Trailblazing: Trailmix's Journal

[TrailMix]

Hello friends, it's good to be here. I’m 20-something years old and I am a PhD student living in the southern United States. I enjoy being outside, usually hiking and swimming, and I also enjoy reading, writing, crafting, and tinkering.

My goal with this journal is to meet people like me, to make a record of my progress to financial independence, and to get feedback. If you are a PhD student, gen z, or going for FI as a happily single person, this is a space for you too. I will post updates monthly.

My life is pretty good. In a way, I live like I am already “retired”. I have lots of interests that I want to be able to explore, and I hope FI can provide for that. My approach to FI is a blend of ERE, MMM, and YMOYL. I am very, very grateful for the financial knowledge these authors have made available to me.

I wasn’t bad with money before learning about finance, but I wasn’t great either. I had no debt, but also little savings. Then I started grad school. I got a full scholarship and a stipend to live on. Since I had regular checks hitting my bank account for the first time, I thought, it’s time to get more serious about my finances. And serious I am now!

Below I will break up my spending into the major categories, summarize my progress, and include my next steps. Then I will describe my ideas for increasing income, savings rate, and skills ratcheting.

Housing:
I live with a roommate in a small apartment. We have the cheapest 2b on the bus route to campus. The apartment is overpriced because of its location and would not demand the same price elsewhere with the same build quality. I did the math with 3b's, and I would not be paying any less in rent.
Future Plans- I could apply to be an RA for undergrads on campus. This would get me a free room and utilities, but at the cost of 15 hours a week of work. It would also mean no/little kitchen for my meal prep. And I would have to find temporary housing for the summers. I’m undecided if the hassle and time is worth the savings. It might be more time and dollar effective to spend 15 more hours a week on progress towards my degree instead. But the rent savings are too significant to not consider. I would appreciate any advice or insight on this.

Transportation:
I take the bus to campus. I have a car that is paid off. The car is impractical for my current needs, but it has sentimental value to me. I do use it for groceries, bus is not an option for that unfortunately.
Future Plans- I have a bike that I got at a community center, and I am taking lessons on bike mechanics there. I’m not confident enough to bike for groceries, but that is the goal. I also plan on learning car mechanics, and that would cut down on monthly ownership costs.

Food:
I consume a lot of calories for my demographic (see healthcare) so it’s been harder to get this number down. Efficiency is everything (https://efficiencyiseverything.com/) was super helpful for keeping calorie and nutrients high while keeping costs and food refinement low.
Future Plans- Currently learning to compost. I’m setting up an indoor herb garden and could maybe do an outdoor garden if the landlord is ok with it. I also plan on joining the local community garden to learn some skills.

Healthcare:
My financial aid package covers the student health premium. It’s a pretty good plan, but I still have copays and prescriptions. Just as I save and invest money for the future, I am building up muscle and investing in my cardiovascular health. Peter Attia (https://peterattiamd.com/), despite his guru-ness, has been my main source of building health. To summarize it all, I exercise every day and use the free student gym. I also have a personal trainer at a discounted rate.
Future Plans- I'm going to start barbells soon! And I have my sights on some long-distance races.

Entertainment and Recreation:
I get all my books from the library. I don’t own a TV, no streaming subscriptions (I quit for good, and it feels so good.). I get podcasts straight from the website, and audiobooks from Libby.
Future Plans- I buy camping and hiking gear every once in a while. I need to start buying used when I can.

Pure Wants:
This category I consider things that I want that do not fulfill a psychological need, as in the entertainment and recreation category. It is meant for bigger purchases, life experiences, memories, anything that I don't "need" but makes my life immensely richer. This category is funded with credit card points and bonuses. So far, I have used this money for a backpacking trip with friends and bike lessons. It's also a hedge against being too frugal.
Future Plans-This category does not cost me anything, so no changes needed!

Additional Income:
Because my grad student stipend is modest, I am planning on increasing my income. Tutoring and dog walking are the two I will try out. Tutoring will be the best dollar on my time, and dog walking because I like animals.

Savings:
Current savings rate: 46%
Goal savings rate: 61%

For arbitrary reasons, 61% savings rate is my goal. If I can do that, and still be happy and healthy, it will be a significant weight off my shoulders.

