nick

Got distracted, but want to finish a short thread on this. I don't mean investment as in education, life goals, etc. I mean even very mundane things like wanting to see the next Marvel movie.

Like today I remembered I wanted to sign up for LA public library and filled out the form online. I'll be going to pick up my card later today. Surprisingly, one of the most cheery things I've done in what has otherwise been a bleak-ass week at all levels.

Why? It's a small act that says "I expect to be around and having enough leisure and interest in life a few months from now to be checking out and reading books from a library". It's an act of faith in the meaningfulness of the future.

Planning a vacation is similar. For women, buying a dress for the next season seems to do the same trick. Starting a hobby project that you know will take months or years to complete, starting to learn a musical instrument.

Much more than figuring out big retirement portfolio things or planning to buy a house etc, it is these small investments in the future that matter for mental health. The big, necessary ones in fact can turn into oppressive burdens. I take zero joy in retirement investing for eg

Another thing I did recently was buy a bunch of succulents. I have to figure out and learn how to take care of them, repot them, etc. Says a lot btw that succulents are rising in popularity. They are about the hardiest little investments you can make in the future.

My mother-in-law, an avid gardener, told me that they're nearly impossible to kill. I hope she's right. I'm not exactly great at gardening.

I wish we as a species were better at doing this sort of thing at every scale. We seem to suck at it above individual/family scale. Community groups for example, seem only capable of hedonistic partying or bureaucratic parades and things.