Author Topic: 2018 FIRE cohort  (Read 738187 times)

NinetyFour

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2250 on: January 13, 2019, 09:07:00 AM »
Waking naturally (no alarm clock) has definitely been a highlight of my retirement!!  Since I quite working back in April, I have used an alarm clock only a handful of times--to get up early to catch a plane to go somewhere fun, to meet friends for breakfast, to meet friends to hiking adventures, or to do math activities with kids or teachers.  The days of routinely having to get up at 4:30 each morning are over!!

Even with no alarm clock, though, I usually wake up between 5 and 6 anyway.  I like being up early to get a jump start on the day.

happy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2251 on: January 13, 2019, 09:02:45 PM »
I still have to get up at 6:50 to get the kids ready for school.  I hate you all.
Ah, they say the days are long, but the years are short. You'll get there, @PhilB!
I only wish I was retired young enough still to have school age kids :P

SwordGuy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2252 on: January 13, 2019, 10:26:49 PM »
I still have to get up at 6:50 to get the kids ready for school.  I hate you all.
Ah, they say the days are long, but the years are short. You'll get there, @PhilB!
I only wish I was retired young enough still to have school age kids :P


It's all in how you look at it, isn't it?

DavidAnnArbor

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2253 on: January 17, 2019, 12:53:05 PM »
I found a great spinning studio where there's this intense spinning class/boot camp class that I'm taking. I love it.

SwordGuy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2254 on: January 17, 2019, 07:56:14 PM »
I found a great spinning studio where there's this intense spinning class/boot camp class that I'm taking. I love it.

Cool!   That will be fun!


We missed out on fun travel this year after FIRE because of illness and injuries in my family.    I just found a 3 month gig in southern Italy that sounds like fun.    My wife and I are still talking it over to see if (a) she wants to do it too and (b) she doesn't mind if I go ahead and give it a whirl.

DavidAnnArbor

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2255 on: January 17, 2019, 08:18:25 PM »
Swordguy I hope things are improving for your wife and your daughter.

SwordGuy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2256 on: January 17, 2019, 10:06:30 PM »
Swordguy I hope things are improving for your wife and your daughter.

They are, thanks!  They are getting better every day.  My honey and I are going for a walk tomorrow morning.  Woot!  First one in months!

poppydog

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2257 on: January 21, 2019, 03:07:30 AM »
Hope everyone who self-declared FIRE in our 2018 FIRE cohort is enjoying their time - whether or not they meet the guidelines of the Internet Retirement Police :)

As for me,I am still loving sleeping in every morning!

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Oh yes!  We’re having a ball, travelling, shopping when it’s quiet, spending time with grandson, with another on the way.  Life is excellent!

Mr Mark

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2258 on: January 30, 2019, 12:38:33 PM »
Hope everyone who self-declared FIRE in our 2018 FIRE cohort is enjoying their time - whether or not they meet the guidelines of the Internet Retirement Police :)

As for me,I am still loving sleeping in every morning!

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Everything is looking great! Enjoying FIRE tremendously. Budget is on track. Healthcare pretty much sorted. Spending time with friends and family. Cooking. Walking dog and daughter to school and back. Doing tasks around the house. Getting into the real estate deal with about 20% of the stache over the next few months. Supporting my DW as she returns to study for a more advanced qualification. Gearing up for a big bucket list trip to Japan in Oct. Starting a side gig consulting that hopefully will earn just enough to assist with tax optimization.

Looking a lot more after my health which thankfully is good all around incl. Family.

Hope everyone else is also having a blast!! For any 2019 cadre, come on in, the water's fine. Jump!

davisgang90

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2259 on: January 31, 2019, 03:40:08 AM »
I'm still an early riser, as are my kids.  I like the quiet time in the morning before and after they leave for school. 

I think one of my favorite things (other than not working) is the ability to run any errands when everyone else is at work.

Weekends we can just chill!

elaine amj

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2260 on: January 31, 2019, 08:16:55 AM »
Some VERY nice reports :)

We're still settling into a routine. I love that I am able to fit in more time for physical activities now and I have been getting 1-2 hours a day either swimming, walking, or running (slowly). Was talking to DH a couple of days ago and commented that this is a big part of what I want my FIREd life to look like.

Next step is to find more consistent time to spend with DH. Our schedules haven't been meshing frightfully well and most of our time together has been on the couch doing our own stuff. His idea of family time these days has been watching movies together. I like movies, but not every day. I'd sooner hang on my various forums. He says its not the same when I am not actively watching with him though.

He doesn't like either swimming or walking - my current 2 favorite activities. He does love ice skating so we are going to try to fit that into our regular schedule.

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DavidAnnArbor

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2261 on: February 01, 2019, 12:26:54 PM »
The psychological reality of FIRE is taking time to adjust to, realize, and the effects on my life are real.
I'm trying to be more in the moment. I'm less frantic now that I'm not trying to drive to a work location.
I still work part-time but am not hesitating to create more limits and boundaries regarding my time.
I'm becoming more spontaneous and spending more time with friends.
I have set up a bird feeder in my backyard, and a pair of cardinals are enjoying the safflower seeds.

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2262 on: February 01, 2019, 03:32:12 PM »
I'm nearing on 6 months in and am super happy!  I am more busy than I would like, so I've promised myself not to take on anymore volunteer gigs.  I have made time for consistent meditation and exercise, which is fantastic.  But, I haven't gotten to several other priorities at all.  But hey, if all goes well, I'll have another 40-50 years to get to them. 

I was talking to one of my oldest friends the other day and telling her that I am more busy than I'd like to be with the stuff I've volunteered for and she somehow decided that was evidence that I really miss working, since I am trying so hard to fill my schedule up, and should just go back to work and get paid for it.  I really wanted to ask her how we're even friends!  Because I draw the exact opposite conclusion.  I don't miss working and I do have more free time than when I was working and even that's not enough free time so I had to go so far as to make a rule that I wouldn't take anything else on!  But she didn't get it.  Needless to say, she won't be retiring early.  And probably won't rest until she's able to drag me out of retirement, too.  It'll be a long battle...

sol

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2263 on: February 01, 2019, 04:55:10 PM »
I was talking to one of my oldest friends the other day and telling her that I am more busy than I'd like to be with the stuff I've volunteered for and she somehow decided that was evidence that I really miss working, since I am trying so hard to fill my schedule up, and should just go back to work and get paid for it. 

