Upthinking Finance™ is now trademarked

On the show this week, we’re exploring the real-life transitions and perspectives around retirement and life after work. In this episode, we’re joined by a diverse panel, Vicki Goodman, Darci Fersch, Cookie Talmage, Howard Lenoble, Joy Lunt, and Con Haffmans, who open up about their own journeys, challenges, and share their words of wisdom surrounding retirement.

You’ll hear a spectrum of views: some embrace the idea of retirement, while others challenge its very concept, redefining it as a time for pursuing passions, creativity, or simply maintaining purpose. Whether it’s rediscovering music, running small businesses, volunteering, or savoring newfound freedom from alarm clocks, our guests share what brings meaning to their lives beyond careers. The conversation reflects on the emotional and practical sides of transition, highlighting the importance of financial planning, a supportive advisor, and, most importantly, a personal sense of fulfillment.

• [00:00] Embracing retirement your way.
• [03:59] Favorite things about retirement.
• [07:17] What our guests loved the most about their working life.
• [09:15] The motive to continue to work as you get older.
• [11:56] Struggles in downshifting routine and redefining achievement.
• [13:56] Advice for planning and thriving in retirement.

As Mr Rogers said, “Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” For many, retirement is seen as an “ending,” but for the guests on this episode, it’s just another beginning—one filled with self-discovery, purpose, and, most importantly, possibilities far beyond simply not working.

The discussion opens with candid admissions: Vicki Goodman always expected retirement, but didn’t plan to do it so early; Darci Fersch isn’t a fan of the concept or even the word “retirement”; and Cookie Talmage asks, “Why do I need to retire?” These initial reactions highlight a universal truth: the transition away from a traditional career is deeply personal and often full of mixed emotions.

Instead of following a prescribed blueprint, the guests reveal the diverse ways in which they approach this transition. Howard Lenoble anticipated retirement as a goal, but also questioned whether it was truly attainable or even desirable. Con Haffmans, still not fully retired, laughs about working harder now than ever before, caring for horses, but finds his joy in this hard work rather than escaping from it.

Several guests stress that retirement isn’t about abandoning productivity. Vicki Goodman delights in the absence of an alarm clock and the freedom of mornings spent with coffee and Wordle, while Howard Lenoble revisits old passions like playing in bands, enriching his life, and even generating new income streams. Both emphasize a shift from obligation-driven schedules to self-defined, passion-fueled days.

Darci Fersch reflects that control over your own time—the ability to choose where and how to spend it—is the most cherished part of post-career life. Even though she left her job at the top of her game, her move was driven by a desire to be more present with her family and more engaged in her personal interests.

Retirement, the guests agree, is more fulfilling when you pursue what you love. For Con Haffmans, that means life around horses, not financial investments. Even though his cowboy chapter was the worst financial choice, it was the happiest period of his life. Joy Lunt and Cookie Talmage see their ongoing work as a source of purpose, joy, and meaningful relationships; they aren’t ready to put away the satisfaction they get...

Upthinking Finance™ is now trademarked

Is the energy transition really leaving oil and gas behind, or is the story more complicated? In this episode, Emerson sits down with Simon Lack, CFA, Managing Partner at SL Advisors and veteran of more than four decades in investment management, to unpack what is actually happening inside the midstream energy space.

Simon draws on his experience as an investor, author, and board member of the CFA Society in Naples, Florida to walk through the history of MLPs, the painful reset after 2014, and why he believes natural gas and energy infrastructure are positioned to be long term winners in a world hungry for power, data, and reliability.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Why energy infrastructure still matters for retirement income (00:00)
• The shale revolution, overbuilding, stranded assets, and the downturn into 2015 (05:00)
• Three major headwinds, energy transition fears, overbuild, and the pandemic washout (11:30)
• Why Simon prefers natural gas over oil and why coal to gas was the real emissions win (15:00)
• LNG exports, global gas price gaps, and America’s edge in cheap energy (19:00)
• AI, data centers, and why 24/7 power demand points straight back to natural gas (23:00)
• Pipelines as toll roads, inflation linkage through regulated tariffs, and protecting purchasing power (34:00)
• The limits of solar and wind, the case for nuclear, and the reality of global energy demand (39:00)
• EVs, range anxiety, and why the United States is a tough market for full electrification (43:00)
• Simon’s philosophy for owning midstream as a long term income and value play (46:00)
• How an FX and hedge fund background led Simon into the midstream energy niche (47:30)

Simon walks through the origin story of MLPs in the late 1980s, explaining how tax advantaged structures attracted high net worth investors who were comfortable with K-1s in exchange for deferred income. That calm income story changed with the shale revolution. Rapid investment, overbuilding, and the emergence of stranded or underutilized assets pushed the sector into an extended downturn starting around 2014.

