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You are here: Home / Life / Summer travels, writing, reading and other amusements

Summer travels, writing, reading and other amusements

by jlcollinsnh 35 Comments

Lake Michigan

The beach just steps out side the Shamba door

Summer is full upon us and so are the jlcollinsnh annual travels. This year we are headed back to our in-laws beach house on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin. It is a drop dead gorgeous setting with sandy beach stretching for miles in both directions. We call it Shamba, a Swahili word meaning, near as I can figure, a remote rural place. It is one of my favorite places in the world and we are fortunate that they graciously allow us its use.

In addition to walks on the beach, I’ll have some serious downtime to spend on the book. I’m about half way through the first major rewrite and with any luck will have rough manuscript completed by the time we leave. From there it is a process of polish, polish, polish.

Hacienda Cusin 2

Looking over the rooftops of Hacienda Cusin

We’ll have about a week back in New Hampshire before I head down to Ecuador for this year’s Chautauqua. We had an absolute blast last year and I am really looking forward to it. Plus being up in the Andes, it will be a welcome break from summer’s heat. While this event sold out in less than two weeks, word is due to cancellations we now have two spots open. If you are interested: Above the Clouds Retreats.

In my own post, Travels with “Esperando un Camino”, I talk about our prefered style of travel. This is what Somerset Maugham has to say:

“I admire the strenuous tourist who sets out in the morning with his well-thumbed Baedecker to examine the curiosities of a foreign town, but I do not follow in his steps; his eagerness after knowledge, his devotion to duty, compel my respect, but excite me to no imitation. I prefer to wander in old streets at random without a guidebook, trusting fortune will bring me across things worth seeing; and if occasionally I miss some monument that is world-famous, more often I discover some little dainty piece of architecture, some scrap of decoration, that repays me for all else I lose. I am relieved now and again to visit a place that has no obvious claims on my admiration; it throws me back on the peculiarities of the people, on the stray incidents of the street, on the contents of the shops.”

From The Skeptical Romancer

Same concept. He just says it more succinctly, with greater style and much more elegantly.

Meanwhile, here’s some random stuff that caught my eye and educated or amused me. Sometimes both.

aquascaping-4[2]

Charm of Light, designed by Timucin Sagel of Istanbul, Turkey

The landscape above is entirely underwater. As are these.

Urban Agroecoloy: 6,000 lbs of food on 1/10th acre

How talking about frogs leads to internet porn:  Explaining sex to an eight-year-old

Imagine you are a Martian sitting on your front porch sipping your morning coffee when this comes bouncing past:

How to get to Mars

Ever wonder what the journey to financial independence might look like in real-time? My pal the Mad Fientist is putting his Guinea Pig thru it right now:

Image

The Guinea Pig Experiment

Do you hate thinking, talking, reading about insurance? Especially life insurance? Me too. Might be why I never wrote about it for the blog. Now I don’t have to:

No one wears a bulletproof vest hoping to get shot

Yeah, it’s about insurance, but an easy and useful read anyway. Cool title, too.

How about taxes? Curious as to what your taxes might look like in retirement? While everybody’s situation will vary, here are two excellent posts from my pal Jeremy detailing his own tax strategy as he travels the world as an early retiree: Never pay taxes again and his actual 2013 tax return.

Space X falcon9-hero-1024x368

Reminiscing about the glory days of 2008 and losing 400k in the stock market

cat-canoe-gif

More on why VTSAX is the cat’s meow from:

Budgets are sexy and Thrifty Gal

Image

Sunk Costs: how to look forward not backward.

Here’s why jlcollinsnh.com can enjoy such a large European readership:

english speeaking -eu

Courtesy of Jakub Marian

  earth map on hands

What country fits you best?

The results say India for me. Well, I’ve been there a couple of times, but that was back in the ’80s. Might be time to go again!

World languages

Itchy Feet

Mad man philospher

Words of Wisdom from a (possibly) mad man

Selling Puppets in Manhattan

flower hooker's lips

“Hooker’s Lips” and other bizarre flowers

Coca-Cola magazine ads from 1960s (5)

See that thing on the guy’s finger. That’s a pull-tab, the way cans were opened once upon a time. They found their way onto the ground everywhere. People used to speculate as to what archeologists would make of these things in the distant future. I haven’t seen one in decades.

Here are more Coke ads from the 1960s. Slices of life back in the day.

In my Manifesto I end by saying: Read.

