After choosing a domain name and starting my blog back in September of 2013, the software behind the scenes called WordPress asked me to declare a tagline. Unprepared, the first three words that came to mind were Invest. Retire. Travel. Those three words accurately presented the message I wanted to convey to my readers so I went…
Viewing category: Unusual
Financial Pitfalls Of Suburban Life
Six years ago, we moved to the suburbs from a one-bedroom condo in a densely populated and walkable area. We wanted more space, risk-free parking, better schools, a yard for kids to play in, and a friendly neighborhood. We got all of those things. But moving to the suburbs came with a bunch of financial…
Will You Retire Before A Human Walks On Mars?
Elon Musk and his company SpaceX plan to put a human on Mars by the year 2024. If successful, it will be the most extraordinary accomplishment in the history of the known universe. It will take a team of thousands of scientists tackling complicated engineering tasks that most of us can’t fathom. Each piece of…
Intoxicated by the Romance of the Unusual
Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the romance of the unusual. – Ernest Hemingway This Hemingway quote came up in one of my social media feeds recently (read to the end to learn the origin of the quote). Most of the time I roll my eyes at the…
The Best Summer Job Ever (And Why Lifeguarding Is For Suckers)
A few months before the summer of 1996, I committed to a lifeguarding job at a local pool. It was supposed to be my fifth consecutive summer as a guard. Lifeguarding was an easy and stable summer job in my youth, but it never paid well. This new gig was at a private club with…
The Triforce Of Wealth
After two years of begging, I finally received a classic Nintendo NES Game Consolefrom Santa in the sixth grade. One of the original video games for the system was the masterpiece, The Legend of Zelda. The Zelda franchise is an enduring global video game phenomenon enjoyed by gamers worldwide. To date, Nintendo has produced 18 titles in…
The Lifelong Burden of Material Objects
I saw a tweet recently that read like a blunt kick in the butt. “The Vast Majority of Baseball Cards are Worthless” The tweet came from a Twitter handle and blog called Unusual Investments. The blog post was inspired by a recent Wall Street Journal article about a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card going up…
Put It On The Line: Advice From a 9-Time World Champion
A few months ago I was cleaning out my basement and uncovered a 25-year-old autograph. It’s from one of the most competitive and influential athletes to ever represent a sport. His words were inspirational to my 16-year-old self, and reading over his simple phrase today reminds me that we’re all capable of accomplishing extraordinary things…
The Nude Selfie Of Personal Finance
The signs in the gym locker room are clear: Picture taking in the men’s room is strictly prohibited. Please inform the front desk of violations. Yet every once in a while, some beefcake dude will stand there in front of the locker room mirror, whip out his phone, and snap a selfie. I sort of get it….
There’s Always Money In The Banana Stand
Arrested Development was an early 2000’s TV comedy loved by its fans. Despite critical acclaim, it failed to gain traction and the show was canceled after three seasons. Years later it was revamped as a Netflix series thanks to the enduring hilarity of the first three seasons and its grassroots fan base. Challenged with cast schedules, the…