Progress to Goals:
Stability: I can cover my current expenses for a significant amount of time. Layoffs or sabbaticals can be weathered. 7%
Flexibility: I can work however I want. I can spend my income without worry. 3.8%
Autonomy: My actions are unrelated making an income. 2.6%

--

Current skills:
Cooking and meal prepping
Budgeting

Works in progress:
Sowing and mending
Gardening
Bike maintenance
Composting

Future skills:
Car maintenance
Shoe repair and treading
Hunting
Fishing
Handyman skills/Home improvement
Negotiation
Carpentry
Food preservation
Beekeeping
Animal husbandry

[TrailMix]

saving for future space.

[TrailMix]

saving for future space.

[Mousse]

Since I had regular checks hitting my bank account for the first time, I thought, it’s time to get more serious about my finances. And serious I am now!

That's a really good attitude! You're off to a great start, and I really like how you're going about listing the skills you know/want to learn and their current status.

No kitchen access sounds like it could be a big downside, between the budget impact, losing the cooking habit, and potentially eating less well if you're an experienced meal prepper already?

[CactusSurfer]

Housing:
Future Plans- I could apply to be an RA for undergrads on campus. This would get me a free room and utilities, but at the cost of 15 hours a week of work. It would also mean no/little kitchen for my meal prep. And I would have to find temporary housing for the summers. I’m undecided if the hassle and time is worth the savings. It might be more time and dollar effective to spend 15 more hours a week on progress towards my degree instead. But the rent savings are too significant to not consider. I would appreciate any advice or insight on this.

If you become an RA will you learn any useful skills or build connections that you can take with you after you graduate? That would be my main concern. It may or may not fit in with any other goals and I'm guessing you won't be able to work as an RA after you graduate. There are other ways to spend your time like doing more work on your degree or getting involved in student or professional organizations that could result in better options post graduation.

[TrailMix]

That's a really good attitude! You're off to a great start, and I really like how you're going about listing the skills you know/want to learn and their current status.

No kitchen access sounds like it could be a big downside, between the budget impact, losing the cooking habit, and potentially eating less well if you're an experienced meal prepper already?

I got the meal prepping down to a science. I spend 3 hours from start to finish, and it provides all my food for the week. ~10 minutes a meal. Without a kitchen, that skill goes unutilized.

If I become an RA and go without a kitchen, my 3 options are: 1, eat food that doesn't require a kitchen to prepare. 2, rent out someone's kitchen once a week. 3, eat lunch and dinner at the cafeteria. Option 1 would mean I don't eat food that is as healthy or delicious as I do now. I've done this for backpacking, and while I know how to do it, long term it would be terrible for my health. Option 2 would mean I probably take longer to meal prep since I am not in my own space, and I have no idea how much I should pay or if anyone would agree to it. It's definitely unconventional. Option 3 I would not do since the cost of cafeteria food would negate the savings of being an RA (I think this is what 90% of the RA's do)

Interviews for next year RA's start in the fall, so I have some time to think about it. I might interview anyways, tell them having access to a kitchen is a dealbreaker, and let face decide for me.

If you become an RA will you learn any useful skills or build connections that you can take with you after you graduate? That would be my main concern. It may or may not fit in with any other goals and I'm guessing you won't be able to work as an RA after you graduate. There are other ways to spend your time like doing more work on your degree or getting involved in student or professional organizations that could result in better options post graduation.

It would not be the best use of my time for building skills or connections for employment after graduation. You're correct in that I could not be an RA after I graduate. Yes, I think focusing on making myself employable, even though I would not be paid for it, might be a better use of my time.

Today I realized that 50% of my spending is on housing. Even in the south the real estate market is unbelievable.

[TrailMix]

August 2024 Update:
I decided to post updates on the 1st of each month. I just started this journal, so not much to update on.

Housing: No updates.
Transportation: No updates.
Food: Got the green light from my landlord to plant a garden.
Healthcare: Did not start barbells, got a lengthy cold.
E&R: I made an online library tracker with the Notion App. This way I can see all the books I read this year. Going to lean into the merit badge effect.
Additional Income: No direct progress, but I did find a book at the library that contains excellent advice about being a grad student. I anticipate this advice helping me keep my time to degree short, sweet, and enjoyable.
Savings rate: 46%. I get a 3% COL adjustment next month. Will see if that translates into 49% savings.
Progress to Goals: 7.8% to stability.
WL: 6/7
Skills I worked on: Practiced my biking skills, got a book for gardening, got a free tub for composting.

