The Most Important Currency: Time
June 2025
The ceremony was over, as tears welled in his eyes. My best friend, someone I’ve known since 12s baseball, had just gotten married, and I had the honor of standing by his side as best man. The journey to that moment wasn’t easy—a chaotic, last-minute flight change after misreading the groom’s dinner date tested my patience and planning skills. Yet, every ounce of effort, every moment of stress, was worth it to see him begin this new chapter. Crafting the best man's speech was an adventure. I leaned on Grok for a solid starting point, but I poured my heart into rewriting it, weaving in memories of our shared past and hopes for his future. Delivering those words, seeing his smile, reminded me why we push through life’s chaos for the people we love.
That wedding was a high point in the busiest month of my life—an inflection point that forced me to pause and reflect. The Notorious B.I.G. hit the nail on the head when he said, “Mo’ money, mo’ problems.” I’ve never had more wealth or assets than I do now, but I’ve also never felt so rushed and stressed—two feelings that drain the joy from life. Between two moves, the wedding, and a packed Memorial Day weekend, I teetered on the edge of a mental breakdown, all while my 9-to-5 job demanded more than ever. The grind felt relentless, a stark contrast to the beautiful simplicity of an open schedule—or at least one aligned with your dreams.
Being busy is fine when it’s fueled by passion, but when it’s just a treadmill of obligations, it’s suffocating. I’d rather earn $75,000 a year and have time to chase what gets me going than make $500,000 and live like this. (To be clear, I’m not at $500,000—yet.) Chasing dreams can pull you into a time warp, where days blur into years if you don’t stop to look around. Warren Buffett, a man who’s mastered the art of investing, prides himself on an empty calendar, free to think and reflect. Bill Gates has gone further, declaring, “Busy is the new stupid.” These titans, with more money than all of us can imagine, know that time is the ultimate currency.
This truth hit me hard as I reflected on how quickly time slips away. Ten years ago, in 2015, the world was reeling from the Paris terrorist attacks, the Charleston church shooting, the on-air shooting in Virginia, and Aaron Hernandez’s murder conviction. Those events feel like yesterday, yet a decade has passed. Bitcoin, trading at roughly $572 in mid-2015, is another reminder of time’s relentless march. Today, as I write in June 2025, its value has skyrocketed, a testament to the power of the patient, strategic investing. But beyond stocks and Bitcoin, I’ve been thinking about investing in life—allocating time and energy to what truly matters.
Investing isn’t just about money; it’s about choices. Every decision to spend an hour working late, scrolling social media, reading a book or planning a trip is an investment in your future self. The wedding taught me this. Showing up for my friend, despite the chaos, was an investment in our lifelong bond. It paid dividends in joy and connection that no paycheck could match. But the stress of that month also showed me where my portfolio—my life—was out of balance. I’d overinvested in work and obligations, leaving too little for myself.
Looking forward, I’m recalibrating. I’m recommitting to the basics: fitness, reading, and travel. These aren’t just hobbies; they’re investments in my physical health, mental growth, and sense of adventure. Fitness means runs or gym sessions that clear my head and keep me grounded. Reading—whether it’s a non-fiction, a biography, or just entertainment—expands my perspective and sharpens my thinking. Travel, whether a weekend cabin trip or a vacation to somewhere I’ve never been, reminds me to stay open to the world’s possibilities. These pursuits align with who I want to be.
Despite the whirlwind of that wedding month, I’m grateful for the clarity it brought. Serving as best man wasn’t just a role; it was a reminder to invest in things that are more important than money. As I move forward, I’m taking a page from Buffett and Gates, prioritizing time over busyness. Life’s too short to let the urgent crowd out the important. I hope you’ll join me in this mindset—think of your time as a portfolio. Where are you investing it? Are you betting on what truly matters? For me, the answer lies in time spent exercising, Sundays lost in a good book, and adventures that stretch my horizons. Here’s to building wealth in the currency that counts most: time.
Over Memorial Day weekend, I joined my family at our cabins in northern Minnesota, a tradition that grounds me amidst life’s chaos. Fresh off the whirlwind of my best friend’s wedding, I arrived early—beating everyone except my grandparents. Those quiet hours by the lake, with just the three of us, were a gift. I see my grandparents about once a month, and each visit is a treasure. As mentioned previously, time is the ultimate currency, and I’ll never regret the sacrifices—missed work and long drives—to share moments with them while they’re still here.
Yet, sitting by the bonfire, staring out over the lake’s glassy surface, I couldn’t help but reflect on the gap between our generations. My grandparents, stereotypic Boomers, worked steady careers at the post office for over 30 years. They bought a house, built a cabin, and retired comfortably with full pensions—lives that seem like a distant dream today. They don’t fully grasp the pressures Millennials and Gen Z faces: the expectation to earn a college degree, only to graduate into a world where good money doesn’t guarantee a life. Their blueprint for success—stable jobs, predictable rewards—this is not reality today.