I sort of inadvertently tried to go back to work.  It did not go well for me, and now I'm trying to extricate myself so I can go back to other stuff.

All of those MMM posts about taking on little side-gigs in retirement were easy to misinterpret.  You shouldn't ever take a retirement gig for the money, if you don't need the money.  I feel like MMM put all those posts up as a way to help reassure people who were nervous about retirement that they will still have the option of earning money, but he forgot to clarify that you shouldn't.  Yes you can, but you will instantly regret doing so.

If someone wants to pay you for something you're doing in retirement anyway, that's fine.  Just be careful that you don't let anyone else tell you what to do in retirement by offering you money for it.  That's just jumping right back into the slavery you already ran away from once.  It's a careful balancing act, where you need to maintain full control of the situation and make decisions about how to spend your time based on your own preference, without any dollar signs involved.  I made the mistake of letting a high hourly wage tempt me into doing work I wouldn't have otherwise done, but I forgot that money isn't really important to me anymore.

happy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2264 on: February 02, 2019, 03:36:38 AM »
Sounds like the best sort of FAIL to me Sol!

Next week I have to ring my boss and advise that I am not coming back from long service leave, but retiring. It is a conversation that I am dreading.  To be honest, until I wind up all the loose ends at work, do the paperwork etc etc I don't really feel retired, so its something I need to do sooner than later so I can move on.

The dreading is partly because I hate letting people down, upsetting or disappointing them. I've always been very clear in my mind that my job did not define me. But if I'm truthful I now see I am somewhat invested in my role and leaving that and the familiar into the faceless space of the grey-haired retiree is a wee bit scary.

Wish me luck.

NinetyFour

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2265 on: February 02, 2019, 09:31:12 AM »
Best of luck with that conversation, happy!!

markbike528CBX

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2266 on: February 02, 2019, 11:30:46 AM »

I sort of inadvertently tried to go back to work.  It did not go well for me, and now I'm trying to extricate myself so I can go back to other stuff.

All of those MMM posts about taking on little side-gigs in retirement were easy to misinterpret.  You shouldn't ever take a retirement gig for the money, if you don't need the money.  I feel like MMM put all those posts up as a way to help reassure people who were nervous about retirement that they will still have the option of earning money, but he forgot to clarify that you shouldn't.  Yes you can, but you will instantly regret doing so.

If someone wants to pay you for something you're doing in retirement anyway, that's fine.  Just be careful that you don't let anyone else tell you what to do in retirement by offering you money for it.  That's just jumping right back into the slavery you already ran away from once.  It's a careful balancing act, where you need to maintain full control of the situation and make decisions about how to spend your time based on your own preference, without any dollar signs involved.  I made the mistake of letting a high hourly wage tempt me into doing work I wouldn't have otherwise done, but I forgot that money isn't really important to me anymore.


Thanks for the post sol!   
I do have to remember that I was never a "good employee" and would likely be an even worst one if I went back after a 7 month FIRE experience.

FIRE ON dude!

RunningWithScissors

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2267 on: February 02, 2019, 11:45:27 AM »
I’m glad someone revived this thread - I was wondering how the 2018 cohort was doing.

As for me, I’m enjoying a more relaxed schedule although I’m keeping busy with moving-in and unpacking projects at the new house. (Thank the gods we decided to move to the west coast and avoid the polar vortex!)

Hubby is having a few issues adapting to the new routine and the idea that there’s no longer a double income coming in.  Having a stagnant market for so many months didn’t help his frame of mind either, but I have multiple spreadsheets handy to reassure him that we’re fine.  We spent a fair bit in January on essential for the new house, so now we’re doing a Frugal February to let our accounts recover.

The hardest thing so far is not dwelling on how freakin’ awesome it is to FIRE, especially to former friends/colleagues.  I guess that what this forum and thread is for, right?

sol

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2268 on: February 02, 2019, 12:46:36 PM »
I’m glad someone revived this thread - I was wondering how the 2018 cohort was doing.

Maybe it's time this thread transformed its purpose a little bit.  Instead of a place for the cohort to find accountability for their retirement dates, I think it should be a place for the cohort to find accountability for their retirement goals.

Some people retire with good intentions to work out every day, or start a big home project, or spend more time on a particular hobby, and then lapse into tv watching and sleeping late.  I think it would suck to wake up one day and realize you've been retired for a year and haven't done any of the things that were previously motivating you to retire.

What were your retirement goals for your first 12 months post FIREing?  Which of those have you accomplished, which have you made progress towards, and which do you still need to get started on?  What's holding you back?

EnjoyIt

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2269 on: February 02, 2019, 01:42:47 PM »
I’m glad someone revived this thread - I was wondering how the 2018 cohort was doing.

Maybe it's time this thread transformed its purpose a little bit.  Instead of a place for the cohort to find accountability for their retirement dates, I think it should be a place for the cohort to find accountability for their retirement goals.

Some people retire with good intentions to work out every day, or start a big home project, or spend more time on a particular hobby, and then lapse into tv watching and sleeping late.  I think it would suck to wake up one day and realize you've been retired for a year and haven't done any of the things that were previously motivating you to retire.

What were your retirement goals for your first 12 months post FIREing?  Which of those have you accomplished, which have you made progress towards, and which do you still need to get started on?  What's holding you back?

Not a bad idea.  To be completely honest, initially I have had a very hard time being productive on my own goals.  Over the last few months I have gotten better but sometimes still find myself mid afternoon like right now and have done absolutely nothing of value all day.  Is that horrible?  Am I wasting my free time away?

On one positive note after years of promising myself that I will start doing yoga. In 5 of the last 7 days I have done Yoga first thing in the morning. I hope to continue that practice.

Realistically I have so many projects I want to accomplish and have not really motivated myself very well to accomplish most of them.  I honestly need a bit more motivation and for some reason I can't get it going.  Maybe I am still decompressing from my stressful previous job responsibilities.  Or maybe, I am just lazy.

sol

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2270 on: February 02, 2019, 01:47:44 PM »
Realistically I have so many projects I want to accomplish and have not really motivated myself very well to accomplish most of them.

