I’ve had my ebike for almost 2 years now and am still recommending them to friends. Mine is a ‘class one’, pedal-assist ebike – which gives you a nice boost as you go – but not an all-out throttled bike. Unboosted bike riding had started to lose its appeal for me. I had only ridden my pedal bike a total of 65 miles in the … Continue reading eBike Update
Almost everyone has heard of a ‘bucket list’, but have you ever actually put one together? We did. About 20 years ago we sat on our big living room sectional and made a list of about 120 things we wanted to do. I was surprised that we could come up with that many experiences. We were just a few years from 40 years old at … Continue reading Bucket List Adventures
It’s hard to find good financial news lately, so today I thought I would take a step back and look at a longer period of time. It’s easy to get get caught up in the day-to-day headlines, but if you are going to reach financial independence and retire early (FIRE), you have to be focused on the big picture. The chart below shows the S&P … Continue reading Taking The Long View
I read today that 85% of Americans think “the country is heading in the wrong direction.” It was from a new Associated Press survey and reflects the country’s angst with inflation, interest rates, immigration, CV19 response, and other issues. 85% – I guess the country isn’t DIVIDED anymore! 🙂 For Independence Day weekend, however, I would rather focus on what has made us SUCCESSFUL as … Continue reading Happy Economic Freedom Weekend!
It’s been exactly one year since I splurged on my third vehicle. I added a Jeep to the BMW SUV and sports car I already had. When I was a kid, I thought that would be the perfect combination of vehicles: something rugged, something luxurious, and something racy. After a year of owning three cars, I’ve come to a different realization: three cars is probably … Continue reading Three Is Two Too Many?
After two years of full & partial pandemic restrictions, it feels like summer is really back in full force this year. The CV19 precautions had locked down a lot of the concerts, festivals, and events that summer typically brings. This year, the Thursday newspaper events listing for the weekend is fully-loaded again with car shows, new bands on stage, small town festivals, and blockbuster summer … Continue reading Summer Is Back … !
Well, I gave Biden some credit back in December for the nice bump that we had seen in the stock market in 2021. I felt obligated to, given how well the market had performed … +27% last year. Still, I noted then that I was worried that Biden wanted to be too helpful and that significant inflation was a real worry. He literally said “help … Continue reading Politicians Too Eager To ‘Help’
I don’t take a nap every day, but I’m not opposed to a good afternoon snooze. It’s one of the benefits of early retirement. After pulling out 7 shrubs, playing a softball doubleheader, losing a close tennis match, getting the Jeep in for an oil change, and going to 3 board committee meetings at our metro zoo – in just 24 hours – I deserved … Continue reading The Perfect Nap
Exactly 50 years ago, this Racine (WI) Journal-Times piece described my Grandpa, Paul Klimek. He was a accomplished softball player and proudly kept this clipping in his wallet his entire life. This year, I’m also “a spry, 56 year-old” on the softball field. While I don’t pitch, I also went “three-for-five with the stick” and scored a couple runs in our season opener. Related: Thrill … Continue reading Spry At The Plate
My friend and neighbor, Jeff, has organized a great activity as he transitioned from the world of work to retirement. He has become a garage brewmaster and hosts backyard monthly ‘tap release events’. Brewing beer and getting people together fit perfectly with his background as a chemical engineer & MegaCorp operations executive. About a dozen guys got together a couple weeks ago for his latest … Continue reading Monthly Tap Release Parties
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