Goals for this month:
1. 49% savings rate
2. take another bike lesson
3. have green onions, basil, and one more plant established in garden
4. have compost bin started
5. start classes!

[mountainFrugal]

Welcome to the forum @trailmix. I am curious what the "grad student" book is and what advice stuck out to you as the most informative?

[TrailMix]

Welcome to the forum @trailmix. I am curious what the "grad student" book is and what advice stuck out to you as the most informative?

Getting What you Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or Ph.D. by Robert L. Peters. It was written in 1997, so some parts about technology are outdated. But much of the advice sounds timeless. Peters stresses the importance of a short and sweet degree, including time spent on classes, teaching, and working on thesis project. Get the skills and degree so you can then go on and do what you really want to do. He starts at picking a program and school and writes the guide all the way through defense and getting the first job.

Most of the parts I highlighted answered how to "eat an elephant one bite at a time". Record your progress in an hourly and daily log and run that merit badge effect into the ground. Dedicate time every single day towards your thesis, with more allocated time the closer you are to graduation. The three biggies to tattoo on your body are 1. publish, 2. go to conferences, and 3. get on committees. Always think through writing, never in your head or vacuum. Read about your topic and write about it, and through writing you will find the thesis.

There are probably more modern versions of this book out there, but I enjoyed reading about his experience getting his Ph.D. in animal behavior. He also includes bits from the faculty's perspective, which was very useful for me. And it was not difficult to think of modern versions for the technology he recommended.

[mountainFrugal]

These are good pieces of advice.

I would add write everyday on some topic related to your thesis (which is what you are getting at). How To Take Smart Notes By Ahrens is a good one that I have been using and wished that I would have read it in early grad school. I came to some similar methods on my own, but instead of the slipbox/zettlekasten outlined in the book I made a research wiki + diagram database instead. Ahrens has a much better method in the book with the most important part being rewriting what you research in your own words frequently (same as the Peters reference) and then tying those ideas together with others with some sort of system. Tying the ideas together allows for bottom-up idea generation. . Obsidian is the software I use, but there are other software packages that can help connect ideas. Or you can do the old school slip box method. It also gives you a large amount of writing that is already in your own words and voice to then organize/convert into focused research topics/papers/proposals.

Once you have a wider base of knowledge you could start thinking about writing a review paper in late grad school/early postdoc on something that you want to be known for. Part of that could be part of your thesis depending on the criteria in your program. It is fairly common in the US to have a review chapter at the beginning. It can also help carve out your niche if you want to remain in academia on the research side, but make sure the topic is different enough from your grad and postdoc advisors so you can own that area. There is a lot of collective knowledge on the forum for academia from different fields so you can also ask general questions here and will likely get a reply. Happy writing!

[TrailMix]

These are good pieces of advice.

I would add write everyday on some topic related to your thesis (which is what you are getting at). How To Take Smart Notes By Ahrens is a good one that I have been using and wished that I would have read it in early grad school. I came to some similar methods on my own, but instead of the slipbox/zettlekasten outlined in the book I made a research wiki + diagram database instead. Ahrens has a much better method in the book with the most important part being rewriting what you research in your own words frequently (same as the Peters reference) and then tying those ideas together with others with some sort of system. Tying the ideas together allows for bottom-up idea generation. . Obsidian is the software I use, but there are other software packages that can help connect ideas. Or you can do the old school slip box method. It also gives you a large amount of writing that is already in your own words and voice to then organize/convert into focused research topics/papers/proposals.

Once you have a wider base of knowledge you could start thinking about writing a review paper in late grad school/early postdoc on something that you want to be known for. Part of that could be part of your thesis depending on the criteria in your program. It is fairly common in the US to have a review chapter at the beginning. It can also help carve out your niche if you want to remain in academia on the research side, but make sure the topic is different enough from your grad and postdoc advisors so you can own that area. There is a lot of collective knowledge on the forum for academia from different fields so you can also ask general questions here and will likely get a reply. Happy writing!

I'll put it on the top of my reading list and check out Obsidian, thanks. Peters makes the recommendation of treating class assignments like a prompt for review papers, and then following through with publishing it. I won't have any class assignments to use as a prompt (only graded on exams and presentations), but I will still get a review article out. My advisor has cornered an interdisciplinary niche that I can capitalize on.