There is nothing you can’t learn, no place you can’t go, if you read.

So let me end this post with a few of the books I’ve read of late and highly recommend:
While out in New Mexico this past May, my friend Trish handed me a book of short stories by Somerset Maugham. She had marked three for me. I had heard of Maugham of course, but somehow never got around to reading him. I finished those three stories that night and was hooked. Returning home I picked up this one:

Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge might now be my all time favorite novel, although I still love Cold Mountain. Written in 1943 and set in the 1920s, it is the story of engaged Larry and Isabel. One who wants the free-spirit life of roaming and learning and the other who craves the luxuries and status wealth can provide. The dialog that leads to them to take their separate ways is stunning. Fun, but also an important read for those walking a different path.

In my luggage as we head to Shamba are two more of his novels, a collection of short stories and a collection of his travel writings. I’m not sure if these will inspire me in my work on my own book, distract me from it completely or leave me too discouraged in the face of such superb writing to continue with it. But I know I’ll enjoy the reading of them.

The 100 Year Old Man is laugh out loud funny and the story of an amazing life that unfolds simply by following fate where it leads.

Wash is a beautifully written and constructed novel set in the early 1800s. It is about slavery without all the clichés to which books about slavery typically fall prey.

Back in March while in Antigua, Guatemala more than once I’d stop by Sobremesa for a late dinner. The crowds had cleared by then and what was left was always an interesting mix of characters. One traveler was carrying Shantaram. Alex, the joint’s owner, reached below his counter and produced his own copy. At some 900 pages it is an intense travel adventure that will have you literally tasting the flavor of India as you read. Perfect book for your travels, exotic or home based.

One last thing. Sometime this winter I’m thinking of traveling to Uruguay and/or Argentina. If you happen to live there and/or have a connection and might be interested in meeting and offering some suggestions, please let me know.

Enjoy your summer!

Addendum – Ethical Investing: Overall I am not a fan of ethical investing. Not because, I hope, I’m not ethical but because anytime you ask investments to do more than make money for you, you begin to ask too much. Plus what is ethical is subject to very wide interpretation. Still it is a question that is important to many people and it comes up around here on a regular basis. My friend, FF, just published this excellent post both describing ethical investing and making the case for it. When the question comes up in the future I’ll just link to it. 🙂

Related

Important Resources

  • Talent Stacker is a resource that I learned about through my work with Jonathan and Brad at ChooseFI, and first heard about Salesforce as a career option in an episode where we featured Bradley Rice on the Podcast. In that episode, Bradley shared how he reached FI quickly thanks to his huge paychecks and discipline in keeping his expenses low. Jonathan teamed up with Bradley to build Talent Stacker, and they have helped more than 1,000 students from all walks of life complete the program and land jobs like clockwork, earning double or even triple their old salaries using a Salesforce certification to break into a no-code tech career.
  • Credit Cards are like chain saws. Incredibly useful. Incredibly dangerous. Resolve to pay in full each month and never carry a balance. Do that and they can be great tools. Here are some of the very best for travel hacking, cash back and small business rewards.
  • Personal Capital is a free tool to manage and evaluate your investments. With great visuals you can track your net worth, asset allocation, and portfolio performance, including costs. At a glance you'll see what's working and what you might want to change. Here's my full review.
  • Betterment is my recommendation for hands-off investors who prefer a DIFM (Do It For Me) approach. It is also a great tool for reaching short-term savings goals. Here is my Betterment Review
  • NewRetirement offers cool tools to help guide you in answering the question: Do I have enough money to retire? And getting started is free. Sign up and you will be offered two paths into their retirement planner. I was also on their podcast and you can check that out here:Video version, Podcast version.
  • Tuft & Needle (T&N) helps me sleep at night. They are a very cool company with a great product. Here’s my review of what we are currently sleeping on: Our Walnut Frame and Mint Mattress.
  • Vanguard.com

Filed Under: Life, Random cool things that catch my eye

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Comments

  1. Dave says

    July 8, 2014 at 4:37 am

    Apparently, the country that fits me best is Brazil. Best of luck with all your Summer travels!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 8, 2014 at 9:58 am

      Ha!

      Both my wife and daughter got the same result!

      Will you be at FinCon? If so, I hope we have the chance to meet…

      Reply
      • Dave says

        July 8, 2014 at 10:54 am

        I will indeed be at FinCon! It would be great to meet – I’m definitely looking forward to it and my gf and I are headed down the weekend before for a little New Orleans vacation!

