I am traveling right now in Singapore and Thailand. Therefore, until my return to USA, the posting here will be irregular and will not look like what you have been accustomed to. So enjoy this much shorter post with about ten links I have enjoyed myself, again, bouncing all over the map (pun intended). Also, do you like this shorter format?
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Best thing I read this past week: Why Do We Idolize Assholes? The asshole is the archetype of our time. That’s not a coincidence. Absolutely brilliant, I agree 100% with it. Hilarious too, enjoy!
This flourishing of assholes in our culture is a full-on, society-wide pandemic, and men are the most vulnerable to the contagion. Assholes are seductive. They seem fearless, and so many men are defined by their fears.
Why are men so drawn to assholes in the first place, and why is this moment in time so asshole-rich, and why has our society produced so many men who are so eager to roll over and show their bellies to the most selfish, the most thin-skinned and petulant people alive?
Life during peak asshole is exhausting unless you’re an asshole, and it’s great… Assholes are almost always people who are scared and nervous, and so they go on the offense. The asshole is a little bit like the octopus, who squirts clouds of ink when frightened. Only instead of ink, they spray invective. [Laughing so hard now…but I also want to cry too]
So be bold, choose kindness, don’t be an asshole!
I am currently on my first long travel adventure since Covid. All prior ones have been short getaways. And I am feeling that wonderful feeling of adventure again, I missed it. So this article spoke to me: Why Adventure Is Always a Good Investment.
If the ultimate purpose of money is to forge a meaningful existence, then few endeavors are as compatible with this aim as the pursuit of adventure. It’s an insightful lens through which to view the potency of our innate tendencies and the significance of their role in shaping our actions. It serves as a prime example of how our ancient instincts continue to influence our modern behaviors.
In essence, travel and adventure invigorate us, making us feel more alive. As legendary travel writer Bruce Chatwin put it:
“Travel doesn’t merely broaden the mind. It makes the mind.”
Here’s a short list of some of the scientifically proven benefits of travel:
- Improved health
- Lower stress
- Reduced risk of depression
- Enhanced creativity
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Increased happiness and greater life satisfaction
But you’ll hold dearly the memories of such sights on your deathbed. Wherever you believe you’ll travel to after you die, if you’ve woven a tapestry of adventures with your time and resources, you can rest assured you’ll venture there unburdened by regret. Don’t wait. The world beckons. [Amen!]
Ok, let’s get back on finance stuff. So many out there are bitching. Hate to break it to you but the world IS getting better, check this out: 24 Charts That Show We’re (Mostly) Living Better Than Our Parents. Ignore the haters: living standards have improved a lot since the 1980s. Great charts, take some time to process them, this is my favorite:
The pandemic changed everything. Including how we work. And here is the 2023 State of Hybrid Work.
Our main takeaway from the seventh edition of Owl Labs’ State of Hybrid Work can be summarized with one word: flexibility. It’s overwhelmingly what employees want and something companies can offer effectively if executed with intention
Alert: We can save more money into 401k plans and IRAs next year, hooray! Tax-favored retirement savings get cost-of-living 2024 boost.
Hilarious video of John Oliver making fun of all things McKinsey.
What if Angela Merkel did not thwart the plan to admitting Ukraine into NATO back in 2008 hey? The Day The War Really Began.
This is great, get ready to explore the 2024 Total Eclipse.
I had no idea about dark chocolate! Ranked: The Foods With the Largest Environmental Impact.
I am posting this from the amazing Phuket Hyatt Regency Resort after four wonderful days in Singapore. Sorry, no time for detailed trip reports. The 2 bedroom suite in the HR here in Phuket is sick, hard to believe I am only spending 40,000 World of Hyatt points for five nights here, pinch me. I am currently about half way through the three month minimum spend on a Chase Ink Business Unlimited card that will net me about 100k Chase points (to transfer to Hyatt most likely again), thank you Chase Bank once again for making our travel adventures so awesome! 🙂
MILES & POINTS
HOT CREDIT CARD OFFERS: 90k CHASE Ink Business Cash, 90k CHASE Ink Business Unlimited, 75k CAPITAL ONE Venture X, 75k CHASE Southwest Plus/Premier/Priority, 150k CAPITAL ONE Venture X Business, 75k CAPITAL ONE Venture Rewards, 100k CHASE Ink Business Preferred, 60K CITI Premier, $1,000 Cash Back CHASE Ink Business Premier, 140K CHASE IHG Rewards Premier (with $100 Statement Credit), 60k CHASE Sapphire, 60K CHASE Sapphire Reserve, 60k US BANK Business Altitude and many more including many AmericanExpress cards such as Delta Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors cards! Please check out my Affiliate links. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. If you do not see a credit card with my affiliate links, perhaps I could refer you?
