Author Topic: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?  (Read 8077 times)

tooqk4u22

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For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« on: August 06, 2012, 11:51:38 AM »
If I am spending time here vs. doing something productive, is it not?


en dub

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2012, 12:14:55 PM »
Yes. Now get back to work! :)

arebelspy

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2012, 01:45:39 PM »
Depends on what you get out of the forums.

Certainly one could be doing more productive things than being on here, at times.

On the other hand, if you get information out of here that helps you decrease spending, increase income, invest better or in a more effective way, improve your Mustachian muscles, change your mindset, etc... then being here wouldn't be antithetical to FI at all, but rather a boost.

Re: thread title, relook at my name.  It's three words.  ;)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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tooqk4u22

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2012, 01:55:30 PM »
You know, I was wondering what it was. Damn I am dumb, the 3 word clue did it - although I just noticed I dropped an E in the title -sorry.

Anyway just joke thread given your comment in the other thread...oh there are going to a 1000 of these......but I guess there is some legitimacy to the questions, especially for those that are addicitve.

igthebold

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2012, 03:32:07 PM »
Ha. More like, "Are 'Is X antithetical to MMM' questions antithetical to MMM?"

But sometimes, for me, being on this board doesn't help. :P

James

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2012, 08:06:20 PM »
I've found the board to have diminishing returns recently, with a lot of fanaticism/fundamentalism that has taken away from what I saw as the more practical nature of MMM.  I guess my time reading those long posts and figuring out everyones positions just doesn't seem worth it.  But I'm learning to just drop those threads and let them pass if it isn't worth my time, so that is helping.


But in the big picture I have received a tremendous amount from both MMM and this forum, overall it's been time very well spent. 

Perpetual_Student

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2012, 01:58:05 PM »
I do feel that I have to respond re: arebelspy's SN - it took me a few days to realize that it was "a rebel spy."  I think the capitalization threw me off.  I was saying it "AIR-ah-BELL-spee" in my head for a while.

o.O

James

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2012, 02:03:30 PM »
I do feel that I have to respond re: arebelspy's SN - it took me a few days to realize that it was "a rebel spy."  I think the capitalization threw me off.  I was saying it "AIR-ah-BELL-spee" in my head for a while.

o.O


That's how I was saying it in my head for the longest time as well...  :D  It wasn't until I typed it out that I realized the three words.

arebelspy

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2012, 03:22:24 PM »
I've used this screen name since 1996 or so. Had much confusion over it. Many people I met online, when meeting for the first time in person, finally realize when they hear someone else say it out loud. So don't feel bad. :P

I'd estimate maybe only 20% get it right away. I think the mind sees the "are" first as a word, and that ruins them.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

igthebold

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2012, 03:48:01 PM »
The closest I can get to the reference is "You are part of the rebel alliance and a spy!"

What's the actual reference, Arbel? ;)

PS - people have called me "Igthe" so you're not alone.

arebelspy

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2012, 03:52:02 PM »
that actual line is "..and a traitor"

Yeah, just a generic rebel spy. I was signing up for a screen name and put in stuff like darth vader and it was like "unavailable, how about darthva847?" and after doing that about 6 times (with Luke skywalker, etc.) I ended up with this.

I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

Uncephalized

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #11 on: August 07, 2012, 04:41:16 PM »
The first time I read your name I thought it was "Arab Elspy" or something. It took me a couple of days to realize I was reading it wrong...

smedleyb

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #12 on: August 07, 2012, 05:07:45 PM »
I think I own the record for butchering the guy's name.  And it ain't even close...

arebelspy

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #13 on: August 07, 2012, 05:54:17 PM »
Yeah, I didn't hear the "Arab" interpretation until recently.  Was used to being called "Rebel" or "Spy" sometimes.  Being a redhead, I got a good laugh whenever I got called Arab.  :D

Smedley, you haven't known me long enough to hold that record.  Some IRC friends from the early 2000s own that record, I think.  Keep working at it though, you'll get there!
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

Mrs MM

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2012, 09:57:29 AM »
I've found the board to have diminishing returns recently, with a lot of fanaticism/fundamentalism that has taken away from what I saw as the more practical nature of MMM.  I guess my time reading those long posts and figuring out everyones positions just doesn't seem worth it.  But I'm learning to just drop those threads and let them pass if it isn't worth my time, so that is helping.


But in the big picture I have received a tremendous amount from both MMM and this forum, overall it's been time very well spent.

