Western Red Cedar's Journal

[Western Red Cedar]

@MBBboy - thanks for the links! I immediately realized I'm probably conflating at least two different ideas. Retirement buckets, which are more or less well-defined (and not what I'm necessarily talking about) and phases of retirement (I'm not sure if there is actually a better term for this). The phases of retirement/FI that I'm talking about are somewhat defined by rules for withdrawal. In my case 59.5, 65, and 67. The first phase or two is informed by our upcoming plans for the future, and some uncertainty about what we will actually want a few years down the road.

This earlier post provides a little more background on my thought process:

The Kitces article probably speaks more to what I'm thinking about, and it is possible this is simply approaching the mental accounting he mentions in the article. A cornerstone of the strategy is willingness to pick up periodic work in the next five years, or cut expenses with some work-type arrangement or creative living situation. Kitces actually planted this seed when I heard him discuss the power of a small amount of periodic income to protect against SORR for early retirees. That income can also dramatically change the math on the SWR strategy. Ultimately, I'm trying to integrate my financial strategy into the WOG and our broader lifestyle, without letting the financial strategy control things too much. One of the big attractions of ERE was realizing that the creative, low-cost solution may represent the better solution.

I've been thinking quite about this thread on coasting to FI: viewtopic.php?t=6452 and more specifically @bsog's post on 5-year time frames: viewtopic.php?p=194073#p194073

I think there is utility in thinking beyond 5-year time frames for financial planning purposes, but I also think it is easy to get carried away by over preparing for a lot of potential outcomes that may never occur.

I have found value in thinking about all of this, adding new tabs to the spreadsheet, and trying to put something resembling a plan on paper. More than anything, I think it has made me realize that my initial FI target of 600k may not actually be necessary when I consider SS, pension, and a willingness to pick up some work at some point.

Once again, I appreciate the feedback and I'm open to other's critiques or thoughts. This is all a work in progress...

[MBBboy]

Oh man, that second link from BSOG basically ruined the peace of my morning. I'm going to be chewing on that for a while - thanks for sharing

[Western Red Cedar]

Our NW finally reached a record high in January after yo-yoing back and forth over 2022. DW was able to go back to work in late January and has really appreciated the structure, purpose, and forced socialization it provides. She's also been doing quite well with her side gig and made a couple hundred dollars with her earrings over the last six weeks.

Work has been really intense over the last two months, which was expected. I've been much more productive and I'm getting close to wrapping up my multi-year project. This will probably be represent the biggest milestone in my professional career when it is over. The productivity has resulted from starting at five or six in the morning, and working uninterrupted for a few hours before the day begins. That, in combination with a focus on getting at least a little bit done every day, has really moved the needle in the last six weeks. Unfortunately my sleep hasn't been great, and sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night, or a few hours before my 7:00 am alarm. Rather than mess about on the internet or read for pleasure, I've been focusing on work. Not the healthiest approach, but it feels good to be finalizing things.

A couple weeks ago an old colleague sent me a job link for a new position in another agency. I had already mentally committed to quitting my current job in August or September to travel internationally. Either south from Mexico towards Argentina, or East towards SE Asia and beyond. I initially told her that DW and I had plans to travel, but then followed up with a phone call a couple days later after talking with DW to learn more about the job and her experience with the agency culture. I have another friend and former colleague who has been there for the last nine years and talked to her on Friday. I spruced up the resume, spent some time on a well-crafted cover letter, and submitted an application yesterday.

The opportunity would allow me to leverage my experience with environmental policy, project management, grant management, public outreach, and intergovernmental coordination - and I would be focusing specifically on outdoor recreation. This is one of my passions, and something I've thought about doing on a volunteer basis. The pay scale is higher and I'd have all of the same benefits in terms of my pension and paid leave.

One thing I've been thinking about is better integrating work into a well-balanced life and my WOG. This new opportunity would allow me to do some amazing work on a much larger scale than I could achieve working as a volunteer or an individual. The same is true with my current job.

I felt like there was a lot of tacit signals telling me that applying was the right move. I was listening to a few interviews with Rick Rubin, who talks about taking cues from the universe in terms of decision-making. His theory on the muse and creativity was strikingly similar to what Elizabeth Gilbert talks about in Big Magic (though he said he hadn't read her work). I also happened to be reading The Midnight Library while I was pondering all of this. A central theme is the paradox of choice and reevaluating regrets. I have trouble following my intuition, but I'd like to get better at that. It felt like applying was the right choice, and I honestly think that I could benefit from the additional structure of work. It would allow me to continue working on some personal stuff and getting my mental and physical health in a better place.

