Author: Mr. Groovy
Pandemics, Public Use Theory, and Financial Independence
In the fall of 2019, I invented a theory called the public use theory. Here are the two key premises of that theory: Premise One: All institutions—because they’re run by mere mortals—are flawed to one degree or another. Premise Two: The more you engage with any particular institution, the more likely you’ll be exposed to…
Let Them Eat Cake: Fritz Gilbert’s Guide to a Successful Retirement
If you’re the average working American, who wants to retire in dignity, your financial life can be broken down into three distinct phases. The first phase is the correction phase. This is where you get your financial act together. You get better at earning, better at subduing your appetite for stuff and status, and better…
Becky Sue Has Back
Even though I took a couple of days off this week because of unseasonably cold weather, I made a lot of progress on Becky Sue and completed half of her back. Check it out. My goal is to finish the other half of her back next week. If all goes as planned, I’ll be starting…
Prepping the FI Way or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Coronavirus
A bout against unemployment isn’t won the day you secure a new job. It’s won months before you even lost your job in the first place—providing you had the foresight to establish an emergency fund. In other words, preparation is the key to surviving any calamity, whether it’s large or small. This brutal lesson really…
Welding in a Time of Corona
Welding Becky Sue stops for no man—and no pandemic. Each day I trudge out to my welding “shop” and add at least five sections of rebar to Becky Sue. As of today, her body is starting to take shape. Take a gander. My goal is to have Becky Sue’s frame/skeleton finished by the end of…