The Monday Read: The Paradox of Aging
The better you get, the less time you have left I’m almost 50 (which seems completely unbelievable to me), and I recently started training jiu-jitsu again somewhat regularly. I’m a mediocre blue belt in jiu-jitsu. I foolishly started at the age of forty, and got pretty into it before I knew what I was doing, […]
The Monday Read: Hospitalised
Japanese Health Care is Accessible at Least I’ve had a bit more experience with the health care system in Japan than I would like, mainly due to my taking up jiu-jitsu at the unwise age of 40. It’s not perfect. There seem to be a lot of doctors who aren’t quite as good as you […]
The Monday Read: Momentum
Even better than compound interest? In personal finance, everyone is (understandably) obsessed with compound interest. Eighth wonder of the world, and all that. But I find momentum might be even more important. I’m just starting to get my life back in order after a slightly chaotic and unproductive July and August, and I’m rediscovering the […]
The Monday Read: Jet Lag
Living life at the wrong speed For much of last week I felt kind of dislocated, like I was living life at the wrong speed. It wasn’t pleasant. Almost felt kind of depressed, which is not a state I enjoy. A lot of it was jet lag. Some of it was coming back to work, […]
The Monday Read: The Past
You can go back, but it’s not the same On our last full day in the UK (we’re back in Japan now), I took the grandkids to visit my old college. It’s very ‘Harry Potter’-y and we rented one of the college punts for a couple of hours of fun on the river (messing about […]
The Monday Read: A traveller in a now foreign land
Everything is expensive and nothing works I’m in Europe at the moment. We had a week in London, then a week in northern Spain. My wife and me, and two of our grandkids. It’s been great. I don’t usually enjoy visiting the UK, aside from seeing my friends, but this time was different. I think […]
Investing in a time of volatility
A couple of little price falls, and everyone loses their minds I am on holiday and neglecting RetireJapan, so of course stock markets around the world decide to melt down while I am away. I’m sure everyone knows the basics, but it is good to have frequent reminders hence this short post. Investments can go […]
The Monday Read: Summer Days
Conan, what is best in life? I’m off to London and northern Spain tomorrow with my wife and two of the grandkids. Don’t have much planned, we’re going to slow travel our way through the British capital and then go and stay with relatives in Plentzia where I spent my childhood summers. It’s all part […]
The Monday Read: Health is wealth
An unpleasant reminder of mortality Somehow I have shingles AGAIN. I first had it about five years ago, and on Sunday last week noticed my face felt tight and slightly painful. Then on Monday the first sores appeared, and my wife suggested I might want to go to the dermatologist. On Tuesday morning my doctor […]
The Monday Read: A cool and pleasant summer?
Losing weight seems to have an unexpected benefit This year’s summer for some reason has seemed incredibly mild and pleasant. My wife assures me it is not so different to last year, but I haven’t felt unpleasantly hot at all so far. My best guess is that this is because I have lost a lot […]