We'll see how it shakes out. If I get it then DW and I will stay put and continue working. If I don't we'll probably leave in September to travel. We are at a bare-bones FI right now, but I'm not really worried about finances much. Feeling excited about the future, whichever way it goes.

[calamityjane]

Congratulations on the new opportunity! That sounds like some serendipity for sure. And if it doesn't work out, the travel is a nice consolation prize.

[mountainFrugal]

WRC

The opportunity would allow me to leverage my experience with environmental policy, project management, grant management, public outreach, and intergovernmental coordination - and I would be focusing specifically on outdoor recreation. This is one of my passions, and something I've thought about doing on a volunteer basis.

I am interested to see where this new opportunity takes you! We are not questing for no work (there are exceptions), but finding an integrated life worth living. Volunteering or getting paid makes less of a difference when you are FI and the activity is on mission towards the WOG. .

[Western Red Cedar]

Thanks for the kind words @calamityjane and @mountinFrugal. I can honestly say that I'm content with either outcome.

The whole experience reaffirms my distaste and aversion to the Gervais Principle. Perhaps my limited time in the private sector shielded me from overexposure to sociopaths, but I could never philosophically get behind phoning it in professionally. It is really nice to talk to people I worked with a few months ago, or over a decade ago, and know that they'd vouch for my work ethic and look forward to working with me again.

[Western Red Cedar]

"The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of other men! A weird life it is, indeed, to be living always in somebody else's imagination, as if that were the only place in which one could at last become real."

-Thomas Merton: The Seven Storey Mountain

[Western Red Cedar]

Update

Professional:

I finally wrapped up my project at work last month. It feels great, and having completed it now, I am really glad I stuck with things rather than leaving early. I realized shortly before finishing it that it was the largest single project that I've worked on, and that I spent significantly more time working on it than I did my thesis.

Things are still pretty hectic, but my day-to-day work life has been much better over the last few weeks. Our organization is growing and much of the new work is quite interesting. I suspect I'll have plenty of opportunities down the road if I stay in the field. DW and I went on vacation in early April and while away I was thinking more seriously about taking a sabbatical, and/or working towards the end of the year - or even into next year. Then....the first morning back I found a bit of fire that needed immediate attention. It wasn't my project and I wasn't familiar with it, so I spent 10 hours in front of the computer trying to resolve it. Everything was much better after that though. That experience was a good reminder to continue taking things week by week, and see where things are at this summer.

I interviewed for the position mentioned upthread but didn't get it. I was one of the final three applicants, but it was a little bit of a stretch in terms of my previous experience. I'm content with that outcome, and don't think I have the energy and excitement I'd like to bring to a new role right now. My current position has some stressful days, but I also have pretty good balance and am skilled at what I do.

Physical:

A couple months ago I tweaked some muscles in my back while doing a seated hack squat. I wasn't lifting particularly heavy, but I didn't get up between sets and was a little fatigued. It messed me up for 4-5 days and had me reevaluate my approach to my lifting regime. I started getting caught up in hitting PRs and lifting heavier. Caught in the progress trap that I want to apply to so many areas of my life. I've backed off from that mindset, as all I'm really trying to do is maintain a healthy habit, build lean muscle, and stay active as I get older. I'm still lifting 4-6 days per week, but I'm not pushing myself too hard most days. I'm not trying to get bigger. I've got a big birthday coming up and would like to hit it in peak physical shape.

I'm walking a lot more lately now that the weather has improved. I typically walk for 60-90 minutes at lunch on trails by a local river and creek, occasionally through neighborhoods to add some variety. I lift in the evenings even though the gym is a bit of a zoo at that time. I'm still enjoying the IF approach to diet and nutrition, and usually have my first meal after my walk. I'd like to introduce some longer fasts once or twice a quarter.

I just discovered the Health app on the iPhone, and that it tracks steps. It was interesting looking back at the last six months of data. I was a little concerned how quickly my monkey-brain was incentivized to walk more (or carry my phone more while walking) just to see the numbers increase. I've kind of accepted that I respond well to gamification, so rather than fight it I just try to lean into it.

Financial:

NW hit a new high in April. I continue to enjoy tinkering with the spreadsheet and figured out DW's pension status last month. Reframing my perspective on work and reflecting on how it fits into my WOG has caused me to reevaluate our timeline and semi-ere. If things feel good at work, I'm inclined to stay a bit longer to help secure some kind of longer-term housing situation in the future. I've also tried to stop making longer-term plans, and take things as they come. This is a bit antithetical to my nature though.