That's what we're for!  Maybe it's time you picked the next project on your list for immediate execution, and then give us a target date for beginning and ending it.  Then go do it, and we'll get back to you.

I have also discovered that I am less productive with my free time than I thought I would be, in part becuase I am no longer constantly stressed out about having enough time.  That means that an evening that would have been previously devoted to grocery shopping at 9pm is instead devoted to 30 minutes of my book and then an early bedtime, which is also awesome in its own way but it does mean I check fewer things off of my daily list.

MasterStache

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2271 on: February 02, 2019, 02:29:54 PM »
Some people retire with good intentions to work out every day, or start a big home project, or spend more time on a particular hobby, and then lapse into tv watching and sleeping late.  I think it would suck to wake up one day and realize you've been retired for a year and haven't done any of the things that were previously motivating you to retire.

I remember when I called it quits about 1.5 years ago I immediately built a couple pieces of nice farmhouse furniture and sold them both for a nice profit. I love building furniture. I love carpentry and volunteered to help family and friends with some home projects as well. That morphed into a nice little side gig because everyone wanted to pay me to do it. I might have called it quits earlier had I know this ( : 

EnjoyIt

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2272 on: February 02, 2019, 02:45:21 PM »
Realistically I have so many projects I want to accomplish and have not really motivated myself very well to accomplish most of them.

That's what we're for!  Maybe it's time you picked the next project on your list for immediate execution, and then give us a target date for beginning and ending it.  Then go do it, and we'll get back to you.

I have also discovered that I am less productive with my free time than I thought I would be, in part becuase I am no longer constantly stressed out about having enough time.  That means that an evening that would have been previously devoted to grocery shopping at 9pm is instead devoted to 30 minutes of my book and then an early bedtime, which is also awesome in its own way but it does mean I check fewer things off of my daily list.

Maybe worth doing. 
1) 1 of my projects would likely get a face punch as I am building out a media room. 
2) Adding a 3 way light switch in the office. 
3) Putting in Knock Out Roses in the back yard.
4) Finally starting a garden. 
5) Replacing the rear brakes on my car.
6) Looking into replacing our HVAC as it is getting old and a good chance it might not survive another hot summer.
7) Finishing up my business and personal taxes for 2018.  I am pretty sure I am due a decent tax refund but need to go through all the steps to get it.
8) Replace the feet on the chairs around the kitchen island.
9) Clean out the garage
10) fix many of the tiny nail holes in the garage and then repaint.
11) remove all the tiles in the garage and pour down a nice epoxy.
12) Write an article about physician burnout I promised to write in the next 3 months.
13) I'm sure there is more I haven't thought about in this quick response.

BTW, you mentioned going back to work after FIRE and I saw a post somewhere saying you were offered a very nice compensation package.  I'm sorry it is not working out for you.  It's tough to put in hours doing something you don't really enjoy for a compensation you don't really need.  I hope you get it all figured out.  At least the extra money may find its way to a good use.

So far working 8-10 days a month has worked pretty well for us.  By working less I enjoy my job so much more.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2019, 03:50:18 PM by EnjoyIt »

happy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2273 on: February 02, 2019, 02:53:59 PM »
Next week I have to ring my boss and advise that I am not coming back from long service leave, but retiring. It is a conversation that I am dreading.  To be honest, until I wind up all the loose ends at work, do the paperwork etc etc I don't really feel retired, so its something I need to do sooner than later so I can move on.
That's great news Happy! You might remember I was in the same boat - went on long service leave and had to decide whether to go back or not. I can confirm that being "properly" retired does indeed feel different (and better!) than being on LSL with a decision looming over it. I hope the conversation goes well for you.

I do remember Ozbeach, I was thinking I hope it turns out like that for me. So although I am claiming my date of retirement to be October 2018, in a sense I'm retiring in retrospect after the rest of the cohort. So I'm a bit behind everyone else, still processing some of the emotions. I never did get around to joining 2019, so I'm staying here.

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2274 on: February 02, 2019, 07:24:43 PM »

I have also discovered that I am less productive with my free time than I thought I would be, in part becuase I am no longer constantly stressed out about having enough time.  That means that an evening that would have been previously devoted to grocery shopping at 9pm is instead devoted to 30 minutes of my book and then an early bedtime, which is also awesome in its own way but it does mean I check fewer things off of my daily list.

Same.  I may have been completely unrealistic about how much I could "accomplish" when I FIREd.  Like, how many hours I could spend reading, listening to podcasts, and sleeping in, but also how much time I could devote to my new volunteer activities and working out and meditating.  Perhaps I didn't realize I was counting on 30 or more hours per day?  So I'm still feeling rather deprived in the laziness/relaxation category a lot of the time, although I haven't taken on as much as I expected toward my goals.  Two examples are studying meditation more and taking my Spanish from conversational to fluent.  I am not studying Spanish any more than I was pre-FIRE, and although I have established a consistent meditation practice, I have not found time to read up and study it.

Things standing in my way are planning a wedding (even a tiny wedding requires so much decision-making and research!) and an unexpected move.  But also, the thing about just having been unrealistic in my expectations.  I've mentally moved some goals back by a year or more and have new goals.  Like the place we're moving to has a large garden, so I'd like to grow some veggies, even though I'm a notorious plant-killer.

Overall, I'm a teensy bit disappointed TBH, but mostly pretty sanguine about these revised expectations.  Like I said above, if all goes well, I'll have 40-50 years to get to those things on my list, so if it takes me a year longer to prepare the Spanish curriculum I had hoped to develop for myself, I shouldn't freak out.  I'm spending a higher proportion of my time (if not exactly more hours) on lazy, consumption-style stuff, but not so much that I think I'm wasting my life away or turning into a couch potato.  But I absolutely intend to report back because who knows?  I could fall off the fence either way - too much laziness or too much filling my time without living the slower life that was a huge part of FIRE for me.  I'm walking a bit of a razor's edge between the two and I hope to mostly maintain that precarious balance over time.

P.S.  Sooooo cliche, but "I don't know how I ever had time for a full-time job!"?   1000% true.

MasterStache

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2275 on: February 03, 2019, 06:21:08 AM »
Realistically I have so many projects I want to accomplish and have not really motivated myself very well to accomplish most of them.

