Lazy Man and Money

All At Once

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All at once,
The world can overwhelm me
There’s almost nothin’ that you could tell me
That could ease my mind

Today, I’m going to exercise some poetic licence – in a couple of very different ways. In a literal sense, I’ll be quoting a famous person’s poem. In a less obvious “poetic” sense, I’ll be straying from the topic of personal finance.

That quote above invoked some feelings, right? What about this next verse?

Which way will you run
When it’s always all around you
And the feelin’ lost and found you again
A feelin’ that we have no control

Did that strengthen those thoughts? I know I’ve been feeling all this since the middle of March.

What if I told you that this poem isn’t about what you think it is?

What if I told you that this was written more than a decade ago?

(What if I told you that I’m going to stop asking these rhetorical questions?)

There’s gonna be the new hell
Some say
It’s still too early to tell
Some say
It really ain’t no myth at all

I don’t know if this is a “new hell”, but sometimes it can feel like that, right?

Recently our government has said that this situation was “too early to tell” and it was a myth/hoax.

I wanna take the preconceived
Out from underneath your feet
We could shake it off
Instead we’ll plant some seeds
We’ll watch em’ as they grow
And with each new beat
From your heart the roots grow deeper
The branches will they reach for what
Nobody really knows
But underneath it all
There’s this heart all alone

Did I take the preconceived out from underneath your feet?

This “poem” is not really a poem. These are song lyrics.

The song is “All at Once” and it was written by Jack Johnson in 2008.

It’s about climate change, not COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Today is Earth Day. It’s the best day of the year to write about our solar panels. They are still a great value – one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

A few years ago, I wrote about how Jack Johnson is the champion of environment. He created the All at Once foundation to help with environmental causes.

This may not be the time to focus on the environment. The strange thing is that it’s okay. Physical distancing and closing of businesses is helping the environment more than almost anything we’ve done in the past. For example, Los Angeles has some of the cleanest air of any major city.

We’re learning that we can make a big difference – even if it’s by accident. It certainly isn’t the path that we would have picked if we had a choice. However, the results are stunning. We’re finally making progress for the first time in decades.

It’s very difficult to find silver linings during this time. For one day, or even a few minutes, let’s focus on this one.

Jack Johnson on Personal Finance

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Welcome to another episode of Jack Johnson… I’ll be writing about him all week. Oh and I’ll be giving away $25 (via PayPal or Amazon Gift Card… your choice) to a commenter who leaves a Jack Johnson lyric and tells me what it means to them. (Ugh, this sounds like an advertisement even to me. This is not an advertisement in any way, shape, or form. I simply like his music and his message.)

I made a case yesterday that Jack Johnson is a great environmentalist. He has not only donated 100% of his touring earnings to environmental charities for close to a decade, but he’s fundamentally changed the venues he plays at. Musicians typically make a majority of their money through concerts, so it’s a significant act. I can’t think of another musician that donates to that level.

If I got to interview Jack Johnson, I think he’d say that he has “enough” money. He’d probably say that because he has a guitar and a surfboard he’s Five by Five.

That’s enough rehashing… let’s cover some of the personal finance wisdom in his lyrics.

I often pride myself on writing about personal finance for 11 years. You know wrote about personal finance 4 or 5 years before me? Hint: His name rhymes with Mrack Mrohson. And he arguably gave the best personal finance advice that I’ve read.

Let’s dig into the lyrics of his 2002 song “Gone”:

“Look at all those fancy clothes… but these gonna keep us warm, just like those”

Twelve years later I wrote about fashion, function, and frugality. Johnson covered my thoughts in 15 words nearly 15 years before me.

“What about your soul? Is it cold? Is it straight from the mold and ready to be sold?”

This lyric seems to ask if you want to sell you soul. Shout out to Dave Ramsey supporting Pyramid Schemes!.

“Cars and phones and diamond rings, bling bling… Those are only removable things”

Hold the “phone!” This was 2002. I was literally jamming a phone module into my Handspring Visor, because smartphones didn’t exist! It was around 7 years before I wrote about why I chose to buy a Palm Pre.

I don’t where Jack Johnson stores his crystal ball, but I want it.

“What about your mind, does it shine? Or are there things that concern you more than your time?”

Mental vs. materialism… who do you want? I’m going mental.

Look at you out to make a deal. You try be appealing but you lose your appeal. What about those shoes you’re in today? They’ll do no good on the bridges you brought along the way, oh. You willing to sell anything, gone with your head… Leave your footprints, well shame them with our words… Gone people, all careless and consumed, gone

Did you know that the Jimmy Choo shoe company is up for sale? Don’t get me started on Sex and the City and Carrie’s shoe thing again.

