m741's ERE Journal

[m741]

I thought I'd do an update on general life events for August, prior to the normal finance update in a week or so.

I've been making some consistent tweaks to behavior, most of which seem to be sticking.

The backbone of my behavior changes is two apps, 'HabitBull,' and 'Anki'. HabitBull is a "don't break the chain" habit-forming app. Anki is spaced repetition software.

I'd been trying to form habits for a while, but without much success. I tried tracking habits on a whiteboard at home, but there are a lot of problems with that. If I forget to update one day, it's tough to remember what I did. Doubly so if traveling, or even if I'm in bed at the end of the day and don't want to get up. Besides the fact that everything wasn't persisted. HabitBull makes it pretty easy. I haven't done any survey of these kinds of apps, so there's probably plenty of alternatives. But it has a nice interface and has worked well so far.

I track 7 habits: taking vitamins, doing pull-ups, turning off my computer at night, following a loose diet, weighing myself, donating $1/day, and doing my Anki cards.

Spaced repetition software, if you're not aware, is a highly efficient way of learning flashcards. Basically, instead of going through each flashcard each day, you schedule them for increasingly further away. So when you learn something, you'd schedule the flashcard to return the following day. Then 3, 7, 12, 18, 30, etc days. If you forget, the duration becomes more frequent until you've locked in the fact. It's an effective way of learning/remembering, and having it readily available on a phone is awesome. I can review cards in bed and on the subway.

The reason I decided to do this is because I really felt like my memory was slipping. I was reading a non-fiction book every week or so, and couldn't remember anything from a month back. Enjoyable, but basically wasted time. Not to mention, that my memory for programming 'facts' (such as function names, memory space for primitives, and so forth) was (is?) truly terrible. Now I can trust that, when I've entered a card in Anki, I will learn it - sooner or later. It's really comforting. If you're interested in applying Anki to programming, there's a good reference here: http://www.jackkinsella.ie/2011/12/05/janki-method.html

I try to be in bed by 10-10:30, and then end up asleep by 11:30 or so. This in contrast to my previous bedtimes of 12:30 or 1. After which, I'd sleep in, then work late to compensate, and end up in a vicious, exhausting cycle, and a tired weekend. This is more sane. Combined with the diet (below), I feel a lot better than before.

Another update - I started following a diet. It's pretty simple. For breakfast, I always have cottage cheese and a little yogurt on weekdays; a smoothie on weekends. Then through the rest of the day, I eat a vegan diet (except for exotic cheeses, such as feta and goat cheese, and whey supplements). I avoid any processed carbs during this time, such as pasta, tortillas, or bread. After 6, I can eat anything - though in reality, I'm rarely super-hungry and don't usually gorge myself. I've been following this diet for about two weeks - cheating on the weekends, unfortunately - and I've stabilized what had been a slow weight gain. And I seem to feel more energetic.

Besides that, I do have a few one-off updates. I caved yesterday and bought a bunch of things to fill in gaps in my 'bug out' bag - the bag I'd reach for in case of emergencies. These included a hand-crank radio, some first-aid stuff, a long-lasting candle, bandanas, and a few other small things. I really felt unprepared during some of the recent hurricanes in NYC. Nothing bad - I had food and water - but I felt like I really should have had more at hand in case things got worse than expected.

I also donated $1000 to Kiva. I figured - I have all this cash sitting in my bank account, why not put some to a good cause? I could always recoup it later, after the microloans have been paid back. But I doubt I will. I'd like to just keep rolling it into donations.

[spoonman]

Just out of curiosity, if another Sandy looked like it's going to hit NYC again, would you actually bug out or bug in? I don't mean it in a prepper sort of way, just whether you would hang tight at home or head inland.

[Barlotti]

Ooh, those apps sound interesting...
Like so many others, I read your journal straight through. Wonderful read, and I look forward to reading more.

[m741]

@spoonman - In another Sandy, I'd stick around. But it could always get worse and having an option to get out would be good. Even for sticking around, I was missing a lot of supplies for the last one. Notably, no first aid kit and only one candle.

If something more serious than Sandy happened, or looked like it would happen, I'd probably try to head upstate.

[m741]

August, 2014 - Finances & Job

I'll go through finances first. I don't think this was a great month for spending - however, I didn't record expenses. I think at this point, when a 1-day swing in the stock market can be 50% or 100% of a month's expenses, it's sorta superfluous. I'll probably start tracking again when I approach quitting time to make sure everything is on track to support my lifestyle, and then continue after I've quit.

I saw my net worth jump by $18k this month, basically two month's combined growth since last month was a sort of 'compression'. It's crazy to me, though. That's at least 6 months of living expenses, and more if I'm even the slightest bit careful.

