In various media outlets -- The Guardian, Entrepreneur, Quartz -- you’ll see mention of the rise in freelance or “gig economy” work, alternative work arrangements to the permanent, full-time job. Some of these jobs are not remote. If you’re an Uber driver or on call as a warehouse stocker, you’ll need to live where you work. But many jobs, especially the higher-paying knowledge work, can be handled remotely. I have been focusing on skills that increase my potential for virtual work, so I have the flexibility to travel. My current work portfolio includes coaching, recruiting, writing, and teaching, all of which [...]
As surprising as it was for me to find out that Costa Rica was playing in the 2018 World Cup, and the United States was not, I was even more surprised to find that Costa Rica's first match of the tournament (at 8am on a Sunday morning no less) was being televised live on free TV in the United States, on the Fox network. This is notable for me because as 'cord cutters', we do not subscribe to cable TV, relying instead on free over-the-air network TV and internet services such as Netflix. I was not expecting to be able [...]
I have a lot to learn about Costa Rica sports, but I'm happy to start with following the Costa Rican team play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. I was not aware that the United States team failed to qualify in the same tournament that Costa Rica did qualify, with Costa Rica beating USA twice, and once in the New York area. As the Costa Rica team prepares to play in the world cup, I outline their journey to get there, and the path ahead.
With two properties and over 20% of our net worth invested in Costa Rican real estate, our actions and wallet have clearly answered Yes to the question, “Is real estate in Costa Rica a good investment.” I’m not a financial advisor so I would never give another person specific investment advice anyway, and just because real estate in Costa Rica works for us doesn’t mean it will work for you. For us, to be comfortable it made sense, we answered Yes to the following questions: Should we invest in real estate? (As opposed to something else) Should we invest in [...]
We recently ran into a string of air conditioning issues with one of our rental properties in Jacksonville, to the tune of $10,000. Read on for details, but this is a good example of buyer beware and that old mechanical systems will fail sooner than later. Did you know there is "$5,000 Rule" for determining when to repair or replace your air conditioner?
Lenoir Preserve is a small park, only 40 acres, but has lots to offer. It wasn't at the top of our list of excursions (frankly it wasn't even on the list!), but we found it because we had a 1pm appointment in Yonkers and we were looking for something close by we could visit beforehand, and it's rectangular green space in Google Maps looked very inviting. We enjoyed the structures on the property such as the mansion and gazebo, as well as our sighting of several deer.
Loneliness is on the rise in the US. A study of 20,000 US adults found that nearly half suffer from feelings of loneliness. Perhaps Tamarindo is a solution - I feel very differently there than in New York City. It is a friendly environment that promotes experiences over stuff and is a natural detox from social media.
I have been to Costa Rica just three times, though Scott has a few more trips under his belt. There are enough restaurants within walking distance in Tamarindo that we could have eaten at a different place each day of our visit. Within driving distance, there are many more to try. However, I find that I have frequented the same places multiple times. Even though we are relatively new to Tamarindo, I already have my favorites: Since we’re not yet empty nesters, we make relatively short stays in Tamarindo, often under a week, which makes breakfast a very tough choice [...]
The return trip from the Philippines is so much fun for me. I get another movie marathon! I can easily watch 7-8 movies on the 17-hour trip, and with the time change (gaining 12 hours), you land as if you just flew cross-country within the US. We left early morning on a Tuesday and arrived early afternoon on the same day! I watched another eclectic mix of movies, and I even dipped into the Classics menu because I had seen too many of the first-run films. (That’s when you know you’ve spent too much time watching movies.) I preferred my [...]
This trip was all about the food, ranging from the food court at NAIA (Manila airport) to the expansive buffet at the Oriental Hotel in Legazpi to several great Filipino food options in Manila, and included eating at every donut shop we could find!
