about me

hi there!

welcome to a page where you can learn more about the man behind the bow tie. my name is Mr. Freemium J.D. Fellow, and i’m all about saving money. today it is easier than ever to save money while still maintaining quality. my blog aims to offer tips on how you can live a financially free lifestyle while concurrently documenting my journey through life as i attempt to walk the The Freemium Way.

truthfully, i have a degree in cybersecurity from a university in the Northeast as well as a few other things going for me professionally that light up my passions for leadership, history, national security studies, and resilience. but i don’t have any other credentials or awards that are very noteworthy. no crazy certifications. no PhD or special titles–i’m just a fellow of The Freemium Way trying to reflect on my experiences and write about things that pique my interest. 

so join me, The Freemium Fellow, on an adventure of low fees, less bills, and more fun (and a little bit of humor😀)

the bio below will most likely change as time goes on, but i will try and express my personality the best I can.

a few things about me:

• i love Legos. in making connections with Lego bricks and building creations as a kid, i cultivated the imagination that made The Freemium Fellow possible. i also learned that things will break and how to put them back together. 
• my deepest desire is to love and be loved. this starts with realizing each day that even in my brokenness, i am first and foremost a beloved child of God and i’m called to see others as God sees me.
• i try my best to treat people with honor, which i would say is treating people as special, doing more than what’s expected, and having a good attitude.
• i sometimes listen to Christmas music in July, and i love epic film scores
• i believe Google Translate es la magia del día moderno
• my blog posts are written anywhere, anytime, even in my underwear!
• Bruce Springsteen is my favorite artist. we both grew up in the same state.
• my priorities in life are my faith, my family, and my country.
• Its a Wonderful Life is my favorite movie!
• I really enjoyed writing essays in school once i learned to write. this happened only after i learned to read well. 
• two quotes that have impacted me the most are “events which happened in the past … (human nature being what it is) will, at some time or other and in much the same ways, be repeated in the future” and “what made war inevitable was the grwoth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.” these passages are found in Bk 1.22-23 of History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. this book helped form my intrinsic belief that history doesn’t repeat itself, but humans do. when i read the first quote, it gave me language for why i have always loved history. being a student of history is about becoming a person of hope because one can trust that, although much of history seems to repeat itself because of human nature, the discipline of recognizing failures and hubris in past events can cause future mistakes to be avoided. i believe this is and will always be the purpose behind what makes history important. the second quote builds off understanding that history repeats itself because it paints a clear picture of my current life in America and the effect we can have on our nation’s enemies. being a powerful force for good must be a central goal of the U.S. because power directed elsewhere could cause other nations or people to be afraid. we fear what we do not understand and that which is different; fear is not only the opposite of love, but it has also been the driving force for wars throughout history. the ability to communicate loving intentions dispels fear that arises from lack of understanding, and loving actions must actually be pursued, or else trust is broken. truly, Jesus was right about the power of love and why it is so essential. without love, which compels us to have empathy and to forgive, the circle of fear leading to hate, which inevitable leads to conflicts, would never stop. because of these things, the most important thing we may ever do is to recognize the dignity of the person before us. this is why “koinonia,” or commonality and communion rooted in the idea that everyone was created by God, even if they do not accept it, is a passionate pursuit of mine. Jesus also routinely spoke of the importance of loving actions in relation to these thoughts.
• the previous quotes i discovered at 16 years of age were further enhanced by a quote i was exposed to when i was 20: “victory smiles upon those who anticipate the changes in the character of war, not upon those who wait to adapt themselves after changes occur” by Italian Air Marshal Giulio Douhet. This gave rise to my interest in the OODA Loop developed by Col. John Boyd, which is a decision-making practice that can be applied during tactical engagements or even daily activates. decisive action based on observed experiences/history seems to be paramount for being someone who can help to win a war when it occurs. 
• i routinely have dozens of tabs open when i use an internet browser
• my Gallup CliftonStrengths Top 5 strengths are: Restorative, Context, Intellection, Connectedness, and Developer.
• in high school through my sophomore year of college, i took the 16Personalities test and i was an ENFP-A. after some serious personal growth, at 19 i was an ENFJ-T since my sophomore year of college. at 23, after serious experiential growth, i took the test and was an ENFJ-A. From these results, i am encouraged that i am moving in the right direction. at my core, i have remained extroverted and intuitive; the growth seems to occur in making sure i don’t get lost in my feelings and instead pursue action while being prepared yet adaptive when situations call for it, ultimately making me a self-assured and resilient individual.