I recently saw a few threads on Reddit where people were asked to answer the question “What are you most looking forward to in FIRE?” (financially independence & retired early). There were dozens of comments. I’ve been early retired over 9 years now, but I still love reading what people are enjoying / looking forward to, so I thought I’d share some of the best … Continue reading Things To Look Forward To In FIRE
I’m always fascinated by the different goals that people set for themselves in early retirement. Recently, I was chatting with MegaCorp colleague, Scott M, about his retirement in Arizona. He decided to take to the air and become a pilot! Here’s his story … Setting goals in retirement is one of the most fun and inspiring things I have ever done. It is a time when … Continue reading Flying the Friendly Skies
My father passed away last week at the wonderful old age of 91. I say “wonderful” because that’s how he always said he was doing. “How are you doing, Dad?” … “WONDERFUL.” Sometimes he’d brightly say it twice: ‘Wonderful, Wonderful!” I’m not at the point where I can share a lot of my feelings about his passing. It’s too soon for me. At the same … Continue reading Farewell Father & Friend …
It’s the busy season for charitable organizations as the end of the year comes close. The end of the calendar year is also the end of the tax year, so 501c3 non-profits hope to close out 2023 strong. Unfortunately, giving trends haven’t been positive for a while. The chart below shows American giving over the last 40 years. While there is some bounce in the … Continue reading Ring Out The Year Charitably
The annual State Fair is a big event here in Minnesota. It is regularly voted the country’s ‘Best State Fair’ and over 2.2 million crowd the fairgrounds on 12 days busy each year. Among the colorful carnival rides, popular grandstand shows, and greasy food-on-a-stick, the fairgrounds have a dozen buildings where Minnesotans compete for ribbons in hundreds of creative, horticultural, and agricultural events. I’ve always … Continue reading Another Quirky Award
I recently ran across this interesting chart that shows how much time people spend with others at different points of their lives. Alone time and time with your partner, children, family, coworkers, and friends. It’s apparently from an annual ‘Time Use Study’ by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At first glance, I was a little depressed to see the ebb & flow of the lines … Continue reading Who Do You Spend Your Time With?
(Sorry for missing a post last Monday. I haven’t missed one in a long time. I road-tripped with a buddy to Lambeau Field to see the Packers beat the hated Bears. Got home at 2:30am and slept in until noon!) Autumn is in the air and that means back to campus. This year, my wife and I are taking a six-week course at one of … Continue reading Autumn Homecoming
There are a lot of ‘checklists’ published on retirement, but I thought this one was worth a read: The Atlantic espouses ‘7 Things That Lead To Happiness in Old Age’. The advice is pretty straightforward. Nothing a kindergartener wouldn’t understand. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, maintain a healthy weight, exercise frequently, manage your stress, keep learning, and cultivate positive relationships. It’s amazing we have to be … Continue reading Positive Habits That Lead To Happiness
I met a wonderful, inspirational gentleman at Walt Disney World last month. It might be the thing that I remember most when I reflect back on that trip. Daniel said I could share his name and story, so here it is … Daniel was serving us at the restaurant in the lobby of the luxurious Wilderness Lodge and getting trained-in by another employee. My wife … Continue reading Leaving A Legacy …
Last Saturday night I did something really silly – I attended the coldest NHL hockey game in league history. Our Minnesota Wild played outside at the Minnesota Twins ballpark on New Year’s Day and it was -8F at the puck drop. With wind chill, the temperature felt like a mind-numbing -24F. You might think I just got unlucky with the bad weather the day of … Continue reading Quirky Cold Night
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