As the flames flickered and the stars emerged, I realized that success for me isn’t just about financial wealth. It’s about allocating time to what matters—relationships, growth, experiences. My grandparents’ cabin, a product of their disciplined careers, reminds me to invest strategically for those times, whether in financial assets or a sunset conversation. If your grandparents are still around, make time for them. Those moments are investments that yield returns no market can match.
If you watch one video this month, I recommend this one:
“…what’s happened in the Ukraine/Russia war has massively accelerated warfare in a way that I think it’s the greatest advancement or it’s the greatest swing in the pendulum, really, since Genghis Khan put stirrups on horses.
Now, if you go back that far, I think that was 1218 or so, he set off literally the Mongol Empire when he was done, went from the Pacific to Hungary, and he mauled and terrorized his way through millions and millions of people and millions and millions of square miles of terrain… Now, you haven’t seen the full effects yet, but I’m telling you that level of change in black swan event is possible because what’s happened in Ukraine.
So what does this mean to modern warfare? It means our trillions of dollars of installed capacity of US stuff is in high danger of being obsolescent. Anything that can be located can be targeted by not tens but hundreds of devices.”
The video by Erik Prince opened my eyes to a new era of warfare. One that I am not sure the US is even close to being ready to fight.
As I was writing rough drafts for this letter, we watched Ukraine use 100 drones valued at $2,000 each inflict $7 billion in damage on 41 Russian warplanes.
American politicians have allowed the largest defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, RTX (formerly Raytheon), General Dynamics, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman lobby their way into trillions of dollars of military equipment that is now possibly obsolete.
Drones worth tens of thousands of dollars are being shot at by missiles that cost millions of dollars. Land based terror gangs now are dictating battle tempo to the naval super powers of the world because the naval superpowers have to justify spending $1 billion on these gangs.
If Erik Prince is correct and this is the greatest advancement in warfare since Genghis Khan in 1218, it’s probably something worth paying attention to.
A few other things I can’t seem to get off my mind this month:
I have to bring up China.
There has been so much back and forth causing volatility in the market. If you are an American who think the Chinese have no leverage, I would encourage you to rethink that belief.
Some of the biggest upsets in history have started from a point of not respecting your enemy. The New England Patriots didn’t lose the Super Bowl in 2008 to the New Your Giants because the Patriots thought they had a tall task ahead of them. The Patriots had a perfect 18-0 record going to the Superbowl against a Wildcard team. The final drive of the game by Eli Manning is something that went down in the history books for a reason.
Without a doubt, China is the manufacturing hub of the world. Much like the US was right before WWII. China has led the greatest increase of economic prosperity the world has ever seen.
China makes 50% of the chemicals the world uses, 90% of the car parts, and 80% of everything Americans touch comes from this place. Not respecting China is a mistake. “Never bet against a poor, smart, aggressive people.”
From an investment standpoint you have to own a piece of China is some way. Whether it is Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, you get the point. The risky part is what exchange you want to own them on. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has threatened to remove Chinese stocks from American exchanges.
What does this mean for you? Own them on the Hong Kong exchange. This is easier said that done. Interactive Brokers allows you to do this for pennies on the dollar. Always protect your downside risk.
It is old news now, as the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting was at the beginning of May, but Warren Buffett is stepping down and handing the reigns over to Greg Abel. Warren Buffett will go down as the best investor of all time, but man was his timing impeccable. Buffett got to ride the fiat wave for the last 50 years.
I can’t stop thinking that conveniently, as Trump is forcing rearrangement of the global order due to US debt levels being so high Warren Buffet steps aside because he knows the fiat circus is over.
The US has generations of investors who were told to ignore macroeconomic policy and just to focus on annual reports like Warren Buffett. Over the last 20 years the US has been schooled on geopolitics and macroeconomics.
Then the last meeting before Warren Buffett retires he says, “There may be a time it makes sense for Berkshire Hathaway to hold multiple currencies.” What?!?! That is a macroeconomic shift back to pre-WWII times that most Americans do not understand.
The greatest investor of all time who rode the fiat money wave and preached microeconomics to generations of Americans changes his tune at the very last meeting before he retires as the US has been schooled on geopolitics and macroeconomics mainly by China. Crazy times.
Lifestyle
What looks like an alien invasion is indeed not, but another Starlink satellite launch.
When you think of 21st century technology, this is it. We may not having flying cars yet, but we do have satellite internet anywhere in the world.
Whether you are in the war in Ukraine or in the path of the next hurricane looking to wreck havoc on communications, Starlink has been the only reliable form of connection worldwide.
Starlink is the only option of internet I have at my new house. I had high expectations as I’ve heard it’s a system of throwing out the antenna and all of a sudden you have high speed internet as good as the US Special Forces fighting the Taliban in the middle of the Afghani mountains.
So far I have had no streaming issues. My Starlink satellite is doing it’s thing with its 1,000 mini antennas. After the experience I have had with Starlink, I am not sure I can picture my life without it. With Starlink’s many different sized satellites, there is something that fits you for any journey you may be on.
