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The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

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The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

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Happy Things Friday: 21 August

  • Happy Things Friday
  • Aug 21, 2026
  • 14 Comments

Friends, at various points this week I was pretty sure I was going to collapse to the ground like a ragdoll! Nothing objectively hard happened, but it felt like a perfect storm of busy things that culminated in me feeling what I can only describe as a zombie-like state. Right before we left for Europe,…

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Kathleen Paley on Early Retirement: Life After BigLaw

I am so excited to welcome today’s guest.

Eagle-eyed readers might recall that Kathleen Paley has actually visited here before!

Last year, Kathleen joined me for a conversation about gratitude, minimalism, frugality, and financial independence….

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  • Guest Post, Frugality, Minimalism, Time Management
  • Aug, 20, 2026
  • 30 Comments

11 Recent Frugal Wins

I cut Indy’s hair and trimmed Belle’s. He wanted a taper fade and he got… a haircut. But it doesn’t look half bad, he’s content with it, and it saved me both a trip…

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  • Frugality
  • Aug, 19, 2026
  • 22 Comments

What Long-Term Family Travel in Europe Was *Really* Like

Long-term family travel sounds like an extended vacation, but our 110 days in Europe included plenty of ordinary life alongside the adventures.

There were extraordinary adventures (so many of them!!)… but there were also groceries,…

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  • Travel, Euro Adventure, Parenting
  • Aug, 18, 2026
  • 19 Comments

I’m on The Reframe! Talking 110 Days in Europe, Our Budget + More

For anyone curious to hear my voice (or some approximation thereof; does anyone else feel self conscious about hearing their own voice on audio???), I’m on a podcast today!

Earlier this summer, Kathleen Paley invited…

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  • Euro Adventure, Frugality, Guest Post, Podcast, Travel
  • Aug, 17, 2026
  • 19 Comments

Happy Things Friday: 14 August

We’re at the halfway point in the month and I’ve been getting texts and seeing posts all week from friends in different parts of the world writing about their kids going back to school….

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  • Happy Things Friday
  • Aug, 14, 2026
  • 42 Comments

Packing for Long-Term Travel: What Worked for 110 Days in Europe

When I first wrote about our plan to spend months exploring Europe, one detail received some extra attention: the fact that we were each taking a single (small, wheeled) carry-on suitcase and one backpack…

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  • Travel, Ask Me (Almost) Anything, Euro Adventure
  • Aug, 13, 2026
  • 25 Comments
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    • Happy Things Friday: 21 August

      August 21, 2026

    • Kathleen Paley of The Reframe podcast on early retirement
      Kathleen Paley on Early Retirement: Life After BigLaw

      August 20, 2026

    • 11 Recent Frugal Wins

      August 19, 2026

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