That's what we're for!  Maybe it's time you picked the next project on your list for immediate execution, and then give us a target date for beginning and ending it.  Then go do it, and we'll get back to you.

I have also discovered that I am less productive with my free time than I thought I would be, in part becuase I am no longer constantly stressed out about having enough time.  That means that an evening that would have been previously devoted to grocery shopping at 9pm is instead devoted to 30 minutes of my book and then an early bedtime, which is also awesome in its own way but it does mean I check fewer things off of my daily list.

Maybe worth doing. 
1) 1 of my projects would likely get a face punch as I am building out a media room. 
2) Adding a 3 way light switch in the office. 
3) Putting in Knock Out Roses in the back yard.
4) Finally starting a garden. 
5) Replacing the rear brakes on my car.
6) Looking into replacing our HVAC as it is getting old and a good chance it might not survive another hot summer.
7) Finishing up my business and personal taxes for 2018.  I am pretty sure I am due a decent tax refund but need to go through all the steps to get it.
8) Replace the feet on the chairs around the kitchen island.
9) Clean out the garage
10) fix many of the tiny nail holes in the garage and then repaint.
11) remove all the tiles in the garage and pour down a nice epoxy.
12) Write an article about physician burnout I promised to write in the next 3 months.
13) I'm sure there is more I haven't thought about in this quick response.

BTW, you mentioned going back to work after FIRE and I saw a post somewhere saying you were offered a very nice compensation package.  I'm sorry it is not working out for you.  It's tough to put in hours doing something you don't really enjoy for a compensation you don't really need.  I hope you get it all figured out.  At least the extra money may find its way to a good use.

So far working 8-10 days a month has worked pretty well for us.  By working less I enjoy my job so much more.

If you were near me I would gladly give you some knockout roses. I need to remove a few that are too big for the space I planted them.

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2276 on: February 03, 2019, 10:53:30 AM »
I didn't really go into FIRE with concrete goals, more like general ideas of the things I wanted to do more or less of.  Mostly, I just wanted to break out of the intense job stress that was consuming most of my time and energy, slow down, and take life as it comes.  I would say I have succeeded at that.  Although I often have the feeling that I should be accomplishing more, I can usually recognize that it is a manufactured feeling that is a residue of all those years when I was overloaded and absolutely had to get X, Y, and Z done, or the world would end! 

For example, this week I felt the intense need to (1) continue clearing a big tree I had taken down some time ago, (2) replace a radiator hose on my truck, and (3) try out my new spotting scope.  Due to rain, snow, intense cold temperatures, more snow, and a bad head cold, none of those things happened.  I've been stewing about it some, even though I fully recognize the fact that (A) the big tree will still be there when the weather clears, and I already have enough firewood cut for the next year or so; (B) I don't need to drive the truck anywhere immediately, so it will be fine if I change the hose later this week, and (C) I still have a couple of weeks left on the 30-day return period for the scope.  I'm hoping that eventually my mind will stop feeling the need to manufacture a sense of urgency where none actually exists.

But after 13 months of FIRE, I do have some accomplishments relative to my general notions of what I might want to do/not do, as well as a few surprises.

I went into FIRE way behind on my firewood (my primary source of heat), so I knew I needed to focus on that task last spring and summer.  I succeeded in spades at this effort - the wife and I cut, hauled, split, and stacked somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 pickup loads of wood (and that was before we had the giant tree taken down - I've since cut and partially split another 5 loads or so).

Although I wasn't in terrible shape when I FIREd, I wanted to make a better effort at getting and staying in shape.  I was largely successful; I lost 15 lbs or so and my blood pressure went down from the "pre-hypertension" range into the normal range.  I'm sure all the firewood cutting helped, but I also believe that lack of work stress and more time to devote to purposeful exercise (mainly walking) were big factors also.

I rebuilt the carburetor on my old truck.  This wasn't something that was planned, but it became a necessity when the truck wouldn't run right.  I had never rebuilt a carburetor before, so this was definitely a learning experience.  I won't say it's perfect, but it runs a lot better than it used to.

About two months in, I took a side gig doing some consulting for a company that has some interactions with my former employer.  This was totally unplanned.  At that near distance from my launch date, I had absolutely no desire to do anything that related to my former career.  But when the company approached me about it, I was hesitant to say no and burn a bridge.  Who knows when I might need to parlay former connections into a money-making opportunity? (Or at least that's what my irrational inner bag man said.)  Luckily their need for my services has been pretty sparse.  Most weeks I don't do anything; every now and then I might put in an hour or two.  This could have turned into a difficult situation like Sol's back-to-work effort, but I am fortunate that it didn't turn into much of anything, and I didn't have to burn a bridge.

I had the notion that I was going to elevate my guitar playing skills from stumbling through a few chords to something that sounds like music.  So far, the motivation hasn't materialized.

About six months in, I was starting to go through a few periods of boredom, so when I was invited to join the board of a regional non-profit group, I accepted.  This group conducts advocacy related to my former field of employment, so sometimes it starts to feel a bit like work, but mostly it's a good way to stay mentally engaged in something without going all-in.

I was very clear going into FIRE that I wanted to spend more time hiking and birding in my local area.  I live in a scenic, forested area, so opportunities abound.  I've been surprised that I haven't found much time to do this yet.  It seems like there is always some little chore around the house that needs to be done.  I think this is one area where my take-it-as-it-comes approach is hurting me.  I need to at least make the effort to say to myself, "O.K., the weather is going to be good on Monday, so I'm going to schedule a trip to the woods, and anything else that crops up is just going to have to wait."

We took a big family trip out west this past fall, which we had been planning for a couple of years, since before I made my final decision to retire.  It was our first big trip in a long, long time.  We enjoyed it so much that we're going back later this spring.  I didn't really think much about travel plans when I FIREd.  I was having a hard time seeing past the work stress and envisioning what proactive things I might want to do.  But I fear that DW and I have caught the travel bug. We've done some scrutinizing of the budget, and we think we can probably fit in a trip or two a year, and we might even look into a used RV (thank goodness I did OMY, LOL).  I suppose I should have seen this coming, but it kind of caught me off guard.

I went grouse hunting with my brother and son a couple of times, and I ended up buying a cheap used shotgun so I could continue this avocation.  I used to hunt some when I was younger, but hadn't done much in the last decade or so.  This was another one of those outgrowths of the take-it-as-it-comes approach.  My brother is an avid hunter, and he wanted to come visit my area to go grouse hunting.  My son and I went along, and my son killed his first grouse on his first morning out.  That was enough to get us hooked.