Even with a stable internet connection, a backup plan is never a bad thing with the state of infrastructure these days. A Starlink Mini can run you $600 with the roam plan of 50 GB per month at the low price of one GB per dollar so $50/month. The $50 plan is what I will encourage my family to be doing.
It is pretty crazy to think, most American soldiers have died overseas in the Middle East due to shitty comms. Starlink could fix that problem for $600 and $50/month while the US government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to fix the problem.
Downloading the Starlink App is even more amazing. It can tell you the obstructions preventing you from the best connection possible and the angle required of the satellite to make the best connection happen. I had to tilt my own satellite a bit even with no obstructions just to get optimal internet speed.
Starlink will be my permanent internet solution in a rural area. I got five devices running on it currently and would not be afraid to add another five based on the quality connection I have received.
The best part of Starlink is that this project will gradually fund Elon Musk’s trip to Mars. The revenue generated is meant to develop and launch Starship, the spacecraft designed for interplanetary travel. SpaceX uses the cash flow from Starlink to build rockets and satellites, which in turn creates more bandwidth for Starlink, further increasing revenue. This creates a cycle of reinvestment that gradually flows towards Mars development as the Starlink constellation is completed.
Investments
If you read one book this next few months, The Price of Tomorrow by Jeff Booth has been an important intellectual framework for myself. This book has rewired my investment framework of how technology is driving deflation. AI will ruin most jobs. How are you preparing for this?
The end of inflation is among us. We keep hearing that inflation is going to go rip higher, but if you take a second to look around, the only inflation is occurring in hard assets not able to be reproduced by technology.
Fiat is dead. But first what is fiat? From Google:
Fiat currency is government-issued money that doesn't have intrinsic value (like gold or silver) but is used as a medium of exchange and legal tender because of trust and confidence in the issuing government. It's backed by the government's authority and economic policies, not by a physical commodity.
Aka…if you don’t think the dollar has value, an aircraft carrier at your doorstep may be slightly convincing.
You get the point. Technology is creating creative destruction and if you can think of a career that won’t be interrupted by AI, please message me so we can discuss further. Energy and intelligence will both be taken over, and honestly what else matters? There is a reason China will lead the energy production of the world. Follow the energy is the new follow the money.
China is doing everything. Coal, wind, solar, natural gas, and oil. So when Donald Trump ends renewable energy for a political cause, you realize why China will take over the US in world dominance. The US worries about political affiliation while China worries about winning.
Aligning your portfolio for China and energy dominance is what I am focusing in on for the future.
My Portfolio:
Pinstripes PNST 0.00%↑: Buying more shares. The goal is 100,000 shares so when it hits $10/share, I am a millionaire. Realistically this will take at least a decade, which I am good with. They will hopefully be at 18 locations by the end of 2025. Growing to 100 locations will be a task, but one I am down for the ride for. As of now the share price is bottoming at $.06 per share.
Sprott Physical Uranium Trust SRUUF: No change. I am still heavily invested in Uranium. Nuclear is the future. The supply of Uranium currently is no where close to the demand needed. Markets will figure it out. I may trim this position to add more to gold miners.
Bitcoin: No change. I continue to put $250 into Bitcoin every week or $1,000 per month via the River App.
Gold: I own three ounces of physical gold. This will grow to five ounces by the end of 2025. I buy it from the Costco website. It literally shows up on my doorstep.
S&P 500 Index: 100% of my employer 401k is invested in this index.
Alibaba BABA: No change. It breaks my heart to say this, but China is the future. I do not believe any deal the US makes with China won’t benefit China more than the US. You can make those kind of deals when you hold all the cards.
Sirius XM Radio SIRI: No change.
Nam Thai Properties NTPIF: No change. We are still waiting on a clean audit from the last newsletter.
PBF Energy PBF: No change. Global turmoil is always positive for oil unfortunately.
House: I will begin to add this section as the house I recently purchased is an investment. Gutters have been recently installed and I had the water guy out here today for my well.
A couple things if you have your own well. Get a study done to understand the minerals in the water. I have an ungodly high amount of iron and manganese content. For anyone with a water softener, make sure your toilets are not running. A running toilet will delegate all soft water to that toilet. This will take away from all other appliances. Appliances are not cheap to replace due to high mineral contents. You can check if a toilet is running by lifting up the back of the toilet and making sure the water is not close to the open tube on the right side. It should be at least 2 inches down. As a homeowner, you also have to know where the shutoff is for the whole house. I am looking at new filters due to the sand content in my water, but more to come on this.
We are already into June. Do yourself a favor and try to enjoy the summer as it always goes by way too quick.
That is all for this month.
The greatest gift you could give me is sharing this with a friend or loved one.
I believe in you and wish you the best.
—Casey Donaldson
Time and energy are the fundamental resources of every human being, aren't they? Every product we use was created by another human being(s), spending their time and energy doing so, no? Money in a sense simply is condensed time and energy.