Lately I've been actively practicing getting comfortable with spending more. I still don't have much interest in bringing more "stuff" or "things" into my life, but I've opened up a bit on experiences with friends and family. I also continue to feel more comfortable increasing the grocery budget for some
healthier, more expensive foods.

I think there may be a bit of a trap in terms of trying to minimize expenses as a means of attempting to run-up the WL chart. I definitely don't want to become a slave to the stash, or the sense of security that the stash provides.

Trips:

DW and I managed to get away to Seattle and Vancouver for seven nights. We stayed with family in Seattle, and used points for a hotel in Vancouver for three nights. The trip was a good opportunity to observe my reactions to spending on unnecessary, discretionary items (mostly food). I had to remind myself a few times not to worry about the costs, that the trip was already heavily subsidized in terms of accommodation, and that a few days full of pastries, sushi, Thai food, and poutine wouldn't make much of a difference.

My brother and I went to a Mariners game, and it was a great opportunity to catch up with him on the bus ride there, during the game, and hanging out downtown. He took a day off work and we went hiking in Discovery Park. We enjoyed the trails despite a pretty heavy downpour. His kids are at a really fun age, and I've become notorious with his kids as the uncle who makes the best blanket forts. Next time I'll need to bring a few extra sets of sheets to take it to the next level. DW also got a chance to spend a couple days with her sister's family. We are trying to prioritize time with family as we know that we may be overseas again soon.

We lucked out with some beautiful weather in Vancouver and spent most of our time walking around the city. I finally made it to Stanley Park, which had alluded me on previous trips. The seawall trail was beautiful and offered numerous spots for people watching. The cherry blossoms were out and it was fun seeing them pop up in different neighborhoods. A few days of eating at restaurants was a bit of a shock to the digestive system, and a reminder how much we appreciate the structure of my daily life back home.

Vancouver Seawall:





Stanley Park Fauna:



Cabin life:

The snow had just about melted from the driveway, so I took the opportunity to head back to the homestead last weekend. I hadn't been there since last October, and only made it up a couple times last year. The first day we walked around, talked about changes on the land, and observed the creek flow and waterfalls. I spent the evening talking late with my parents. My mom retired at 11:00 and I hung out with my dad for another hour. We woke up around seven the next morning, made breakfast, and got ready to work. While we were getting ready, we saw a large flock of turkeys wandering through the yard.



I had initially planned on breaking out the brush cutter to build a couple new trails. The original cabin rests on a large bench, that is maybe 4-5 acres. There is a 1-2 acre part of the bench near the corner of the property that is quite nice for walking, and has some open areas, but which was shielded by brush.

As is typical with these projects, what we envisioned as a fairly simple project turned into a 5+ hour morning of heavy labor. I worked with a brush cutter and he was using a pole saw and chain saw. There was a lot of dead brush and small trees from some cutting my dad did a year or tow ago, but never got around to cleaning up. He decided to start a bonfire with the brush pile we created, and we continued adding to it. At some point the wheelbarrow wasn't sufficient, so he grabbed the truck and we were grabbing brush from different spots in the property.

It was perfect weather for working, and still early enough that the ticks weren't out. I'll try to get up there a bit more this year as I know he appreciates the help, and it is a nice alternative to city life for the weekend at times.

[guitarplayer]

Good to read that you are content with the interview outcome - I have a feeling it'll turn out for the better for you!

Nice turkey, I spent over four years living on an estate with a pet peacock called George. Looking at the photo, peacocks seem just fancy turkeys.

[mountainFrugal]

Does the creek flow all year?

[theanimal]

Love the photo of the creek.

Have you worked with kettlebells before? You may find them to be a good alternative to barbell work. It's a good way to really reduce the risk of serious injury.

[Western Red Cedar]

Good to read that you are content with the interview outcome - I have a feeling it'll turn out for the better for you!

Thank you. I had actually decided I would turn the job down if it was offered based on our plans to travel, and partially on this discussion:

viewtopic.php?t=12728

I figure there will be plenty of opportunities to do office work in my 40's and 50's if that is what I want.

@mf - the creek flows year round, but it gets pretty low in August and September. Right now it is close to peak flow as there is still snow in the mountains and the draws, but we've had a lot of rain and it hasn't been freezing at night. It was fun checking out a few small waterfalls which were much more dramatic with all of the spring runoff. Even during the dry months, there is plenty of water underground. There are a number of forested wetlands at higher elevations that feed into that particular creek.

@theanimal - Thank you. I haven't worked much with kettlebells, though my gym has them. I'm mostly working with dumbbells and machines, and a few bodyweight exercises like chin ups, pull ups, and dips. I think I mainly need to keep my ego in check (which I've done lately), and focus more on form. Now that the weather is picking up I'll likely start incorporating more cardio in with bike rides and hiking.