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          July 8, 2014 at 12:31 pm

          See you there, and have fun in NO the week before!

          Reply
    • G-dog says

      July 22, 2014 at 9:39 pm

      I’ve been on one short trip to Brazil and loved it. The people were fabulous.
      I got Iceland – which is a very unique place….. Never been, but it would be interesting.

      Reply
  2. Mad Fientist says

    July 8, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    Have a great trip, Jim. Look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 8, 2014 at 12:33 pm

      Safe journeys to you as well, my friend!

      BTW, very cool redesign on your site!

      Reply
  3. Scott Pepper says

    July 8, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    Jim, I really enjoyed this post, it resonates with me on many levels.

    First, let me say that I had the good fortune to see the remake of the movie “Razor’s Edge” many years ago, purely by chance, and though it was widely panned by critics, I LOVED it. Bill Murray was magic — and this was a serious role WAY before he became famous for more serious roles. I couldn’t help but think it must have meant a lot to him, like a project that he felt close to.

    Anyway, it turned me on to this book and Somerset Maugham’s many other books. For me it captured so eloquently the disturbance to the soul that is the modern way of life (and travel too) that most of us try to force ourselves to fit into.

    Second, as I mentioned to you in an earlier post, my wife and I have been living in several places in Mexico, Florida’s Space Coast, and two places in South Africa for the past 2 years — “slow motion traveling” as one of your earlier commenters so adroitly put it :). It is a fantastic way to travel, and by doing so, we have been able to live almost as frugally as if we stayed in place, and we’ve had the time to get to know our neighbors and the places that we’ve visited.

    One trick we’ve learned is to choose 2 or 3 places in a country where you live for at least 3 months, and during that time take mini-trips to beautiful or important places to see from there. A rental apartment or even house on the local economy is going to save a lot of money over a series of hotels, and it’s nice to feel like you have a home for awhile — especially as one gets older (we’re mid-50′s and mid-40′s).

    And your very important points about meeting people, getting to know a place, doing the small things, staying away from the bus crowds…it’s all very much RIGHT ON! We’ll both NEVER forget reluctantly abstaining from the crowded bus tour to see penguins on the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, because as badly as we wanted to see penguins, we didn’t want to be part of the organized madness of a tour group on a bus. So we got back in our rental car and headed up the eastern coast of the South Island, and coming up on a little tiny harbor town called Moeraki there was a picture of a penguin on a highway sign (!?). So we pulled off and into a private campground for the night. We asked the owner about the penguin sign, and he said, “Sure, you just climb over that ridge and walk down the trail to the beach and you’ll see a little hide where you can watch them to your heart’s content”. Which is exactly what we did — by ourselves, in a little hide, as penguins came out of the water, shook themselves off, and jumped to the shore — for hours! That’s exactly the kind of experience that you’re supposed to have traveling :).

    Thanks Jim, you’re an inspiration to us.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:12 pm

      Thanks Scott!

      Very kind of you to say.

      I didn’t know Razor’s Edge had been made into a movie and with Bill Murray no less. Without having seen it, I’ll still go ahead and say, “Great casting!”

      Anyway, sounds like you are living what I only (mostly) get to write about. Well played! It always does amaze me how little it costs living on the road. Just stripping away the costs of owning a house and car is huge.

      Plus, then you get penguins! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Trisha Ray says

    July 8, 2014 at 3:15 pm

    I noticed Switzerland didn’t make the map on “English!
    I guess 4 national languages is enough for them.

    Glad you enjoyed the Somerset Maugham stories. Love a combination of philosophy and fiction. And the 100 Year Old Man – very good.
    (I just ordered Razor’s Edge and Shantaram from my library! Tnx!)

    For your younger and more energetic readers: Try Wwoofing. It’s free. Look it up.

    Son Erik just returned from working at vineyards in Tuscany, living in Castello di Potentino. We stayed a couple days – wow. (Got a “family discount”!)

    Pretty amazing. I found myself sitting between Graham Greene and Gerald Guinness one fine candlelit dinner. -The conversations just were not the same ones I’d be having in New Mexico. The entire stay reminded me of Maugham.

