Decisions

Get my new e-book: Stick It To The Man!

  I’m excited to announce that I’ve written an e-book! This manifesto-sized book is called “Stick It To The Man! A primer on how to live and thrive inside the system.” It’s full of ideas and meditations on practicing abundance, … Read MoreRead More

The complicated ethics of peer-to-peer lending

  “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest.” – Exodus 22:25 “Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both … Read MoreRead More

My social media roundup (sort of)

  I recently switched my Twitter handle. It was @exvelleitier (read here for details on what that means), but for brand reasons, and because it’s admittedly a bit hard to spell, I decided to use the longer-but-easier @unlikelyradical. If you … Read MoreRead More

What I learned about creative legacy from watching Ratatouille

  When you are engaged in a creative pursuit (and I’d argue that most of us are), you don’t necessarily think much about how you will respond to success. Most of us prepare ourselves only for failure, and therefore may … Read MoreRead More

Why it’s better to be a volunteer than an attendee

  Within a space of two weeks, I have volunteered at two events: World Domination Summit and Northwest String Summit. (Interesting coincidence how both events happen to use the word “Summit” in their title.) The two events couldn’t be more different: … Read MoreRead More

Is the Starbucks Rewards program a good deal?

  Starbucks is one of those chains that people love to hate. Some may scoff entirely, preferring (arguably better) local coffee shops, while others go there five times a week minimum. Sometimes people complain about Starbucks while in line for … Read MoreRead More

Is it worth it to purchase lounge access?

  As mentioned in the discussion of my failed attempt at extending my airline lounge access, I had purchased lounge access for a year, and had enjoyed the experience. But I balked at renewing my membership. It just seemed like … Read MoreRead More

Why I don’t care about rental car loyalty

  I’ve been renting cars for years. Some people are often surprised to know that I rented my first car at the age of 20, five years before the supposed “lowest” age of 25 (and even lower than the “lower … Read MoreRead More

What else could you keep track of?

  One of the quickest ways to get control of your finances is to keep track of your expenses. It is both the simplest task (requiring a pen and paper, alternately a text file on your phone or laptop) and … Read MoreRead More

How to determine the ethics of a situation

  I’m no ethicist. Or rather, I’m no different in my qualifications than anyone else to make these kind of judgments. Chuck Klosterman, who at some point while I wasn’t looking became the writer of the New York Times The … Read MoreRead More