My expected monthly income from dividends is now $1,054, $50 more than last month. Most of that comes from index funds, but I also purchased a large chunk of JNJ (I'd held off for years expecting it to drop, and the pullback last month was sufficient that I just said "enough already"). I believe I mentioned last month, I've increased my scheduled investments. Right now, I'm investing from a large pool of cash at a slightly unsustainable rate. But, I'll start vesting options in December, and then my present rate will be fully sustainable. Not to mention a large slug of options vesting immediately (1 year's worth). So, I might invest even more aggressively.

I saw a total of $764 in dividend income for the month; it's the 'mediocre' month of the 3-month dividend cycle, so that's pretty good. Next month will probably be about double that.

I also donated $1000 in Kiva. I might do a bit more. All this cash is basically sitting around in my bank account... if I'm gonna donate eventually, I might as well pull the trigger now and get some immediate use out of it.

Job

I had the usual wild swings of emotion this past month. I'm still far from engaged, and I've basically been doing tiny feature and bugfixes for 4-5 months now. That's starting to wear a bit. It also makes me feel less competent, because I've had difficulty building expertise in any one area of our product.

That said, the past week or so I've been a bit happier, doing multi-day chunks of work in an important area. I'm trying to use flash cards to remember more of what I learn; I feel like 'fluency' in Java is where I've been stagnating; I jumped in and learned on the job, so there's large chunks of missing knowledge that I need to fill in.

Other

My wanderlust has really kicked up a notch. I've done 2 small trips this year, to Boston and DC, which were fun, but besides that I haven't been out of NY since last October. The girlfriend and I are talking about Italy, and I'm in full-on planning mode. There's a lot to see (recommendations would be appreciated, of course). She might have limited time off from work, but I'll have two weeks. Right now, I'm looking at Venice, Siena, Rome, Florence, Naples, and Amalfi Coast/Cinque Terre. Plus maybe some time outside the cities. I'm also thinking about challenging myself to achieve basic fluency in Italian before leaving.

I'm also getting really good at ping-pong, playing basically every workday. I'd estimate that I'm about 50% better than I was the last time I played (in college). I enjoy playing regularly, as I can easily gauge when I'm stretching myself. I can play try different hits or play more aggressively, and try to just barely win (or play really crazy and accept losing).

[mxlr650]

The girlfriend and I are talking about Italy, and I'm in full-on planning mode. There's a lot to see (recommendations would be appreciated, of course). She might have limited time off from work, but I'll have two weeks. Right now, I'm looking at Venice, Siena, Rome, Florence, Naples, and Amalfi Coast/Cinque Terre. Plus maybe some time outside the cities.

What are your interests? Historic sites, museums, and hiking? Stating the obvious, but paintings/statues get really boring, so I urge you to make a list of must-see in the museums so you can focus energy there.

Siena is slightly out of the way, and while it is beautiful, it would feel rushed if you are short on time. One option is to skip south (Naples, Amalfi) and add more northern parts such as Verona, Padua, and exit out of Milan. In Venice it helps if you can stay in some satellite islands (Zitelle) which are cheaper and quieter.

I'm also thinking about challenging myself to achieve basic fluency in Italian before leaving.

If that gives you joy do it, but you can survive with English very well in Italy. As long as they see your wallet, they are very friendly unlike French

[Tyler9000]

Right now, I'm looking at Venice, Siena, Rome, Florence, Naples, and Amalfi Coast/Cinque Terre. Plus maybe some time outside the cities. I'm also thinking about challenging myself to achieve basic fluency in Italian before leaving.

We went to Italy several years ago and loved it. Venice and Florence are both amazing -- be sure to visit the art museums in Florence. Rome has some impressive historical sites that are absolutely worth seeing, but still feels like a big city and isn't all that relaxing. I'd recommend ditching Naples and spending twice the amount of time you currently have planned in Cinque Terre. It was my favorite stop of all of them. Just hike the cities, grab some limoncello, and enjoy the views.

[m741]

@mxlr650 - Of course, there are a few museums we'd like to see (mostly Florence/Rome, there's one archaeological museum in Naples). But I agree, museum (and cathedral) fatigue is a real issue I've experienced. So, biking the Appian way or hiking Cinque Terre sound attractive, not to mention spending a day in a smaller city sipping coffee. Other alternatives would really be appreciated; I've considered a day tour around Tuscany.

