Thanks for sharing the metrics and details about them. I may incorporate some of them into my tracker going forward. The NPS one resonates with me particularly because of the long time frame to draw down, but also some of the threads on here that talk about how planning out that long term is a bit fuzzy, to say the least.
I agree with Bill Plotkin and a new model being downloaded. I finished up Wild Mind and then wanted to read the Journey of Soul Initiation to really tie his ideas together in my own mind and then work on the exercises. The whole time I was reading Wild Mind, though, IFS therapy kept coming up for me with how parts of yourself are there to help you. This connected in my mind with the parts described in the cardinal directions of the psyche. Given that I worked with a professional with IFS, I was going to go back to that before I circled back to Bill Plotkin. I do recommend checking out Wild Mind, though. I think his work is meant to be read slowly but then to really spend the time on the exercises.
bookworm's journal
Re: bookworm's journal
Hey there - Nice to find your journal and am looking forward to following along. Seems like you have some great stuff going.
Am specifically interested in the chat about Bill Plotkin books. His work seems pretty interesting. Where did I hear about him... Nate Hagens Great Simplification Podcast?
Am specifically interested in the chat about Bill Plotkin books. His work seems pretty interesting. Where did I hear about him... Nate Hagens Great Simplification Podcast?
Re: bookworm's journal
I heard about him through the forums. I saw there were many discussions around his books and knew that the forum recommends a lot of great stuff. I enjoyed his book but went back to more of the models I know, which are mindfulness, IFS, and Pete Walker's work.
I love Nate Hagen's podcast. I just relistened to his podcast with Vicki Robins. I highly recommend you give it a listen if you haven't already.
I love Nate Hagen's podcast. I just relistened to his podcast with Vicki Robins. I highly recommend you give it a listen if you haven't already.
Re: bookworm's journal
Definitely. As much as I like to let things "wash over" me, there are some books that have paid dividends by multiple close readings (looking at you Early Retirement Extreme). Plotkin's books will probably go into the re-read rotation.
I listened to Wild Mind as an audiobook this month. I would say there's a lot of overlap with Soulcraft. I would say say that Soulcraft gives you the map of the entire territory, but Wild Mind is more practical and gives you a guide to specific terrain around midlife along with ways to get you past hangups in the earlier stages. To really grok these things experientially will take a long time.
Re: bookworm's journal
I might need to give his interview with Vicki another listen. I think it started to shift some things through different ways of achieving financial security in relation to our "predicament" (outside of 25x assets).
Re: bookworm's journal
Thanks for reading @sodatrain. I had to recall the name but I do remember your intro in the journal a while back and feeling inspired. 
Your thoughts on tech jobs - "FI and get out" - parallel where I am at this point. It will be interesting how that changes or doesn't as we reach our goals.
Your thoughts on tech jobs - "FI and get out" - parallel where I am at this point. It will be interesting how that changes or doesn't as we reach our goals.Re: bookworm's journal
January 2024
Metrics
Annual:
Books Read: 16/150
4K Footers: 1/12
Bach Inventions Memorized: 3/12
Monthly:
Journal Days: 27/31
Meditation Days: 27/31
Miles Driven: 449
Possessions (est.): 288
Savings Rate: 77.36%
Monthly Spending (% of NW/12): 3%
TSM: $2,034.77
Spending
I focused a lot on bringing things below 3% SWR. With my current rent ($1250), there is very little discretionary spending in the budget, but I seem to have made the goal! It felt a lot like saving until it hurts. Groceries ran a little high this month, mainly due to getting several bulk orders. Utilities are looking good, considering the fact that we are in winter. Keeping the thermostat at 56 degrees and being more conscious about the electric consumption has noticeably brought down our energy usage. Other than groceries, utilities, and some household consumables, I didn't spend very much on anything except the car expenses for a day trip to the White Mountains (where I carpooled with a friend).
Once we are able to move on from the apartment in August and get something more reasonable in the $800-$900 range, things should free up significantly as I get more efficient with spending. For the time being, I'd like to maintain the 3% spending throughout the year until then. Ideally, I'd like to get under 3% TSM (my FI number) by the end of May.
Aside from thinking in withdrawal rate terms, I've also been looking to get absolute spending down to a more reasonable level. Currently, my TSM (excluding health expenses which I account for differently in retirement) is around 24K. I'd like to get this down to about 19K by the middle of the year, with the opportunity for further declines when we move to a cheaper apartment in August.
