Have you heard the story of Grace Groner?

She attended Lake Forest College, in Illinois, and after graduating in 1931 took a job at Abbott Laboratories, where she worked as a secretary for four decades.

In 1935 she bought three shares of Abbott stock for $60 each. Over the years the shares split many times, and she always reinvested any dividends.

Groner lived simply: buying clothes from garage sales, walking rather than owning a car, and living...

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By Chris Reining / 11 Comments

It’s Sunday morning, and every Sunday morning I walk down the street to this meditation center to sit and meditate for an hour.

You might remember that time I went to a 10-day silent meditation retreat. When I got back I was meditating two hours every day, because that’s what the instructor told us to do.

Well, you can probably guess that meditating for two hours a day doesn’t last very long unless...

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By Chris Reining / 7 Comments

Warren Buffett turned me down for an interview. It was his secretary, Debbie B., who wrote me back:

“Thanks for the nice note. However, Mr. Buffett has asked me to turn down all requests. His plate is more than full now, even at the age of 84.”

Then I asked her if it was true mentioning her name at Gorat’s, an Omaha steakhouse, will get you an extra boat of gravy when you order the hot roast beef sandwich. I heard that once.

She told...

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By Chris Reining / 6 Comments