What does having FI feel like?

[brooklynguy]

I do think that what you say carries more weight because you're a moderator

Whether or not this is true, I wouldn't want the moderators to feel constrained in their posting by virtue of their role as moderators.  They act in dual capacities, and it's usually pretty clear whether they are posting in their capacity as a moderator or as just another individual poster.  Like all of us, they should follow forum rules (which have no strict, hard-and-fast requirements for keeping threads "on topic"), but should not be held to a different standard (or else we would risk causing a chilling effect on the exercise of their right to freely post their thoughts).

[dragoncar]

There are quite a few long-standing forum participants, who are enjoying FI, that are engaged in this lengthy discussion about the Simpsons. It is has nothing to do with the topic. Other participants have tried to bring the discussion back to the topic and are being ignored. Could you all let it go now, and let people get on with this thread?

My sincere thanks.

Off topic stuff tends to run its course, peter out, and then someone posts an on topic post, and that's discussed, and then a thread is back on track.

It's hard to--on an open forum where posts aren't deleted/threads locked for being off topic (see: Bogleheads)--get a thread back on topic just by a request of "can we get back on topic?"

People have their thing to say, and will say it, and short of moderator intervention (deleting off topic posts), it's best to just wait a bit and then post an on topic post (not a request to go on topic, because there's nothing to discuss with that).  :)

Short of FORCING users to share "what does having FI feel like," nothing is going to bring this thread on-topic.  Likely anyone who wanted to share their feelings already has.  If anything, ongoing off-topic discussion brings more attention to the thread (for those users who missed it the first time) than dying from lack of new posts (all off-topic discussion deleted).

 personally I really dislike gifs cluttering up my screen.

Welcome to the internet -- There is an ignore function if you wish to use it.

[Meowmalade]

Okay, one more reply from me before I stop derailing this thread on this unrelated topic.

What I've seen on this forum and on other forums, is that when a thread is getting really derailed, if someone (in this case, several people) requests that it's brought back on topic, the polite thing to do is to get back on topic or to move the discussion to another thread.  Oftentimes, this request is made or the thread moved by a moderator.  So while I agree that arebelspy should be able to participate fully, I just question that a thread with a specific subject is the place for continuing an off-topic discussion.  If someone wants to discuss this further, starting a new thread would be a good idea  ;)

[dragoncar]

Okay, one more reply from me before I stop derailing this thread on this unrelated topic.

What I've seen on this forum and on other forums, is that when a thread is getting really derailed, if someone (in this case, several people) requests that it's brought back on topic, the polite thing to do is to get back on topic or to move the discussion to another thread.  Oftentimes, this request is made or the thread moved by a moderator.  So while I agree that arebelspy should be able to participate fully, I just question that a thread with a specific subject is the place for continuing an off-topic discussion.  If someone wants to discuss this further, starting a new thread would be a good idea  ;)

What, do I look like I'm made of ThreadBucks?

[steveo]

I just saw this and thought I'd state my 2 cents. Sometimes conversations go in different directions and this applies for threads. I can't stand forums that have moderators that are constantly stating get back on topic. It's annoying and I think uses a too blunt approach.

[arebelspy]

It's a tough balance.  I appreciate the feedback though Meowmalade, especially with regard to my posts in particular.  Sorry it bothered you.

[Meowmalade]

It's a tough balance.  I appreciate the feedback though Meowmalade, especially with regard to my posts in particular.  Sorry it bothered you.

Thanks again for your hard work in being a moderator (I'm sure that balance is always a struggle), and thank you for acknowledging my feedback.

[RootofGood]

FI is like an all you can eat pizza buffet, except instead of different flavors of pizza, there's heaping pans of fun, relaxation, excitement, and freedom.  You can partake all you want and you never get fat (unless you actually go to an all you can eat pizza buffet and overindulge). 

Eat my pizza buffet, Bart Simpson. 

[happy]

You mean its a sort of gastronomic intergalactic experience? Something like, say, Venus?

[AllieVaulter]

If anything, ongoing off-topic discussion brings more attention to the thread (for those users who missed it the first time) than dying from lack of new posts (all off-topic discussion deleted).

Yup.  That's how I found this fine thread.  I've thoroughly enjoyed reading people's thoughts on FIRE.  In fact, Sol via Brooklynguy may have convinced me I'm being too conservative in my planning...  FIRE is still a few years off for me, so I'll continue to reassess as it approaches, but I was certainly aiming for 99% success rate before.  I'm feeling a bit more flexible now.  :)

[happy]

Yes this fact caught my attention also and I ran some 5-6% WR numbers just to see.
Oh dear OP, sorry I'm still off topic.
I'm semiretired - all I can say is my off work days are so good I can't wait to be fully retired.