[TrailMix]

September 2024 Update:
Boy was this a busy month. I started classes, but also started working on my thesis project for my degree. It will be a multi-year project, and I have my preliminary examinations this spring semester as well. ERE stuff might slow down, and I am ok with that. After spring, the sailing won't necessarily be smooth, but I will be directing the ship as opposed to just following the charted path.

Housing: No updates. Roommate seems open to trying to lower the utility bill.
Transportation: Did two bike mechanics classes this month. When biking, I am having a hard time letting go of the handlebars to signal. I brought my bike in to see if I could adjust the handlebars, so my weight is more on the back wheel than the front. I replaced the stem and adjusted the tilting. But I just rode today, and it did not help. I'm not sure what the problem could be, or what to try next. But I've made all the modifications I could think of without replacing the handlebars entirely. I'll keep working on this and get another opinion.
Food: Planted parsley, mint, and basil from kitchen scraps. Started vermiculture/compost bin. Trying my best to maintain them while they stabilize. For the vermiculture, I made the rookie mistake of buying angler worms They were as green as the compost itself! Some have change to a normal color, others have not. I'm going to see how else I could get worms.
Healthcare: Scheuduled barbells for this month. Scheduled all weightlifting lessons for fall semester. I have been slacking on this, the gym was closed for renovations after my cold, and it threw my off my routine.
E&R: Signed up for a book club. The first book is not my cup of tea, but I would like to have more friends outside of school.
Additional Income: Pinned until preliminary examinations.

Savings rate: 52%. Progress.
Progress to Goals: 8% to Stability.
WL: 6. Moments of 3, see below.
Other Skills I worked on:
Sewing- I bought a sewing kit I found at Aldi's for $5. When I saw it, I thought, "Oh, this would be great for mending my shirts, and for practicing sewing skills, and it's only $N." But when I put it in my cart, I realized it cost N minutes of my life/work effort, and that this purchase is WL 3/4, not WL7. I tried to think of what the WL7 action would have been in that situation/for this skill, but it is very hard for me to picture. I'm a solid WL6 when I can listen to my brain and don't pay attention to others. The Asile of Shame in Aldi's exposes my weaknesses every once in a while. I walk down it for entertainment and education, a reminder of the consumerist exploitation I reject. But then I see something I actually could use/want/need, and I fall for the gimmick. When I got home and opened the kit, I discovered it had a lot more than what was visible. I think this kit will provide everything I need to become a decent mender. I already have scrap fabric to practice on. So maybe this was an ok use of life energy.

Goals for this month:
1. 55% savings rate
2. keep plant and worms alive
3. Figure out bike situation
4. go to book club, or another social event
5. Focus. On. Thesis.

[TrailMix]

Other Thoughts:
These are things that popped up during the month that I observed/am learning about/working on/want to hear about.

I would really like to try to do a buy nothing year. I know, this is WL>6 thinking. But I have really, really hated being a consumerist lately, even when I am buying essentials like rice and beans. From what I've read online, people do versions ranging from spending exactly $0, to buying the essentials before starting and then spending $0, to allowing for essential purchases as specified at the beginning of the year. If you have done a buy nothing month or year, I would love to hear about it.

During this month, Jane Doe mentioned to me in passing that John Doe has his stipend supplemented by his parents. Jane knew that I did not have the same arrangement and asked me how I got by. I told them I was really focused on school (mostly true) and that I lived in a small apartment with a roommate (true). Jane accepted that answer, and then went on about how things are so difficult these days. And I sympathized with her, truly; the cost of rent in my area has gone up 66% (43% real) over the past 5 years. If that pattern continues for the next 5 years (which my degree will take), I would have to get another roommate to keep my rent cost same. I'm not sure what that would mean for John. The Doe family live far from campus, drive 30+ miles daily, and eat out very frequently. I couldn't sympathize with her about the increase in those costs.
A couple days after that conversation, I reflected on how I was sympathetic to only her increased cost of housing, and not the other expenses. I eat the same food, drive a similar car, but because I spend so much less on them, the increase in cost affects me less. This contrasts with housing and utilities, which currently take up 50% of my spending. I still depend on the economy for my housing, when my goal is to live irrespective of it. I didn't have a strong itch to be a homeowner before reading ERE. But the more I go up in WL, the more I am realizing owning my own dwelling in some form (land, camper trailer, apartment, etc.) is very important to me.
There is a new, very large building by campus that advertises on the side of its wall, "LUXURY LIVING". Whenever I see it, I always take a moment to reflect on how obnoxious the advertisement is, and how objectionable it is to put in "LUXURY LIVING" right next to a college campus. But I know people that live in that building, and I get the impression that it's just "regular living". I also suspect the students living in that building get supplements from their parents as well, like John. I don't want to know what the rent will be like in 5 years.