I was going to highlight some other songs, but I think that covers it well enough.

Jack Johnson, Earth Day, and the Environment

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On Monday, I wrote that I am declaring it Jack Johnson Week. It appears that everyone was so floored by the idea that they couldn’t muster the finger energy to compose a single comment. I didn’t realize it was that amazing until my wife said she read and liked the article.

(Sometimes I wonder if my wife reads 10% of my writing. If I sneak some kind of mention in future articles that I had an affair with Scarlett Johansson you now know why.)

I won’t rehash all the details of the previous article because this is likely to be a long article. Quickly, Jack Johnson is a musician, mostly known for a song or two in the early 2000s. That article tried to explain why I think he deserves a lot more attention than what he’s received.

What would you say if I told you that Blossom was a neuroscientist? (She is!) Or what if I told you that Winnie Cooper was a noted mathematician? (She is!)

When I became a fan of Jack Johnson’s music, I didn’t realize how much work he’s done as an environmentalist. It feels like being a fan of Michael Jordan’s baseball skills only to find out he also played basketball.

Side thought: Bialik, McKellar, and Johnson were born in 1975. What a magical year, right? (Wife, are you reading this?)

The environment isn’t a typical focus for this blog, but it is something I cover a few times a year. What better time than the week around Earth Day to cover it? Saving the environment is a cause that I deeply believe in. You can read about our solar panels here. Or you can read my article in 2008 about how the Enviromoms limit their garbage to a one can a year. I’m not nearly an extremist like them. Heck, we have two SUVs. I think it’s all about balance and mindfulness.

On Monday, I was driving my 4-year old to school and he saw the ocean. He asked me if Jack Johnson cleaned it up. He said that it was his job along with singing Curious George songs. (He also thinks Tom Brady is my boss because of this alarm I wake up to). He’s so much more intelligent than I am.

I tried to explain that cleaning the ocean isn’t Jack Johnson’s job, it’s all of our jobs.

Jack Johnson and the Environment

Where did my son get the idea Jack Johnson cleans up oceans? I must have told him about the Smog of the Sea documentary. The 30-minute film has Jack Johnson, scientists and environmentalists showing that there’s bits of plastic in the middle of the ocean. It’s everywhere… and hence the smog of the sea name. It’s eye opening, because I thought there was a plastic island where all the garbage goes.

How did I learn about the documentary? I just went to his official website looking for tour information.

That’s when I fell down the Jack Johnson environmentalist rabbit hole. For example, he created a charity, All at Once with the idea of creating global change one person at a time. That seems secondary to his Johnson Ohana charity which focuses on the environment, art, and music education. It appears that they are related in some way.

It’s one thing for a celebrity to create a charity. It’s another to see them put their career into it. Jack Johnson rarely tours. I couldn’t find the last time he came to the Boston area. However, 100% of his 2008 tour went to the Johnson Ohana charity. As All-at-Once explains 100% of Jack Johnson’s tour profits from 2010-2013 went to charity as well. Maybe he decided he needed to eat in 2009, but I’m inclined to think that only 99% of the profits were donated to charity. Or maybe he didn’t tour in 2009. Since 2013, it seems his money has gone to matching contributions to All at Once non-profit partners.

Of course his albums were produced at his Brushfire Records studio that is 100% solar with walls made up of 100% post-consumer waste (Source). Some musicians demand special colored M&Ms (or a story) before they play. Johnson demands that the concert venue adhere to strict environmental guidelines such as purchasing carbon offsets and LED light bulbs. Because of these “demands” all LiveNation venues have a Resusable Pint Program.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

I’m going to one of his concerts this summer and I’m considering wearing a burlap sack… just to play it safe. Hmmm… check that… does anyone know if burlap is sustainable? I presume the only food available will be organic golden rice. Organic golden rice may be impossible (by definition), but Jack Johnson will find a way.

I originally thought I’d share lyrics from various Jack Johnson songs about the environment. Instead, I’ll share this video:

Yes, 3 is a magic number… especially when you are referring to kid songs.

I apologize for the lack of personal finance in this article. My next article will be more topical. I also realize I let my fanboi come out. I hope this inspires you to do something meaningful outside of your core career.

Finally, I wanted to highlight some good news in the world. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there’s a lot of negative news out there. Celebrities shouldn’t be role models, but sometimes there’s an overlapping of two in the Venn diagram. Jack Johnson is a rare individual in that overlap.

Not all heroes wear capes, but some wear sandals and guitar straps.

