The Power of Modest Ambitions

By faithfully working eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.

ROBERT FROST

Once upon a time, I had a keen interest in stock picking. I decided that my route to fortune was going to be as an investor. Of course, I didn't have any money at the time, but I figured you had to start somewhere. I started teaching myself everything I could about investing, and I decided to emulate the greatest investor of all time, Warren Buffett. I subscribed to Buffett's value investing philosophy, read his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters, and learned from Buffett's teacher, Ben Graham. It was a valuable education in finance and business and was not a waste of my time.

What was a waste of my time was being an active individual investor. Without a sizable chunk of capital to manage, you would be better off spending that time working a second job instead of reading SEC filings. I remember my brother who was also interested in trading stocks telling me candidly that he made more money from his day job than he did trading stocks. That was also the story with me. I came to the conclusion that I was better off putting my money into a mutual fund and letting them manage my investments.

There are more mutual funds in existence than there are stocks on the stock market. What I thought would be a labor saver was as laborious as picking stocks. I was tasked with picking winning mutual funds. That's when I discovered the truth that most actively managed funds underperform the S&P 500. The ones that outperform do so almost out of pure luck. This was the thesis of A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel. I did not want to believe it, but the numbers didn't lie.

Needless to say, that book and the Efficient Market Hypothesis sparked a debate that goes on to the present day. Even Warren Buffett has argued against the EMH, but he does recommend investing in index funds for the "know nothing" investors like me. Whether the EMH is real or make believe, the reality is that I am one of those know nothing investors who is better off investing in low cost index funds. I am not Warren Buffett. John Bogle of the Vanguard Group took Buffett's place as my investing guru. Bogle popularized index fund investing, and his legacy lives on with the Bogleheads.

I share this story as an example of ambitions. I began with a great ambition but moved to a modest ambition. This is not the only time this has happened to me, but my investing story gives the outline of how I end up moving from great ambitions to modest ambitions. It always begins with a dream. The dream hits reality. I resist the reality until the moment of capitulation. Then, I accept that reality with a dose of humility and end up better off for it.

For me, the moment of capitulation came when I accepted that I was not Warren Buffett and was never going to be Warren Buffett. I don't know if Buffett is a genius or just a lucky coin flipper. I know that I am not a genius, and I have shit for luck in life. So, I am a humble index fund investor now. I also ask myself a fundamental question. How much money do I really need in life? Buffett is a multibillionaire. Bogle was just a multimillionaire. I could live as a multimillionaire. Those additional zeroes are just for bragging rights.

A recent podcast from Walking Is Fitness reminded me of the power of modest ambitions as Dave tells the story of how he moved from being a runner to becoming a fitness walker. Dave became a runner to get into shape in middle age. He was a runner for five years but always hated it. He had begun walking after the runs to meet a step count goal and discovered that he loved walking way more than running. That first mile of running was the worst for him. It was the worst for me, too.

Dave gave up running for fitness walking and has no regrets. But he did confess that for a brief moment he mourned the loss of the running life that he was putting to sleep. Dave enjoyed the races and the finisher's medals and the sense of community among runners. He was going to be giving that up. That was Dave's moment of capitulation. The reality is that the daily grind of training for those events was awful and miserable. Walking was pleasant and fun. The great ambition of being an athlete gave way to the modest ambition of being healthy and mobile into old age.

I don't want to call Dave a hero, but I consider him a hero for taking the bold move of swallowing his pride and embracing walking as his primary fitness activity. I think this country would be better off following this same path. The reason there are so many marathons and road races is because running needs that motivation to keep runners running. Without it, running is just pure misery.

My last example of replacing great ambitions with modest ambitions was my decision to give up the dream of homesteading and become a humble backyard gardener. My accident and traumatic brain injury necessitated this move on my part. I am failing now to keep my lawn mowed while my wife does the gardening. A homestead would have been a colossal disaster versus the modest disaster of my life right now. If you're going to fail, fail in a small way. It gives you a better chance at a comeback.

You could say that my moment of capitulation came with the TBI, but it comes now as I confess that I would have failed at homesteading without the TBI. The reality is that I am given to workaholism and wanted to glut myself with an endless supply of labor. This is insane. It's sad that it took getting my brains smashed in to remedy this insanity.