Life
-I put some of my extra gear on the local classified sites. I'm finding some hesitation about selling things that I'm still working through, but for the most part I just want to downsize the bigger things that are just lying around. The effort to sell and the amount of depreciation observed really makes me hesitate before buying anything else.
One idea that someone suggested on the forums is to fund any other purchases from sales of other gear during downsizing. I kind of like that idea of having a fixed amount to kind of shuffle around as my interest or focus changes over time.
-I did have to fix (another) flat with the new bike and deal with a misaligned wheel. I am surprised by how I understand things a lot better than even a couple of months ago and am developing a degree of intuition.
-My exercise routine has been consistent am I'm noticing some gradual improvements. The 5K runs aren't anywhere as fatiguing. I was able to hike up to Mount Madison (5k mountain) comfortably. The 200 burpees/40 minutes routine has shortened to 25 minutes. At this point, I really just need to focus on consistency and making sure that the new exercise habit sticks. I like that I have been able to adapt to the winter / cold, so it's just a matter of sticking to it. I would like to try a 10K at some point in the coming month.
-The sourdough starter itself has been very sluggish in the cold but I made some sourdough crackers after puzzling over the best use for the discard. Paired with hummus, this is a really delightful combination. As much as I try to get away from snacking I feel like I can loosen things up when I'm making things from scratch!
-My yogurt game is getting pretty good. It's really easy in the Instapot, although I find the boil step to be important for the starter that I'm using. I have such an abundance of yogurt at this point that I don't really know what to do with it other than freeze it.
-I have started getting up earlier (trying for 5:30AM as of the end of the month). What I love about this has been the ability to get things done before work begins. I find this so much easier than after when I just want to decompress (read/talk/play music) and go to bed.
-Italian language learning has begun in earnest. I have an appointment with the embassy later in the year and at some point soon I'd like to get over to Italy. I'm working through Language Transfer which I found so helpful for Spanish. I'm going to try to do a good streak next month with Clozemaster to build a decent vocabulary base.
-For the most part I've been pretty good about keeping on my bike. There was maybe one time when I chose to drive to somewhere local based on the weather. I'm mainly focused on keeping miles driven down as much as possible.
Bookroll
Dream Work - Mary Oliver
House of Light - Mary Oliver
Soulcraft - Bill Plotkin
Wild Mind - Bill Plotkin
Living Untethered - Michael Singer
The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order - Gary Gerstle
How To Hide An Empire - Daniel Immerwahr
Living an Examined Life - James Hollis
Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life - James Hollis
The Dream of the Earth - Thomas Berry
Post Office - Charles Bukowski
Civilized to Death - Christopher Ryan
The Man Who Quit Money - Mark Sundeen
Feral - George Monbiot
Dawn - Octavia Butler
Anybody's Bike Book - Tom Cuthbertson
Metrics
Annual:
Books Read: 16/150
4K Footers: 1/12
Bach Inventions Memorized: 3/12
Monthly:
Journal Days: 27/31
Meditation Days: 27/31
Miles Driven: 449
Possessions (est.): 288
Savings Rate: 77.36%
Monthly Spending (% of NW/12): 3%
TSM: $2,034.77
Spending
I focused a lot on bringing things below 3% SWR. With my current rent ($1250), there is very little discretionary spending in the budget, but I seem to have made the goal! It felt a lot like saving until it hurts. Groceries ran a little high this month, mainly due to getting several bulk orders. Utilities are looking good, considering the fact that we are in winter. Keeping the thermostat at 56 degrees and being more conscious about the electric consumption has noticeably brought down our energy usage. Other than groceries, utilities, and some household consumables, I didn't spend very much on anything except the car expenses for a day trip to the White Mountains (where I carpooled with a friend).
Once we are able to move on from the apartment in August and get something more reasonable in the $800-$900 range, things should free up significantly as I get more efficient with spending. For the time being, I'd like to maintain the 3% spending throughout the year until then. Ideally, I'd like to get under 3% TSM (my FI number) by the end of May.
Aside from thinking in withdrawal rate terms, I've also been looking to get absolute spending down to a more reasonable level. Currently, my TSM (excluding health expenses which I account for differently in retirement) is around 24K. I'd like to get this down to about 19K by the middle of the year, with the opportunity for further declines when we move to a cheaper apartment in August.
