Money Diary #98

Morning: Up around 6:30 and check email. A few projects have come in, so I brush my teeth and work on those for an hour. Eat a croissant & drink a cup of tea for breakfast. Walk around for a bit. Go shower & use the psoriasis shampoo. Jump on my 10 am call. It goes until 11:30, and I'm done with meetings for the day. 

Afternoon: Keep an eye out on my inbox, wait for Dad to shower, and then have rice & lamb stew for lunch. Mom isn't feeling well, so she sleeps while we have lunch. Do a coconut oil pull. A work project comes in around 1, and I decide to do it next week. Read for a bit, and here is what I learn:

• On mental peace: "The cost of living is rising for all of us at the moment, and I've had to make some sacrifices mentally -- maybe I won't ever save enough for a house? Maybe I'll have to rent forever? Maybe I won't be able to afford kids, or live somewhere with a yard big enough for a dog? Verbalizing these possibilities is scary because it has meant the life I pictured for myself has changed, but it's brought some peace as well."

• Signal vs noise: "In most situations, a handful of variables drive the majority of outcomes. If you've covered the few things that matter, you're all set. A lot of what gets added in after that is unnecessary filler that either wastes your time or is designed to confuse or impress you."

• Reasonable or bullshit: "In the same sense, if I say, “The stock market is forecast to return 16% over the next 12 months,” it sounds reasonable. But if I said, “I think people will be in a 10% better mood next June,” it sounds like bullshit. And it is. But those two lines are practically saying the same thing."

• Perspective: "There were definitely times when we would eat a bowl of beans as dinner or had the lights off for a few nights, but I never questioned it. Being the youngest, I truly had no concept of money for a long time. I just knew not to ask for anything that I did not need. If I wanted something, I would bargain with my parents to let me go without something else for a while so I could have it. I remember wanting something to listen to music on and my mom got me a portable cassette player for a few bucks at a garage sale because they were almost obsolete at that point. I treasured that thing for years and would listen to every cassette of old random music my mom had."

• A good life goal: "Create all the happiness you are able to create; remove all the misery you are able to remove. Every day will allow you, will invite you to add something to the pleasure of others, or to diminish something of their pains."

• On gratefulness: "I am very grateful to my parents as they allowed me to save and spend more money on wants rather than needs."

Make tea for Dad and myself, and drink it with a couple of Coconut Thins from Costco. 

Evening: Around 5:30, a colleague messages me, so I reply back to her. A project just came in that I'll review over the weekend. Veg for a while, dinner is rice & lamb stew, and do a coconut oil pull. Brush my teeth and bed around 11.