With a tax refund winging its way to me (I was able to find a capital loss in December to avoid paying capital gains taxes, but I would've been better off financially holding on to the stock as it rebounded), I went and calculated my net worth. If one believes the sales price the neighbor of mine with an identically-sized condo (but one fewer parking space) just listed his unit for, some time between September and today I became a millionaire, albeit one with illiquid assets that would expose me to expenses and tax liabilities that would take me well below the million-dollar line if I were to try to translate them into fungible cash. Not bad, considering my net worth was negative when I was thirty.

I'm skeptical that my condo value has really increased 10% in six months, however. On the other hand, smaller (if newer) units further away from the Metro, also with only one parking space, are ostensibly selling for more. The market is what the market is.

I don't feel like a millionaire. Maybe it's because I have days when I have only $23 in my checking account and it's a pleasant surprise when Slim buys a book for me that I thought I'd have to wait for in paperback. Or because Slim always leaves the bread heels for me.