    Uruguay, hm? Not sure where we will be this winter. Open to suggestions.
    Thanks for the great post! I always enjoy them.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:13 pm

      Uruguay is nice in the winter I’m told. 😉

      Reply
    • Julie says

      July 28, 2014 at 5:34 pm

      It was a map of EU countries and Switzerland isn’t in the EU. I wonder what their rate would be? Even more, I wonder what our rate is of speaking other languages!

      Reply
  5. J. Money says

    July 8, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    See you in a cple months, bud! Thx for the blog mention 🙂

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:14 pm

      Looking forward to it. My pleasure. 🙂

      Reply
  6. greg says

    July 8, 2014 at 11:58 pm

    I got to see 100 yr. old … on the big screen at a film festival – quite amusing =)

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:15 pm

      Like the Razor’s Edge, I didn’t know there was a movie made from this one either. Guess I need to get out more….

      Reply
  7. Tom M says

    July 9, 2014 at 1:06 am

    “I prefer to wander in old streets at random without a guidebook, trusting fortune will bring me across things worth seeing;”
    Sounds wonderful….:)

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:15 pm

      Sounds like something you’ve done your share of. 😉

      Reply
  8. Jeremy says

    July 9, 2014 at 11:29 am

    I love the quote from the Skeptical Romancer. We follow John Muir’s advice on travel planning: just “throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence”. So far, so good!

    Have a great summer Jim!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:17 pm

      Great stuff, no?

      You too. Hope our paths cross once you return from Taiwan.

      Reply
  9. Jian says

    July 9, 2014 at 4:29 pm

    I’m in the middle of reading this book that sounds like a travel book, but really is about aging:
    “Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island in Search of a Fulfilled Life”.

    All Americans (and everyone aspiring to live like Americans for that matter :D) would benefit from reading it.

    Another idea flashed at me: you need a page dedicated to book recommendations. 🙂 For now, enjoy your vacation and travel!

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 9, 2014 at 10:21 pm

      Thanks Jian…

      Is that Epicurus as in the philosopher?

      I actually started a book page some months ago and then got distracted and forgot it. Once I get back from my travels I’ll have to re-visit that idea.

      Feel free to ping me again on it come October if you don’t see it up. 😉

      Reply
      • Jian says

        July 10, 2014 at 12:23 am

        Yep, it’s that Epicurus, the Greek philosopher. I’ve never read him or any philosophy books, yet; but I plan to, one of these days. What I have been doing is re-examining the whole premise of “the American Dream”, and my own pursuit of it for the last, hmm, 20 years. The author boldly questions the American obsession about youth and wealth, and perhaps in chasing after those forget what really matters in life. That sentiment, I wholeheartedly agree with.

        Forgot to add book link earlier:
        http://www.amazon.com/Travels-Epicurus-Journey-Island-Fulfilled/dp/0143121936

        Reply
  10. jkenny says

    July 11, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    Another great post, and one I’ll have to come back to a few times to read all the links. I’m too busy to dig up good books and articles myself so I sure appreciate you sharing yours. I will look forward to shamelessly coat-tailing your reads. Thank you! Love this blog!

    Reply
  11. Ray Clarke says

    July 15, 2014 at 9:37 am

    Somerset Maugham is a great short story writer. One of his best “The Verger”. John Buchan is another fine author.

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 15, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      Indeed he is! I haven’t read The Verger as yet and unfortunately it is not in the collection I brought on this trip, but I’ll look for it! Meanwhile, here are two of my current Maugham favorites:

      The Fall of Edward Barnard (this one should especially appeal to the readers of this blog)
      Honolulu

      Reply
  12. FF says

    July 18, 2014 at 7:16 pm

    I hope both Wisconsin and Chautauqua are amazing! They both sound like incredible things to experience. And all these good reads! Will take me some time, but it will be well spent. 🙂

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 18, 2014 at 7:49 pm

      Well, we are in WI now and it is wonderful. Perfect blend of work, on the book, and walking on the beach. A lot quieter than the high-energy week Chatauqua is sure to be.

      Speaking of good reads, your recent post on on Ethical investing was excellent. Think I’ll have to make that an addendum here….

      Reply
      • FF says

        July 18, 2014 at 8:28 pm

        Oh, awesome! We spent some time on the other side of the lake in Michigan (South Haven.) We were pleasantly surprised by the beauty. Wisconsin holds a special place in my heart, too. First place I saw a wild otter was in the Lake Country.

        And thank you! I’m honored!

