10 Questions with Someday Extraordinary

Tell me how you’re going to change the world with your blog (dream big or don’t dream at all!).
I hope someday, someone will find this blog inspirational. I hope my writing continues to improve and I hope that at some point, I can become successful enough for others to wonder how I did it. Well, it’ll all be documented! I hope it provides inspiration to others as well as provide some interesting insight – like Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders! Ha. Ok, maybe not on anywhere close to that level – but you get the idea. Got to dream big, right?

What goals do you have for your blog, short and long term?
I want my blog to be an inspiration to those who read it but, more importantly, I want it to be a means to hold myself accountable to reach my goals.  I also find that a lot can be learned from reading, but writing down your thoughts forces you to retain some of the great things you’ve read by putting them into a coherent thought.  I learn just as much – possibly more – from writing than I do reading.  

What post are you most proud of and why?
I feel that my writing is continuing to improve, so some of my more technical posts of recent have been my favorites.  I really feel like there is some valuable information in this post on book value investing strategy.  However, the one I am most proud of is my personal goals post.  I don’t think it is my best written post, but it is always tough, but liberating, to put your goals out there for everyone to see!  I’ve also written some fun posts about, “The Opportunity Cost of Fantasy Football” and “Beer Economics:  To Brew or not to Brew . . . “.  I enjoyed putting those together.

Last, I’ve begun to write up some short summary reviews on some books I’ve recently read and I’ve also begun a series on “Lessons of an Investing Addict”, which talks about some of the gems I’ve picked up from years of investing and trading.

Do you enjoy writing?
I really do enjoy it.  I’ve always enjoyed it.  As mentioned above, I feel it forces you to use your brain to construct coherent thoughts, themes, and theses.  You don’t get that from reading unless you take time to meditate on all you’ve read.  I’ve been writing a lot for the investment website “Seeking Alpha” and I love it.  Writing really shows how good your idea is and where you need to put in some additional work to make sure you have complete understanding of your topic.

1500 Days is about early retirement. Do you have early retirement dreams? At what age do you think you will retire?
The goal is to be done with the corporate life by 2020 (aggressive) – but hopefully by the time I’m 40 for sure (2023).

If blogging isn’t your full time gig, what is?
I’m a civil engineer who spends most of my free time reading and researching investment opportunities!

When you are 90 and look back on your life, what do you hope you have accomplished?
I hope I leave it all out there.  I hope I have more regrets from trying things that didn’t work out than for staying on the sidelines wishing I would have made an attempt.  I hope I can spend as much quality time with my family as possible and I hope I will have inspired others to follow their dreams.

What is the best money management or investment tool you have come across?
The internet(?)  Does that count?  There is so much free information out there that you’d be a fool not to make the most of it.  I use a number of sites to analyze stock performance, from Guru Focus, Seeking Alpha, Finviz, Morningstar, Yahoo Finance . . . I’m sure I’m missing a few, but those are the good ones.

How do you handle people with different views on money, ie spendy people?
I try to make the most of the situation and try not to back down from my views, but I also realize that others have different goals and different perspectives than I have.  I’m always up for a discussion on investing or money or goal seeking, but so many people have their minds set and only want to push their thoughts on everyone else.  I will always listen, because you never know what you can pick up – even from the most egotistical spendy person – but as the cliché goes, you learn more by keeping your mouth shut:

 “I like to listen.  I have learned a great deal from listening carefully.  Most people never listen.”  – Ernest Hemingway

Did you grow up with money? How did your money situation growing up influence you?
We were middle class, never rich, but never poor.

Did your parents teach you about money as a kid? How so?
Somewhat.  My education really began once I was out of college and began dabbling in the markets.

What is your favorite style of beer – and what is your favorite beer in that style?
Craft beer is my weakness!  Favorite style is IPA or Double IPA.  Man, I could list a million that I enjoy, but my favorite IPAish styles are Lagunitas “A Little Sumpin’ Extra”, Dogfish “90 Minute IPA”, Bell’s “Two Hearted Ale”, Three Floyds “Zombie Dust” and Russian River “Pliny the Elder”.

What is the best thing you’ve read lately.
Again, take a look at my good reading page to get a glimpse at the type of books I enjoy.  I tend to go in phases where I’ll read a lot of investing books, then a lot of social psychology books, then maybe some other non-fiction like a biography or something like that.  Right now, I’m really into “Super Freakonomics“.  The studies those guys put together always blow my mind away.  I also just finished “Bounce” by Matthew Syed.  It was like “Outliers“, “Mindset“, and “Talent is Overrated” on steroids – especially the first part of the book.  I’m also partly through Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking Fast and Slow“.  Man, every single line in that one is loaded with value.  Long time to read and digest, but amazing!

What do you do for exercise?
I’m a bit of a fitness freak.  I run and lift weights daily.

Thanks again to DP for answering our questions today. Keep in touch with him over on SomedayExtraordinary.