I recently learned about the cockroach portfolio. Like the permanent portfolio or golden butterfly, it's meant to maximize longevity at the cost of decreased returns. But this fund manager takes it to the extreme, building the portfolio like the future is a game of Russian roulette. I like it. https://mutinyfund.com/cockroach/

Having my reading organized with notion has been very helpful. I can see what I have read, am reading, my notes on everything etc. I read/listened to 6 books. The Sovereign Individual was surprisingly spot on about the 21st century for being written in the 20th century. I'm trying to convince my boomer-minded friends to read it, since that is the world we are transitioning to / are in already. The Alpha Strategy was also very good, despite the questionable judgement the author displayed. I plan on stockpiling some goods with the limited space I have. Most of my reading going forward will be school related.

[Violets]

Stopped by to read your journal, and while our worlds are very different (I am far from a phd student or gen z haha, although I am happily single.) I found your posts very intelligent and really enjoyed the links you shared. I haven't heard of many of them. Wishing you good luck!

[TrailMix]

Thanks Violet, for some reason I never got a notification for that post. I will have to fix that. I'll make sure to share more links in the future.

[TrailMix]

October 2024 Update:
Wow did the 1st fly by!

Housing: Our utility bill has decreased by half. I haven't done anything different, but it does usually drop this time of year. My roommate might have changed some habits to decrease usage.
Transportation: Haven't had the time to practice bike riding or work on the handlebars. Because the weather has been nicer, I usually walk to class now. But I took the bus this morning because I was in a rush, and oh my god was it crowded and painfully pungent. I think the extra 10 minutes to walk will be worth it as we get into flu season.
Food: The worms are alive still, but not thriving. The green onions, basil, and mint are also alive, but not thriving. My neighbors have wonderful gardens, so I know it is possible. I might need better draining soil and fertilizer (which I was hoping to get from worm compost).
Healthcare: I am doing barbell weightlifting now! I feel so skinny when I lift. Figured out when the gym is least busy, and I lift twice a week now. Run two times a week ideally.
E&R: I got a free trip with friends to the beach for a weekend. Luckily we missed Hurricane Helene.

Savings rate: 48%, intentionally crappy this month. See below.
Progress to goals: 8.4% to financial stability.
WL: practiced solid WL6 while traveling, some WL 5 thoughts when bulk buying, lots of thought on what societal WL 7 looks like.
Other skills I worked on:
I did not practice skills directly this month, but WL 7 was very much on my mind throughout the days.

Goals for this month:
1. I got sidetracked from a 55% savings rate. hoping to hit that in October.
2. I successfully kept the living things alive, but now its time to get them to thrive. Not sure what I will do about compost bin come winter time...
3. Go to local repair workshop. Bike is on hold until I find the right part for it.
4. I'm counting the beach trip as a social event, even if it was not a smart use of my time right now. Hoping to spend more time outside now that the weather is bearable.
5. Focus on thesis!

Other Thoughts:
baby formula shortage/drug shortage/WL 7 shortage
https://time.com/6553508/baby-formula-recall-shortage/
https://time.com/6177128/baby-formula-c ... ly-abbott/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/FORMULA/
https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/04 ... rt-supply/

Some may be aware, some not, but the baby formula shortage from two years ago is still ongoing. I by chance came across the first article, which brought this to my attention. The explanation given by manufacturers and media is that the immediate shortage is due to bacterial contamination unrelated to the previous, larger shortage. Except the larger shortage of 2022 was also caused by contamination, just of a different bacterium. Contamination is a reality of modern manufacturing, but this made me think, why is there not a stockpile of uncontaminated baby formula? It is specifically manufactured to be shelf stable. I can't imagine it would be more difficult than stockpiling cheese, like the US already does. The White house did a lot to address the shortage, except make a plan to stockpile the thing we ran out of. I couldn't find any explanation as to why there is not a government stockpile of baby formula.

This brought to mind all that John Pugsley taught in his book the alpha strategy. He very coherently argues that stockpiling is not just moral, but a necessary good, as it allows you to help yourself and others in the greatest times of need. It seems that politicians either disagree with Pugsley, or they did not learn their lesson (not their lesson, since it was the infants who were hospitalized with malnutrition. But as infants, they can't learn from the mistakes of adults whose lives they can't fathom). I do agree with Pusgley, and so I realized that if the government is not going to stockpile the things I always need, it is in my responsibility to do so.