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          July 18, 2014 at 8:36 pm

          Wisconsin holds a place in my heart too. When I was (much) younger I did a number of bicycle tours here. This was before bicycle touring was popular and folks would be stunned when my reply to “Where are you from?” was “Chicago.” 🙂

          You mentioning the otter reminds me the other day I looked up from working on the book just in time to see a red fox trot by. Gorgeous!

          Reply
          • FF says

            July 18, 2014 at 9:03 pm

            The nature there is stunning! My cousin just did a cross country bike tour…SC to Santa Barbara. More power to you guys!

  13. AspiringYogini says

    July 28, 2014 at 12:07 pm

    Hi Jim,

    I have wanted to visit Uruguay since reading the poetry and stories of Mario Benedetti in my Spanish class a few years ago. I am Facebook friends with him (even though he passed away in 2009), but whoever runs his FB page posts his beautiful poetry and I don’t usually like poetry. It feels amazing to get the meaning of the poetry, when it is not written in your native tongue. A book to read about Uruguay is the novel “The Invisible Mountain” by Carolina de Robertis which gives you a great sense of the history and flavor of the country. I had planned to visit Nicaragua in December, but maybe I could bop on down to Uruguay and we could meet up!?! I know that I want to sample alfajores, which sound delicious! Will you ride with the gauchos on the estancias or stay in Montevideo and hang out, or some of each?

    You always inspire me with your travels and investment advice!

    AY

    Reply
    • jlcollinsnh says

      July 28, 2014 at 12:44 pm

      Hi AY…

      It would be great fun to meet up with you in Uruguay or Nicaragua or where ever our paths might cross. I’m not sure if I’ll make it there this December, but if I do at this point in my life I’m more inclined to sit in cafes than ride with the gauchos. 😉

      My Spanish is not nearly good enough to read poetry in the language. It is barely good enough to order breakfast. But I imagine it must be wonderful.

      Where do you live now?

      Reply
      • AspiringYogini says

        July 29, 2014 at 6:22 pm

        I’m in Florida. So, it’s a easy 2 flights to Central America and a bigger deal to S. A. I’d be inclined to sit in a few cafes for a while after traveling; I like to talk to the locals AND I love coming home with good ideas for making foreign food at home!

        Have you found any good travel books on Uruguay? Because I saw only one on Amazon.

        Lately, I have been teaching yoga in exchange for room and board and that is what I did from April until June of this year in Nicaragua. I teach using Sanskrit, Spanish and English which probably makes no sense at all…….Mi mantra es: La paz empieza conmigo….oooommmmm.

        All the best to you Jim; I hope our paths do cross!

        AY

        Reply
        • jlcollinsnh says

          July 30, 2014 at 6:35 pm

          I’m afraid I haven’t even begun to research Uruguay, not that I ever do much research before hopping on the plane to go see what there. 🙂
          So, sorry, no book suggestions.

          You wouldn’t know it to look at me, but I have done a bit of yoga. I’m terrible at it and used to dread going, but I always kinda liked it and always felt much better after the sessions.

          Peace, Amigo!

