Decisions

Year in review 2014: My top 10 favorite posts

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on December 22, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

Last year, I highlighted my top 10 favorite posts for the year, and with the year closing out I decided to do it again. This gives you a chance to read some things you may have missed, and also … Read More … Read More

Tags: best of, my favorites, top 10, year in review

Me as a remote worker, or how I became spatially independent

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on December 18, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

I’ve talked before about how the phrase “location independence” is actually two different situations that are often confused: spatial independence (being anywhere) and temporal independence (being, um, “anywhen”?) I believe that it’s much easier to transition to spatial independence … Read More … Read More

Tags: independence, jobs, location independence, Portland, work

What do people really mean by location independence?

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on December 15, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

A few years ago, I performed a feat of employee jiu jitsu: I was able to convince my boss to let me start working from across the country. Like many people, I first heard about the idea of “location … Read More … Read More

Tags: employment, independence, jobs, location independence, moving, work

The problems with charity

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on December 11, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

Ultimately, I think the system of charity, which is hard enough to engage in as it is, is all wrong. The system as it stands right now is: those who have more choose to give to those who have … Read More … Read More

Tags: charity, inequality, poverty

Why giving to charity is hard

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on December 8, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

You are fortunate. If you are reading this—and I am profiling you now—chances are that you have all of your basics covered (food, shelter, clothing, transportation). You may not be wealthy or buying your own island or anything, but … Read More … Read More

Tags: charity, giving, poverty, reluctance

How Ebola made me rethink responsibility (and flu shots)

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on October 23, 2014 | Featured | 2 Comments

Sooooo, heard about any infectious diseases recently that have a non-zero mortality rate and no cure? You guessed it: It’s flu season again! … Read More

Tags: community, ebola, flu, flu shot, influenza

Spend more for food

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on October 13, 2014 | Featured | 2 Comments

When I lived in New York City, money was a big concern, and food was a big part of that. I never went out to restaurants, and in fact the once-monthly trip to the grocery store was a big … Read More … Read More

Tags: budget, food, health, McDonalds, restaurants, strawberries, Target

Flex your discomfort muscle

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on October 9, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

What am I doing right now to challenge myself? I usually like to have some kind of challenge for myself in my life, some kind of project to embark on or task to accomplish, so periodically when I feel … Read More … Read More

Tags: discomfort, fears, public speaking

The benefits of venturing out alone

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on October 6, 2014 | Featured | No Comments

Out at dinner recently, I was making small talk with the waiter, and when he asked what my plan was for the weekend, I said that I was heading off to an amusement park. (I am a huge fan … Read More … Read More

Tags: adventures, alone, solo

Why you have something to hide online

Posted by Mike Pumphrey on October 2, 2014 | Featured | 2 Comments

Google’s Eric Schmidt famously said that “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.” I get writer’s block thinking about all the ways that this statement … Read More … Read More

Tags: hiding, privacy, web browsers