Welcome to Jack Johnson Week

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jack-johnson-guitar

This week I’m going to do something a little different. Don’t worry, we’ll still cover personal finance like we always do. I’ll just be covering some broader topics as well.

I’ve been wanting to write about Jack Johnson for some time. I had planned to simply write about his wisdom when it comes to personal finance and one other topic. However, it felt like writing about Michael Jordan and not mentioning basketball.

As this point, some of you may be thinking, “Who the heck is Jack Johnson?” The rest of you are probably thinking, “He’s that singer who sings that song from 2002.” (The song is Flake and the lyrics don’t don’t mention the title.)

I can’t imagine anyone is thinking, “Hey I need to read a week’s worth articles about this guy.”

Trust me, you do.

Why Now is Jack Johnson’s Time

There are two reasons why this is the perfect time for Jack Johnson Week.

  • This past Saturday was Earth Day.

    While Jack Johnson is known for his music, he might be best described as an environmentalist who happens to play guitar. I’ll pay tribute to that tomorrow in a longer post.

    Because saving the environment has oddly recently become a political issue in the United States, I feel it’s a great time to emphasize that we all benefit from things like clean water.

  • I’d like to recognize the amazing things that can some from a single person from an island in the Pacific.

I will be the first to admit that Jack Johnson comes off like a big hippie. What else would you expect from a former professional surfer/singer/acoustic guitarist/environmentalist? I’m sure his style isn’t for everyone, but I can appreciate messeages of sharing love. And as a father of a 3 and 4 year old, the message of sharing toys has been invaluable.

If this kind of stuff isn’t your thing, then I ask that you kindly check back next week.

Plan for Jack Johnson Week

Nothing is set in stone for this week, but here’s what I’m aiming for:

Tuesday: Jack Johnson on the Environment
Wednesday: Jack Johnson on Personal Finance
Thursday: Jack Johnson on Miscellaneous Topics. (This highly likely to change)
Friday: Jack Johnson on Something Different. (This is a bit of a surprise. A surprise that I don’t think even Jack Johnson could expect.)

Where Did the Idea for this Jack Johnson Week Come From?

I should make it clear that this isn’t an advertisement, but because I’m a big fan it may sound like one. He’s how I became a Jack Johnson fan in the first place. After all, five years ago that I was probably like you, a person who didn’t think twice about a one (or two) hit wonder from 15 years ago.

My fandom couldn’t have been more innocent. Our newborn loved this Curious George Opposites book. Back in 2013, I described it as one of the best frugal baby “toys”.

So with a background that our pre-toddler loved Curious George, it made sense to get the Curious George Movie.

That Curious George might be a top ten movie of all-time. It sounds crazy and if it is, then just blame it on me being sleep-deprived, new parent. I have rewatched more than 50 times… and not because the kids like it. (They did for the first 20 times and then they decided their father is crazy.)

Here are my Top 3 reasons why it is so good:

3. Drew Barrymore as a unique cartoon figure – Her character is an extremely intelligent teacher delivering the most insightful line of the movie. Also, from a male perspective, it’s refreshing to see her get a little tongue-tied talking to a man she has a crush on… and her self-effacing reaction for not doing better with the conversation. (Maybe it’s because I have been on the other side of that my whole life.) The illustrators made her physical appearance stand out, but not in an overly ridiculous way like Jessica Rabbit. Finally, Drew Barrymore’s voicing is just perfect for all the above.

2. Will Ferrell as The Man in the Yellow Hat – I am a huge Ferrell fan and I’d say this role might be one of his best. From the DVD extras it appeared he created much of the dialog and jokes… he wasn’t just lending his voice. It takes a special talent to keep a 2-year old and 40-year old entertained.

1. Jack Johnson’s music – Musicals are my wife’s thing, but I feel like the movie was a borderline musical. And why not? Kids love music! Every song does exactly what a good musical should do (IMO) which is “amp up” the emotion of the moment by 10x or 100x. There’s a reason why it was a best-selling soundtrack.

Jack Johnson’s music was so good that it bested a top comedian’s great performance and an iconic cartoon character (especially considering the limited screen time.)

(I’ve probably oversold the movie, but I came in low expectations. I love Office Space and Serenity for the same reasons.)

My wife bought that soundtrack. The last 4 or 5 songs are lullabies which are perfect for young kids (even better in a car!). I’ve been listening to many of his other songs on Amazon Prime via the Amazon Echo. Unfortunately the soundtrack isn’t available on Prime streaming. Fortunately, I’ve learn a lot from the other songs that are available on Amazon Prime.

That brings us full circle on why I’d have a Jack Johnson week.

I can identify with the lyrics and I feel he presents a positive message that we should all embrace.