          Reply

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      • Why we bought a brand new car
    • ► August (1)
      • A Guided Meditation for When the Stock Market Is Dropping
    • ► June (2)
      • 7 Days in Heaven: or Why Slowing Down Will Get You There Sooner
      • Quit Like a Millionaire
    • ► March (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXXV: Investing for Seven Generations
    • ► February (1)
      • Chautauqua 2019 - UK & Portugal - Tickets Now Available
    • ► January (2)
      • Mr. Bogle passes
      • "I wanted the unreasonable"
  • ► 2018 (16)
    • ► December (1)
      • Happy Holidays! and a bit on Mr. Market
    • ► November (3)
      • Truly Passive Real Estate Investing
      • Car Talk: An update on Steve and looking at Leafs
      • Chautauqua 2018 Greece: A week for the gods!
    • ► October (1)
      • On Twitter, gone for Chautauqua and dark on comments till November
    • ► September (2)
      • What we own and why we own it: 2018
      • Tuft & Needle: Our Walnut Frame and Mint Mattress
    • ► August (1)
      • Kibanda Part 5: Pretty, and pretty much done
    • ► June (3)
      • Stocks--Part XXXIV: How to unload your unwanted stocks and funds
      • Tracking your holdings
      • Stocks -- Part XXXIII: Optimism
    • ► May (2)
      • Kibanda Part 4: Quicksand!
      • My Talk at Google, Playing with FIRE and other Chautauqua connections
    • ► March (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXXII: Why you should not be in the stock market
    • ► February (1)
      • Chautauqua 2018: Mt. Olympus, Greece
    • ► January (1)
      • An International Portfolio from The Escape Artist
  • ► 2017 (15)
    • ► December (2)
      • The Bond Experiment: Return to VBTLX
      • How to Invest in Bitcoin like Benjamin Graham
    • ► October (1)
      • Kibanda Part 3: Running the numbers
    • ► September (1)
      • Sleeping soundly thru a market crash: The Wasting Asset Retirement Model
    • ► August (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXXI: Too hot. Too cold. Not pure enough.
      • Kibanda, Part 2: Negotiating the deal
    • ► July (2)
      • Time Machine and the future returns for stocks
      • Kibanda: Mr. Anti-house buys his dream house
    • ► June (2)
      • Is there an interior designer in the house?
      • The Simple Path to Wealth goes Audio!
    • ► May (1)
      • Life on the Beach
    • ► April (1)
      • Sell! Sell!! Sell!!! Sell?
    • ► March (1)
      • Vicki comes to Chautauqua: United Kingdom
    • ► January (2)
      • Chautauqua - Ecuador 2017 open for reservations
      • Chautauqua - United Kingdom: August 2017
  • ► 2016 (22)
    • ► December (3)
      • Season's Greetings and other cool stuff
      • Angel Investing, or Angel Philanthropy?
      • Mr. Bogle and me
    • ► November (1)
      • Where did you learn about money?
    • ► October (2)
      • Buy Your Freedom; Rent the Rest
      • So, what do you drive?
    • ► September (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXX: jlcollinsnh vs. Vanguard
      • A visit to the Frugalwoods
    • ► August (1)
      • What the naysayers are missing
    • ► July (1)
      • Reviews of The Simple Path to Wealth; gone for summer
    • ► June (2)
      • The Simple Path to Wealth is now Published!
      • A peek into The Simple Path to Wealth
    • ► May (1)
      • It's better in the wind. Still.
    • ► April (3)
      • Cool things to check out while I'm gone
      • Stocks — Part XXIX: How to save money for college. Or not.
      • Help Wanted: The Book
    • ► March (1)
      • F-You Money: John Goodman v. jlcollinsnh
    • ► February (2)
      • Q&A - V: The Women of Amphissa
      • jlcollinsnh gets a new suit
    • ► January (3)
      • Chautauqua 2015 Reviews, 2016 registration open
      • Case Study #15: The Scavenger Life -- Freedom first, then Financial Independence
      • 3rd Annual (2015) Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest results, and my forecast for 2016
  • ► 2015 (18)
    • ► December (2)
      • Q&A - IV: Strawberry Patch
      • Seasons Greetings! and other cool stuff
    • ► October (2)
      • Personal Capital; and how to unload your unwanted stocks and funds
      • Stockchoker: A look back at what your investment might have been
    • ► September (2)
      • Case Study #14: To Dream the Impossible Dream (and then realize it)
      • Hotel Living
    • ► August (1)
      • Mr. Market's Wild Ride
    • ► June (4)
      • Gone for Summer, an important note on comments and random cool stuff that caught my eye
      • Around the world with an Aussie Biker
      • Case Study #13: The Power of Flexibility
      • Stocks — Part VIII: The 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA & Roth Buckets
    • ► March (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXVIII: Debt - The Unacceptable Burden