I'd like to experience the culture and see some walkable small towns. My interests skew towards history and getting a feel for everyday life; hiking or getting outdoors would also be excellent. Clubs, shopping (obviously) & food are of little to no interest to me (of course, I'd like to try the great Italian food, but it's not the main reason I'm making the trip). The only limitation is that I will not be renting a car (or moped).

We'd probably fly into and out of Milan, in November - so colder and quieter than the tourist season. Given that the entire trip would be in Italy, I'd like to get a feel for North & South Italy. But another option is to do Herculaneum/Pompei'i as a day trip from Rome. I've also considered Bolzano and South Tyrol.

Will look into Zitelle for Venice. I think we'll do just an overnight in Venice as I've heard it's very touristy, but I don't really know a good place to stay - just that I want to spend the night in the city, and not on the mainland.

[mxlr650]

If you want to see small town feel with little or no traffic, you should stay for an additional day in Venice and go island hopping to Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido etc which surround Venice. There is hostel in Zitelle and it is 5 minutes ferry ride to Piazza San Marco which is kinda center of Venice. There are swarms of Sri Lankan trinket peddlers that dominate PSM, so kiss good bye to any notion of solitude, however still it is worth visiting Venice. You can also spend time in Siena and Cinque Terre. If you are ok not eating in restaurants, I recommend grocery stores – the food is very affordable/tasty – look for Despar or Carrefour.

Italian train departure platforms are not usually announced earlier than 30mins prior to departure, while Swiss trains have platforms assigned 2 years in advance. Validate the ticket before you get into the train.

[GandK]

I love Venice! Especially how there are no cars there. It feels like stepping back in time. It can be kind of touristy, but if you shop for fresh food in the markets like the locals do and stay away from restaurants, you can largely escape that sort of thing.

[George the original one]

Venice: when you get off the train, get into town a little ways and find a place to order a bottle of wine. Finish the wine rather quickly and then get lost on a walk (literally! do not open a map!), and finally find a quiet bench to take a nap. Wake up refreshed and NOW reach for the map to find your way back.

[spoonman]

We did the Amalfi coast a couple of years ago (Positano, to be exact), it was fantastic. I too recommend skipping Naples itself, though the sites around Mt. Vesuvius are probably worth seeing.

[m741]

Just a short mid-month update. I decided to go full steam ahead with Italian. I know that most everywhere I go, people will speak English to some degree. But that seems out of the spirit of travel.

I've been studying a bit over a week so far, averaging a bit over an hour a day. I'm happy with my progress thus far. I have two months to pick up some conversational fluency, which seems totally reasonable. I'll post with some more details soon.

Tickets to Italy dropped $200 this week, and I was able to pick up round-trip tickets for $500 each (for November)!

[jacob]

@m741 - In the name of efficiency, have you checked what Italians think of tourists' attempt at speaking Italian? For example, the French and Germans will much appreciate any attempt. The Swiss and the Danes, not so much.

[llorona]

Italians tend to be very tolerant and patient of people mangling their language. If their English is better than your Italian, they will address you in English to make you more comfortable. If they don't speak English, they will listen carefully to your Italian and try to help, while somehow managing to keep a straight face.

Attempting to speak Italian is a good lesson in humility. Stupid things we have said include:

"Ho le labbre"...("I have lips," when attempting to buy Chapstick for dry lips.)

"Non parli Italian"...("You don't speak Italian," said to a group of angry protesters who were blocking a church entrance.)

"Le zanzare mangiamo"...("We eat mosquitoes," I told a pharmacist when seeking the equivalent of Benadryl for mosquito bites.)

[spoonman]

Tickets to Italy dropped $200 this week, and I was able to pick up round-trip tickets for $500 each (for November)!

You lucky dog! A couple of years ago we had to pay something like $1200/person for an October trip. But, the weather was perfect.

[m741]

First, thanks for the responses. My last update was kinda brief, so I'll flesh things out a bit. I'm journalling my language learning (go figure) on this site.

I guess I was a little conservative with my estimate yesterday, I think I've probably spent about 15-20 hours on Italian so far. The bulk with DuoLingo (level 8 right now) and Pimsleur (8 lessons in). I'm switching away from Pimsleur to Assimil (5 lessons in), which seems more practical and expansive for understanding spoken speech, which is my biggest weakness. I also signed up for a local NYC Italian course (expensive...), but I'm happy to get some teaching time. I found one 'pen-pal' in Milan to write to (and may try skyping), and will soon be looking for local meetups or for online conversation partners (italki has been recommended).

@spoonman - I think November weather in Italy is probably pretty bad. But personally I prefer less crowds.

@llorona - I can totally see myself making those mistakes - particularly while flustered.

