Which activities in life brings you the most fun?

[Charlie]

I am interested in what other thinks are there greatest fun activities. I will start with: 

 

1. traveling

2. soccer 

3. surfing (John Paul Getty said he had the most fun in his live with surfing).

 

 

 

[Paarslaars]

Love surfing but no place to do it around here...

I make do with padel (the racket sport), indoor football and drinking with friends.

Yes yes spending time with my family also  

[Gregmal]

My kids

Family/friends

fishing

 

in that order 

[Guest]

If investing ain't #1, you should index. 

[LC]

Aside from spending time with friends and family: skiing in the winter, hiking/mtn biking/fishing in the summer. And evenings with a good book and glass of liquor.

[Gregmal]

9 minutes ago, stahleyp said:

If investing ain't #1, you should index. 

Investing is just a game. If it’s about money you don’t have an edge. 

[Red Lion]

1. Skiing

2. Fishing

3. Traveling 

 

Of course spending time with the kids and family doing all of the above. 

[Parsad]

Honestly...hanging around and playing with my niece and nephew.  No matter how bad I feel or crappy the day, they always pull me out of it.  

 

After that in order...looking for investment ideas...reading...watching hockey and football...travelling...hanging out with family and friends at a restaurant...swimming.

 

Cheers!

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Gregmal said:

Investing is just a game. If it’s about money you don’t have an edge. 

Have you looked at Buffett??

 

Almost literally couldn't do anything else. So much so that his wife left him and got him a caretaker mistress.

[thepupil]

Hanging out with family, hosting/going to friends for dinner (and going out to eat).
 

I’m a simple man at heart, once you peel away the layer of coastal elitism, materialism, and careerist anxiety.

[Jaygo]

1. Teaching and watching my kids learn (science, reading, gymnastics, math, languages, its all amazing)

2. playing donkey kong on Nintendo Wii and board games with my kids, my son is convinced i'm the best gamer in the world.

3. listening to music, drinking wine and making dinner with my wife and kids

4. I pretend that i'm a homesteader. My wife thinks i'm a lunatic but I try and keep our house heated with wood as late into the winter as i can. I love everything that goes along with it. Riding around on my Polaris, cutting up trees, splitting and stacking. the whole bit.  I have a wood stove in my basement and in the living room on the main.

5. Drinking with with my buddies, it doesn't happen much anymore since we are all mid thirties and have kids and responsibilities. A night of drinking and talking shit really does soothe the soul. A couple weeks ago I went to a Jays game with my best friend of 31 years. We walked home to his place and hit a dozen bars on the way. Even delivered a round of joints to a homeless camp. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. 

 

I would put intellectual pursuits, investing or reading good literature in there somewhere but if fun and joy is the question these top five are it. 

 

 

 

[Charlie]

"Teaching and watching my kids learn (science, reading, gymnastics, math, languages, its all amazing)"

 

+ 1

That is really one of the best things in life!!!

 

 "If investing ain't #1, you should index."

 

If you know your circle of competence and invest only in No-Brainers it can be a mistake to index.

I would say that everybody should look at his own Track Record and that should tell you if you should index or not.

Track Record is everything, because it show people´s overoptimistic bias in their own abilities. 

 

[thepupil]

29 minutes ago, Charlie said:

I would say that everybody should look at his own Track Record and that should tell you if you should index or not.

Track Record is everything, because it show people´s overoptimistic bias in their own abilities. 

 

 

Just be careful with endpoint sensitivity! 

 

My IBKR account

October 2013 - October 2020: +42% vs +123% SPY       -80% underperformance

November 2020 - Present:       +113% vs +12% SPY        +100% outperformance

Inception:                                   +209% vs + +160% SPY

 

I present my slightly positive pre-tax, probably negative post tax alpha of my IBKR accounts (though >1/2 this non taxable) not as a brag or in a self deprecating way, but as a data point that trailing performance is (sometimes) not predictive of future returns. Until proven otherwise, i put myself in the "should probably index but we'll see" camp. 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by thepupil

[cubsfan]

I agree with much of the above - family & travel.

 

I do think, however, once the kids are grown up and you've made enough money, then you 

need to prepare for the 2nd half of your life. And that should be better than the first half.

 

It will require staying strong and staying healthy. In that pursuit, I spent lots of time doing stuff

like cardio & CrossFit.  Hands down however - the best thing I discovered is weight training

via a program called "Starting Strength".  The motto might be - If you want to stay out of the

nursing home - stay strong.  Today at 68 years old - I'm stronger than I've ever been in my life.

And I feel 25 years younger.

 

Some of you might want to check it out: Starting Strength 

I'll plug it by saying - it can change your life.

