June, 2018: My wife decided to start working again after seeing this MMM talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEBe7ZEfORc specifically so I can retire. She's even told me that if I wanted to quit in 2 years and just be a professional adjunct professor, she'd be okay with it, so long as I'm happy. I concluded that I could not guarantee happiness since my base level is somewhere below contentedness, but loved her idea.
Her income flows into a separate account and mostly knocks down debt.
This week: She started a new job with a $20k pay increase, but she has to take the train to NYC, then a subway to Wall Street. I told her I'd get up to drive her, but she was determined she'd take a bicycle 2 miles each way at 4:30AM and 7:00PM for her 4/10 shifts.
Something you need to know about my wife. She has a back and hip injury since leaving the Army in 2012, and did not think she could ride a bicycle. She is overweight, but has been able to maintain it through diet.
Each of the 3 days before today, she took the bike and it kicked her ass. Today, she woke me to take her, but not because she woke up late, or didn't want to ride. She left her debit card at the house and had to hustle back on the bike to get it, and needed me to get her to her train on time, WHICH SHE MADE!!!!!!
She's a total badass, and I'm thrilled to post this somewhere where people will also think it's great.