Remember, you are NOT allowed to ever carry a credit card balance if you ever get a credit card here!
Let me leave you with this:
Some of the links are behind a paywall. You can try to read them using Archive.is.
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TBB
travelbloggerbuzz@gmail.com
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Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
Hey Buzz, thanks for the post. Loved the article about the Greeks and the donut shop.
Have a great time on your adventure with your family.
Definitely want to hear more about it later.
Yes! Can’t wait for the trip report.
Great you could get away.
I love the longer posts, but you’re busy! Great stuff here and I was just reading (and posting on FB) the story of the 24-hour diner. What a wonderful article and perfect for this site as well!
Much more to read through and thanks for the links! Keep having fun on your trip! Hope the feet are doing well, also.
Hi from our magnificent suite at the Phuket HR, heading to breakfast soon…Wife is not feeling well, is it a cold or Covid? Anyway, spent some time at Patong beach area at night with brother in law and his wife who are staying at the Marriott near the airport. Marijuana is legal now so potheads and weed shops are everywhere, reminded me of Ann Arbor a little bit lol. Driving here is an adventure for sure. Yes, the HR is a bit out of the way, true resort, you can stay here for a week and just relax. But we ain’t got time for dat. Will drive around all day today, Phi Phi boat tour all day tomorrow, going to a true elephant sanctuary on Saturday, we leave Sunday…days go super fast here.
Too old for trip reports, those take FOREVER to do. And Mailchimp now wants $31 per month, this outfit went from $0 to $20 to $27 to $31 in a flash wow. I may kill the whole thing or delete subscribers who don’t open their emails to get it back under 500 email subscribers..I think then it goes back to free….I think.
Definitely going for an MRI on my left foot, something is not right.
I love traveling so much, that feeling of wonder lust is still strong…
And thanks Carl for sponsoring the blog with you buying coffees with your sock drawers.
You are quite welcome! It helps the best blog out there and I have an easy way to put a little spend on cards I don’t use and prevent cancellation. One hand washes the other, right? Have fun!
Would you like a trip report of my trip to Wisconsin? I don’t know why more people don’t visit that place (in the summer anyway), we all enjoyed it quite bit. I still need to get up to Michigan one of these days but next year I think we’re going to visit my former home (as in 40 years ago) in the Niagara Falls area, plus a trip to Nashville for my wife’s niece’s graduation.
Will ponder this during an all day boat tour to Phi Phi and surrounding islands
Trip reporting is one niche I left behind…I don’t know how OMAAT does it cranking out long stale TRs…oh, making millions from pumping plastic and having staff likely helps lol.
Free nachos and free margaritas last night here for ladies night at the Hystt resort. Great DJ and night views.
Glad I rented a car, drove all around the island all day yesterday. The place is 100% tourist destination and everyone is out to extract $…I was expecting it but a bit shocked to this extent.
Found a tiny awesome beach yesterday, water is very warm. Coconuts on the beach is great.
Wife improving too.
And thanks Carl, hope more imitated you # hint
I think the shorter format is great! Enjoy the rest of your trip!
Wow, you are at the locations I was just researching this week to go to. Was originally thinking Phuket and Bali with stopover in Singapore but now thinking of skipping Singapore since I didn’t find too much there of interest.
Checking out of the Phuket HR today and off to BKK.
Things you find out chatting with a staffer at the 3rd floor of Casa Boho which is used as the lounge temporarily:
Found out that the renovated Regency Lounge will open November 19…dang it, missed it by a week, story of my life lol.
The hotel is building an aquarium for kiddos, to open in 2024.
Capacity is at 100% December to March!
I can not imagine the traffic then, it is pretty bad now.
An all day boat tour to Phi Phi Island and a few other nearby places is essential…very touristy yes. Went with Andaman Surprise boat operator, good speedboat. U can find cheaper but they look dicey.
Hotel is great. Awesome suite/pools/service. Casa Boho restaurant is great, tapas we ordered one night were amazing.
Massages and manicure/pedicure are an amazing bargain here. Oh and food in numerous stalls.
So many beaches to choose from, best part of Phuket.
U need a buggy to move from suite down to lobby and pool and breakfast as the hotel is built high on the hill. U call and a buggy is here in a few minutes, non issue.
I burned 40,000 points for 5 nights here, what a steal!
Staying extra night in BKK, found same route in Business Class finally. Cost extra 66k UA miles to upgrade from coach ( 44k to 110k).
Later…
Thanks for the trip update 🙂