Life
-I put some of my extra gear on the local classified sites. I'm finding some hesitation about selling things that I'm still working through, but for the most part I just want to downsize the bigger things that are just lying around. The effort to sell and the amount of depreciation observed really makes me hesitate before buying anything else.
One idea that someone suggested on the forums is to fund any other purchases from sales of other gear during downsizing. I kind of like that idea of having a fixed amount to kind of shuffle around as my interest or focus changes over time.
-I did have to fix (another) flat with the new bike and deal with a misaligned wheel. I am surprised by how I understand things a lot better than even a couple of months ago and am developing a degree of intuition.
-My exercise routine has been consistent am I'm noticing some gradual improvements. The 5K runs aren't anywhere as fatiguing. I was able to hike up to Mount Madison (5k mountain) comfortably. The 200 burpees/40 minutes routine has shortened to 25 minutes. At this point, I really just need to focus on consistency and making sure that the new exercise habit sticks. I like that I have been able to adapt to the winter / cold, so it's just a matter of sticking to it. I would like to try a 10K at some point in the coming month.
-The sourdough starter itself has been very sluggish in the cold but I made some sourdough crackers after puzzling over the best use for the discard. Paired with hummus, this is a really delightful combination. As much as I try to get away from snacking I feel like I can loosen things up when I'm making things from scratch!
-My yogurt game is getting pretty good. It's really easy in the Instapot, although I find the boil step to be important for the starter that I'm using. I have such an abundance of yogurt at this point that I don't really know what to do with it other than freeze it.
-I have started getting up earlier (trying for 5:30AM as of the end of the month). What I love about this has been the ability to get things done before work begins. I find this so much easier than after when I just want to decompress (read/talk/play music) and go to bed.
-Italian language learning has begun in earnest. I have an appointment with the embassy later in the year and at some point soon I'd like to get over to Italy. I'm working through Language Transfer which I found so helpful for Spanish. I'm going to try to do a good streak next month with Clozemaster to build a decent vocabulary base.
-For the most part I've been pretty good about keeping on my bike. There was maybe one time when I chose to drive to somewhere local based on the weather. I'm mainly focused on keeping miles driven down as much as possible.
Bookroll
Dream Work - Mary Oliver
House of Light - Mary Oliver
Soulcraft - Bill Plotkin
Wild Mind - Bill Plotkin
Living Untethered - Michael Singer
The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order - Gary Gerstle
How To Hide An Empire - Daniel Immerwahr
Living an Examined Life - James Hollis
Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life - James Hollis
The Dream of the Earth - Thomas Berry
Post Office - Charles Bukowski
Civilized to Death - Christopher Ryan
The Man Who Quit Money - Mark Sundeen
Feral - George Monbiot
Dawn - Octavia Butler
Anybody's Bike Book - Tom Cuthbertson
Last edited by bookworm on Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: bookworm's journal
February 2024
Metrics
Journal Days: 25/29
Meditation Days: 27/29
Daily Steps: 11683
Miles Driven: 338
Savings Rate: 80.78%
Monthly Spending (% of NW/12): 2.93%
Twelve Month Trailing: 26.27x
Six Month Trailing: 28.12x
Three Month Trailing: 33.66x
Absolute Spending: $1679.19
Spending Levels
My focus has shifted in the last year from accumulating assets through income to reducing absolute spending. This feels like the appropriate place to put my effort, and the one with the highest leverage for the time being. I feel a certain sense of regret that I didn't start doing this earlier, thinking about all the money I've wasted, but I'm coming to see that it was necessary to be more of a consumer for a period in order to see what truly makes me happy and fits within my life, which generally involves spending less. For me, the goal for absolute spending that feels doable at this stage of my life is 15K/year. This will be a shift from an average of 25K/year since 2018. Nothing to write home about on this forum, of course, but it's definitely outside the norm of my social circles and level of income.
The main factor in getting there is moving out of the Boston suburbs into a cheaper nearby city with better rent situation. Working from home allows me a good degree of flexibility, although there will still be commuter rail link into Boston within bike/walk distance if a commute becomes necessary. My current rent of $1250/per person is a huge fixed expense which needs to be dealt with. Fortunately, the lease is ending in July. We are targeting moving down to $800/per person which is much more reasonable (although I realize that even this is still quite high by ERE standards).
