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Diamonds and Happy Holidays!

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hatchetfish

If there’s life on other planets, ever wonder how bizarre it might be?

Certainly not as bizarre as these very real life-forms on this very strange world…

Earth -- this way sign

So: Is Earth’s Life Unique in the Universe?

As for us, we are off to Los Angeles for the holidays. We’ll visit some family and, after a year, I get to take a group of jlcollinsnh readers at Dreamworks up on their offer to visit and take an insider’s tour. Very exciting! Plus I’ll be doing my first ever reader meet-ups while out there. Then I’ll get to head back East by rail for my first ever transcontinental (LA-Boston) train trip.

But before all that I want to wish all my readers, regardless of where in the galaxy (or which galaxy for that matter) you may be:

A Joyous Holiday Season

and 

a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Until next year, here are some random cool things that have caught my eye….

Are you about to be engaged? Congratulations! Now read these before you buy the ring:

A Brilliant Illusion

Have you ever tried to sell a Diamond?

Or watch this too funny short:

Shiny Rocks we found in the Ground and Sell in the Mall to Idiots Like You

I wish I had.

On the other hand, I’m glad I’ll never take this walk on Christ the Redeemer. Yikes.

itchy feet

Itchy Feet and an interview with Malachi Rempen and an article about his work

Garden video

The Garden, a video

paris street art

Paris Street Art

house in cliff

40 Very Cool Places in the World — The number I’ve visited: O

oakleykansas

Flatlands

Growing Pennies  — The next time you are negotiating your salary, offer them this deal: One penny a day, doubled each day.

Stop putting your money in the mattress

How much is $100 worth in your state?

gargolyal

What’s up with Gargoyles?

mag on painting

Magazine covers superimposed on classic art

sculpture cloths pin

Scluptue vanishing

Sculpture tripping

And more cool sculptures 

two-ocean-creek-4[2]

Two Oceans Creek: The branch to the left ultimately drains into the Atlantic and to the right, the Pacific.

House in moat

flooding-houses

People having a worse day than you

Finally, we’ve all seen videos of stunts gone horribly wrong. Here’s ~5 minutes of how cool it is when they go right:

People are Awesome

OK, Halloween is past, but it’s not to soon to think about your pumpkin plans for next year:

pumpkin-carving-by-ray-villafane-studios-9

More cool carvings

 Vintage Cars from between the 1900s and 1920s (6)

Vintage cars from 1900-1920

Dumpster living

Dumpster Living

weirdest-buildings-35

Weird Buildings

Finally, I’ll leave you with these seriously cool photos:

Best pics-KHellouin_funbest pics-lake on cliffBest pics-scottish_blackface_sheep_3_900

Here’s More

Important Resources

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Republic Wireless is my $20 a month phone plan. My wife is also on the $20 plan and our daughter who uses more data is on the $25 plan. Monthly total for three phones and plans: $65. We all travel widely and we can talk to each other from wherever we are and for however long we please. My RW Review tells you how.
  • Vanguard.com

These are companies I have personally vetted and recommend.

YNAB and Tuft & Needle both support this site with paid ads. If you click on those ads it shows them the ads are working for them and that support will continue.

Personal Capital, Betterment and Republic Wireless are affiliate partners of this site. Should you click though to their site from this one and chose to do business with them, this blog will earn a small commission.

Vanguard is not an advertiser or affiliate but, Vanguard if you are listening, we’d love to have you!

Filed Under: Random cool things that catch my eye

Comments

  1. Then I’ll get to head back East by rail for my first ever transcontinental (LA-Boston) train trip.

    Whoah! What a neat way to see the country! I’m going to assume we’ll get a post about it… but I’m fascinated at the idea.

    We’ve done long distance train travel in Europe, but never even really thought about it in the States. SO cool!

    Reply

    • Yeah, I am really looking forward to it. 🙂

      Back in September I took the train back from FinCon: New Orleans-NYC-Boston. Very relaxing watching the countryside slip by, reading and dozing.

      Prior to that, the longest US train trip had been Chicago-Cleveland.

      This one takes me thru some really beautiful parts of the country and, oddly enough, will be the first time I’ve ever crossed the entire US in one pass.

      Mmmm. Hadn’t thought about making it a post…..

      Reply

      • I have the small “roomette” booked, the same as from New Orleans.

        There are two facing seats and I use the second as a foot rest.

        It can sleep two, with a top bunk stored up against the ceiling coming down and the two seat folding into a bed. But if my wife were traveling with me I think I’d try the larger room.

        At 6’2″ I was concerned the bed would be cramped, and it is side to side, but I can stretch out full length.

        I like my privacy and it is fun to stroll on down to the dining car for meals. Since space is at a premium, unless you are a party of four, you’ll be seated with others. Most are friendly and pretty interesting.

        Reply

    • Yeah, I think that cartoon is like an anthem for blogs like this one. 🙂

      I have no problem with people buying BMWs or anything else for that matter. Just don’t complain then about not having money to travel. Or early retire. 😉

      Reply

  3. JL,

    I got introduced to you through the madfientist podcast series and stopped in to check your site out. Going to work on reading your stock series. Have a great holidays and have fun heading from LA to Boston by rail.

    Mr. Captain Cash

    Reply

  4. Happy Holidays to you Mr. Collins, thanks for all the posts and replies to my questions.

    I placed an order for my first investment fund today! Strapped in and ready to ride.

    Have a great 2015.

    Reply

    • Congratulations, Adam…

      Welcome to Mr. Market’s Wild Ride!

      Here’s to a prosperous 2015 and many more to follow!

      Reply

    • Hey Jeremy…

      As always, you are ahead of the curve! Thanks for the links.

      I’ve been surprised at the interest in the train trip. Perhaps I’ll write something if it proves interesting enough. Photos might be a problem as I tend not to take them. But I’ll figure it out. 🙂

      Cool post — your current — on sailing!

      Reply

  7. Greetings again, Jim. Love the photos and links you posted. “The Garden” – damn.

    Just resurfacing after taking nearly 2 1/2 weeks off werk. 2 1/2 weeks of pure bliss and torture. Bliss in not having to get up at 4:11 am every day or worry about stuff I’m supposed to have but really have no control over, but torture in knowing that each passing day brought me closer to being back in this chair.

    Getting closer every day. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply

    • Heh!

      That was pretty bizarre, no?

      Hopefully each passing day also brings you closer to F-you Money and the freedom it can buy!

      Reply

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