Where did the fun go?

I used to be fun. I used to enjoy learning. And to do it every day. And then the dragons came.

Just kidding, altought dragons make everything better. I do not know if this has anything to do with getting older or is just a direct result of the environment shaping us. We had some strange, scary years, looking back. First is the Covid scare, when we realise that the global economy will halt in case of a global pandemic. We were not prepared for it. All those prices went up, again and again, while our wages did not even increase at the same speed as the inflation. A big economic crisis will come soon if we are to read the signs. Mortgages are going through the roof, and some are paying as much as three times more monthly now, compared with 5 years ago. Money that you may or may not have. The poverty line is pushing many people under it, not able to choose being eating or getting warm in the winter. Having kids will completely change this situation too. And even if you were prepared (most of us were not), looking around and seeing so many people living miserably will affect you.

Preparation is good, but even the best of us cannot anticipate all those black swan events, so close to each other. Before the pandemic, I was close to FIRE — financial independence and early retirement. Like very close. Now I am still quite far, four years later.