It is better to take small wins than huge losses. People who tell you to go big or go home are fools. The other fools are the ones who take on a loser mentality because they chose modest ambitions. This would be the "know nothing investors" who take the market's average return or those suffering from failed runner syndrome because they don't have trophies and finisher's medals. This would be the backyard gardener who is "just" a gardener. The reality is that great ambitions are the folly of vain and stupid people. Modest ambitions allow you to escape the trap of vanity and stupidity. That is the power of modest ambitions. Those modest ambitions and moments of capitulation have turned out to be some of the best decisions I ever made in life.

Mr. No Fun

Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.

H.L. MENCKEN

My wife thinks I still retain some of the traits I had when I was a Calvinist in my twenties. This is because I seem to be against having a good time. I think she is wrong on this one, but I understand why she would draw that conclusion that I am Mr. No Fun. This is because I am against many of the things that people think are fun.

The first thing I don't do is drink alcoholic beverages. I have had a few drinks in my life until I developed gout in my forties. The pain of that condition forced me to give up having a cold beer. Later, I became a traumatic brain injury survivor that gave me another reason to be a teetotaller. Brain damage and alcohol don't mix. I don't care to keep other people from drinking. I'm just no fun at parties now.

The second thing I am against are big boy toys. I live in a place where working class men love to buy fun things on credit like boats, RV campers, Jeeps, motorcycles, ATVs, and on and on. These things see action for a season until they end up collecting rust and dust somewhere from disuse. Sometimes, they get repossessed because these idiots lose their jobs and the ability to make those monthly payments.

I am also against the REI types as opposed to the Bass Pro Shop types who spend less on their toys but also less time with them because they require human power. This would be mountain bikes and kayaks and hiking gear. They buy gear that never touches the water or the trail, but they will strap it all to the roofs of their Subaru Outbacks to parade around town each weekend. It amounts to a toy parade.

The third thing is my plant based diet. I do not eat meat, dairy, or eggs which is an even bigger reason why I am no fun at parties, dinners, and other social events. I do not care to change my diet to be more social because I think destroying the bathroom on a meathead diet would not be a good thing.

The fourth thing is my disdain for professional sports. You have steroids, concussions, rigged games, gambling influences, anthem kneelers, and criminal athletes that belong in prison. Consequently, I can't make the Superbowl party.

The fifth thing is my loss of love for travel. My wife probably hates it more than me because she is the principal driver now. She floats the idea of going on a cruise, and I remind her of diarrhea and vomit soaked adventures because one of the passengers boarded with the norovirus. I don't care to do this.

I am definitely not fun. I was going to defend myself pointing to fun things I do now, but it amounts to listening to the radio in the dark with my eyes closed as I destimulate my damaged brain. When I feel silly, I play my kazoo for ten minutes or until my wife shuts me down.

What I can say is that my lack of fun is not because of lingering Calvinism or Puritanism. I am Mr. No Fun because I got old. Then, I got busted up. I have already had my fun in life. I am laying low now until the Lord calls me home.

Annoying Things 3

The only thing worse than being annoyed is not being able to express it.

LEO MARTIN

Gentle Reader, it is time once again to share my irritations. This may be irritating to you. If so, I apologize. Actually, I don't care. I know you will read every bit of this post.

1. Button up shirts with the sleeves cut out

I am not a fan of the Larry the Cable Guy trick where a perfectly good shirt gets mutilated for the sake of ventilating one's pits. I keep my sleeves on my shirts. I think the sleeveless thing is totally trashy.

2. 1111 guy on 38lsb

There is a guy who gets on CB channel 38 lower side band, keys the mic, and plays "1-1-1-1" repeatedly on the air which effectively jams the channel. He is the biggest jerk on the CB today. Even the back to the bench guy on 19 is not as annoying as this guy.

Why 38 Lower Sideband sucks lately... where's the FCC ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZK1K2eLvI

3. The Luminous Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries is one of those JP2 innovations that the Polish pope felt was needed because our Lady did an oopsie when she gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic and left out these mysteries. Personally, I stick with the traditional rosary like my old priest did. He never said anything against JP2, but he knew this wasn't right.