The other factor is keeping my variable spending in the ballpark of the last couple months. A lot of the savings has been partly brought about by shifting my mindset around car usage and choosing to bike/walk everywhere I go. The exceptions are for occasional hiking trips, bulk purchases, and emergencies. For the most part, the car is just parked there with liability insurance. I'm also implementing a soft BNY with a few exceptions (mainly gifts, kitchen gear, and seeds). Any failures are to be reflected on and considered as lesson for the future. I'm cutting out most short-term travel while focusing on local adventures in my area. This felt like a sacrifice at a certain point, but I'm starting to see how it actually fits better with my identity and lifestyle goals. Finally, shifting from automated to manual tracking has made a big difference to my mindfulness, as has the "game" of reducing the number of purchases in a typical month.
Work Reflections
As I get past 4% TTM and can see a relatively rapid path to below 3% through lifestyle change, I'm feeling less attached to the job. As part of my overall life, my role mainly contributes to ennui and stress. My needs to socialize are primarily met through hanging out with local family/friends and community groups. I've usually been able to make friends in the office, but something about this remote job and the team has made it difficult for me. This has actually been the second job in the row where this is the case. People like me generally, but I don't feel really drawn to the people. Being a remote role definitely adds to lack of social connection, but I also think there's somewhat of an age and interest divide. There just seem to be fewer quirky people in financial services than in biotech or even the defense industry (where I had my previous roles). But I can only speak from my experience.
The fact that this is a contract position seems to add to the grind. Even though I'm being paid really well, the fact that any vacations are unpaid adds a degree of resentment. Or maybe it is the fact that there is less of an implicit contract that a full time position with benefits might have. Whatever the case, I don't feel the stereotypical tech "golden handcuffs" in this role. I'm also not opposed to moving to a new job, but the market in tech is looking dicey at the moment, and I remember the time / energy investment of preparing for coding interviews. Even though I gained skill over time, it's just not something I'd like to go back to unless I really need it.
The other aspect I'm realizing is that a lot of my surplus energy outside of work grinding is on mental health. For me this is journaling, meditation, exercise, and minimal screen time outside of work. I value these on their own and would want them in my life regardless of job situation - but I still feel like I am in a survival mode to a certain extent. Although I am generally choosing healthy coping strategies at this time of my life, they still feel like copes. All of that energy might not really be worth it at a certain point, when I could be doing things that are more productive and life affirming.
I am still at this job for reasons. And the main one is path dependence and being near to my overall financial independence goal. My relationship to FIRE has gotten complicated with time and reflection, but, especially because I am so near to the conventional numbers, I feel like I want to complete the goal and move on with my journey. Even if the reality is that it's more of a beginning than an end. Because the job helps me get there, I am grateful to have it. I hope I can use whatever it gives me to improve my life and that of others.
And the remote side has its perks. The main draw there is avoiding a commute. I think about the 1+ hour commutes in my life before the pandemic. It's not something I'd like to come back to if I can help it or find an alternative. Now, I can get up in the morning (generally 5-6am), journal, meditate, and enjoy a good breakfast without really having to think about work until 8:30am. Although the workload can get heavy at times, I am generally able to sign off at 5pm without issue. If used well, this time gives a lot of opportunity to work on skills, create, and cultivate inner life.
Conclusions
I'm trying to work on detachment from both my job *and* my stash. This is hard! I try to imagine "getting zeroed" and having to start from scratch. How would that feel? What would I do? My personal answer would draw from the framework of "1 day per week" and further developments of semi-ERE. Ideally, my stash becomes more a backstop than the main income stream. But for now, it might help me make the leap and make the changes I want in my life.
Something about the increased frugality, exercise routine, meditation, and digital minimalism has begun to make a shift in my psyche. I'm having days where I'm feeling a lot of positive energy pulsing through my body. My mind chatter has reached a new low. I feel connected to nature in a more visceral way. I don't feel like I'm clinging to life, but I'm also enjoying the ride a little more.
