The Monday Read: it’s the little things

I believe the big things matter. Security, freedom.

But it’s the little things that make life pleasant. Eating really good noodles. Reading a book to a kid when they ask you to (even if it’s the 74th time). Looking at the clouds. Relaxing into a hot bath. Taking a walk somewhere green.

Sadly a lot of the time we only realize how lucky we were when we lose something. So before that happens, stop, take a breath, and appreciate the moment.

Because that is all life is: a succession of moments. Don’t miss them while you worry about the past or the future.

RetireJapan TV

We had a great time talking with Simran about cool and unusual Japanese trains, being an actuary in Japan, personal finance, the difference between Osaka and Tokyo, and more 🙂

You can watch episode 2 on YouTube or listen on your favourite podcast platform (just search for RetireJapan TV).

YouTube

Thank you for your support of the RetireJapan YouTube channel. We published a new video this week:

New NISA tsumitate settings on Rakuten Securities

Please watch, like, subscribe, and share with other people!

The Forum

The Forum is doing well (31,582 posts so far). The forum rules are here. In essense, they are:

1. Be nice
2. Ask any question you like
3. Only answer questions when you have relevant knowledge or experience

Here are the latest active threads:

This week’s books

Started reading Morgan Housel’s new book, Same as Ever. Very readable, even if I had seen a lot of it on the blog. Recommend.

This week’s links

1. Japanese politics is… interesting now? Kishida purges Abe faction bosses and The Abe faction is out of government
2. Really enjoyed this article: The extraordinary life of a Holocaust survivor living in Japan
3. Love this article. I’d be good with $5m: $5 Million is Nothing
4. This is a great graphic: A timeline of Earth’s average temperature
5. I saw this on YouTube, and it is one of the most disturbing adverts I have seen recently: BuzzCam by Sega
6. Yes. Love it. It should not be convenient to take shortcuts through residential areas. If I had my way we’d close a large proportion of roads to motor vehicles, but I don’t have Derek’s patience: Crank the Cogs
7. This was a clear overview of how to think about safe withdrawal rates (YouTube): Is Dave Ramsey’s 8% Withdrawal Rate Realistic?
8. This long tweet really gets into something I have been thinking about this year as I focused on growing RetireJapan’s social media accounts.
9. I’ve seen these and even sat by them but didn’t know much about them (irori are the old traditional fireplaces): REDISCOVERING JAPAN’S IRORI
10. I doubt this will fix the birthrate but anything that makes life less miserable for families is welcome: Japan to boost spending on measures to tackle low birthrate
11. Some interesting background: Japan’s Immigration System Unrepentant: Bureaucratic Fiat, Detention by Default Put Foreigners’ Rights at Risk
12. For real estate, Tokyo is a different country: Too much of not enough
13. I found this very interesting. I don’t agree with all of his conclusions and assumptions, but it pushed my me to a better understanding: Our investments in oil and natural gas stocks
14. I have only bought a handful of magazines from convenience stores in my 23 years here: Where Did All the Magazines Go?
15. With interest rates in the US falling, a stronger yen? Weekend reading: Merry Christmas from the Federal Reserve
16. Eye opening, hope her restaurant goes well (YouTube): Interview With a Japanese Sex Worker
17. A golden age for normal people to invest? Better and Better
18. That was brutal! Not what I expect from Ben… Rich Author, Poor Readers

What do you think? Anything interesting in there?

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