[pbkmaine]

For me, FI is small things that add up to a much higher quality of life. It's having time to cook a long, complicated and delicious meal. It's taking a nap in the afternoon. It's going to a park in the middle of the day on a weekday. It's staying up until 1am, then sleeping in until 9. It's having long conversations with people. It's being able to do things slowly and not on a schedule. It's riding my bike whenever I feel like it. It's taking a 90 minute yoga with a tai chi warmup class at 1pm on a Wednesday. And with all due respect to those of you who love to travel, it's staying away from airports as much as possible.

[Lnspilot]

I love all of that, pbkmaine! Nicely said.

Can't wait.

[Meowmalade]

I love all of that, pbkmaine! Nicely said.

Can't wait.

Me too, sounds like heaven!  :)

[DanielleS]

For me, being RE has allowed me to fulfill a lifelong goal (and by lifelong, I mean this goal has persisted throughout my life from pre-teen until now). I can't describe how awesome a feeling it is! This is a work-intensive goal, meaning it's not something relatively benign such as pleasure traveling (which we do a lot of also) and the fact that I can either stay up until 2 am learning HTML or wake up every day between 3am and 5am to work on my writing means that I can use the best of myself on my goal, instead of the best of myself on my paying job and have a modicum left over to expend in the mornings, the nights, or the weekends.

I was and always have been a driven person and excelled at my jobs, but I would put so much pressure on myself that my home life would suffer. That has completely changed. Now that we're both retired, my husband and I are almost like different people! Our essence is the same, but we've relaxed so much compared to how we used to be beforehand.

Our last traditional paying job was my husband's, he took a job for about 8 months that we didn't need--we were for all intents and purposes retired already but I suppose we didn't really accept our good fortunes yet. We have investments and rental income that not only pay for our expenses, but also allow us to reinvest some of the rental income in stocks. Still, since my husband is paranoid about money he took a FT job. Even though I was at home and doing all the work there (meaning EVERY SINGLE THING was taken care of for him except he still had to chew his own food, haha) while also working on my own projects, it was terrible compared to how it had been for the half-year that we were retired.

We travel full-time, and to us it's become just our lifestyle. We're entering our 4th year of full-time travel as of last month. I always wanted to do this (I never ever saw myself working at a traditional job until 65), but the reality is so much better than what I had imagined, because I had imagined myself being the same stressed out person while not having a job! In reality it's infinitely better.

What the essence of my post is about, is that there is a deep, deep relaxation that comes from being retired (monetarily securely) that I did not understand or appreciate until I experienced it.

[arebelspy]

Wow, I love your story Danielle!

Way to go!  :D

What the essence of my post is about, is that there is a deep, deep relaxation that comes from being retired (monetarily securely) that I did not understand or appreciate until I experienced it.

Hear, hear.

[Cassie]

When I was working f.t. and would meet a neighbor when walking the dog I would always feel some pressure not to talk to long because I had things to do before work the next day. Now If I run into one I can talk an hour if I want. It is a totally different feeling.  There have been many little things like this that I enjoy. We had 7 weeks of vacation last year -could never had done more then 2 while working.

[YeahNo]

Having a rough night with an infant that is sick and know you don't have to get up at 6am to go to work :)

[RootofGood]

Having a rough night with an infant that is sick and know you don't have to get up at 6am to go to work :)

Oh yes yes yes.

And in one case, waking up at 2 am to mop up vomit that came from the top bunk.  Then realizing that when you're done at 4 am that you can sleep all day if you need to.  :)

[YeahNo]

Having a rough night with an infant that is sick and know you don't have to get up at 6am to go to work :)

Oh yes yes yes.

And in one case, waking up at 2 am to mop up vomit that came from the top bunk.  Then realizing that when you're done at 4 am that you can sleep all day if you need to.  :)

Second story puke, oh the pleasures. lol

[RootofGood]

Having a rough night with an infant that is sick and know you don't have to get up at 6am to go to work :)

Oh yes yes yes.

And in one case, waking up at 2 am to mop up vomit that came from the top bunk.  Then realizing that when you're done at 4 am that you can sleep all day if you need to.  :)

Second story puke, oh the pleasures. lol

I told her to lay off the chili paste and srirachi because her pho was already way too spicy but did she listen to Daddy?  No. 