Bookroll
El Poder Del Ahora (The Power of Now) - Eckhart Tolle
Thirst - Mary Oliver
La Chica Salvaje (Where the Crawdad Sings) - Delia Owens
Retirement Planning Guidebook - Wade Pfau
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying - Songyal Rinpoche
Radical Homemakers - Shannon Hayes
Metrics
Journal Days: 25/29
Meditation Days: 27/29
Daily Steps: 11683
Miles Driven: 338
Savings Rate: 80.78%
Monthly Spending (% of NW/12): 2.93%
Twelve Month Trailing: 26.27x
Six Month Trailing: 28.12x
Three Month Trailing: 33.66x
Absolute Spending: $1679.19
Spending Levels
My focus has shifted in the last year from accumulating assets through income to reducing absolute spending. This feels like the appropriate place to put my effort, and the one with the highest leverage for the time being. I feel a certain sense of regret that I didn't start doing this earlier, thinking about all the money I've wasted, but I'm coming to see that it was necessary to be more of a consumer for a period in order to see what truly makes me happy and fits within my life, which generally involves spending less. For me, the goal for absolute spending that feels doable at this stage of my life is 15K/year. This will be a shift from an average of 25K/year since 2018. Nothing to write home about on this forum, of course, but it's definitely outside the norm of my social circles and level of income.
The main factor in getting there is moving out of the Boston suburbs into a cheaper nearby city with better rent situation. Working from home allows me a good degree of flexibility, although there will still be commuter rail link into Boston within bike/walk distance if a commute becomes necessary. My current rent of $1250/per person is a huge fixed expense which needs to be dealt with. Fortunately, the lease is ending in July. We are targeting moving down to $800/per person which is much more reasonable (although I realize that even this is still quite high by ERE standards).
The other factor is keeping my variable spending in the ballpark of the last couple months. A lot of the savings has been partly brought about by shifting my mindset around car usage and choosing to bike/walk everywhere I go. The exceptions are for occasional hiking trips, bulk purchases, and emergencies. For the most part, the car is just parked there with liability insurance. I'm also implementing a soft BNY with a few exceptions (mainly gifts, kitchen gear, and seeds). Any failures are to be reflected on and considered as lesson for the future. I'm cutting out most short-term travel while focusing on local adventures in my area. This felt like a sacrifice at a certain point, but I'm starting to see how it actually fits better with my identity and lifestyle goals. Finally, shifting from automated to manual tracking has made a big difference to my mindfulness, as has the "game" of reducing the number of purchases in a typical month.
Work Reflections
As I get past 4% TTM and can see a relatively rapid path to below 3% through lifestyle change, I'm feeling less attached to the job. As part of my overall life, my role mainly contributes to ennui and stress. My needs to socialize are primarily met through hanging out with local family/friends and community groups. I've usually been able to make friends in the office, but something about this remote job and the team has made it difficult for me. This has actually been the second job in the row where this is the case. People like me generally, but I don't feel really drawn to the people. Being a remote role definitely adds to lack of social connection, but I also think there's somewhat of an age and interest divide. There just seem to be fewer quirky people in financial services than in biotech or even the defense industry (where I had my previous roles). But I can only speak from my experience.
The fact that this is a contract position seems to add to the grind. Even though I'm being paid really well, the fact that any vacations are unpaid adds a degree of resentment. Or maybe it is the fact that there is less of an implicit contract that a full time position with benefits might have. Whatever the case, I don't feel the stereotypical tech "golden handcuffs" in this role. I'm also not opposed to moving to a new job, but the market in tech is looking dicey at the moment, and I remember the time / energy investment of preparing for coding interviews. Even though I gained skill over time, it's just not something I'd like to go back to unless I really need it.
The other aspect I'm realizing is that a lot of my surplus energy outside of work grinding is on mental health. For me this is journaling, meditation, exercise, and minimal screen time outside of work. I value these on their own and would want them in my life regardless of job situation - but I still feel like I am in a survival mode to a certain extent. Although I am generally choosing healthy coping strategies at this time of my life, they still feel like copes. All of that energy might not really be worth it at a certain point, when I could be doing things that are more productive and life affirming.
I am still at this job for reasons. And the main one is path dependence and being near to my overall financial independence goal. My relationship to FIRE has gotten complicated with time and reflection, but, especially because I am so near to the conventional numbers, I feel like I want to complete the goal and move on with my journey. Even if the reality is that it's more of a beginning than an end. Because the job helps me get there, I am grateful to have it. I hope I can use whatever it gives me to improve my life and that of others.
And the remote side has its perks. The main draw there is avoiding a commute. I think about the 1+ hour commutes in my life before the pandemic. It's not something I'd like to come back to if I can help it or find an alternative. Now, I can get up in the morning (generally 5-6am), journal, meditate, and enjoy a good breakfast without really having to think about work until 8:30am. Although the workload can get heavy at times, I am generally able to sign off at 5pm without issue. If used well, this time gives a lot of opportunity to work on skills, create, and cultivate inner life.