      • Chautauqua October 2015: Times Two!
    • ► February (2)
      • YNAB: Best Place to Work Ever?
      • Case Study #12: Escaping a soul-crushing job before you're 70
    • ► January (3)
      • Case Study #11: John, a small business owner in transition
      • Trish and Stan take an Intrepid Sailing Voyage
      • 2014 Annual Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest results, and my forecast for 2015
  • ► 2014 (29)
    • ► December (2)
      • Diamonds and Happy Holidays!
      • Micro-Lending with Kiva
    • ► November (3)
      • Chautauqua February 7-14, 2015: Escape from Winter
      • Stocks -- Part XXVII: Why I Don’t Like Dollar Cost Averaging
      • Jack Bogle and the Presidential Medal of Freedom
    • ► October (3)
      • Tuft & Needle: A better path to sleep
      • Nightmare on Wall Street: Will the Blood Bath Continue?
      • Help Wanted
    • ► September (1)
      • Chautauqua 2014: Lightning strikes again!
    • ► August (2)
      • Stocks -- Part XXVI: Pulling the 4%
      • Stocks -- Part XXV: HSAs, more than just a way to pay your medical bills.
    • ► July (3)
      • Stocks -- Part XXIV: RMDs, the ugly surprise at the end of the tax-deferred rainbow
      • Summer travels, writing, reading and other amusements
      • Moto X, my new Republic Wireless Phone
    • ► June (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXIII: Selecting your asset allocation
    • ► May (1)
      • Stocks -- Part XXII: Stepping away from REITs
    • ► April (3)
      • Q&A III: Vamos
      • Q&A II: Salamat
      • Q&A I: Gaijin Shogun
    • ► March (2)
      • Top 10 posts
      • Cafe No Se
    • ► February (4)
      • Chautauqua 2014 preview, closing up for travel and other random cool things that caught my eye of late.
      • Case Study #10: Should Josiah buy his parents a house?
      • Case Study #9: Lars -- maximizing some good fortune and considering "dollar cost averaging"
      • Case Study #8: Ron's mother - she's doin' all right!
    • ► January (4)
      • roundup: Some random cool things
      • Stocks — Part XXI: Investing with Vanguard for Europeans
      • Case Study #7: What it looks like when everything financial goes wrong
      • 1st Annual Louis Rukeyser Memorial Market Prediction Contest 2013 results, and my forecast for 2014
  • ► 2013 (41)
    • ► December (4)
      • Closing up for the Holidays, see you in 2014
      • Betterment: a simpler path to wealth
      • Case Study 6: Helping an ill and elderly parent
      • Stocks -- Part XX: Early Retirement Withdrawal Strategies and Roth Conversion Ladders from a Mad Fientist
    • ► November (3)
      • Death, Taxes, Estate Plans, Probate and Prob8
      • Case Study #5: Zero to 2.6 million in 25 years
      • Case Study #4: Using the 4% rule and asset allocations.
    • ► October (3)
      • Republic Wireless and my $19 per month phone plan
      • Case Study #3: Let's get Tom to Latin America!
      • The Stock Series gets its own page
    • ► September (2)
      • Case Study #2: Joe -- off to a fast start!
      • Chautauqua 2013: A Week of Dreams
    • ► August (1)
      • Closing up shop plus an opening at Chautauqua, my new podcast, phone, book and other random cool stuff
    • ► July (1)
      • They Will Kill You For Your Shoes!
    • ► June (4)
      • Stocks -- Part VIII-b: Should you avoid your company's 401k?
      • Shilpan's Seven Habits to Live More with Less
      • Stocks -- Part XIX: How to think about money
      • My path for my kid -- the first 10 years
    • ► May (5)
      • Why your house is a terrible investment
      • Stocks — Part XVIII: Investing in a raging bull
      • Dining with the Ghosts of Sarah Bernhardt and Alfons Mucha
      • How we finally got the house sold
      • Stocks — Part XVII: What if you can't buy VTSAX? Or even Vanguard?
    • ► April (4)
      • Greetings from Prague & a computer question
      • Swimming with Tigers, a 2nd chance on the Chautauqua, a financial article gets it wrong and I'm off to Prague
      • Storage, Moving and Movers
      • Homeless, and a bit on the strategy of dollar cost averaging
    • ► March (4)
      • Wild Turkeys, Motorcycles, Dining Room Sets & Greed
      • Roots v. Wings: considering home ownership
      • How about that stock market?!
      • The Blog has New Clothes
    • ► February (5)
      • Meet Mr. Money Mustache, JD Roth, Cheryl Reed & me for a Chautauqua in Ecuador
      • High School Poetry, Carnival, cool ads and random pictures that caught my eye
      • Consignment Shops: Best business model ever?
      • Cafes
      • Stocks -- Part XVI: Index Funds are really just for lazy people, right?
    • ► January (5)
      • Social Security: How secure and when to take it
      • Fighting giraffes, surreal landscapes, dancing with unicorns and restoring a Vanagon
      • My plan for 2013