My wife and I started walking dogs at the local animal shelter twice a week.  It's a great way to get some exercise, do a good deed, and get a pet fix without actually owning one.  Except now DW is dropping hints about wanting to get a dog...

I've worked myself into the household grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning routine.  My wife has been a SAHM for most of our time together, so I didn't do much of those things prior to retiring.  DW is still in charge of these tasks since she is the expert, but she seems happy to have a helper.

And finally, I've read more books in the last 13 months than I did in probably the previous 30 years.  Reading has become my go-to time filler when I have some down time between tasks and activities.  It's been a nice luxury.  But I'm beginning to worry that I'm going to run out of books to read at my dinky little small town library.

All in all, I'd say I've succeeded at slowing down and relaxing without turning into a slug.  The slowing down has been more mental and emotional than physical, which what I was trying to achieve all along.

EnjoyIt

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2277 on: February 03, 2019, 11:45:21 AM »
I didn't really go into FIRE with concrete goals, more like general ideas of the things I wanted to do more or less of.  Mostly, I just wanted to break out of the intense job stress that was consuming most of my time and energy, slow down, and take life as it comes.  I would say I have succeeded at that.  Although I often have the feeling that I should be accomplishing more, I can usually recognize that it is a manufactured feeling that is a residue of all those years when I was overloaded and absolutely had to get X, Y, and Z done, or the world would end! 

For example, this week I felt the intense need to (1) continue clearing a big tree I had taken down some time ago, (2) replace a radiator hose on my truck, and (3) try out my new spotting scope.  Due to rain, snow, intense cold temperatures, more snow, and a bad head cold, none of those things happened.  I've been stewing about it some, even though I fully recognize the fact that (A) the big tree will still be there when the weather clears, and I already have enough firewood cut for the next year or so; (B) I don't need to drive the truck anywhere immediately, so it will be fine if I change the hose later this week, and (C) I still have a couple of weeks left on the 30-day return period for the scope.  I'm hoping that eventually my mind will stop feeling the need to manufacture a sense of urgency where none actually exists.

But after 13 months of FIRE, I do have some accomplishments relative to my general notions of what I might want to do/not do, as well as a few surprises.

I went into FIRE way behind on my firewood (my primary source of heat), so I knew I needed to focus on that task last spring and summer.  I succeeded in spades at this effort - the wife and I cut, hauled, split, and stacked somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 pickup loads of wood (and that was before we had the giant tree taken down - I've since cut and partially split another 5 loads or so).

Although I wasn't in terrible shape when I FIREd, I wanted to make a better effort at getting and staying in shape.  I was largely successful; I lost 15 lbs or so and my blood pressure went down from the "pre-hypertension" range into the normal range.  I'm sure all the firewood cutting helped, but I also believe that lack of work stress and more time to devote to purposeful exercise (mainly walking) were big factors also.

I rebuilt the carburetor on my old truck.  This wasn't something that was planned, but it became a necessity when the truck wouldn't run right.  I had never rebuilt a carburetor before, so this was definitely a learning experience.  I won't say it's perfect, but it runs a lot better than it used to.

About two months in, I took a side gig doing some consulting for a company that has some interactions with my former employer.  This was totally unplanned.  At that near distance from my launch date, I had absolutely no desire to do anything that related to my former career.  But when the company approached me about it, I was hesitant to say no and burn a bridge.  Who knows when I might need to parlay former connections into a money-making opportunity? (Or at least that's what my irrational inner bag man said.)  Luckily their need for my services has been pretty sparse.  Most weeks I don't do anything; every now and then I might put in an hour or two.  This could have turned into a difficult situation like Sol's back-to-work effort, but I am fortunate that it didn't turn into much of anything, and I didn't have to burn a bridge.

I had the notion that I was going to elevate my guitar playing skills from stumbling through a few chords to something that sounds like music.  So far, the motivation hasn't materialized.

About six months in, I was starting to go through a few periods of boredom, so when I was invited to join the board of a regional non-profit group, I accepted.  This group conducts advocacy related to my former field of employment, so sometimes it starts to feel a bit like work, but mostly it's a good way to stay mentally engaged in something without going all-in.

I was very clear going into FIRE that I wanted to spend more time hiking and birding in my local area.  I live in a scenic, forested area, so opportunities abound.  I've been surprised that I haven't found much time to do this yet.  It seems like there is always some little chore around the house that needs to be done.  I think this is one area where my take-it-as-it-comes approach is hurting me.  I need to at least make the effort to say to myself, "O.K., the weather is going to be good on Monday, so I'm going to schedule a trip to the woods, and anything else that crops up is just going to have to wait."

We took a big family trip out west this past fall, which we had been planning for a couple of years, since before I made my final decision to retire.  It was our first big trip in a long, long time.  We enjoyed it so much that we're going back later this spring.  I didn't really think much about travel plans when I FIREd.  I was having a hard time seeing past the work stress and envisioning what proactive things I might want to do.  But I fear that DW and I have caught the travel bug. We've done some scrutinizing of the budget, and we think we can probably fit in a trip or two a year, and we might even look into a used RV (thank goodness I did OMY, LOL).  I suppose I should have seen this coming, but it kind of caught me off guard.

I went grouse hunting with my brother and son a couple of times, and I ended up buying a cheap used shotgun so I could continue this avocation.  I used to hunt some when I was younger, but hadn't done much in the last decade or so.  This was another one of those outgrowths of the take-it-as-it-comes approach.  My brother is an avid hunter, and he wanted to come visit my area to go grouse hunting.  My son and I went along, and my son killed his first grouse on his first morning out.  That was enough to get us hooked.

My wife and I started walking dogs at the local animal shelter twice a week.  It's a great way to get some exercise, do a good deed, and get a pet fix without actually owning one.  Except now DW is dropping hints about wanting to get a dog...

I've worked myself into the household grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning routine.  My wife has been a SAHM for most of our time together, so I didn't do much of those things prior to retiring.  DW is still in charge of these tasks since she is the expert, but she seems happy to have a helper.

