I finished working full time a few weeks ago and now am on summer break. Last week we took an Alaskan cruise and the above picture is from Glacier Bay National park. This fall I go back to work but only part time. My spouse has filed for their small pension and SS. It should total about $2k. While we were gone for a week, we earned $40k through our investments - it's so strange that despite what I believe is a horrible presidential performance, our economy seems to be continuing it's rise. I had a small pension ($20k)that I was able to rollover in March to an IRA ($119k before the rollover) in a lump sum and it has brought that IRA up to today $155k). Basically $10k in three months, that's just a bit insane to me and helps me remember not to worry about money. I'm going to continue to work for up to 6 years mostly for health insurance but I might just do it for 2 years until the spouse is on medicare.
It's really strange to be here at this point in my life. I don't remember when I first started reading here because I didn't start this blog until after I had been here a while. I also remember reading a blog called Boston Gal's Open Wallet, she was into real estate. I remember her numbers seemed really high but now my numbers are high. The afternoon of life is a strange place to be in.
This summer, I've joined a nonprofit board. I'm also hoping to do some solo travel and perhaps even a backpacking trip. I want to go to the farmers market and music in the park. I have a feeling it's going to go fast.
June 2nd, 2026 at 05:14 am 1780377241
June 2nd, 2026 at 02:15 pm 1780409758
June 2nd, 2026 at 02:33 pm 1780410837
The people in the bottom 75% are not invested in the market but the fact that they are paying higher prices for everything is keeping some companies profitable. Layered on top of that is a whole lot of market manipulation that is distorting underlying values.
My observation is that the market gets pushed up at the end of every month to inflate values for month end reporting, then corrects and drifts down until the end of the next month.
This is dangerous because the market doesn’t reflect true conditions.
At some point I expect the issues at the bottom to outpace the ability of the top to manipulate the result.
I am staying in but I don’t could on any gains made since 2025 to last.
But as I said, I am cynical…