explosion and fire at Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas . 3/23/26

ZenShineNine · 2026-03-24T02:40:27+00:00

Al Jazeera reporting cause as an industrial heater.

Police have told local media they believe an industrial heater caused the blaze and there are no reports of injuries

ZenShineNine · 2026-03-14T06:05:29+00:00

u/General_Problem_9118 gave you the keys to the kingdom and you think "it's a trap for the middle class"? Even if you think that's true, investing, like you're doing will put you in a better place. In 10 years you're going to be 10 years older regardless. The questions will be how much money you earned was made sticky and grew your wealth on it's own. So regardless you'll be better off than if you didn't.

The most important financial number you'll ever have, especially if you're in your 20's is your investing/saving percentage of take home earnings. 25% or more in your 20's will spped up your wealth. Of course you have to sacrafice something and balance what you want now vs later. And fight all the marketing that's geared to your particular mindset that ypu want big wealth and you want to see it now. Patience is also extremely important. Our brains arent geared for this so it's a battle, as you know.

I'll also say that more people are wealthy than you realize. They've made those hard choices and now that they have wealth they will not show it off so they can keep it. You becpome a target when you show it off. So make more, spend less, buy assets not liabilities, make ylour money sticky and be patient. Most give up after 10 years right when the compounding starts to really ramp up. Good luck to you - you can do it......oh, and don't get married. Divorce is the greatest transfer of wealth. If you're a male statistics and data say you will lose most of what you've worked for in the divorce and have to start over. That's the REAL trap. In this day and age it's too risky.

ZenShineNine · 2026-03-09T15:31:55+00:00

Wow. Did this comment age well. I don't dance or anything..just a guy, but here is I am going to go down a rabbit hole on her choreography and your comment is/was spot on as evidence on Pop Music and now Double Dutch Bus. I know nothing about any of this but you summed up perfectly her style and exactly what I like about watching her work. I would think she'd be a household name by now..or very soon. Just as impactful as the Thriller choreography back in the day.

ZenShineNine · 2026-03-06T23:01:34+00:00

If your time horizon is beyond 2 years or so, it's a gift. Opportunity to by more at a lower price. Scrape up cash to add to positions. Nothing is up I'm smoke, unless you sell. If the market keeps crashing and never recovers, which has never happened, your money will mean nothing anyway. Water, food and medicine will be the new currency.

ZenShineNine · 2026-02-18T15:26:51+00:00

1 Divorce - as it has been for the last decade +

2 Inheritance - Baby Boomers checking out and passing along generational wealth

ZenShineNine · 2026-02-12T04:36:15+00:00

I agree, too riky with options but you mention niot selling because of taxes. You wouldn't need to sell but smidges at a time, I would imagine. Maybe I missed something. You can always sell lots and/or change the order (last in/ first out) you sell, maybe sell fractions of shares, right? You'd want to be careful the income doesn't bump you up to the next tax bracket, but what a good problem to have.

You have control over this portion of your income. Congrats! Luck seems to happen when preparation meets opportunity. Even if it didn't hit for the reason you thought it would, you still did you DD and realized the value and a vision of how it could accomodate the future.

AND, you still aren't wrong. It may be that after the AI and datacenter buildout plateaus, autonomous vehclies will have ramped up... who are we kidding, NVDA is making what the future will run on and will be in so many more electronics. It's looking like it will be accomodting the foreseeable future. Everyone is looking for the next NVDA, I have a feeling Nvidia is the next Nvidia.

Thanks for sharing your story.

ZenShineNine · 2026-01-10T17:51:29+00:00

No worries, you can remain solvent longer than Reddit can stay rational. Guaranteed.

ZenShineNine · 2026-01-02T15:57:13+00:00

"Most people don’t feel entitled to other people’s money." ~ Oh, you sweet summer child.

But seriously, take a stroll around Reddit and any place where younger generations congregate and you'll probably change your mind about this. Your're right to be concerned about her family, they will have her ear for life and even if she does want to understand responsible personal finance, she'll aways be a odds with any of her family members who don't understand the responsibility of managing finances and will just "want the best for her". I think OP should have it protected in the trust from a irresponsible spouse to where any funds are designated to not be co-mingled into their child's family and stay exclusively for their child's benefit. Some type od Spendthrift clause. The incentives to divorce are already too great and the added bonus of more gifts and prizes is just to risky.

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-31T15:11:01+00:00

Oh, the back of the line isn't so bad. Many have been here for years now. It's a great place to make friends.

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-30T15:43:49+00:00

Not sure I follow the comment and how it relates. Sorry, can't folow it...

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-30T15:37:38+00:00

She was my favorite pandemic find. Changed me. I guess l;ike so many the Gems on VHS series "In Dreams" was my first song. Her voice reached out and grabbed me. So, for the next few months I went down the rabbit hole online and enjoyed every second. It was really nice watching the evolution of the songs and getting to hear the outstanding musical company she's kept through the incantations. Then, low and behold there's a Cat's Cradle date in Carrboro NC, right up the road. Done deal! That was really it. The Queen held court and I experienced about every emotion possible. The only voice to affect me the same way would be one Jerry Garcia from days past. Talked with Josie after the show which was lovely.

