Happy Friday! I know there were a lot of disappointed readers last week missing this weekly column. But alas, we are back!
What’s on my mind: Financial Influencers
I’ve been getting very absorbed by TikTok.
I think a lot of people my age have a big misconception on what TikTok is. It is not just a bunch of 13-15yo doing pranks. There’s basically everything and anything you can think of circulating the TikTok-sphere.
What’s been heavily circulating through my feed are financial influencers or “get rich quick” folks. This category is extremely broad and can be anything from folks teaching you to day trade to people innocuously sitting in Bentleys telling you to follow them to learn how they made $5m at 30 years old. I actually scrolled through a dozen or so of the previously mentioned guy and he never really explains how he does anything–congrats on sitting on a yacht (alone) though!
What most of these accounts/folks focus on is 1) making a lot of money; and 2) doing it extremely quickly.
I’ve been thinking about starting my own videos to share my own opinions. My clips would differ in two main ways: 1) focusing on saving money and reducing spending vs accumulating a ton of money; and 2) building habits/systems to build and maintain over time.
Quote I’m pondering: The Rock talking about outworking everyone
Okay, so this isn’t a quote. Speaking of TikTok again, I saw a quick clip of the Rock talking to a classroom about his routine.
He talks about getting up at 4am everyday and working out. Then he segues into being willing (and able) to outwork everyone else period. The Rock shares that it all starts with his two hands and putting in physical work.
I’ve never quite understood why people get up at 4 or 5am. Typically folks share that they like the calm and quiet or want to get things done before their “real job”. For some reason the Rock’s quick talk made it make more sense to me.
By forcing yourself to get up and workout everyday at 4am you’re empowering yourself to believe you are outworking other people. You’re physically and cognitively aligned with your goals. It’s not so much needing to get up at 4am as it is the fact that you can (and are) do it to separate yourselves from everyone else.
What I’m watching: The Witcher, Season One
I have been rewatching season one of The Witcher with Yunji on her first time through. I’ve read the two short story compilations the season is based on as well as the next three full length novels.
It’s been really nice to rewatch as a) it’s a great show; and b) I’ve forgotten quite a bit. The show has a similar feel to Game of Thrones, but I’d say it’s completely its own thing. It’s very high budget and well done, too.
I’m excited as season two comes out in December, and I will likely be rereading Blood of Elves to jog my memory as that is the book the season is mostly based on.
Verdict: must watch (unless you hate fantasy, etc.)
What I’m reading: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
First, I want to start with the book I had last been reading: The City We Became. This book is fantastic as is N.K. Jemisin. After reading TCWB and The Fifth Season, I’m ready to hail Jemisin as one of my favorite authors ever (likely only behind Murakami and Christie).
TCWB is/was so weird but so good–and that’s the point! The book is about people manifesting and embodying cities and somehow it works so well.
The other thing Jemisin does so well is to write such diverse characters. Jemisin gives a voice to so many underrepresented peoples and communities, and I love it. N.K. writes about folks of different social classes, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. And she goes way beyond black and white people or straight and gay folks–I’m talking about folks so mixed they don’t even know what they are and pansexual folks that transcend genders.
Verdict: must read
Since my last post (and TCWB), I’ve been on a bit of a reading–actually listening–tear. After TCWB, I tore through Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
SDaCP was a very entertaining book re: pop culture, and I’m personally a huge Klosterman fan. I’m not sure this book is for everyone as it says a lot about nothing.
HPatSS was a pleasant read, but I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed The Chamber of Secrets. Book #2 had always been my least favorite book (and movie) of the series, but this time through, I couldn’t put it down.
I am now halfway through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This has always been one of–if not my–favorite books of the series (and in general). I’ve been meaning to listen to these audiobooks for the longest time, and they have not disappointed at all. Jim Dale does such a great job narrating and doing the character voices to perfection.
Verdict: must listen/read/re-read!
What’s up this weekend?
It’s another one of those weekends: time to pack up and move! After four weeks in San Miguel de Allende, we are heading back to Mexico City. This is our second to last stop before heading back “home” to California for the holidays.
While San Miguel was great (and we will miss it), I am so excited to head back to Mexico City for multiple reasons!
Most importantly, we will have a host of friends and family visiting us in Mexico City as well as friends who we will be overlapping with while there. I’m super excited but have been trying to crank out YouTube videos and blogs, so I can enjoy the time without having to work.
Secondly, it will be nice to get back to familiar surroundings and revisit some of my favorite restaurants and bars! It’ll also be nice to try new places, too, of course.
As of now, the weather looks a bit shit, but I’m hoping the tide changes and things improve as our stay progresses.
Coming soon…
It’s been pretty busy both on the blogosphere and YouTube-land. Since my last Friday Freestyle, I’ve written about why we are leaving the US and planning to move to Europe, and last Friday I did a recap on my fantasy football league’s auction draft.
Most recently, I wrote about the seven ways I find the best restaurants while traveling.
YouTube is chugging along. Since my last post here, I stack ranked the top 10 things I ate in Puebla, shared a visit to Moyuelo (one of Puebla’s best restaurants), and did the video version of the seven ways I find the best restaurants while traveling. To see any of these check out my YouTube page: https://youtube.com/intristang
Last night, I uploaded an apartment tour of our place in Queretaro:
Have a great weekend and see you in Mexico City!