Why couldn't it have been hot dog chunks or something?  No mortal should ever have to develop a method to clean up that much vomit.  No one should ever have to learn to push in from the edge and "establish a beachhead" in the middle of the puke to clean it up.  Worse night of parenting ever.  It was the marathon of parenting, 26.2 dirty towels covered in partially digested spicy tangy pho remnants. 

I'm just glad we have hardwood floors.  And febreeze.

Note to other prospective parents: besides those two hours and a few other similar pee/poop/vomit related incidents, parenting has been generally swell. 

[deborah]

I don't have 27 towels - is this mustachian?

[EscapeVelocity2020]

I don't have 27 towels - is this mustachian?

I'm guessing he's referring to 'marathon' (26.2 miles).  If an infant puked 27 towels worth, they probably have late-stage Ebola.

[YeahNo]

ROG, have you or anyone in your family traveled outside the country in the last 90 days? :)

[RootofGood]

I don't have 27 towels - is this mustachian?

I'm not sure if we actually have 27 full size bath towels but I bet we're close.  I picked up a couple dozen back in college when I was doing a summer gig working for the international Special Olympics.  After the athletes and their support teams left the dormitories (where we were hosting them), they were tossing out all the linens.  I picked up tons of towels, wash clothes, bed sheets, etc to save them from the trash.  I can't say that I've ever bought a towel in my life.  We also have 5 people in the family so 27 towels isn't really excessive in our case: 1-2 per person per week for bathing, an extra set in case we don't get the laundry done in 1 day, and a set in case we go swimming (like today).  Throw in a few that are used for bath mats or rugs, a few for cleaning stuff up, a few for home gym, and 27 seems about right.  Maybe that's not mustachian but it takes care of our needs.

I really want to go count them all right now.  :)

I'm guessing he's referring to 'marathon' (26.2 miles).  If an infant puked 27 towels worth, they probably have late-stage Ebola.

Ding ding ding!  26.2 prizes for you! 

I'm sure I used at least 5-6 full size bath towels.  And it wasn't an infant, but a 7 or 8 year old that just ate too much pho, then probably drank a bunch of water.  Then she woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't make it down from the top bunk.  We heard the splashing from our bedroom and we immediately knew something was wrong.  No ebola as far as we know but it was almost as bad cleaning that mess up. 

[BPA]

Ding ding ding!  26.2 prizes for you! 

I'm sure I used at 5-6 full size bath towels.  And it wasn't an infant, but a 7 or 8 year old that just ate too much pho, then probably drank a bunch of water.  Then she woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't make it down from the top bunk.  We heard the splashing from our bedroom and we immediately knew something was wrong.  No ebola as far as we know but it was almost as bad cleaning that mess up.

Your description is so powerful, I might just puke in response.  You know, as in "complete and total barforama."

Is a Stand by Me reference grounds for taking the thread further off topic?  :P

Thanks for the laughs, everyone.

[RedefinedHappiness]

This thread is awesome. I'm inspired. Thanks everyone.

[BTDretire]

I don't have 27 towels - is this mustachian?

We have 27 towels, and it's a bit of a pet peave I have with my wife.
The same new unused towels have been in the closet for 21 years.
We have had them longer than that, we had them when we moved to this house
21 years ago.
 "But, they're to nice to use!"

huh?

 Oh well, she has many other pluses. :-)

[dragoncar]

I don't have 27 towels - is this mustachian?

We have 27 towels, and it's a bit of a pet peave I have with my wife.
The same new unused towels have been in the closet for 21 years.
We have had them longer than that, we had them when we moved to this house
21 years ago.
 "But, they're to nice to use!"

huh?

 Oh well, she has many other pluses. :-)

Guess how many categories of towel I have.

Here's the first four:

-everyday use
-fancy
-guest
-fancy guest

[arebelspy]

uhhh... uhhh... 11?

/top of my head, no googling
//one of the best episodes

[dragoncar]

uhhh... uhhh... 11?

/top of my head, no googling
//one of the best episodes

11. Unbelievable. 11 is correct.

With a memory like that, you must be some kind of transponster

[happy]

Are you guys off topic again?
I didn't do it.

[dragoncar]

Are you guys off topic again?
I didn't do it.

I need to keep posting until I am finally FI and can share what it feels like

Ps feels great, like a bag of sand

[arebelspy]

Are you guys off topic again?