And finally, I've read more books in the last 13 months than I did in probably the previous 30 years.  Reading has become my go-to time filler when I have some down time between tasks and activities.  It's been a nice luxury.  But I'm beginning to worry that I'm going to run out of books to read at my dinky little small town library.

All in all, I'd say I've succeeded at slowing down and relaxing without turning into a slug.  The slowing down has been more mental and emotional than physical, which what I was trying to achieve all along.

Thank you for sharing. It does make me feel better that I have been unable to accomplish as much as I thought I would have.  But, I have accomplished a decent amount and will likely continue to do so as time roles by.  I still very much fear turning into a couch potatoes.

PhilB

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2278 on: February 04, 2019, 03:29:00 AM »

...Due to rain, snow, intense cold temperatures, more snow, and a bad head cold, none of those things happened.  I've been stewing about it some...



Thank you for sharing. It does make me feel better that I have been unable to accomplish as much as I thought I would have.  But, I have accomplished a decent amount and will likely continue to do so as time roles by.  I still very much fear turning into a couch potatoes.
After 3 weeks with a lousy cold and bad weather I can completely sympathise.  I've actually been really glad I was able to do some overtime on my one-day-a-week gig for my old employer as it was the only thing I was fit to do and the feeling of not achieving anything at all was really getting me down.  Hopefully I will soon be back on firewood duty and the other 1001 jobs around the house and garden.
One very unexpected side effect of FIRE is that because I now spend my days (before this sodding cold) doing manual labour outdoors rather than hunched over a computer I'm now half an inch taller!

SwordGuy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2279 on: February 04, 2019, 08:35:36 AM »
Wife and I had our first weekend long get away this weekend.   We dressed up and went to a regency-era ball.   We had a great time.

(We were horrible at the dancing we hadn't been able to dance since last April when we learned how.  But we had a wonderful time.)

Linea_Norway

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2280 on: February 05, 2019, 12:44:48 AM »

And finally, I've read more books in the last 13 months than I did in probably the previous 30 years.  Reading has become my go-to time filler when I have some down time between tasks and activities.  It's been a nice luxury.  But I'm beginning to worry that I'm going to run out of books to read at my dinky little small town library.

Can't you order books from other libraries to your library (for free)?

And about your birding trips. Yes, I think you should plan ahead, if your problem is to procrastinate those trips. Maybe you should even sleep over at the site (in a tent), so you can see the birds early in the morning. And otherwise make a plan to leave the house on time and calculate when you need to get out of bed.

Monkey Uncle

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2281 on: February 05, 2019, 04:42:14 AM »

And finally, I've read more books in the last 13 months than I did in probably the previous 30 years.  Reading has become my go-to time filler when I have some down time between tasks and activities.  It's been a nice luxury.  But I'm beginning to worry that I'm going to run out of books to read at my dinky little small town library.

Can't you order books from other libraries to your library (for free)?

And about your birding trips. Yes, I think you should plan ahead, if your problem is to procrastinate those trips. Maybe you should even sleep over at the site (in a tent), so you can see the birds early in the morning. And otherwise make a plan to leave the house on time and calculate when you need to get out of bed.

I can get books through interlibrary loan, but it costs a little bit.  I'll have to look into it a little closer.  Certainly it costs less than buying a book, but it's not free.

sui generis

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2282 on: February 05, 2019, 08:43:15 AM »
I just realized one of the things I love the most about being retired.  Nearly every day, at some point, I'm like, "What?!?  It's 2:30pm already?" or "oh crap, it's already 4pm!"  And I'm serious - I'm honestly shocked and super chagrined at how late it is, because I have so much more I want/need to do.  I can tell you no matter how much work I was bogged down in in the old days of jobbing, I never was concerned with how fast the day was going by.  Rather, I feel like there were very few days where I wasn't lamenting how slowly each day passed.  So while I'm often a bit distressed to realize I don't have as much time to enjoy or get stuff done as I'd like, it's certainly worth it to not be wishing my life would go by more quickly.

Will

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2283 on: February 05, 2019, 11:31:53 AM »

And finally, I've read more books in the last 13 months than I did in probably the previous 30 years.  Reading has become my go-to time filler when I have some down time between tasks and activities.  It's been a nice luxury.  But I'm beginning to worry that I'm going to run out of books to read at my dinky little small town library.

Can't you order books from other libraries to your library (for free)?



I can get books through interlibrary loan, but it costs a little bit.  I'll have to look into it a little closer.  Certainly it costs less than buying a book, but it's not free.

I was anti-eReaders for the longest time ("I want real books!"), but once I bought myself a Kindle Paperwhite:  my goodness, it feels so odd holding a regular book.  There are so many advantages of eReaders, but one of the nicest ones is the ability to have literally 100s of books on it to read any time.  I can get the latest books on it for free from my library without ever having to set foot into the building itself, and there are so many places online that have free books.  Yeah, you have the initial cost of the Kindle or whatever, but I know mine has paid off over the years.

I just realized one of the things I love the most about being retired.  Nearly every day, at some point, I'm like, "What?!?  It's 2:30pm already?" or "oh crap, it's already 4pm!"  And I'm serious - I'm honestly shocked and super chagrined at how late it is, because I have so much more I want/need to do.  I can tell you no matter how much work I was bogged down in in the old days of jobbing, I never was concerned with how fast the day was going by.  Rather, I feel like there were very few days where I wasn't lamenting how slowly each day passed.  So while I'm often a bit distressed to realize I don't have as much time to enjoy or get stuff done as I'd like, it's certainly worth it to not be wishing my life would go by more quickly.

I can certainly relate to this!  There have been many times where I wake up whenever with all kinds of plans, and those things I wanted to get done before I went to game night (or whatever) don't get done because it is suddenly too late.  Instead of time slowing down in retirement, it seems to have sped up!

DavidAnnArbor

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2284 on: February 05, 2019, 08:32:11 PM »
There are so many advantages of eReaders, but one of the nicest ones is the ability to have literally 100s of books on it to read any time.  I can get the latest books on it for free from my library without ever having to set foot into the building itself, and there are so many places online that have free books.  Yeah, you have the initial cost of the Kindle or whatever, but I know mine has paid off over the years.

Can an iPad be used as an eReader ?