Conclusions
I'm trying to work on detachment from both my job *and* my stash. This is hard! I try to imagine "getting zeroed" and having to start from scratch. How would that feel? What would I do? My personal answer would draw from the framework of "1 day per week" and further developments of semi-ERE. Ideally, my stash becomes more a backstop than the main income stream. But for now, it might help me make the leap and make the changes I want in my life.
Something about the increased frugality, exercise routine, meditation, and digital minimalism has begun to make a shift in my psyche. I'm having days where I'm feeling a lot of positive energy pulsing through my body. My mind chatter has reached a new low. I feel connected to nature in a more visceral way. I don't feel like I'm clinging to life, but I'm also enjoying the ride a little more.
Bookroll
El Poder Del Ahora (The Power of Now) - Eckhart Tolle
Thirst - Mary Oliver
La Chica Salvaje (Where the Crawdad Sings) - Delia Owens
Retirement Planning Guidebook - Wade Pfau
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying - Songyal Rinpoche
Radical Homemakers - Shannon Hayes
Re: bookworm's journal
Metrics
Books Read: 12
Miles Driven: 139
Daily Steps: 12,055
Monthly Spending: $1,568
Savings Rate: 84.85%
Twelve Month Trailing: 28.86x
Six Month Trailing: 32.27x
Three Month Trailing: 38.64x*
*All of these are estimates, based on manual tracking and overly convoluted spreadsheets. Healthcare premiums and costs are excluded as well, for future planning reasons which I may describe in more detail later on.
Reflections
I feel like some things can go on autopilot in the near term. I'm used to the lower levels of spending for the most part, and my skills so far are commensurate to repair or maintain things as they come, to avoid running to the store. The ongoing no-buy period (with some exceptions and "sins") has been the biggest help for me. Even though my levels of spending have been in the 20K-30K range and I was consciously pursuing financial independence for many years, having those online orders roll in was a big tether to consumer culture.
Cooking has been rewarding, and I'm feeling a lot more confident in my baking skills. Food in general seems a lot more frictionless with less mental overhead, partly because of more conscious planning. I've also begun to deal with my compulsive eating which usually arises from work stress - which helps reduce spending further! It seems like having a lighter dinner (or even skipping it) and keeping a solid fast between dinner and breakfast has been useful for my energy levels.
As much as I'd like to participate in further skill development and DIY, a lot of my excess energy is focused on spiritual pursuits, reading, and community. In systems terms, there's still a pursuit of resiliency, just in an alternative form to what might be sometimes featured on the forum. Both paths seem meaningful in their own time and place.
Work has been a tangle of deadlines, and it seems like there are a lot of risks of my project being delayed or cancelled (partly for reasons out of my control). On the other hand, my mental health seems to be detaching somewhat from the drama and politics of the job. My contract end date of May is a lot closer now, which could be a forced stopping point.
The stash, combined with the reduced spending, seems sufficient if I want to declare myself "retired" or at the very least take a sabbatical. The main practical concern is our upcoming move and the complications that could arise from not having a stream of paychecks to prove income. I also feel like developing at least one scalable income stream may be a prerequisite for me before pulling the plug. Currently I'm looking at online tutoring gigs and there has been some slow progress. All in all, I am grateful for where I am at the moment and hope I can use it to benefit myself and others.
Bookroll
Good and Cheap (Leanne Brown)
Shop Class for Everyone (Sharon and David Bowers)
The Gospel of Thomas (Mark Mattison)
The Wise Heart (Jack Kornfield)
A Gradual Awakening (Steven Levine)
Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell)
Bhagavad Gita (Kendra Crossen Burroughs)
Kaballah: A Brief Introduction for Christians (Tamar Frankiel)
Unmasking the Idols (Douglas Gwyne)
David Y Goliat (Malcolm Gladwell)
To Know As We Are Known (Parker J. Palmer)
Beyond Mindfulness In Plain English (Henepola Gunaratana)
Books Read: 12
Miles Driven: 139
Daily Steps: 12,055
Monthly Spending: $1,568
Savings Rate: 84.85%
Twelve Month Trailing: 28.86x
Six Month Trailing: 32.27x
Three Month Trailing: 38.64x*
*All of these are estimates, based on manual tracking and overly convoluted spreadsheets. Healthcare premiums and costs are excluded as well, for future planning reasons which I may describe in more detail later on.