 

3X a week @ 90 minutes per workout will do it.

 

Here's a couple of videos.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by cubsfan

[LC]

2 hours ago, cubsfan said:

I agree with much of the above - family & travel.

 

I do think, however, once the kids are grown up and you've made enough money, then you 

need to prepare for the 2nd half of your life. And that should be better than the first half.

 

It will require staying strong and staying healthy. In that pursuit, I spent lots of time doing stuff

like cardio & CrossFit.  Hands down however - the best thing I discovered is weight training

via a program called "Starting Strength".  The motto might be - If you want to stay out of the

nursing home - stay strong.  Today at 68 years old - I'm stronger than I've ever been in my life.

And I feel 25 years younger.

 

Some of you might want to check it out: Starting Strength 

I'll plug it by saying - it can change your life.

 

3X a week @ 90 minutes per workout will do it.

 

Here's a couple of videos.

 

 

 

 

damn cubs, 68? Get it buddy! 
 

Starting strength is great. Resistance training is one of the best things u can do as you age. 
 

the best advice my folks ever gave me was health = wealth. Both in terms of quality of life, and the longer you live, the longer your $$ compounds! 

[Lazarus]

Starting Strength is designed for young men. It requires a huge calorie surplus and is designed to be a 4 or 5 month program at most. 

 

I'd go with a program like Pavel's Power to the People instead. Much easier on the body and you don't need to eat like a pig.

[Blugolds]

3 hours ago, Lazarus said:

Starting Strength is designed for young men. It requires a huge calorie surplus and is designed to be a 4 or 5 month program at most. 

 

I'd go with a program like Pavel's Power to the People instead. Much easier on the body and you don't need to eat like a pig.

 

20+ years ago Starting Strength and the Bigger Faster Stronger programs were mandatory at our HS for football. The book in the video was required reading, and I still have my copy lol.  We had the largest, best outfitted weight room in our division by far, full Hammer Strength lineup and before and after school time in the weight room was expected. It led to the most championship wins in the state. 

 

To speak to your statement regarding caloric surplus, you're absolutely right, anyone doing serious 5x5 compound lifts attempting to grow will need to really pound the food of you're going to be miserable. I remember back in the day depending on the position played, guys putting weight on would have peanut butter/jelly shakes before bed and some were on the GOMD (gallon of milk a day) regime. Combine the weights with summer 2-a-days and it was often still tough to keep weight on. 

 

I think it comes down to what your end goal is. Muscle definitely helps as one ages, but also equally if not more important is flexibility. The most all around fit people I have known did not have a large muscular appearance and didnt care what they could bench, squat, dead. This includes guys in SF. Focus was on functional strength using calisthenics and primarily body weight, combined with.....yoga. Some of those guys max bench etc would be laughable to some, but they could grab a vertical bar and plank out to a 90 degree angle with their body using reverse grip and hold it until you said when, drop and rep out 100 pushups without breathing heavy, then rep out the same sit-ups, and do the splits without a groan. 

 

Also when it comes to the compounds, form is EVERYTHING and without understanding body mechanics, the average person is gonna end up with shoulder/back/knee issues, so if someone wanted to go that route its worth getting a trainer for a couple sessions to instruct you on strict form, even if its just using the bar alone, first get the technique down, then add weight, if you start out with poor form you WILL do more damage than good. 

 

But hey, if Cubs is 68 and its working for him, more power to him, cant argue with that! At least you're doing something, my god the amount of guys I work with that are huffing walking up a single flight of stairs is shocking and sad....and....very American lol. IMO anyone who puts any effort in past say...40 is commendable because you're probably in the top 5-10% from what I have seen. Even old teammates I've had from various sports, its like they spent 25 years being in top level shape and then they throw it all away within 5 years, now when I see them you'd never believe they were D1 athletes, that includes 2 guys that made the pros, still massive genetic freaks, but they also put on at least 100lbs since the "glory days". Now rather than vertical and 40yrd stats, the numbers they hear are regarding cholesterol and hypertension, I went on a fishing trip with one of them and he brought along his CPAP machine, and these are not "old" guys...what a difference a decade makes. 

 

If someone is looking for physical activity as they age that will still keep them in shape, flexible and is easy on the joints, doesnt have a huge learning curve and they have access, arent into yoga etc...my best recommendation is swimming. Local YMCA or the like in your area often has early morning open time, super reasonable rates etc..and if you dont do it regularly, try to swim even 3 laps without stopping and see how you feel, amazing cardio, low stress on the joints and makes you feel like a kid again. 