The setback was a good reminder that I'm no spring chicken, that I need to have a bit more respect for the weights, and that I don't need to be pushing more weight every month.

[Western Red Cedar]

I have the day off work so I'm having a leisurely morning with delicious coffee, catching up on the forums, and looking forward to a long bike ride this afternoon. The weather is supposed to be really nice this weekend so DW and I are planning on a day-trip tomorrow for a hike and a picnic on a beach. Possibly even a short swim.

I made another trip up to The Shire last weekend to work with my dad on their property. What started as a small project to build some trails the weekend before expanded in scope, and we ended up building a small access road to the back corner of the property. Some large Douglas Firs came down in a windstorm a little over a year ago so now we'll be able to access them and clean things up with a lot less effort. Having access to different spots like this on the property is really helpful for managing the land. We can drop standing dead trees for firewood, cut up trees that come down, and expand the area for hiking or mountain bike trails.

I was mostly clearing out large brush and selectively cutting a handful of the small stands of trees to support more robust growth for those stands. We had another bonfire for a couple days, which will probably be the last one of the season as it is going to start warming up. All of this work is consistent with best practices for wildfire management, so it hits on multiple goals.

I realized before driving up there for the second weekend in a row that I was basically paying (in the form of gas) to go do hard manual labor for multiple hours. When it comes to the question in regards to FIRE or retirement about "what work would you do for free" - working outdoors with my hands is a natural solution. I love working deep in the woods with equipment, but I'm also a fan of basic landscaping work, gardening, etc... I'm pretty sure it isn't something I'd want to do for 40 hours per week, or even 20. But, the thought was a nice reminder that there is plenty of "work" that I'd happily do for free.

In between the manual labor, it is nice taking long walks and observing the different microclimates, topography, soil types, and how that all affects the vegetation. I had a chance to check out another well, and now know where all four wells are located, and have a better understanding for how the creek draws interact.

I've casually dropped some hints to my dad over the last couple of years about potentially buying 20 or 40 acres off the neighbor's property. The neighbors have a parcel of 120+ acres, sold the original 10 acres to my parents, and used to babysit me as a kid. Prices jumped up in the region pretty dramatically over the last few years though, so I'm not sure how I'd feel about dropping up to six figures on a piece of raw land that was recently logged. I found out my dad stopped by to drop off a truck load of firewood, and casually mentioned this to the neighbor. I suppose this is how things work up there. The seed has been planted.

In reality, the 75 total acres is plenty of land. Managing the 40 that my parents own is a big task in and of itself, especially at their age. My sister and brother-in-law still have a lot of work to do on the house and property they recently purchased. I suppose I'm attracted by the idea of having something of my own, but it probably isn't necessary or ideal.

[Western Red Cedar]

May Update:

Professional:

Things are going well at work. I've been in my new role for just over a year and had my annual evaluation. Mostly all exceeds or substantially exceeds expectations. No bonuses or anything like that as a public sector employee, but positive feedback always feels great. There are a bunch of new, interesting projects gearing up and I'm a key player in many of them based on my last project management experience. After coming back form vacation I found out a colleague on my team is leaving after less than a year. It is a pretty big blow as he is great, has a unique skillset, and was just trained and up-to-speed. However, I've grown accustomed to the turnover and change.

Financial:

NW is trending in the right direction and at a record high. Hoping to hit a big milestone in the next couple of months, but that will ultimately depend on the markets. DW and I just continue to stay the course and adhere to our investment philosophy of buy and hold low-cost index funds. Maintaining a few years of living costs makes me relatively unconcerned about market volatility or stagnation. We've loosened the purse strings a bit to engage more in social activities. A lot of these are still frugal (barbecues, hikes, walks, picnics) but DW has been going to more ballet classes, going out with friends for coffee, etc...

Life:

After a wet spring I've been making the most of the warm weather in the PNW and getting out for walks or hikes almost everyday. I had a big birthday this month and took 11 days off work. It turned into a split between a staycation and a vacation. Unfortunately I couldn't get out for a solo backpacking trip as the weather was stormy and rainy in every direction. It wasn't a big deal though, as I went hiking almost every day and found a beautiful new hike in the local area that I had never done before. I also had the opportunity to take a day trip to the shire to search for Morels with my dad. No luck up there, but I know they are out as I talked with some local hikers in one of the state parks a couple days prior and they had found some. We had a beautiful hike, found some new viewpoints, and learned more about the neighbor's logging operation and the property lines. There was some excitement a couple days ago up there as I got a text from my dad saying a bear had ripped the back panel off of his car. It turns out it was attracted by the hummingbird feeder. There were prints all over the hood of the car, and claw marks on the mirror. Pretty unusual behavior for a black bear.

