2020 - shm notes & posts

Finance

How to get a guaranteed* 10% annual return on your money

28 December 202014 August 2022

In which I break down cryptocurrency. Open to find resources about crypto and how you can get in on the action.

PLEASE NOTE: With Celsius filing Chapter 11 (technically not) bankruptcy as of July 2022, I no longer endorse holding funds with them. To be completely honest, while I believe in decentralization, I have more concerns with the current state of cryptocurrency. By now, many of us have heard of the high yield savings accounts (HYSA) with pre-COVID rates of up to 2%. At a certain point, I realized I had hit my savings goals and wanted more low-risk investments, and stumbled upon Celsius Network. The appeal comes with understanding of cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and traditional banking profit models. In this post,...

Hills Poems

In defense of the rhyming poem

20 December 202024 January 2023

In which I defend the rhyming poem. Open for salient points towards something that most people never think about.

Many today will shit on rhyme schemesPerhaps now it’s the cool thing to do But different are all our thoughts and daydreams And how we choose to express them too There are merits to this limit you see For otherwise I would write all day With no form comes added difficulty In finding and choosing which words to say Of course we can write however we want And are free to express ourselves to our liking Yet a rhyme scheme now can invite cruel taunts And critique rooted in stereotyping But rhymes are essential to many arts At least in...

Finance

Keeping up with my cash flow

9 December 202029 October 2021

In which I detail the multi-layered financial system I built for myself that makes my money work for me. Open for financial recs!

Talking about finances is still somewhat taboo for normal folk, and I really need it to not be. Dealing with and optimizing money is hard to learn on your own, and at this point there is never a shortage of people telling you what to do with your money. So, I’m not gonna really focus on that, but more keeping track of where your money is and goes. First up…. BUDGETING Tracking spending is probably the hardest part about cash flow. Sometimes it seems like even breathing costs money (which if you’re doing it in your own place, it kind of does.)...

Travel

Eurotrip review, winter 2017-18

19 October 202015 October 2021

In which I recount my first venture to Europe. Open for a brief overview of an exhausting month and (as always) some cool pictures.

Taking a break from all the real issues, I’ve decided to recount my first backpacking trip and some of my favorite parts. I also do want to use this blog as a travel diary, especially for when we can travel again. For now, let’s take a trip down memory lane. I always make a point to try as much local food as I can when I’m visiting a place, but unfortunately I can’t remember all the food off the top of my head. Read about how I packed for this trip here. STOCKHOLM I cut it real close by booking...

Travel

Planning for a month in wintry Europe with only a carry-on

28 September 202022 June 2022

In which I plan a winter vacation in Europe with just one carry-on and a college student’s budget. Open for insight on minimalist travel.

Planning is honestly one of my favorite parts of a trip. Honestly, I enjoy it almost as much as the trip itself for the pure anticipation it brings. Even with a plan, I frequently end up on unexpected adventures. I learned a couple years back to build in some flexibility, because even the best planner can’t anticipate everything. Also that I will always need a day/night to recuperate after travel. FLIGHT LOGISTICS In summer of 2017, I was interning at UTC Aerospace while all of my friends were gallivanting around Europe, and I had some severe FOMO. That’s when...

Career

Leaning In and Falling Over: A Review of “Lean In”

19 August 202029 October 2021

In which I depict how leaning in falls flat. Open for a critique of corporate feminism and its blind spots.

Leaning in is an interesting concept. It revolves around the empowerment of women, a message that is hard to refute—at least, in theory. Sheryl Sandberg’s message, outlined in the book, “Lean In” is to empower women and raise them to new heights in any and all of their ambitions. The problem with much of Sandberg’s message, ironically, is that it’s not ambitious enough. The book uses a form of ambition previously defined by men and rooted in selfishness. She acknowledges the differences in men and women and yet never changes her definitions for success that were by and large defined...

Reflections

“Do good” vs “Do no harm”

3 July 20201 November 2021

In which I compare the pledges “to do good” and “to do no harm” and why one is much worse than the other. Open to see the shade.

Language is extremely fluid, but as quarantine drags on I find myself wanting to use it more precisely—especially since physical contact with others is few and far between. Lately I’ve been thinking about the difference between “do good” and “do no harm”, both of which are goals for certain fields. On the surface, they seem to accomplish the same positive morale. As I dive deeper, they start to diverge. Consequences Consequences come as the result of any action. We allow for some margin of error in most things because no actions can be performed in a closed system, and therefore...

Career Health Reflections

The value in writing, even when you’re a “bad” writer

18 June 202024 January 2023

In which I talk about the value of writing. Open for a reminder on why you should pickup a pen.

Writing is hard. Anyone who says otherwise is either blindly confident or has never tried. There are a plethora of benefits to writing, regardless of whether you consider yourself a writer. Going through the writing process stands to benefit not only the writing itself, but other facets of life as well. The only way out of your thoughts is through them. This is one of the benefits of meditation as well. Allowing your thoughts to flow through you underpins many of the methods of mindfulness. And it makes sense—have you ever tried to make yourself stop thinking of something? At...

Health

Dopamine detox review (in quarantine!)

21 May 202024 January 2023

In which I reflect on a “dopamine detox” I trialed in quarantine. Open to find out what that means.

Quarantine has been killing me, I won't lie. My motivation, focus, and energy suffered huge losses in the first couple of weeks. Fortunately for me, I had a week off scheduled about a month in, and I was able to still take that time off and relax. During my relaxation, I squeezed in a day where I did a dopamine detox, outlined in this video. I have to be honest, turning off my phone the night before lasted literally 10 min. I decided to scroll through social media before bed at the last minute, and fully disconnect in the morning....

Finance Travel

How to travel on a budget

10 January 202024 January 2023

In which I recount my tips for traveling on the low. Open for ways to cut costs on the road.

If one thing in life keeps me going, it's travel. The sights, sounds, and tastes of different cultures energizes me. From eating in churrascos in Buenos Aires to breaking Ramadan fast in Turkey to bungee jumping off the Auckland Harbor Bridge, I live for all the world has to offer. Even and especially when it scares me. Flights Working for an airline, as I did in 2018, is the best way to get cheap flights. For the rest of us plebians, we must find deals. My favorite methodology to find cheap flights to a destination is as follows: Check which...

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