Will

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2285 on: February 06, 2019, 12:19:56 AM »
There are so many advantages of eReaders, but one of the nicest ones is the ability to have literally 100s of books on it to read any time.  I can get the latest books on it for free from my library without ever having to set foot into the building itself, and there are so many places online that have free books.  Yeah, you have the initial cost of the Kindle or whatever, but I know mine has paid off over the years.

Can an iPad be used as an eReader ?

It can, but it is not ideal.  Battery life is much shorter on an iPad.  The lighting is so good on a Kindle.  While reading in the daytime or outside, it is like you are looking at an actual printed page, and at night it is much easier on the eyes than an iPad. 

So yeah, the iPad can be used as an eReader, and I would say it is better than nothing, but the Kindle Paperwhite really is the way to go. 

This article goes into details:  https://ebookfriendly.com/amazon-kindle-vs-apple-ipad-reading-books/

Linea_Norway

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2286 on: February 06, 2019, 12:47:23 AM »
There are so many advantages of eReaders, but one of the nicest ones is the ability to have literally 100s of books on it to read any time.  I can get the latest books on it for free from my library without ever having to set foot into the building itself, and there are so many places online that have free books.  Yeah, you have the initial cost of the Kindle or whatever, but I know mine has paid off over the years.

Can an iPad be used as an eReader ?

It can, but it is not ideal.  Battery life is much shorter on an iPad.  The lighting is so good on a Kindle.  While reading in the daytime or outside, it is like you are looking at an actual printed page, and at night it is much easier on the eyes than an iPad. 

So yeah, the iPad can be used as an eReader, and I would say it is better than nothing, but the Kindle Paperwhite really is the way to go. 

This article goes into details:  https://ebookfriendly.com/amazon-kindle-vs-apple-ipad-reading-books/

I have been a Kindle user for many years. When they first came out, I waited until the price dropped dramatically. That was when they introduced a second model. I love to read from a Kindle. It could last for a month or so without loading the battery, but it didn't have background light. After many years, my DH dropped a camera with telelens on the Kindle screen and then I had to buy a new one, also the paper white, without adds, but with built-in background light. I can read it in the dark.

In my country I cannot even load library books on it, so I have mostly been buying (cheap) books on Amazon and reading some Gutenberg books. But if you can load library books on it, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment. They are most more pleasant to hold than a real book. And on vacations I don't need to bring a whole box full of books.

Rural

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2287 on: February 06, 2019, 03:30:13 AM »
There are so many advantages of eReaders, but one of the nicest ones is the ability to have literally 100s of books on it to read any time.  I can get the latest books on it for free from my library without ever having to set foot into the building itself, and there are so many places online that have free books.  Yeah, you have the initial cost of the Kindle or whatever, but I know mine has paid off over the years.

Can an iPad be used as an eReader ?

It can, but it is not ideal.  Battery life is much shorter on an iPad.  The lighting is so good on a Kindle.  While reading in the daytime or outside, it is like you are looking at an actual printed page, and at night it is much easier on the eyes than an iPad. 

So yeah, the iPad can be used as an eReader, and I would say it is better than nothing, but the Kindle Paperwhite really is the way to go. 

This article goes into details:  https://ebookfriendly.com/amazon-kindle-vs-apple-ipad-reading-books/

I have been a Kindle user for many years. When they first came out, I waited until the price dropped dramatically. That was when they introduced a second model. I love to read from a Kindle. It could last for a month or so without loading the battery, but it didn't have background light. After many years, my DH dropped a camera with telelens on the Kindle screen and then I had to buy a new one, also the paper white, without adds, but with built-in background light. I can read it in the dark.

In my country I cannot even load library books on it, so I have mostly been buying (cheap) books on Amazon and reading some Gutenberg books. But if you can load library books on it, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment. They are most more pleasant to hold than a real book. And on vacations I don't need to bring a whole box full of books.


If you already have the iPad, definitely give that a try first - it's free with free library / Kindle apps (check which app your library uses). It also will let you access more formats than just Amazon's proprietary one. Pretty much everything is available for kindle, but not everything is free from the library in that format.


I'll say I've been reading almost exclusively on an iPad for years now quite happily. I do a lot of reading, both recreational and for work. I have set the Kindle app to light text on a dark background because that's better for me for eye strain and for reading at night. It's true the power doesn't last for months - I plug the tablet up every couple of nights just like I do my phone.

DavidAnnArbor

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2288 on: February 06, 2019, 11:59:00 AM »
Thanks for the information.

SwordGuy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2289 on: February 06, 2019, 09:03:42 PM »
I've been making art again.  And designing pieces as well.   Damn, but that feels good.

Teaching the art classes is lots of fun and it's good for my soul.

Just registered for an art technique conference today.  It will take place this summer.   

We're going to another Regency era ball this summer, too.

Rental #4 is almost done.  Should be done by end of next week if all goes reasonably well.   Bad weather caused some delays.  Not understanding how much work painting the new deck instead of staining it was another.  (Never making that mistake again!)
Having my wife and daughter injured was another reason.   And just being in the doldrums and not working hard on it for the last two months was another.   It will be good to get it done and rented.

Still on the fence about turning Flip #2 into a single family house or leaving it as a duplex and renting it out.   A cute house next door to it isn't selling for a good sales price and it appears to be in fine condition.   We'll be starting on it after rental #4 is done.   After that I may take a break for a while (unless I find a *great* deal).     

As far as finances go, I'll be happy if we just keep the gains in the market we've had already this year.   

Cherry Lane

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2290 on: March 25, 2019, 09:35:14 PM »
A week ago I reached one year as a FIREee.  My, how the time has flown.  And yet, having a "real job" seems like a lifetime ago.

I haven't done a lot of what I'd planned, and FIREd life doesn't look quite how I thought it might, but I'm happy I'm here!

What about the rest of you?

sol

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2291 on: March 25, 2019, 10:40:41 PM »
I sort of un-retired, then decided that working isn't for me anymore.

I work out a lot more, as I expected I would.  I think I have bigger muscles right now than at any other time in my life, which isn't saying a lot but it's not nothing.

I've completed a whole long list of household projects, both inside and out.

I stopped a burglary at a neighbor's house, because I was home during the day.

I spend a lot more time with my aging parents, and my kids.  And my stress levels are almost unchartable, even in situation where I should probably rightfully feel stressed out.  Nothing really bothers me anymore, at least not the ways they used to.

