linklings, Rorschach edition
I neglected my blog reading this week, so it’s a more-sparse-than-usual roundup. I was busy at work, hurriedly assembling memos and spreadsheets for urgent meetings which resulted in the formation of committees to consider creating memos about spreadsheets tracking meetings… you get the picture.
Combine that with a big political week (Obama-Biden: change, backed up by career politicians! Woot! Looks like I’m voting third-party again…) and my recent purchase of Watchmen and I’ve had a non-productive week. I am not a comic book fan at all. I don’t play video games, and I’m simply not much of a fanboy (with the exception of Batman, who’s been a source of fascination since I was a little kid). But after reading the “graphic novel” – which was stunningly good, and explains the title of this post – I’m psyched to see the movie:
On to the links!
Dream to Reality: How I Quit My Day Job: I’ll start out with this article for a simple reason – it was a great read, and I found it quite inspirational. I’m more at the Tim Ferris level – I think I’ll try another mini-retirement after this contract ends – but the idea of chucking my current career remains appealing.
Two-Thirds of Corporations Don’t Pay Taxes – Nothing More Than Political Hogwash: My fellow Money Writer has a far different take on this article than I do – see my comment and my take on it.
Conversations at a Barber Shop: It sounds like a Kafka novel’s title, if Kafka was into writing about kegs of mustard.
Marriage and Money – A Couples Guide to Managing Money & Finding Financial Bliss: Who couldn’t use more financial bliss?
The Psychology of Money: I don’t usually highlight guest posts on other blogs, but this one was interesting. It asked the question “What negative feelings do you have about money? In what ways could those feelings be holding you back from financial success?” It made me think that I actually do have negative feelings about money – I view it as a problem, not as an opportunity. That’s not the way I WANT to approach it, but it is the way I feel about money.
How to Become a Millionaire in 10 Years: I’m not sure a million is enough to live off of, interest-wise, but hey, a million’s nothing to sneeze at. I really liked this quote: “everyone needs a side hustle.” I agree – hence, ye olde brip blap bloggin’.
Nine Things You Should Not Buy New: Some good tips. Note I said some – I agree with some of the counterarguments. I buy new cars, for example – I pay cash and I drive them for years and years.
Best Company To Work For: Money and Perks Like No Other: The cynic in me, of course, says that all the perks – onsite haircuts, oil changes, etc. – are designed to keep employees chained to their desks. I saw this working in private equity – white-gloved waiters delivering lobster directly to employee’s desks so the employee never ever left the premises. Ah, to give one’s life to commerce…
Avoid These Unhealthy Kid Foods: I am always terrified that one of these lists will tell me that Bubelah and I have been abusing Little Buddy and Pumpkin, but – hooray – not this time!
Leaving the Workforce at 29: Where Do I Go From Here?: Having a job – for better or for worse – does structure your life. You get up, drink coffee, take annoying routes to work, stare at cnn.com and go to meetings for 8 hours, go home – but at least you have structure. The challenge is what do you do when you don’t have that structure anymore?
Curious: A little bit off-topic, but an interesting look into the mindset of a stay-at-home dad.
Buchenwald liberator’s death: If you consider some of the more horrible experiences available to people, being in a concentration camp would be near the top of the list. Liberating one would be way down the list, but probably far more than most of us would be willing to bear. This article reminded me that two generations ago people my age weren’t worrying about their investment portfolios. They were cutting down barbed wire fences around death camps. As this generation of men and women start passing on in serious numbers, we are losing some people who lived through some of the worst this country has ever faced – the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War. Remembering them, we should remember that events like the housing crisis are NOT insurmountable.
Connect with Steve
Facebook
Twitter
friendfeed
Watchmen was awesome, along with V for Vendetta and Frank Miller's Batman The Dark Knight Returns. I read those three graphic novels a couple of years ago and they were all top notch.
My father was part of Patton's Third Army that liberated Buchenwald. All his life, he talked about the Depression, about working for the CCC, then about joining the U.S. Army in 1939, and all the ensuing experiences of WWWII, and some of them were horrendous experiences (he was a machine gunner). But aside from telling me that he was there, at Buchenwald, he wouldn't talk about it. The only thing I ever remember was once he smelled something (don't remember what), and got inexplicably ill. I was just a child, and when I asked why the smell had affected him so violently, he just replied that it smelled like Buchenwald. But he refused to talk about it, saying that some things were too terrible to put into words. I can't imagine what those men must have seen, heard, smelled, felt, much less what it was like for the prisoners of Buchenwald. So yes, losing money or even your home is bad, but sometimes we need to be reminded of our perspective.
@Ruth: People like your father were amazing – the men who bore those burdens of memory and experience and still carried on were incredible. As I said, remembering what men like him faced makes the things we face seem trivial.
Thanks for the tip! I was going out of my mind trying to figure out what the problem was. Thanks again!
Thanks for the tip! I was going out of my mind trying to figure out what the problem was. Thanks again!