Author Topic: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic  (Read 5434 times)

mm1970

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #50 on: July 07, 2020, 08:31:35 PM »
I have one!  It completely shattered my dreams of early retirement.  Keep reading.

I am an engineer.  I design buildings.  I was laid off from my previous employer in April, with very little notice.  Most of the buildings I designed were overpriced resorts, casinos and technically-it's-not-a-scam timeshares.  How much did I like that job?  It's the one that motivated me to learn about early retirement.  I was offended that I went in the first round of layoffs, but after years of riding my bike to work, I had enough money to last me 8 years. 

While unemployed, I was receiving $875/week in unemployment benefits so I considered this like a mini free sample of early retirement.  I got bored quickly and all I could think to do was find jobs to apply for and get really excited about them.  6 weeks later, for the first time in my life, I had two competing offers, both for significantly more money than my previous job paid.

I build hospitals now and I love it. I really can't think of a better use for my skills, that I would be more proud of, and I'm pretty sure I will continue building hospitals long after I've satisfied the whatever-percent rule.  I've had my taste of early retirement, and I'm glad it made people happy, but I don't think it's for me.  Not anymore at least, now that I know what it's like to do work that I'm proud of.  I'm still saving money because anything can change, and paychecks are not reliable, but my entire mindset around my career has changed.  I'm better off in every way for it.

Finally, not that it will ever matter, but I made more money from my severance pay + unemployment benefits, than I would have if I kept my previous job until the day I started my new job.
This is really awesome.

mm1970

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #51 on: July 07, 2020, 08:36:13 PM »
One bright spot:
WFH means that I'm not sharing an office with a Trumper conservative middle class white guy whose bummed that his life isn't as awesome as his dad's. (Not as much money, not as many toys, woe is me.)  This last election made daily life...difficult.

However, we can at least connect on the suckfest that is working at home with kids. Our boss, who doesn't always "get it" was surprised to hear that my office mate is not getting as much done. "Everyone else says they are more productive!"  Everyone else doesn't have 2 kids under 5 and no childcare.  I'd made a similar comment near the end of the school year, and my comment was dismissed (by my boss) as "everyone else is going through the same thing." 

Yeah, no dude.  Your kids are in high school and middle school and your wife doesn't work.  That's a far cry from having a second grader trying to distance learn over zoom with 2 FT working parents.

YttriumNitrate

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #52 on: July 08, 2020, 06:35:29 AM »
Here are a few I've noticed:
  • A few first run movies have come straight to streaming services. As someone with young kids who hasn't been to a movie theater in over a year, this is great.
  • Kids/pets making noise in the background during conference calls is now practically expected. I started teleworking 100% of the time in late 2019, and finding a quiet time for conference calls was challenging. Now if a kid screams in the background nobody seems to care.
  • My local big box store was practically stripped clean of seeds for gardening this year, and it makes me happy that a lot of people are taking up this hobby.
  • The amount of time I spend/waste driving a car per month has plummeted.
  • Interest rates are down again, so I was able to refi saving $100 a month.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2020, 07:03:28 AM by YttriumNitrate »

mm1970

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #53 on: July 08, 2020, 09:32:17 AM »
I've gotten used to drinking plain, lukewarm water.  At work, I'd fill my water bottle with ice water a few times a day.  The fridge had an icemaker that dumped ice into a bucket in the freezer.

Only a week at home, and there was no way I was going to refill my ice trays that often.  So, my water starts off cold, but by the time I finish it, it's not.  Even when/if I go back to the office, I don't think I'm gonna be sticking my hand into the communal ice bucket...

Buffaloski Boris

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #54 on: July 08, 2020, 03:06:40 PM »
I have one!  It completely shattered my dreams of early retirement.  Keep reading.

I am an engineer.  I design buildings.  I was laid off from my previous employer in April, with very little notice.  Most of the buildings I designed were overpriced resorts, casinos and technically-it's-not-a-scam timeshares.  How much did I like that job?  It's the one that motivated me to learn about early retirement.  I was offended that I went in the first round of layoffs, but after years of riding my bike to work, I had enough money to last me 8 years. 

While unemployed, I was receiving $875/week in unemployment benefits so I considered this like a mini free sample of early retirement.  I got bored quickly and all I could think to do was find jobs to apply for and get really excited about them.  6 weeks later, for the first time in my life, I had two competing offers, both for significantly more money than my previous job paid.

I build hospitals now and I love it. I really can't think of a better use for my skills, that I would be more proud of, and I'm pretty sure I will continue building hospitals long after I've satisfied the whatever-percent rule.  I've had my taste of early retirement, and I'm glad it made people happy, but I don't think it's for me.  Not anymore at least, now that I know what it's like to do work that I'm proud of.  I'm still saving money because anything can change, and paychecks are not reliable, but my entire mindset around my career has changed.  I'm better off in every way for it.

Finally, not that it will ever matter, but I made more money from my severance pay + unemployment benefits, than I would have if I kept my previous job until the day I started my new job.

This is wonderful!

+1.  This story made me very happy. 

StarBright

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #55 on: July 10, 2020, 08:33:45 PM »
I appreciate this post because I've had a very hard time finding the bright spots lately. This thread has really made me rack my brain for the good stuff.

SO:
  • My garden is thriving for the first time (and this is probably my sixth year keeping a garden) - it is both beautiful and productive.
  • I am seeing inklings that my children (but especially my older DS8) are staring to both entertain themselves better and pitch in around the house in a way that is actually useful. We've spent so much time over the years teaching our kids to do chores and it felt like it would never work. My kids have both voluntarily cleaned their rooms this week and my son volunteered to dust the house and pick up sticks in the yard. Baby steps - but I've had the time and space to notice it.
  • I feel like my husband has gained some comfort with parenting that he didn't previously have. He has taken on a big chunk of the work day childcare this summer and it isn't easy, but he seems less daunted by it.

These are all good things for our little family but as they are sort of nestled in the stressfulness of our days, I hadn't really paid them much mind. I have been meditating on this thread this week and really looking for the bright spots until I found some. So thanks OP for starting this!

A mom

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #56 on: July 12, 2020, 03:33:22 PM »
good excuse not to travel

BikeFanatic

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #57 on: July 12, 2020, 05:44:41 PM »
Good excuse not to travel

Yes, at least I have saved the 3 to 4 k a year we spend on travel, and my points go to groceries.

Didn’t realize how much I like working from home, saving money commuting less, less work parties to bring food, was able to decline by email not to contribute to the office baby gifts.

Still I rather have this whole Carina virus behind us.

mm1970

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Re: Bright spots in the Coronavirus Pandemic
« Reply #58 on: July 13, 2020, 11:39:17 AM »
We have only set the alarm once (my husband had a 6:30 am conf call) since March 13.