[cashflyer]

I turned 28 in 1996.
My birthday present to myself was flying lessons.
I was working some dead-end job to pay for the lessons.

That's about it. No wife or kids, and my vehicle was a beater Benz.
I was sort of expecting to die in a fiery but spectacular crash, so I had no retirement savings or investments.

Now it's 12 years later and I still don't have any retirement savings or investments. But I'm married now, so I'm still hoping for a fiery but spectacular crash.