Watercolor by Winnie
Happy winter solstice, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to all of you fellow financiers and adventurers-in-place.
And Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy Diwali! Happy Festivus! Seasons Greetings!
This was our 8th full year of post-work life. 2020… man, what a year.
We started the year on the ski slopes of Japan, returned home to Taiwan just as COVID-19 was starting to spread, and welcomed kid #2 into the world in peak summer (yeah!) This fall/winter we have been spending most of our time poolside at the country club.
Since more travel was out of the question, we did our best to enjoy home life as much as possible – which meant lots of outdoor time and gatherings with friends. It was a pretty wild year emotionally and financially, with lots of ups and downs – We were pretty fortunate to be in a coronavirus oasis in Taiwan (the VP is an epidemiologist, and the pandemic team has seen this movie before with SARS.)
In search of that Christmas spirit
This was a pretty physical year for me. I biked 2x more than I have in any previous year (~3,500 km) and tied my previous peak year in the pool, swimming about 50 km. I also did my heaviest 10-rep squat as an adult (~140 kg.) I still have a ways to go to get back to my high school personal best (~250 kg 1-time) but it is fun progress in any case.
Winnie has been busy with parenting, painting, and baking – her carbs are the best carbs. She also managed to grow another human, which is always impressive.
 |  |
Jr has been growing in all possible ways – he is now tall enough to ride all the big kid rides at the amusement park, he can read “1st grade level” books on his own in both English and Chinese, he ditched his arm floaties and comfortably glides across the pool, and he even rode a solid 20km on his bicycle with me on one fine summer day. This was also his first year for skiing, sledding, skateboarding, body boarding, and tennis.
Waiao Beach, Taiwan
 Rock climbing in Yilan, Taiwan |  Hiking Elephant Mountain, Taipei |
Kid #2 is also doing really well – he is super easy-going and seems quite pleased with himself when he manages to shove his whole fist in his mouth. Perhaps it is the nanny, but this go-round seems way easier overall. Big brother is also a big help.
 |  |
Blog wise it was also a pretty good year. This is the 34th post of 2020, a pretty relaxed schedule – work / life balance is good.
In a bold new direction, Brandon joined Team GCC to write the Award Travel Series, a practical guide on how to make the most of credit card rewards programs for cash and travel. This is now 7 posts and counting. With vaccines already rolling out, this should be useful sooner rather than later.
Check it out for your own “free” travel: Introduction to Travel Hacking – Award Travel Series.
Of course other content was also popular. The 5 most viewed posts of the year were:
- Coronavirus Course Correction – how I sold bonds, bought stock, and increased cash cushion
- So That’s What It Feels Like to Lose $1 Million – ufda
- The 2020 GCC Asset Allocation – what we own and why we own it
- F.I.R.E. Damage – a pandemic probably inspires people to be more financially secure
- Lessons From Japan’s Lost Decade(s) – what can we learn from one of the world’s greatest stock market declines?
The 5 posts that have best stood the test of time include:
- Never Pay Taxes Again – you know you want to
- The Great Roth Controversy – why I never contributed to a Roth while working
- Renters For Life – we will never accidentally remodel a kitchen (This post has some of the best comments ever.)
- How We Saved Multi-Millions – tongue-in-cheek
- How Do I Live Off Just Dividends? I don’t
And here are a few of my favorite pics (more on Instagram)
 Hitting the slopes |  I Know Kung Fu |
 Flying High |  GCC Family |
We wish you all a warm and joyous holiday season, and a rapid return to normalcy. Thank you for reading, sharing, and telling all of your friends! ;)
Here is to 2021 being better than this one.
Jeremy, Winnie, Julian, & Jaiden
Go Curry Cracker!
And a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to your whole family, as well as your readers!
Thanks Chuck! Hope 2021 is the best one yet.
Beautiful family Merry Christmas!
Too you also, Mark. Thank you!
Glad to see you are still in good spirits despite the crazy 2020. You even managed to bring another mini-me into the world. Hat’s off! 🎩
Happy Holidays to you as well. May 2021 get us all back out on the road again at some point……
Ignoring investment volatility, our lives have largely been unaffected by COVID – just family couldn’t visit after the kiddo was born. We hit the jackpot on location for a pandemic.
I do hope the globe returns rapidly to normalcy.
This is wonderful. Wishing you, your family, and all your readers a happy holiday season and a new year filled with joy, peace, and contentment.
That is a wonderful aspiration. Thank you Ann!
Happy Merry ChristmasannukahEidMubarakFestivusKwanzaa my good man. Oh and winter solstice too. Good times in early retirement! You definitely beat me on the biking kms but I also didn’t track mine that well at all. :) I think my 8 year old is up to a 16 km maximum ride so far, so we’re almost on par with your kiddo!
I was riding about 100 km/week until the kiddo was born, then the schedule got thrown off a bit :)
Merry Christmas!
Beautiful family!! Always love reading your stories. Have a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!
We built a house on an island, so crossing fingers we can stay working remotely. Silver lining. I never want to leave this place, so peaceful! Thanks for all the advice you share. Lillie
Jimmy Buffett would approve! Thanks Lillie
Congrats on hitting some good exercise targets! Winnie’s paintings and baking creations look incredible too. Do you have any plans in mind for the new year?
PS – Hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a better 2021!
Thanks much, Jordan. No big 2021 plans for us… swim, bike, lift, bake, paint, maybe have some family visit if vaccines allow. Should be a good year.
Merry Christmas! Looks like you and Winnie had a great year. Winnie’s paintings are wonderful, she’s very creative.
Amazing stuff on your exercise goals. Maybe touring around the entire Taiwan island (again) should be a 2021 goal?
Merry Christmas!
I think my next big adventure would be the Camino.
With 2 kids at home it is best to be home by 4 each day for maximum matrimonial harmony.
Slight understatement that we are looking forward to 2021. Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since a sail in the V.I. Happy holidays to your family!
Neil! Merry Christmas!
Wow, 10 years… definitely need to do that again. I actually tried to charter a boat when we were in Croatia, but it was all last minute and I didn’t have any of the necessary documentation on me…
Happy holiday season! You four are a beautiful, loving family. Your children are sooooo adorable!!! Thank you for writing this blog because I learn a lot from your posts. I enjoy your pictures. Also, Winnie is a gifted artist (and chef and baker and mom, …).
Thank you Hao! Happy holidays to you also.
Winnie really is a talented person, 1 in a million
Merry Christmas to you! Great job on all of your goals this year. Weight lifting, cycling, swimming and having fun with your kids and wife. Those kids look super cute and happy.
I can’t wait to see what 2021 brings you. You are always an inspiration.
Thanks man. Probably more weights and swimming this year and less biking. Maybe less ice cream and chocolate too.
Cheers to you and a better 2021 ahead for us all! Looking forward to following along in year 9 of post work life!
Yes, here is to hoping 2021 is the best one yet!
Happy holidays.
Question: How did you deal with the Exit Tax in the US? If you haven’t dealt with it, could you please write something about it?
I’m a green card holder living in the US from 10 out of 15 yrs, NW of 5M and now moving back to Hong Kong and my CPA is telling me I need to pay a huge Exit Tax
I’m a US citizen and would only need to pay an exit tax if I renounced citizenship.
Giving up a green card, exit tax does apply but is something I’m not terribly familiar with.
Your blog arrivals in our inbox is always a joyful treat – thank you for bringing us alongside your family’s journey!
Wow, thank you
Happy New Year to you and yours! Thanks for bringing us all along for the journey. And I sure hope you’re correct about that travel rewards series being more useful this 2021! :)
couldn’t be less useful, probably ;)