      • VITA, income taxes and the IRS
      • How to be a stock market guru and get on MSNBC
  • ► 2012 (53)
    • ► December (6)
      • See you next year....until then: The Origin of Life, Life on Other Worlds, Mechanical Graveyards, Great Art, Alternative Lifestyles and Finding Freedom
      • Stocks -- Part XV: Target Retirement Funds, the simplest path to wealth of all
      • Stocks -- Part XIV: Deflation, the ugly escort of Depressions.
      • Stocks Part XIV: Deflation, the ugly escort of Depressions.
      • Stocks -- Part XIII: The 4% rule, withdrawal rates and how much can I spend anyway?
      • How I learned to stop worrying about the Fiscal Cliff and you can too.
    • ► November (2)
      • Rent v. owning: A couple of case studies in Ecuador
      • So, what does a month in Ecuador cost anyway?
    • ► October (4)
      • See you in December....
      • Meet me in Ecuador?
      • The Podcast: You can hear me now.
      • Stocks -- Part XII: Bonds
    • ► September (6)
      • Stocks -- Part XI: International Funds
      • The Smoother Path to Wealth
      • Case Study #I: Putting the Simple Path to Wealth into Action
      • Tales of Bolivia: Calle de las Brujas
      • Stocks -- Part X: What if Vanguard gets Nuked?
      • Travels in South America: It was the best of times....
    • ► August (1)
      • Home again
    • ► June (4)
      • Yellow Fever, closing up shop for the summer and heading to Peru y Bolivia
      • I could not have said it better myself...
      • Stocks -- Part IX: Why I don't like investment advisors
      • Happy Birthday, jlcollinsnh; and thanks for the gift Mr. MM!
    • ► May (6)
      • Stocks -- Part VIII: The 401K, 403b, TSP, IRA & Roth Buckets
      • Mr. Money Mustache
      • The College Conundrum
      • Stocks -- Part VII: Can everyone really retire a millionaire?
      • Stocks -- Part VI: Portfolio ideas to build and keep your wealth
      • Stocks -- Part V: Keeping it simple, considerations and tools
    • ► April (6)
      • Stocks -- Part IV: The Big Ugly Event, Deflation and a bit on Inflation
      • Stocks -- Part III: Most people lose money in the market.
      • Stocks -- Part II: The Market Always Goes Up
      • Stocks -- Part 1: There's a major market crash coming!!!! and Dr. Lo can't save you.
      • You can eat my Vindaloo, mega lottery, Blondie, Noa, Israel Kamakawiwo 'Ole, art, film and a ride on the Space Shuttle
      • Where in the world are you?
    • ► March (7)
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part V: Sold! and the taxman cometh.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part IV: I become a Landlord.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part III: The Battle is Joined.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part II: The Limits of the Law.
      • How I lost money in real estate before it was fashionable, Part I: Impossibly Naive.
      • You, too, can be conned
      • Armageddon and the value of practical skills
    • ► February (6)
      • Rent v. Owning Your Home, opportunity cost and running some numbers
      • The Casanova Kid, a Shit Knife, a Good Book, Having No Regrets, Dark Matter and a bit of Magic
      • What Poker, Basketball and Mike Whitaker taught me about Luck
      • How to Give like a Billionaire
      • Go ahead, make my day
      • Muk Finds Success in Tahiti
    • ► January (5)
      • Travels with "Esperando un Camino"
      • Beanie Babies, Naked Barbie, American Pickers and Old Coots
      • Selling the House and Adventures in Staging
      • The bashing of Index Funds, Jack Bogle and a Jedi dog trick
      • Magic Beans
  • ► 2011 (22)
    • ► December (1)
      • Dividend Growth Investing
    • ► November (2)
      • The Mummy's head, Particle Physics and "Knocking on Heaven's Door"
      • "It's Better in the Wind" or why I ride a motorcycle
    • ► October (1)
      • Lazy Days and School Days
    • ► July (2)
      • The road to Zanzibar sometimes goes thru Ecuador...
      • Johnny wins the lotto and heads to Paris
    • ► June (16)
      • Chainsaws, Elm Trees and paying for College
      • Stuff I’ve failed at: the early years
      • Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat
      • The. Worst. Used. Car. Ever.
      • Top Ten reasons your future is so bright it hurts my eyes to look at it
      • The Most Dangerous Words Your Customer Can Say
      • How not to drown in The Sea of Assholes
      • What we own and why we own it
      • The Ten Sales Commandments
      • My ever so formal and oh so dry CV
      • How I failed my daughter and a simple path to wealth
      • The Myth of Motivation
      • Why you need F-you money
      • My short attention span
      • Why I can’t pick winning stocks, and you can’t either
      • The Monk and the Minister

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