| "A 7 of spades! I've got a full house! I win!" A Somber Reminder Unfortunately, I did not go on to win our highly anticipated Oxford Club poker game. (I went all-in and lost all my chips a few hands later.) But that poker game is still the highlight of one of my favorite weeks of 2023. You see, unlike most of my colleagues here at the Club, I don't reside in the Baltimore area. I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, which means I'm over four hours and 240 miles away from the people I work and talk with every day. Sure, working from home has its perks. But we all know sending off a quick email just isn't the same as walking down the hall, popping into your co-worker's office and striking up a conversation. Nowadays, it feels like it's harder than ever to make genuine connections with people. I saw this chart the other day on "The Platform Formerly Known as Twitter," and it stopped me dead in my tracks. It's a somber reminder of the lonely reality many Americans face as we age... According to that data, the average person my age spends around 4 1/2 hours alone every day. But for me as a remote worker, it's normally close to twice that number. That's why I've learned to cherish the few weeks I spend in Baltimore every year - especially the week of our annual holiday party, which is one of the only times that all of us are able to be together. While I was in town at the start of last month, I shared a meal with Marc and Rachel, I caught up with Jenna (the all-star copy editor behind Wealthy Retirement) and met her fiancé for the first time, and I enjoyed s'mores and doughnuts with Kailyn, the video-editing mastermind behind Marc's State of the Market YouTube series. As the week drew to a close, I was full of gratitude to be a part of this Club and to be able to work with so many amazing people. My Challenge to You Here's my lasting takeaway from this holiday season: The memories we create with the people around us can make up for all the other junk that goes on in our lives. And with that in mind, I have a simple challenge for you as we turn the page to a new year. Take the leap. Whatever "the leap" means to you... whether it's joining a gym, picking up a new hobby or finding an excuse to get out of the house... I encourage you to dive headfirst into making memories with the people you care about. Of course, I'd love it if you'd allow The Oxford Club to be a part of that leap. Our No. 1 priority in 2024 is fostering a deeper sense of community among our Members, and I think you'll really appreciate some of the things we have in the works. (If you aren't an Oxford Club Member, that's fine! Now's a fantastic time to find out what our thousands of Members enjoy most about our Club.) But no matter whether you're a brand-new Wealthy Retirement reader or a longtime Oxford Club Member, I want you to know that we're in your corner cheering you on. We're truly grateful that you've allowed us to play a role in your wealth-building journey. Whatever may come in 2024 and beyond, here's to playing our cards right... together. Happy leaping! James | 
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