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Your Survival Guy’s Disney Trip Part II/Heart Strings/College…YOU

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OK, here’s what’s on Your Survival Guy’s mind this morning, one week after returning from the happiest place on earth (You can read about our Disney trip here).

  • The last time we were at Disney was ten years ago. There’s a picture in our house of Izzy and Owen standing in front of the entrance of the Magic Kingdom with all the flowers and the train station in the background. Every time I walk by that picture, I remember that day like it was yesterday.
  • While we were getting ready for this trip, Izzy, soon to be twenty, said to Becky and me, “I don’t need you two falling apart crying walking into the Magic Kingdom.” So, when we were there, and my life flashed before my eyes, I had to steel myself and walk in with a stiff upper lip. Who’s the child now?
  • Owen is caddying this summer. After a recent five-hour round, we asked how many steps he took. Pulling out his phone, he said just over 19,000. “That’s about a day at Disney,” Becky said.
  • School’s out for summer, but fall’s right around the corner. The “most wonderful time of year” whistles the dad in the Staples commercial. If you have a child going to college, then you know many schools are requiring a vaccine. As an aside, our son’s high school was open during Covid, which was huge. Moving forward, how schools handled Covid will be a big part of the decision process.
  • On my desk, in front of me as I write to you, is The Princeton Review: The Best 384 Colleges with all the thumbnail facts you could ever want. In the future, will we see the following line items?
    • Vaccine required: Yes/No
    • SATs: Yes/No
    • Covid 19: 50% Remote/50% on Campus
    • Covid 20:
    • Covid 21:
  • Your retirement life is a special time. In my conversations with you, I’ve learned you don’t know exactly when you’re going to retire, but you can almost point to the day and time when you decided you had enough. That’s just the way it works. You know when it’s time.
  • Your family is your most cherished asset. Spending time with them, with remote work, will be a lot easier in the future as you can pick cool destinations to be together for extended periods of time. I like this trend.
  • Under the heading of “different shades of blue.” Keep in mind, blue states turn a lighter shade of blue the farther you get from the cities. Take Rhode Island, for example. Dark blue in Providence and in coastal cities but go to Exeter, for example, and it’s like a new frontier of freedom.
  • Under the heading of GREED: Are SPACs the tech bubble redo? Stay tuned.
  • Under the heading of FEAR: I’m not hearing it in your voices. Time to rebalance/reduce your stocks?
  • Under the heading of Control? Who benefits the most from vaccine mandates for kids?
  • Happy Father’s Day!

Life Comes at You Fast. Slow It Down with My Friday Email. It’s Free.

Read Part I here.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West (RIP JB) and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.

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