now call friends. Over to you 2026, you’ve got a head start.
Lyrically Speaking
I’m always wanting more, anything I haven’t got
Everything I want it all, and I just can’t stop
Planning all my days away but never finding ways to stay
Or ever feel enough today, tomorrow must be more
From “Want” by The Cure
I highlighted The Cure in this column way way back in 2019 and gave them a shout-out again last year with their amazing comeback album Songs Of A Lost World in 2024. I don’t have to describe The Cure here, they’re legends. Sadly they lost their longtime guitarist and keyboardist Perry Bamonte this past week. Bamonte wasn’t an original member of the Cure but he was with them from the early 1990’s up to 2005, and rejoined them in 2022 for their comeback. The Cure have a big tour planned for 2026 with lots of festival shows, and Bamonte was supposed to be with them. Bamonte’s amazing work can be heard on albums like Wish and Wild Mood Swings among others. R.I.P. Mr. Bamonte and thanks for the music.
As for the lyrics above, thankfully I didn’t fall victim to that mindset in life. I already have way more than most of the 8 billion humans on earth simply from being born where I was, no point in piling it on. I saved my money and invested it instead and now I’m a free man.
Miscellaneous
Living longer — and healthier — starts with boosting your brain – “What good does it do us to have these long lives if we are outlasting our brains”
Dry January: What Happens to Your Body When You Skip Alcohol for a Month – “Most abstainers continue to drink less after the month is up”
The ant you can save – “Should we simply assume that all animals can feel pain and are of moral concern? Or is that taking things too far?”
i thought i was not a cure fan and certainly was not a super fan from the 80’s. i was a stubborn classic rock guy. then a girlfriend in the 90’s asked me to go see them in concert with some friends. the band were incredible and it was good to free my mind to see that. cheers, dude!
I had only heard of them in high school but not really heard their music since Baltimore had zero radio stations that played anything but the big, mainstream rock artists. I think “Boys Don’t Cry” was the first song from them I ever heard, probably from a friend on a cassette mixtape. I started buying some of their cassettes and wondered why they weren’t on commercial radio. I never saw them live but have quite a few soundboard bootlegs of their shows and they’re the real deal. Happy New Year my friend!
They were well played on MuchMusic in Canada and on MTV.
Unfortunately when cable TV came out my family couldn’t afford it, so I never saw MTV in it’s early days in the 1980’s. I later learned MTV had a show called 120 minutes that highlighted “alternative” music and if I had that back in the day I would have been hooked!
thanks for still blogging and here’s to a great 2026!
I also saw that the Cure guy passed away. I think I’ve mentioned before that I too was a huge Cure fan back in HS, late 80″s, still really enjoy them. I saw an interview with Robert Smith that this will be their last tour, I think he’s close to 70?, anyhow I really hope they tour North America cuz I will definitely go to where ever they are closest to me!
Cheers!
No one sounds like – or will ever sound like – Robert Smith. And he’s such an underrated songwriter, the guy is a musical treasure. I would love to see them too. Thanks for reading Matt and Happy ’26 to you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I was more into Depeche Mode, New Order etc in the 80s but absolutely love the synth and ambient vibes of A Forest by the Cure…such an awesome song.
Bring on the granola, I would be lost without time in the forest on foot, mtb or moto. It is everything for me.
All the best in 2026, with all the free time now hopefully a PNW road trip and maybe sneak over to Van Isle is in your cards one of these years.
I remember when “People Are People” came out from Depeche Mode and it sounded so different, so crazy. As the synthesizer craze took off I did like that song a lot and some of the other 80’s stuff that hopped on that trend. And “bring on the granola” could be the theme of ’26, haha. Don’t know if I’ll be making it up in the PNW any time soon but if I do I’ll be hitting you up for sure – keep gettin’ out there Chris!
Happy New Year! My 2025 was… not so great. But here’s to hoping 2026 is better!
Sorry to hear that Natalie but better times are ahead, Happy New Year to you!
Happy New Year! Thanks for still blogging! I was never a Cure superfun but back when iPods first got popular, I saved some of my grad student salary to get one. I had a friend who had a friend who had the entire Cure discography and would share it with people he deemed “cool enough” to have access. Somehow I managed to pass his screening process. I still consider “being cool enough to get The Cure discography” an important life accomplishment. I saw that Perry Bamonte had passed but didn’t realize that they were planning a 2026 tour. Hope 2026 treats you well!
Ah, the days when taste in music (with some snobbery of course) was a ticket to a click or even friendships…. I vividly remember those days. Except being a bit older I mostly remember it with trading cassettes and mixtapes. Thanks for reading Susi and Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! It sounds like you’re enjoying full retirement. That’s great!
My wife had a tough time adjusting at first, but she is doing better now. She has more time to help her parents.
Happy New Year to you too Joe and glad your wife is starting to like retirement!