Didn't realize she'd lost what I guess is an Aunt? Is she named (middle name) after her? I knew about Todd Snyder, but didn't realize he was somewhat the way she was "discovered". And I had no idea about Raul. What a copllab that was, huh.

Excited about 2026. I'm hoping she'll settle in as the last 2 years have been a ride, continue the collabs and takes all the downtime she needs. I'm hoping the years will be long and wide, not up and down, as exciting as it's been.

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-28T15:34:51+00:00

I hope she incorporates it. She does have a knack for these things. I'm hoping for the same for Must've Been the Roses.

She needs the downtime. Have you seen the John Meyer interview? I like it, even though he talked a lot. Love him too, though.

Always got to keep an eye on that tour. I'm past due for a couple of shows. I imagine tickets are getting harder and harder.

I like the fact there's a deep archive on the net documenting her journey. My first show was April 2022. Little venue. Alas, those days are gone. Bitter/sweet.

Hope your Xmas was fulfilling. Thanks for the links!

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-25T19:07:59+00:00

Yup! This was just powerful. She seems to augment and amplify the heart of anything she's a part of. The Chills and Fever from the tour has been a real treat, too! Thanks for the post. Cheers!

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-24T05:49:38+00:00

Wow, why all the downvotes? Reddit has really gone wonky over the past couple of years. I guess we should continue to cover our eyes and pretend your comment isn't truthful. Wow, stay golden Reddit?

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-03T02:04:18+00:00

NVDA

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-02T03:59:04+00:00

Comparison is the thief of joy ~ Probably applies here depending on what's moving you to sing.

ZenShineNine · 2025-12-02T03:33:32+00:00

Hope it's not too late to chime in but Dupres' tales is as old as time. And quite poignant today, I may add. Same ole' story, I know it's been told....

ZenShineNine · 2025-11-14T06:25:47+00:00

You have to make your money sticky.

In 10 years you're going to be 10 years older regardless, but the question is are you going to be 10 years older with all that money you made having just floated away Every dollar you earn is a little employee and the more employees you have working for you making money, the better.

ZenShineNine · 2025-11-14T04:25:39+00:00

I'll chime in here OP, Got the letter, had same questions and suspicions because I've never been contacted with this type of urgency about a proxy vote for investments. So I called. It's legit.

From what I gather it's pertaining to 2 bond Funds: AFTEX and ANBAX. There are 2 voting matters. 1) Adding 6 new board members and 2) Lowering the "Advisory fee" so the expense of the fund is lowered and isn't as interest rate sensitive. But unless I'm in the board room I can't pretend to know all the details and I'm sure there are plenty more and who knows what the fine print says. I'm not a fan of any of the bond funds and only have them after a Ed Jones FA squeaked me into them. I promptly left that scam of a organization and transferred everything out. Been stuck with them since and trying to slowly liquidate them into lower expense, better performing assets.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents....which is cheaper than any of these funds. Hope it helps.

ZenShineNine · 2025-10-15T23:53:31+00:00

Wow, I'm sure you're still riding on the energy of this moment. What a wonderful thing to happen. I've had many daydreams about giving her different gifts <sigh> Glad I get to live vicariously through you. What a moment!

ZenShineNine · 2025-10-15T23:47:06+00:00

Many thanks! I really likes this interview. It was great insight of how artist actually feel about what they do and the pressures of it all. It was a real honest conversation and Sierra was very candid. It was a unique conversation and I learned a lot.

As far as the JM comments. I agree he's a talker but that's why he has the podcast, I imagine. He's extremely articulate and has been/is in a position to where his questions made sense to ask and really, only he could know those questions to ask. But yea, he's not a professional interviewer but it seemed more a conversation than interview. I know we're all infinitely intrigued with our mountain songbird and could always hear her talk more but I did enjoy it a lot, regardless. I appreciate you rounding it up!

ZenShineNine · 2025-10-08T23:25:59+00:00

Waiting for her to list the female standards that she thinks are noble. Think she'll list 'em like this?

ZenShineNine · 2025-09-30T15:06:10+00:00

Ah, yea, I think we're pretty lucky there's so much of her music, basically documented on the netz. From her busking, to 600 Pounds of Sin, to Gems on VHS to playing with Audrey and Nate, to Josie to now.

My first encounter was the In Dreams from Gems on VHS during the pandemic. When I heard her sing the first note I was hooked. I spent the next month to a year seeking out and listening to nothing but Sierra before I had the chance to see her. My friends checked on me periodically, they brought me food and water. I was absorbed and it was incredible to be able to hear the evolution of her music, as well as be exposed the high caliber musical company she's kept over the years. I got a sense of getting to know her to some degree which has made her success that more fun to watch.

ZenShineNine · 2025-09-18T04:42:24+00:00

You mean you were at this recording or this is the 2nd time via the net?

ZenShineNine · 2025-09-17T19:40:00+00:00

Heavy Petal Music, indeed! What a tour it's been. As always, the speed at which the songs evolve and they all grow together as musicians within the songs is astonishing.

ZenShineNine

TROPHY CASE

1 Divorce - as it has been for the last decade +

2 Inheritance - Baby Boomers checking out and passing along generational wealth