The Two halves of life
Growing up I was heavily influenced by the ideals of the protestant work ethic. It served me well through the first half of life. So, I assumed I’d work the …
Retirement Lessons from the politician tree
I love the tree in this picture. When I first saw it, I named it the “politician tree” because it was so crooked. I hike by it often with my …
the case for a Big Travel Budget
I spent the last three weeks in the Carolinas. It was great. The picture of me is from Hilton Head, South Carolina where we stayed for a few days. We …
Financial first responders
Last week I got the type of call no one wants to get. I learned a friend and colleague, who was in the prime of life, had taken his own …
Is saving for college still relevant?
I’m a conservative person, but sometimes even I see the need to change. For example, I belonged to a high-profile service organization for many years. They are very proud of …
The way of the dragon
Being a banker, I suppose it was logical that I would be drawn to read dragon books to my kids. These complex creatures remind me of some of my more …
Butkus, Rivers and Retirement
I understand why poets use rivers as metaphors for the passage of time. Rivers move me to think about life. Perhaps that’s why I found myself evaluating a personal milestone …
Break the rules–Occasionally
I’m not much of a lawbreaker. But one Halloween some of my teenage buddies and I were having a great time throwing water balloons at trick or treaters. It was …
What Keeps you awake at night?
As a banker, I am trained to think about the world in terms of risk. But sometimes meaningful discussion gets hidden behind all the charts, jargon and PowerPoint slides. I’ve …
Retirement DAshboard Part II
I’ve been enjoying a Western Philosophy course the last couple of weeks. It started with that fascinating scene in Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. You might remember it. There are …