Despite not having a job for four and a half months I now have $125,000 in net worth. It seems like yesterday when I was anticipating having $100,000 in March and I already have 25% more. I’m starting to see the beauty of compound interest in just that fact. For the time I was funemployed I was making about $30,000 a year and my savings still increased a ridiculous amount. A part of it was market returns (about $10,000), but the other $15,000 was not – and I didn’t save or put any money into the market in that time. It’s just wild. I’m so excited for the next milestone. Bring it.
Integrity > Money
I was laid off from my job after a little less than a year. I was strangely ecstatic about this fact. I literally called that it was going to happen and was looking for another job so I could comfortably quit when it happened. I was surprised to learn that I would also receive 1 week of severance pay…with a catch. I would have to sign a gag order and never say anything negative about Company 5, their holding company or anyone that has ever worked there or Company 5 could sue me. I asked if the agreement could be edited and the head of HR ignored me until I was able to confront her in person. I was told she could not edit the agreement. So I told her I would not be signing anything. She looked surprised. Continue reading “Integrity > Money”
I Refuse
I look around and see no one with the life I want. I refuse to live 45 years of my life like this. Following the instructions of a faceless company and an alarm clock. Having my company tell me when and how often I can see my family. Having a certain number of days when I do not have to be in a cubicle. Feeling stress over creating ads no one wants to see. Attending award shows created by the people who want to win the awards – a circlejerk. Pretending I care if a spam email deployed a day later than we said it would. Feeling stress that this ‘mistake’ will reflect poorly on me – even for a second. Pretending any of this matters: title, social status, perceived wealth.
I refuse for this to be my life. So I’m changing it.
How I Saved $27,007.38 With Travel Hacking In 2016
I’ve increased my travel hacking ability this year. With this year’s labor I will enjoy $27,007.38 worth of travel for free and been able to have insane and luxurious travel experiences that I did not at all associate with frugality. With these bookings I’ll be visiting: Continue reading “How I Saved $27,007.38 With Travel Hacking In 2016”
The Real Reason I Want to Retire
The real reason I want to retire: Because death is coming.
I know I think about death more than I should. It’s almost a daily occurrence – if not multiple times a day. This is my only life. My conscious time in this universe is constantly counting down. My time in this body and with the people I love is continually diminishing. And I refuse to awaken one day – like many of my relatives have – and realize my best days are behind me. I don’t want to be filled with regret over what I should have done in my life, unable to move on and constantly fixated on the past because I’ll never have that again. That is my greatest fear. Continue reading “The Real Reason I Want to Retire”
Nothing Better
There’s nothing better than watching sunlight filter through leaves onto a hardwood floor. Sipping your beverage of choice while wind whispers through the windows. Sitting with people you love.
This is what every day is like at my partner’s house.
And it’s what my favorite days at home with my partner consist of.
No rushing to be anywhere, letting the day unfold at your own pace.
Seeing where the world will take you.
This is happiness.
Decision: 3.5 Years to Retirement
I’ve made a decision. After a lot of thought, calculations and consulting with the people closest to me I have decided that I am going to retire on the eve of my 30th birthday in 3.5 years. I’ve made this decision for several reasons:
Why I Want to Retire
I want retire because my life is working (workdays) and recovering from working (weeknights and weekends). There is no room in that cycle for the life I want. And perhaps it is my fault for choosing a career where I interact with people all day that completely drains my introverted core – and at rare times invigorates me with creativity. But it’s also what I’m good at. It’s well paid work that doesn’t involve extra schooling or skills.
So I want to retire. I want to see what I can get up to when my life is not a cycle of drain and recovery. That’s all.