Hi James.  That's unfortunate... care to elaborate?  I don't spend much time on here, but maybe something is required from us?  Maybe having a separate area for those kinds of ideas would help?

I used to be on a board that had a "Hot Topics" area and many people never went on there, but a ton of people really enjoyed discussions there... (although they really did get heated and often caused issues on the board).  As a board grows and the more committed members stay around, it tends to become more useful as well.  We're still young and figuring stuff out.

elindbe2

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #15 on: August 21, 2012, 11:47:20 AM »
Depends on your priorities.  If you want to get to FI as efficiently and quickly as possible, then maybe.  If you just want to lazily stroll towards it like me, then no.  I see FI as a goal that will allow me even more of a leisurely attitude towards life.  Defeats the purpose if I have to rigidly structure every waking second of my life in order to achieve FI.

James

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #16 on: August 21, 2012, 07:55:50 PM »
I've found the board to have diminishing returns recently, with a lot of fanaticism/fundamentalism that has taken away from what I saw as the more practical nature of MMM.  I guess my time reading those long posts and figuring out everyones positions just doesn't seem worth it.  But I'm learning to just drop those threads and let them pass if it isn't worth my time, so that is helping.


But in the big picture I have received a tremendous amount from both MMM and this forum, overall it's been time very well spent.

Hi James.  That's unfortunate... care to elaborate?  I don't spend much time on here, but maybe something is required from us?  Maybe having a separate area for those kinds of ideas would help?

I used to be on a board that had a "Hot Topics" area and many people never went on there, but a ton of people really enjoyed discussions there... (although they really did get heated and often caused issues on the board).  As a board grows and the more committed members stay around, it tends to become more useful as well.  We're still young and figuring stuff out.


I don't know that anything needs to be done, I agree that balance will probably come with time.  The thread that best represents what I was referring to is this one.  The topic in general was one I was hoping to see here and would have brought up myself eventually, but the way it was presented and discussed completely turned me off.  I'm not necessarily worried it will be an ongoing issue, it's just a style of discussion I will avoid even if I want to discuss the topic.  I'm sure over time topics will come up in various ways based on who brings them up and how the conversation goes, I'm happy to stick around and will continue to enjoy the people here and the conversations we have.

englyn

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2012, 08:13:40 PM »
I agree with James' first comment but not as much his second. It's disappointing when an (otherwise perfectly valid) love for debate and search for proof gets in the way of actually learning stuff. Even more so when people with interesting alternative viewpoints leave the board for that reason. Not that I have any useful suggestions for helping balance.

arebelspy

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #18 on: August 21, 2012, 08:49:11 PM »
I agree with both of James' comments (and can't really think of a time I haven't agreed with him, come to think of it).

However a lot of the value for me personally is in the forums helping me stay in a Mustachian mindset as I read and comment on posts, getting encouraged by other people's successes, occasionally getting a chance to help someone with some knowledge or bit they might not have thought of, and learning things when other people post things I didn't know myself.

Naturally, as one learns more, there will be diminishing returns on that last one, which is (selfishly) one of the best ones, but the other ones remain valid and useful, for me at the very least.

It's disappointing when an (otherwise perfectly valid) love for debate and search for proof gets in the way of actually learning stuff.

It only gets in the way when one lets it.  Easy enough to avoid/ignore/move on when something is impeding you.

In the multiple threads that spawned from the one James' linked to, I think I commented once (obviously rare, for me on a forum).  However I did read every post.  I revised my thinking on some things, bit my tongue on some things, etc.  Easy to take what I can from it, move on from some, and not let it impede my journey. 

IMO, YMMV.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

Mrs MM

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #19 on: August 23, 2012, 09:47:05 AM »
However I did read every post.  I revised my thinking on some things, bit my tongue on some things, etc.  Easy to take what I can from it, move on from some, and not let it impede my journey. 

Well said.  I hope we can all continue to do that - we have an excellent group of people here.  Thanks for your input on this!

James

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Re: For Arbelspy - Is being on this board Antithetical to FI?
« Reply #20 on: August 23, 2012, 01:33:25 PM »
In the multiple threads that spawned from the one James' linked to, I think I commented once (obviously rare, for me on a forum).  However I did read every post.  I revised my thinking on some things, bit my tongue on some things, etc.  Easy to take what I can from it, move on from some, and not let it impede my journey. 

IMO, YMMV.

You have a good point, I did learn from those posts and read them with a similar result, taking and appreciating the things I could.  I think it bothered me more due to my own background.