Kinder Morgan’s decision to cut distributions and then restructure its GP and MLP entities became a turning point. Many long time income investors faced both reduced cash flow and unexpected tax bills, leaving them frustrated and reluctant to come back. Over time, many MLPs converted to corporations, widened their investor base, and rethought how growth should be funded.

Simon also highlights one underappreciated culprit in the 2020 crash, heavily leveraged closed end MLP funds that were forced to liquidate in March 2020, pushing prices far below what underlying cash flows justified. The upside, in his view, is that the weakest hands and structures have already been washed out of the system.

Looking forward, Simon makes a clear distinction between oil and natural gas. Oil, he notes, is mainly a transportation fuel and subject to policy swings. Gas is different. It is difficult and expensive to move, which means infrastructure assets that move it are often backed by long term, take-or-pay style contracts and relatively visible cash flows.

He points out that the biggest real “energy transition” in the United States has already happened quietly. Shifting from coal to natural gas has reduced emissions meaningfully while keeping power reliable and affordable. At the same time, America’s gas is far cheaper than in Europe or Asia, which sets the stage for robust LNG exports for years to come.

Layered on top of LNG is the AI and data center build out. Data centers need power nearly 100 percent of the time, not 20 to 35 percent...

Upthinking Finance™ is now trademarked

In this episode of Upthinking Finance, we’re joined by returning guest Alex Krainer, a former hedge fund manager, market analyst, and outspoken commentator on global affairs, who shares candid perspectives on looming global tensions and his personal mission to help others understand the forces shaping our economic and political landscape.

We discuss the fragility of current international alliances, the unraveling of the European Union, the global “darkness before the dawn”, from the U.S.-Russia relationship to the mechanics of debt-driven economies, and the importance of grassroots businesses in restoring prosperity.

This episode isn’t just about finance; it’s about the real human impact of policy, war, and change. Tune in for a candid, global view that connects the dots between the news, the markets, and everyday life.

• Embracing humility in trend following (03:38)
• Is the EU on life support? (08:19)
• Socio-political unrest in Europe with real-world examples (16:22)
• Europe vs. United States political dynamics (20:11)
• Trump's global vs. domestic stance (27:07)
• Central Bank's impact on stocks (35:50)
• How to revive American industry (42:32)

One of the most provocative ideas explored is the potential collapse of the European Union. Alex characterizes the EU’s current condition as “the dying phase,” likening its centralized, unaccountable bureaucracy to a modern-day Soviet Union. The EU’s decision-making, he argues, has become increasingly detached from the will of European citizens; key policies are often dictated by unelected officials, who frequently prioritize the interests of corporate lobbyists over those of the public.

He points to rising grassroots movements across the continent, sovereignist parties, mass marches, and political crises as evidence that Europeans are waking up to policies they view as anti-human and destructive to communities. From controversial migration policies in Croatia to aggressive agricultural reforms that harm local farmers, the sense of crisis is palpable. Craner is blunt: if institutional avenues for change are blocked, social upheaval and even violence become a real risk, drawing a direct historical parallel to the French Revolution.

Despite this bleak outlook, he believes that this time, there is an alternative: stronger ties with Russia and China and potential participation in new economic and security alliances (like BRICS and the Belt and Road Initiative). This eastward shift could, in theory, offer Europe a lifeline beyond its current structures.

There is a bright spot in Alex’s analysis. He sees the recent normalization of relations between the United States and Russia, under a renewed Trump administration, in his view, as one of the most hopeful developments in recent years. Given the nuclear capabilities of both countries, dialogue is essential, and Alex credits Trump with taking a decisive step back from the brink of large-scale conflict.

While European prospects are fraught, Alex sees the United States’ federal structure, armed citizenry, and local systems of accountability as reasons to believe America might weather the coming turbulence with more resilience, possibly achieving a “soft landing” as opposed to the “depression” he fears for Europe.

Alex argues that central banks, especially the U.S. Federal Reserve, are the primary force moving markets. As long as they continue quantitative easing and inject liquidity, assets will inflate. However, this “solution” risks runaway price inflation, eating away at real wealth even as markets hit record highs.

The sheer scale of public and private debt makes eventual systemic