@jacob - I've heard a few dismissive attempts, but most reports online say that Italians like when you try to speak their language. And, I've heard that it's the major country with a notably small amount of English speakers (though still probably a majority).

@thedayisbrave - Wow! Thanks! And sorry to take up your study time... also, welcome to the forum and I hope you keep contributing (and journalling, I think this strange 'post-FI/still working' zone is really interesting).

[m741]

September, 2014

I'll start with finances, which were pretty dormant. The market slumped, and I made some large purchases this month (more on this later). Together, I basically maintained net worth. Disappointing, as I'm used to the little dopamine rush as I tally results at the end of the month, but oh well.

I sold off TIP, which was not a good purchase (I came out slightly ahead over the 2-3 years I'd held it; it was yielding just 1-1.5%). I replaced it with AFL. I also bought small bits of Vanguard ETFs (VGLT, VPU, BLV) and a slug of GLD, which recently hit lows.

My monthly income is up to 1081/month, about $30 over August. I need to invest more and will be making some more purchases this month (might as well, given the slump). Dividend income was $1567 - this is the high month of the 3-month cycle, and it's exciting to see such a large number. If this trend continues (and I have a bias towards this month, since all the vanguard mutual funds pay March / June / September / December), then I may see a $2k month by the end of the year.

Other

This month (as you may see in entries above), I was really focused on studying Italian. It consumed all my free time, perhaps dangerously so. But, I like being obsessed with something. It's fun to be passionate about something (even if there are days when that passion dips). I'll write extensively about my study methods in a month.

I spend $500 on an Italian course. It's been good; but in retrospect it's not worth it compared to other paid online options. On the other hand, it does keep me motivated to learn. And I kinda like being back in a classroom. I also dished out for plane tickets for our trip to Italy (which were cheap for plane tickets). I'll get "paid back" as we book AirBnB or hotel rooms.

This past weekend, the girlfriend and I went skydiving. It was really a thrill, lots of fun. In a way, much less nerve-wracking than I anticipated, since it felt like it happened really fast. I'm so glad I did it, it was definitely on my "bucket list". Would I do it again? Maybe, but I didn't think it was worth the $200 I paid for a tandem jump. I think it would be a lot more fun alone, but don't want to shell out the cash to get certified or anything.

I also signed up for Zipcar. I don't like driving in the city, so it's not something I look forward to using. But it was the cheapest way to get to the skydiving place (compared to train+taxi), and I do feel like I've got more freedom than I used to have. So that's nice.

Work

I've been feeling pretty exhausted at work the past few weeks. I think it's because I'm pushing myself so hard on Italian. Still, nobody is complaining, and I'm still doing reasonable work. I don't feel passionate about it, and I don't know what the future holds for me, but I'm also not miserable. I'm looking forward to extended time off in a few years (only two years more work is the plan right now).

I might write more about this in a week or two. Suffice it to say - it's not clear to me that continuing at this large company is the most efficient way to learn something new, compared to study on my own. Not that I necessarily even want to continue to program in the future, but a large reason that I wanted to keep working in tech was to develop expertise.

[spoonman]

September, 2014
But, I like being obsessed with something. It's fun to be passionate about something (even if there are days when that passion dips).

That's how I roll too.

Congrats on the awesome income/dividend numbers you are getting!

[m741]

Time for a small mid-month update. I've been making some moderate financial moves that I thought might be worth tracking.

* Bought $3k SDRL. Small position because it may be a falling knife, but it doesn't seem like there's fundamental problems with the company, and the yield is so juicy (with a surprisingly low payout ratio).
* I put some money into the newly announced SolarCity bond program. Reasonable returns (4% for 5-year bonds), and I want to (A) get into solar and (B) do some more ethical investing. I like Elon Musk's companies, and this seems to be the least flashy.
* I signed up for and received a Chase MileagePlus Explorer card. I'd been avoiding credit cards on principle, but that's silly. The rewards are so good (I can travel roundtrip to Seattle for free with this if I spend $1k in 3 months, hardly a challenge), and I can just cancel after a year when there's an annual fee. Paying charges is no problem for me.
* I'd had $1500 sitting around in Lending Club doing absolutely nothing (alongside ~$1500 invested), so I've invested all of it. Living in NJ, I can't fund loans straight out, and have to trade them using Lending Clubs' "FolioFn" marketplace. I do ~$100 per loan to reduce risk.
* I'm finally seeing the stack of cash I had in Vanguard's money market funds drop with my regular investments, so I've transferred a slug out of the bank account into Vanguard.
* A huge slice of stock will vest in November after 1 year at the current company, which I'll try to invest very aggressively. After that, my monthly income will be up too, so I can bump my regular investment schedule.