 

Eventually when you get to the "golden" years I think it matters less what you do, and more that you just do SOMETHING...just move, sedentary=killer. 

[boilermaker75]

@Blugolds11 If you look at some NFL players, especially OL some drop over 100 pounds after their careers are over and they are not lifting fantically anymore. Examples I know because I have seen them are Matt Light and Nick Hardwick. Of course there are those that put on 100 pounds, LOL.

 

@cubsfan I am just ahead of you at 69. I work out every day at least one hour. Not nearly as heavily into weight-lifting as you but that is part of my program. I also feel I am stronger than I was in my 20s and easily feel 25 years younger than I imagine most 69 year olds feel. A couple of week ago a student had questions after class so we came up to my office on the third floor. She is on the women's soccer team and is actually one of the better players. She made a comment about climbing the stairs to the third floor. I bound up those stairs.

[Cod Liver Oil]

To paraphrase the Mexican soccer player in Ted Lasso "Investing is life!!!!!"  I get a big kick out of all the personalities on COBF.  It proves that an internet community can actually add value and fun to your life. Who knew? Like most people here, I love my kids and coffee and sports but the one non linear thing that has radically improved my life is weight training. It makes no sense but I am a better father, husband and person since I started lifting about 10 years ago. I was a D-1 athlete and was always fit but never

really lifted in college. All of it is good including that Starting Strength stuff. I also like this Knees Over Toes guy for strength at the ends of your range of motion. LMK if you get into it:

 

[boilermaker75]

@Cod Liver Oil Exercise does more things for the brain than I mentioned above. Another thing it does is increase, and balance, neurotransmitters. That could contribute to the effect you have observed.

 

Edit: What sport?

Edited October 19, 2022 by boilermaker75

[Gregmal]

Ugh my dudes I envy you guys. Maybe it’s my adhd or whatever but I’ve just never been able to lift consistently. Shit my hockey coach always used to threaten to bench me cuz I’d just skip practice on days we did weights. I’d rather swim or skate for hours than lift for 25 minutes.
 

Any recommendations on setups or stuff you can buy/do at home? Gyms are another ugh for me. Once upon a time I wasted like $170 a month on Lifetime Fitness which was an amazing place but ultimately one I got bored with and never went.

[james22]

Fun? Boating and golf.

 

Wouldn't have included crossfit and cycling. But I really do enjoy them, now that I think about it.

 

Thanks for the realization.

 

[james22]

14 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

Ugh my dudes I envy you guys. Maybe it’s my adhd or whatever but I’ve just never been able to lift consistently. Shit my hockey coach always used to threaten to bench me cuz I’d just skip practice on days we did weights. I’d rather swim or skate for hours than lift for 25 minutes.
 

Any recommendations on setups or stuff you can buy/do at home? Gyms are another ugh for me. Once upon a time I wasted like $170 a month on Lifetime Fitness which was an amazing place but ultimately one I got bored with and never went.

 

Join a class for motivation. Crossfit, or a Starting Strength gym or affiliate:  

 

https://coaching.startingstrength.com/gyms/

[cubsfan]

^ Good to see all the worthwhile comments. This stuff is SO important to mental health and enjoying life. Take it from old dudes like boilermaker75 and me - ANYONE can do this. In careers

like investing - proper sleep, increased energy and stress reduction are critical for happiness/productivity.  You can do yoga, biking, aerobics - done them all - but real strength

training is a game changer (IMO of course) - having done them all for years.  LC's comments from

his folks is right on the mark - "health is wealth".

 

And don't believe the notion that this is for younger guys. It's actually has the MOST impact and is designed for males & females over 40 (see below). Those are the lives it really changes. However,

the biases in our society teach people over 50 that you're finished with muscle building. 

Nothing could be further from the truth.  At this age, when you are strong - everything is easier.

 

One thing that was pointed out by Blugolds - yes - learn how to do the lifts PERFECTLY.

4 lifts ( deadlift, squats, press & bench press) That's it. And you can use the Starting Strength

instructional videos to start. It's best to use a coach for 6 months. Big dividends. I did much of it

on my own - but attending a 3 day seminar to learn the lifts properly.  Life changing stuff.

It's like anything else - if you want to learn how to serve in tennis - take some lessons first.

 

54 year old lady: 

 

71 year old:

 

 

91 year old:

 

 

 

[boilermaker75]

I echo @cubsfan about weight training and maintaining or building muscle more important the older you get. When you get injured, the repair materials come from existing muscle. That is why breaking a hip is often the kiss of death for the elderly, because they haven't maintained any muscle mass.

 

This loss of muscle mass with age is viewed as a disease, sacropenia, that can be prevented, or at least greatly delayed.