I've taken on a couple of volunteer gigs, and gotten waaay more involved in them than I thought I would.  I have time and ability that no one else seems able to give.

Linea_Norway

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2292 on: March 26, 2019, 12:56:49 AM »

<>...  And my stress levels are almost unchartable, even in situation where I should probably rightfully feel stressed out.  Nothing really bothers me anymore, at least not the ways they used to.


I am so much looking forward to this. This last year feels very long.

davisgang90

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2293 on: March 26, 2019, 04:28:54 AM »
FIRE is great so far.  I've not worked out as much as I wanted to, time to change that.

I've found a good volunteer gig one night a week.  I'm in a Citizens Safety Academy for the next 8 months or so one night a week.  We go around my county to learn about the different emergency services to better understand their various roles.

I am looking for another job (don't tell the IRP!) to give back tot he community as a 911 operator.  I really enjoy helping people and also enjoy the stress associated with that kind of role.  We'll see if I make the cut.

TartanTallulah

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2294 on: March 26, 2019, 04:31:30 AM »
The thread is alive! Hello :-) One of the things I didn't expect from FIRE is that I'm spending SO much less time on this site now.

This chimes.

I just realized one of the things I love the most about being retired.  Nearly every day, at some point, I'm like, "What?!?  It's 2:30pm already?" or "oh crap, it's already 4pm!"  And I'm serious - I'm honestly shocked and super chagrined at how late it is, because I have so much more I want/need to do.  I can tell you no matter how much work I was bogged down in in the old days of jobbing, I never was concerned with how fast the day was going by.  Rather, I feel like there were very few days where I wasn't lamenting how slowly each day passed.  So while I'm often a bit distressed to realize I don't have as much time to enjoy or get stuff done as I'd like, it's certainly worth it to not be wishing my life would go by more quickly.

I'm amazed at how time runs away on my "retired" days, especially when I have something I want to do.

Nearly five months in, I'm still fair game for the IRP. My retirement work gig has grown a little (30 hours some weeks, though this is exceptional) and sprouted expectations of mandatory training. I don't mind the training now that I have sofa-time to do it. I've declined other work opportunities, including pleas from my former workplace, which remains in a state of constant drama. I'm so glad it's no longer my problem.

My husband still works there in a junior role and hasn't been treated well since I left. He'll be reducing his working hours next month, having been unable to prevent them from loading more and more tasks into his sessions. I support him, but a bit of me is thinking, "I'm not sure my retirement plan included being back to working more hours than you within six months." Another bit of me is thinking, "Walk, we've got enough FU money for you too, and it would be great if we could take vacations at short notice without you having to get the approval of a manager neither of us regards as fit for the job."

Although I'm quite enjoying the work I do, I enjoy my "retired" weekdays, with nothing to do and all day to do it, even more. Sometimes I don't do much more than "nothing" - a bit of reading, mooch around on the internet, go for a run or a bike ride, pick off a small housework task.

PhilB

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2295 on: March 26, 2019, 06:13:39 AM »
Although I'm quite enjoying the work I do, I enjoy my "retired" weekdays, with nothing to do and all day to do it, even more. Sometimes I don't do much more than "nothing" - a bit of reading, mooch around on the internet, go for a run or a bike ride, pick off a small housework task.
This chimed so much with me.  Sunday was bright and sunny, we rode into town to do a bit of shopping in the morning and pottered in the garden in the afternoon.  When we stopped for the day, just knowing that we could finish those tasks tomorrow or the day after or whenever was such a wonderful feeling compared to the days of 'Oh no, the weekend's over and we didn't get it all done!'

markbike528CBX

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2296 on: March 26, 2019, 12:29:15 PM »
Well, I've been so retired, I forgot that this is my cohort (I'm the OP of the 2019 thread).   

I agree that time goes past quickly.  My wife works 4 hours/day and by the time I'm up and about she's almost home.  I'm updating iTunes on my (new to me iPad 2). 

After FIRE, we spent a lot of time traveling so I fell down on 2019 thread upkeep.  Fortunately, @Trifele stepped up, but is now retiring too, so we'll see how the thread list updates go.

Nearly a year in, the spend levels look OK (could be better).

SwordGuy

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2297 on: March 26, 2019, 03:22:54 PM »
We retired last May and got off to a horrible start.  Wife and I both got horribly sick and stayed that way for much of May.   Wife messed up her ankle and then later her knee so she was in a wheelchair or on crutches for months.   Daughter fell and broke her leg so she was in a wheelchair.  (At one point, both needed a wheelchair at the same time.)

The two rental houses we picked up took more effort to get done that we expected, especially the 2nd one.  Partly because we underestimated how much delay there would be due to painting the new deck and partly because with all the other stuff that had been going on, I was running on empty.

And yet, I can't imagine how absolutely horrible all that inconvenience would have been if we still needed to work for a living!

Our FI status turned what could have been a financial disaster into a mere pain in the rear nuisance.

Now that the rentals are done I've been doing things around the house that needed doing.  Things like getting my woodshop and my wife's pottery studio organized so we can work in them plus some put-off repairs.   I've hosted two art party weekends and I start teaching my 2nd art class tomorrow.

We're starting to lose track of what day is what.   Missed putting the trash out on the right day last week!   

We've been doing more reading.

Now that we're all healthy again we'll start taking some 3-4 day trips.

FIRE Life is good.

Cherry Lane

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2298 on: March 26, 2019, 04:42:34 PM »
We're starting to lose track of what day is what.   Missed putting the trash out on the right day last week!   

Thanks for remiding me to get the trash out tonight!  I've only been remembering about once per three weeks. Fortunately I don't generate much trash.

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FIRE Life is good.

I'm glad you are finding that, despite your initial setbacks.  I agree!

Linea_Norway

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Re: 2018 FIRE cohort
« Reply #2299 on: March 27, 2019, 01:31:54 AM »
We're starting to lose track of what day is what.   Missed putting the trash out on the right day last week!   

Thanks for remiding me to get the trash out tonight!  I've only been remembering about once per three weeks. Fortunately I don't generate much trash.

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Our trash company sends out an SMS to every relevant household the evening before the collection. That is quite useful. Maybe you could request that they implement such a function?

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!