Reflections
I feel like some things can go on autopilot in the near term. I'm used to the lower levels of spending for the most part, and my skills so far are commensurate to repair or maintain things as they come, to avoid running to the store. The ongoing no-buy period (with some exceptions and "sins") has been the biggest help for me. Even though my levels of spending have been in the 20K-30K range and I was consciously pursuing financial independence for many years, having those online orders roll in was a big tether to consumer culture.
Cooking has been rewarding, and I'm feeling a lot more confident in my baking skills. Food in general seems a lot more frictionless with less mental overhead, partly because of more conscious planning. I've also begun to deal with my compulsive eating which usually arises from work stress - which helps reduce spending further! It seems like having a lighter dinner (or even skipping it) and keeping a solid fast between dinner and breakfast has been useful for my energy levels.
As much as I'd like to participate in further skill development and DIY, a lot of my excess energy is focused on spiritual pursuits, reading, and community. In systems terms, there's still a pursuit of resiliency, just in an alternative form to what might be sometimes featured on the forum. Both paths seem meaningful in their own time and place.
Work has been a tangle of deadlines, and it seems like there are a lot of risks of my project being delayed or cancelled (partly for reasons out of my control). On the other hand, my mental health seems to be detaching somewhat from the drama and politics of the job. My contract end date of May is a lot closer now, which could be a forced stopping point.
The stash, combined with the reduced spending, seems sufficient if I want to declare myself "retired" or at the very least take a sabbatical. The main practical concern is our upcoming move and the complications that could arise from not having a stream of paychecks to prove income. I also feel like developing at least one scalable income stream may be a prerequisite for me before pulling the plug. Currently I'm looking at online tutoring gigs and there has been some slow progress. All in all, I am grateful for where I am at the moment and hope I can use it to benefit myself and others.
Bookroll
Good and Cheap (Leanne Brown)
Shop Class for Everyone (Sharon and David Bowers)
The Gospel of Thomas (Mark Mattison)
The Wise Heart (Jack Kornfield)
A Gradual Awakening (Steven Levine)
Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell)
Bhagavad Gita (Kendra Crossen Burroughs)
Kaballah: A Brief Introduction for Christians (Tamar Frankiel)
Unmasking the Idols (Douglas Gwyne)
David Y Goliat (Malcolm Gladwell)
To Know As We Are Known (Parker J. Palmer)
Beyond Mindfulness In Plain English (Henepola Gunaratana)
Re: bookworm's journal
I'm picking out Gradual Awakening to try from this month's bookroll.
What's Unmasking the Idols about?
What's Unmasking the Idols about?
Re: bookworm's journal
Thanks for your blog update! That's an interesting bookroll. I just finished the Analects by Confucius that was recommended on this forum. That was a really good book. An example quite of very sensible wisdom:
How did you like the books from last update's blog roll?
I learned new words too, like to asperse: to attack with evil reports or false or injurious charges.Tzu Hsia said: ‘The Wise Man obtains the people’s confidence before imposing burdens on them, for without confidence they will think themselves oppressed. He also obtains the confidence of his prince before pointing out his errors, for before obtaining such confidence his prince would deem himself aspersed.
How did you like the books from last update's blog roll?
Re: bookworm's journal
@erytu Gradual Awakening is definitely worth checking out. He comes from an insight (Vipassana) meditation practice but rather than being a manual he focuses on how mindfulness applies to daily life and naturally bridges to compassion (in his case, involving caring for the dying.)
Unmasking the Idols is a rather obscure book about divisions in the Quaker community. I guess it'd be interesting if you're curious about mysticism / contemplation from a Christian perspective.
Unmasking the Idols is a rather obscure book about divisions in the Quaker community. I guess it'd be interesting if you're curious about mysticism / contemplation from a Christian perspective.
Re: bookworm's journal
@delay
Thanks for reading! And what a beautiful quote. On a related note, I was surprised how much of the Tao Te Ching deals with leadership:
Thanks for reading! And what a beautiful quote. On a related note, I was surprised how much of the Tao Te Ching deals with leadership:
(66) ...The Master is above the people,
and no one feels oppressed.
She goes ahead of the people,
and no one feels manipulated.
The whole world is grateful to her.
Because she competes with no one,
no one can compete with her.