I also spent six days with a bunch of close friends at a swanky mansion in Montana. One of my best friends and his wife organized a big trip with a bunch of old friends. There were about 25 of us on the busiest night and it was a blast. Lots of great conversations and interesting people from a variety of professions. I told some of my close friends about plans for a sabbatical, which they were a bit surprised by. Sometimes announcing these things socially helps me pull the trigger.

Staycation Hikes:





DW and I had a nice picnic at the beach here:



A new, grassy knoll near the shire:




Hiking in Montana:

[Lemur]

@WRC

Ah a fellow Public Sector employee . Fed or local?
Jealous of the views…nothing like that here in the DMV.

[2Birds1Stone]

Beautiful area you live in, indeed.

Congrats on the professional success, sounds like you're primed to have many options in the coming year or two.

[Western Red Cedar]

@Lemur - I tried to get on with the Feds after graduate school, but didn't have any luck considering my limited experience and their hiring preferences.

@2b1s - Thank you. My word for the year is "transitions" - so I'm planning on finally branching out to explore some of those options. DW and I have been living a simple, minimalist lifestyle for over a decade now. It is time to cash in on those choices and follow through on our initial plans.

[Frugalchicos]

wow, those pics are just astonishing.

Seems like life is going great and it sounds like your NW achievements are going in the right direction as well.

In regards to the following: "We've loosened the purse strings a bit to engage more in social activities" - this has been key for me to start enjoying the journey. Being too tight on the early days wasn't doing anyone a favor.

All the best

[Western Red Cedar]

@frugalchicos - thank you. As I like to say on this FI journey "poco a poco"

[Western Red Cedar]

Claiming My Freedom - Laying The Path To SemiERE:

I met with my supervisor on Friday and told him that DW and I are planning on taking a year to travel internationally. I let him know that I would prefer a sabbatical, but that we were planning on taking the trip regardless of whether or not that was granted. He was very supportive and laughed because he had been discussing some extended leave with his family. We had a fruitful discussion about transitions, internal operations, hiring, retention, and strategic planning. I set up a meeting with his boss yesterday to request the next level of approval. The conversation was a little more tense as we are losing another senior staff member this week, but he is supportive and I've got the green light verbally. I still need to jump through a few hoops over the next month or two, but it is basically a done deal. I'm allowed up to twelve months of unpaid leave and plan on using it starting in September, with a tentative return in August of 2024. I structured the leave, in part, so DW could easily slide back into work with a local school district.

My plan is to utilize some of my remaining vacation time to keep my health insurance through September so DW and I can take a road trip down through California and hit up EREfest. We plan on visiting some of the National Parks and and National Forests, and are open to connecting with other forum members along the way if it makes sense.

DW and I still have a lot to talk about and plan, but are hoping to leave in October for SE Asia. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines are at the top of the list. I plan on keeping things open in terms of other destinations, but would also like to spend a few months in South America, and potentially a few months in Europe. The general strategy is to choose three regions and travel locally, but that might shift to two.

For those of you who have been following along with this journal, you probably know this is a long-time coming. I've been hemming and hawing about it for 20+ pages . I opted for the sabbatical because there are a lot of elements I love about my work, and it keeps options open as DW and I consider where we want to establish a permanent base. We could return to work in 2024 and buy a house, or we could return to pad the stash to support extended vagabonding. As we daydreamed about FI many years ago, we envisioned multiple years of nomadic adventures. Living cheaply and traveling as we did in our twenties. That option is still on the table, but the upcoming year will give us a test-run of that lifestyle. It will let us experiment with our budget. It will let us consider whether nomadism provides us with the level of purpose and community that we desire. Most importantly, it will allow us to take a break to breathe, appreciate life, build memories together, make art, and strengthen our relationship.

I don't know what the future will bring, but I know that I'm only getting older and that it is highly unlikely I'll regret this decision down the road. I've got plenty of years left to sit at a desk, but I might not have the desire or ability to rough it in the Thai jungle again, to trek through Patagonia, to get my ass handed to me on the waves in Florianopolis. We are at 80% of our FI target so it is feasible we return in better financial shape after a year of adventures.

As I got closer to our FI number, I noticed more fear creeping up. The decision to leave is visceral. We'll be blowing up our system and giving up the comfort and security that we've built over the last decade. I suspect we will be better off for it in the long run.