4. "Invincible" people

I run into people all the time who think injury, illness, and death happen to other people. It is never going to happen to them. The worst are the ableists who don't understand my TBI. It must be sweet living in that state of delusion. It will be sweet to watch that change dramatically for these idiots when their time comes.

5. Singers who talk too much

I can't stand when a folk singer or country singer will preface the song they are going to sing with a story that is longer than the song. Just shut up and sing.

6. Nose rings

There was a lovely young lady at the grocery store who mutilated her face with a gigantic nose ring. I couldn't believe she got hired. Why do this to yourself?

7. People who say 50 is the new 30

50 is not the new 30. 50 is the same old 50 even if you still look 30. Old age is not fun.

8. Content creators trying to get paid

I was listening to a YouTube video when the creator stopped at the halfway point to tell me that I would have to pay for the last half. Needless to say, I did not pay. Breaking the treat in half might fool the dog, but it doesn't fool me. I am cool with advertising and donations. Beyond that, I am not paying. I don't do that with my content here which is still FREE. Just pray for me and my intentions. Thanks for reading.

9. Drink responsibly

I hear this or read this on various alcoholic beverage advertisements that encourage you to drink irresponsibly. This little tagline at the end is just a CYA move on the part of the beverage makers. No one is fooled by this.

10. Radio on Sunday mornings

Protestants in my area buy up the bulk of the airtime on the radio to broadcast their church services. I am Catholic and go to the vigil Mass on Saturday nights. On Sunday morning, I want some classic country music. I can't get that music because of those church services.

11. Protestant Zionists

This would be evangelicals like Ted Cruz who believe we should fight and die for a nation that is 90% atheist because they are God's chosen people. Catholics know better. I knew better even when I was a Protestant. It would behoove these zionists to read the New Testament to get the full story.

12. Avant garde classical music

Once in awhile, I will be punked into listening to what I think is music that ends up being noise. It takes about 20 seconds. It sounds like a classical piece because it uses classical instruments. Then, the piece derails from there, and I am changing the station. This is why I collect real classical music on CDs now. I can't count on public broadcasting to keep this music alive.

13. Echoes

Echoes is a "soundscape" program on NPR stations that pretends to be music but isn't. I had my Brian Eno phase once upon a time, but I am very much over that now. I do use an ambient CD for purposes of sleep, but that's as far as it goes for me. At the end of the day, I want music instead of pleasant noise.

14. Jews who say the New Testament is antisemitic

The responsibility for the death of Christ falls upon the entire human race. God forgives. Because Jews do not accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah, they also wish to deny their role in killing him. I don't really care if they think this way, but I draw the line at censoring or banning the New Testament.

15. Bono from U2

Bono raises a lot of money for his charity which he guilt trips the rest of the world into funding. How much of those funds actually go to help people? You will be sickened when you find out. Bono is the epitome of narcissism, hypocrisy, and self-delusion.

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=bono+hypocrite&ia=web

16. Musical overproduction

This is a criticism of Rick Beato over today's music. Because of modern technology, the music recordings are perfect which makes the songs sound sterile. People actually want good but imperfect. I don't know why, but I agree. Record it live in the studio or in a concert.

17. Gender confirmation surgery

This is what they call it on NPR news. This is why I don't listen to NPR news. Mutilation is mutilation no matter what it is called.

18. People who complain about renting and people who complain about owning.

What people want is a home they own but don't have to maintain. Such a thing does not exist. At the end of the day, you maintain the property or pay someone else to do it for you like the landlord. Stop wishing for what can never be.

19. Pet owners who spare no expense for their pets.

This would be chemotherapy for your cat with cancer. Who pays for this?!

20. FM on CB radio.

The FCC allowed FM on CB radio. Radio makers could legally sell their European radios into the American market. This was convenient. No one in America uses FM on CB radio. You might as well put airplane wings on a Jeep. It's never going to fly.

21. When rich people go begging.

A certain former televangelist told his audience that if he didn't get a million dollars he was going to be on the street. I've never had a million dollars, but I seem to be able to stay off the street.

22. Sig owners.

I remember when everyone eschewed the boring Glock in favor of the Sig. Now, the Sig is being dumped for being the first handgun that doesn't need a trigger pull to go off. But it does look sexy in comparison to the Glock.

