Blog

Short blog posts, journal entries, and random thoughts. Topics include a mix of personal and the world at large. 

This might be it

I think if something unfortunate were to happen to my BMW M2, I would probably replace it with something tame and economical. (The refreshed Tesla Model 3, rear-wheel drive with the long range battery is looking good.) The new enthusiast car market has gotten so expensive that the logical brain side of me doesn’t want to pay for something that largely sits (I don’t have a commute). The new Porsche 911 GT3 starts at $200,000 now - $40,000 more than the previous model - which is absolutely insane. Makes me feel slightly better about paying $126,000 for a 2015 model back in 2019.

Even the cheap end of the continuum is in the mid $30,000s (Toyota GR86, or the venerable Mazda Miata). While that is somewhat affordable for me, what isn’t affordable is the insurance costs for enthusiasts cars. I would know: it’s quite expensive to insure the BMW fully. Again, logical brain is working overtime to convince me that maybe this whole love of cars is getting defeated by monetary mathematics.

But we’re suppose to spend a high proportion of our money on hobbies, right? I can’t be looking at my vehicle situation from the lens of a regular person. In their case, yes, they should limit the spend on what is the second biggest money purchase (first would be the house, if anybody can afford one around here). It makes zero sense to drop extravagantly on a depreciating asset. To do it financially responsibly, people should buy a brand new Toyota Corolla and drive it as long as possible.

Because I like cars, and have liked them since I was a kid, I get to spend more of my adult money on them. But these days the adult brain is cautioning loudly against the inflated costs of vehicle ownership. I actually paid off the M2 earlier this year. I certainly feel more carefree with that monthly car payment now extra cushion in my savings account. It’s a very good feeling. The 10 years ago me would have already used that freed up money to buy another car.

Either I have tremendous self discipline, or it is indeed true that there are seasons to life. Perhaps I’ve outgrown my car enthusiasm…

Bay side fun.

Of budgets and cents

Boy, who would have thought that it’s harder to save money now that I have to pay rent! It sure was easy when I lived with my parents, and I get to squirrel away that 30% of my gross every month. It’s how I come to afford a six-figure sports car on a decidedly not six-figure annual salary. Well, the fun times are over: a far tighter monthly budget is one of the consequences of moving out.

And yeah, I’ve sold said six-figure sports car.

“Adulting” stops the fun. Everybody knows this. The need to save for some future probabilities means we shouldn't squander our entire paycheck. After subtracting rental cost, my discretionary spending have obviously gone way down. Nowadays, every dollar spent requires some serious thought and consideration. Gone are the days of dropping hundreds without thinking. Every outflow has to be reviewed. Did I mention I also have to buy groceries now?

The goal each month is to have something left over to stuff into savings and investments. Because having a money cushion provides optionality, and optionality provides stability and freedom. Stability in the sense that you have enough to cover any surprise money emergency. Freedom in the sense that you can do what you want, without being a slave to the any income. Work is turning out not so pleasurable? You can leave immediately, unless of course the next paycheck is figuratively life and death for you.

Having options is what I am continuing to strive towards. Paying rent is just a part of life, a new consideration that I have to account for. But it sure would be easier to not have it!

Giving props.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

One thing I’ve learn as I grow older is try not to commit yourself to something many, many months from now. It’s rather easy to throw away your time like that because whatever the thing you’ve just committed to seem so far away in the future. Surely you have time for it, right? If anything, you’re being responsible for actually planning it out in advance!

This past weekend’s showing of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Curran Theatre snuck up on me unsuspectingly because the tickets for it was bought nearly a year ago. It was quite surprising then to find out that one, the tickets had cost me $210 (I could use that money now for something else, honestly), and two, the production is two shows, and our group is watching both parts back to back, with a two and a half hour break in between. The thought of sitting for seven hours seemed dreadful; had the tickets been purchased more recently, I don’t think I would have opted for such an arrangement.

So that was my whole Saturday, dedicated to watching a play about wizards and magic.

And I’m happy I did. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a fantastic play, replete with a story that’s deserving of following up the main books and movies. The acting is superb, and the practical effects used to show the various magic and spells are done really well. About halfway into part one, I was already glad we chose to watch both parts on the same day, because the story is that grippingly good. It would be slightly unbearable to have to wait another day to find out the conclusion, never mind that getting to San Francisco downtown where the theatre is isn’t the easier of tasks.

Anyways, I highly recommend the play to anyone who is a fan of the Harry Potter books and movies. I would bet good money they’ll make a movie out of this story with original movie cast some time in the future. That is when I shall see The Cursed Child again, because I’m too old to sit for another seven hours to watch the play a second time, no matter how great and entertaining it is.

Spoiler alert.

I almost bought the iPhone 11 many times

I know, I know: it was only last week that I wrote I wasn’t going to get the iPhone 11, specifically, the Pro version.

But then I made the big mistake of reading and watching the reviews. The latest iPhone is only an iterative update to the same formula dating back to the iPhone X, except for one key area: the cameras. Indeed, much of the focus during the iPhone 11 introduction was on the new camera system, and in the ensuing reviews, everyone is absolutely raving about how excellent it is, even when compared to just one-year-old iPhone XS.

The best smartphone camera yet made? Now that has my hobbyist photographer’s attention.

Immediately, my mind began to rationalize purchasing the new iPhone: spending over a thousand dollars for a device you use every single day is well worth it! Think of all the awesome photos I’ll be able to take with it! My mom needs a new phone anyways; get the new iPhone 11 and give your slightly used iPhone X to her! And so on and so forth. The self-convincing was very effective, because at one point I was prepared to make the purchase.

Which presented another problem: unlike previous years, I did not preorder on the first day, and the delivery lead-time for orders made last week was out in the middle of October. This little niggle saved me from pulling the trigger, because I was not about to wait three weeks for the phone to arrive. Normally, waiting that extra bit wouldn’t have deterred me, but I think this time somehow my subconscious was leaving space for me to change my mind. And I did.

So I was resolved once again to not get the new iPhone, until I woke up this past Saturday and for whatever reason decided to check on the stock levels (iPhone 11 launched on the day before) at the Apple stores around me. As serendipity would have it, the Apple Store at Stonestown had the exact model I wanted available for same day pickup: iPhone 11 Pro 256 GB in Midnight Green. The resolve evaporated quickly and I rationalize with myself once more that this is the universe giving me the go-ahead signal.

However, I didn’t complete the checkout at that time, as there remain a hint of reservation with spending that amount of money. Over the course of the weekend, I can remember at least five occasions where I went back to the Apple Store app to check on the stock status, to see if the phone is still available. I came close many times, but ultimately did not jump over the last hurdle. After some mental and paper calculations, while I would enjoy an iPhone 11 immensely, I’m far better served by the money saved from not buying it.

That’s what adulting is like, kids.

Daybreak.