I already had a good mental list of those such things. Toothpaste, soap, baking soda... all are things I either don't currently intend to make myself, or I am not able to for various reasons. I wrote these things down, and figured out how much of N products I would need for T time. It would be very reassuring knowing that I would not be affected by any shortage happening in the next T time frame, and it should all be perfectly shelf stable. So then I went about looking online, just to get a rough estimate of how much it would cost to buy all of N for T.

And then it was real. I couldn't find the product N(E) anywhere. Not in any stores near me, not through shipping, absolutely nothing. I was able to find a different brand of N(E), but at 3x the usual price. It is a mild but serious shortage of something I use daily. I would not die without it, not immediately. But if I got sick and needed it, I could certainly die. At the time of finding out about the shortage, I had one month's supply at my house.

I was angry at the stores first, politicians second, and myself third. It is not the direct fault of anyone for the shortage of N(E). But it is completely my responsibility to have what I need to take care of myself. After a month of all the stores being out, I was able to get N(E), and enough to last T. But this experience has made me realize how serious the formula shortage was is. How serious the fragility of our supply chain is. How serious it is that I shield myself from these events, not because any particular participant in these shortages is incompetent, but because these events bring potential harm my body. My body is how I experience the world and enjoy existence. It is the one possession I could not replace.

I don't want to have to depend on supply chain systems. It doesn't appear that protecting our bodies is the main functioning goal of our supply chain system. Learning WL7 is more important to me than ever.

Later on, I learned that the government does have a strategic stockpile of medical supplies and medicine. But the stockpile is not being used to address the current massive drug shortage, or the shortage I experienced. I could not find any documents of when it has been used in the past. So, in effect, there is no stockpile for me besides the ones I build myself. Not a bad idea if Hurricane Helene taught us anything.

A video worth watching, trust me:
https://archive.org/details/7n2b37bk

[TrailMix]

November 2024 Update:
Either this is a very warm November, or weightlifting has changed my metabolism.

Housing: Our utility rate will be increased, starting next month. It should not be more than a couple dollars difference next month.
Transportation: I walk every day now, and now that I have my paths down, I am faster than the bus.
Food: Have not had the time to work on the garden this month. It got cold and I brought what I could inside. Worms are on their own now.
Healthcare: I am mostly still running 2x a week and lifting 2x a week. I feel different in my upper body when I walk now, like I'm walking with my whole body instead of just my legs.
E&R: Went to a social event for grad students.

Savings rate: 61%! Although it feels somewhat artificial, since I bought what I used this month in the previous month. I think my yearly average may be a better metric.
Progress to goals: 9.2% to financial stability.
WL: WL 7 spending, but only because of WL 6 habits.
Other skills I worked on: digital literacy, understanding technology, etc. Not interesting enough to write on.

Goals for this month:
1. Keep 60%+ savings rate.
2. Focus on thesis!
3. Got parts for bike now going to repair workshop this month.
4. Read one book that is not in my book club and not for school.
5. Go to book club!

[Stacy]

I just started reading your journal, and I'm really enjoying it, even though my life is nothing like yours. The level of focus you have on your goals is inspiring. I appreciate the links you included, especially https://efficiencyiseverything.com. It looks like one worth digging into.

[delay]

Either this is a very warm November, or weightlifting has changed my metabolism.
...
I feel different in my upper body when I walk now, like I'm walking with my whole body instead of just my legs.

Thanks for sharing your journey! November has just started, but yes, it is very possible to get used to lower temperatures. I feel comfortable in 15C / 59F with a T-shirt and bare feet. Even when sitting and reading books for hours.

A stronger core does make a big difference for running. I don't lift, but I do sit-ups and leg pulses. It's like having a stronger core makes running feel more stable.

[BuyingFreedom]

I got the meal prepping down to a science. I spend 3 hours from start to finish, and it provides all my food for the week. ~10 minutes a meal. Without a kitchen, that skill goes unutilized.

Hi Trailmix, started reading your journal and I like it. The links are very interesting.

I wonder about how you got 'meal prepping down to a science'. Can you elaborate on this? I tried some meal prepping like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EpfvEz-91Q but eager to learn more.