23. Ranked choice voting.

I don't know how this scheme works, but it works badly.

24. Stephen Colbert.

It's OK to not be funny. It's not OK to lose $40 million a year with your failure to make people laugh. Now, they are laughing at him.

25. Berets.

I'm not a fan of this style of hat. I was miffed when the Knights of Columbus made the switch. I admire the Marines Corp for eschewing berets claiming they were for sissies.

Thus ends the third edition of annoying things. I am certain to return with more irritation. Thank you, Gentle Reader, for not being annoyed with me.

Black Pill Conservatism

Right after liberal Democrats, the most dangerous politicians are country club Republicans.

THOMAS SOWELL

Thomas Sowell is the most quotable conservative that has ever lived. I am not sure what makes him so quotable, but he captures in a sentence what others could not say in an essay. Consequently, he is the most memed conservative with those awesome quotations.

Conservatism is not a popular ideology. It never has been and never will be. It will always be the minority opinion. Why does it persist? This is because reality persists. Conservatism is reality based politics. I will go on to discuss black pill conservatism which is the explanation for the permanent minority status of reality.

1. Thirds

The electorate can be divided into thirds. Roughly one third is liberal and votes Democrat. Roughly one third is conservative and votes Republican. This leaves the final third which are the swing voters. Those swing voters are the reason the country goes in one direction or the other. It also explains split ticket voting results and the change in Congress during every midterm election. Swing voters have no ideology and no loyalty. Basically, they want low taxes and full government benefits. They vote for whoever tickles their itching ears. This is never going to change.

2. Gridlock

When government is divided, conservatism triumphs. Conservatism wins when politicians say no instead of yes. Anything that limits government power is to the good. If you doubt this, look at those times when government was not divided but had Republicans in charge. Those times were not much different than when the Democrats ran things.

3. Taxes and government spending

Any scheme that aims to cut government spending is doomed to failure. Those cuts need to happen, but reality says those cuts are not going to happen. But you can cut taxes. A tax cut is always good because it keeps money out of political hands and in the hands of the people who actually build things and buy things. Tax cuts are also the easiest way to appeal to swing voters.

The national debt will never be repayed. Default is the inevitable outcome. When the government goes bust, you want to have gold and silver on hand as a hedge against that inevitability. The upside is that a bankrupt government becomes a small government.

4. Imperfect candidates and the lesser of two evils

Some folks think the answer is to vote for some perfect third party candidate or independent. I watched people do this in the nineties with Ross Perot which essentially gave the election to Bill Clinton. The reality is that these idiots threw their vote away.

There are no perfect candidates. You might as well write in your own name on the ballot. You can't say that you don't perfectly represent your own views. The reason we don't do this is because we know that amounts to throwing away your vote. Instead of voting for the perfect good, vote for less evil. It matters.

Why can't people vote for the lesser of two evils? This is because they don't want to compromise on utopia. Gentle Reader, there is no utopia. If you still cling to that fantasy, you are an idiot who will end up with the greater of two evils.

5. RINOs

There are no DINOs. Democrats promise to do evil and keep the promise. Republicans promise to do good but do not keep the promise. The reason for this is they need votes to get elected but also campaign donations. Donors and the voting public rarely agree on anything which is why Republicans leave you with broken promises. When they keep their promises, they lose elections.

There are honest and principled conservatives. They almost never win. I don't want them to change on their honesty and principles, but I know they are outnumbered by the corrupt politicians. This is why the RINO will persist as a creature of American politics.

6. Christian basis for conservatism

The conservative political philosophy grows out of the Christian ethic. You will find that the most principled conservatives are usually the most religious. Unfortunately, religion has taken a beating in the Republican party and among conservatives. Today, most Republicans are essentially pro-choice on abortion and soft on the rainbow perversion. Without God, you don't have conservatism or civilization. It is imperative for conservatives to put faith before politics.

Conclusion

I am black pilled on politics and on conservatism. I do not think our woes will be solved through politics and policy changes. Ultimately, this country is spiritually bankrupt. Our broken political system is just a symptom of that bankruptcy. I will continue to fight the good fight by writing and voting. Ultimately, I am going to pray because that is what truly makes a difference.