I spent $400/month on food despite thinking it was $200. Coffee shops were $180/month. Subscriptions I forgot about totaled $127/month. I was not where I though…
Amtrak California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco. Two nights on the train. The dining car became a social hub where strangers sat together and talked for …
Got a competing offer first. Asked for time to consider. Came back with a specific number above their offer with a clear justification based on market data and …
I spent years trying to plan away every risk. What I actually needed was a higher tolerance for not knowing outcomes. The most important decisions in my life re…
You are statistically more likely to become disabled before retirement than to die before retirement. Disability insurance replaces a portion of your income if …
Imagine proving you know the combination to a safe without ever revealing the combination or opening the safe. That is the concept. In practice they allow syste…
I play guitar at a level that will never impress anyone. I paint miniatures that are technically middling. I run slowly. These are all things I do without any e…
I used to throw away a significant percentage of what I bought. Changed approach: shop twice a week for smaller amounts, plan meals around what needs to be used…
Built a local photo server with Immich on an old laptop. Encrypted backups go to Backblaze B2 for $0.006 per GB. My 140,000 photo library costs $1.20 per month …
Took two weeks. Started in Seattle, ended in San Diego. Highlights: Olympic Peninsula, Crater Lake which is not on the PCH but worth the detour, the drive throu…
You do not need to know every rule. Start with one adventure module. Starter Set or Essentials Kit are designed for this. The rules can be learned as situations…
Hot shop glassblowing is one of the most physically demanding crafts I have tried. The heat is extreme. The glass moves constantly and you have about 90 seconds…
I kept everything that had been used in the last 18 months, had a clear replacement cost above $20, or had genuine sentimental value. Everything else went. Did …
Check the battery state of health first, not just mileage. A 40,000 mile EV with 94% battery health is better than a 20,000 mile one with 87%. Get the exact bat…
A place that is neither home nor work where you belong. A cafe where they know your order. A bar where you recognize the regulars. A community garden. A climbin…