Whoops!  Didn't even realize this was that same thread--I just jump to new replies and respond.  :)

[deborah]

Are you guys off topic again?
I didn't do it.

I think I may have. And now that you mention it, both times. Sorry! And I didn't realise it was the same thread. Woops.

[happy]

Um, have to confess, "I didn't do it" was a Simpsons' reference.
Off topic is fine with me ;)

[Mr. Green]

No one should ever have to learn to push in from the edge and "establish a beachhead" in the middle of the puke to clean it up.

I just died laughing. We don't have kids yet so I'm sure I'll have one of these experiences myself one day but man was that funny!

[RootofGood]

I just died laughing. We don't have kids yet so I'm sure I'll have one of these experiences myself one day but man was that funny!

When you're deep in the trenches establishing that beachhead, you can't do more than laugh and accept your fate. 

[Dicey]

God, I love everything this about this forum, off-topic references and all.
To sorta answer the OP's question, all women to ramble a bit*

*That was an auto correct, which cracked me up, so STET.

What I actually wrote was "allow me to ramble"...Wow, am I off topic already?

Right now, it's Monday afternoon.  My lazy ass is on the couch. I'm wearing sweats, I haven't showered yet, I'm watching DVR'd HGTV, surfing this site to get caught up, while the cat snores away on my stomach. And there has been intermittent napping. I love having a lazy day with no guilt.

DH and just returned from finishing up our latest out-of-area rental property reno late last night, and my calender of volunteer activities was blissfully clear today. I have a 91-year-old friend coming over to do the Sunday NYC Crossword later this afternoon and she will stay for dinner. She's my former neighbor and we do this every week.

I need to make a few phone calls and unpack the car, but it can wait a bit. DH bought me an "I something" for Christmas, which I swapped out for an Android platform tablet to sync my cheap no-cotract phone, for less than half the price. I'm still trying to get the hang of using it, hence the funny auto-correct above.

So, it ain't glamorous, but this is the difference between FI and RE for me. I can waste most of a Monday, and thoroughly enjoy myself in the process. This is my favorite kind of multi-tasking. I absolutely adore the flexibility that being retired early (-ish) brings.

[Financial.Velociraptor]

I'm FIRE.  It's a Monday night and I'm drinking (a little bit too much) wine.  I'll sleep in tomorrow.  No guilt.  Life is good.

[Adventures With Poopsie]

Wow, what a thread. I don't have a story to contribute as I am not FI or RE yet...

But I can't wait!!!!

[dividendman]

Amazing thread. I also just hit my bare minimum FI number and have to say it kinda sucks. I just took a new higher-paying-greater-responsibilities job to save up even more and it's a slog every day. Like some others have posted the slog feeling is worse than when I was far away from FI and was motivated to grow the NW.

I might just pull the plug so being FI isn't a moo point.

[Exflyboy]

Well tomorrow my Wife leaves to go visit her Mom for Spring break and I stay here to look after the rentals and horses.

We have to leave sometime mid morning and not much is going on with my Hobby job so no hurry, no stress.. Maybe have a little lunch with Wifey at the airport.. we'll see..:)

But what if something comes up at "work".. well they can jolly well wait for me to come back.. or not as the case may be..:)

Really don't care..

[Icecreamarsenal]

For the newbies who may have missed this thread.  Sitting here at 5pm on Friday, with 4 more hours to go, and maybe some more hours after that...who knows?  Whatever FI feels like, count me fucking in.

[Exflyboy]

For the newbies who may have missed this thread.  Sitting here at 5pm on Friday, with 4 more hours to go, and maybe some more hours after that...who knows?  Whatever FI feels like, count me fucking in.

Your FIRED on Friday?

[oneyear]

I read it as they aren't fired, but have 4 more hours in work to go.

Keep up the fight. It's come soon enough ICA.

[Icecreamarsenal]

Not FIREd this past Friday, just pining for it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Exflyboy]

Oh right.. I read it as "4 more hours to go until FIRED"

Stay on that treadmill.. it will happen.

[DailyGrindFree]

I'm FIRE.  It's a Monday night and I'm drinking (a little bit too much) wine.  I'll sleep in tomorrow.  No guilt.  Life is good.

That is what I am shooting for. Monday, friday, saturday - they will all be the same. Cheers.

[Cassie]

I really hated dragging myself to work when I did not feel well but not sick enough to stay home.  It is nice not to have to be somewhere at a certain time.