Zarathustra's Journal

[zarathustra]

@c40 - I had an apartment (kitchen, basic furniture, a/c, television (never used it) for 2.5 million / $200 a month. Also included a bike but I think that's just cuz I'm a semi-attractive single woman (my landlord tried to date me). That was a really good deal. For something similar without a kitchen it would be around that or ~$100 or so more a month. Or you can get a villa for pretty similar price actually, split with a person or two. You just have to commit to longer and pay it all up front I think.

@Kriegsspiel I lived in Canggu which is near Seminyak. Kuta is awful unless you are into the nightclub thing.

[Kriegsspiel]

Thanks for the info. The area around Seminyak looks more beachy/chill and less touristy than Kuta. I don't like nightclubs. I also noticed my google street person is turning into a mermaid when I dropped it into Bali).

[zarathustra]

Just thought I'd give a little update since I keep putting it off . . . I've been back working again now for 6 months. In comparison to my last job at this point, I am infinitely happier, but of course I am beginning to struggle again with how much TIME and ENERGY I am trading. I love working remotely and I believe and can get behind what my company does and I have a great deal of responsibility and impact, which makes it awesome, but I still long for the freedom of directing all of my own time to my goals.

**The Struggles**
I was re-reading Jacob's old post, Update 3: Interesting spreadsheet calculation - http://earlyretirementextreme.com/updat ... ation.html, and realized how un-risky it really is to pull out of the heavy-earning-and-heavy-saving mode once you have a few hundred thousand in the "bank" as long as you keep adding a little here and there. I mean . . . I took 15 or so months off and traveled the world and still came home with more net worth than ever . . . yes, of course, investments do not always pay a steady 6%/whatever-you-plan-for but as we often say in this forum, people "like us" make adjustments as needed and keep learning, growing, and "producing", so additional income is likely at least sometimes.

So I have been thinking about this lately but overall I think I need to dream less and focus on the now a lot more for another six months. Being present is something I got a lot better at in the past year or so and I value the benefits a lot.

**The Love/Relationships/Sex**
I've been doing my polyamorous-dating experiment this year and so far it's going really well. I find that I am able to appreciate the people I date much more for just who they are and never think too much about how they would fit into some list of requirements or life-long partnerships with all the trappings. Instead it's all about how we are able to enjoy one another's company and grow together. It's all very hippy-dippy sounding, but I've truly found a lot of joy and freedom and been able to open myself up a lot more so far. I anticipate trouble, because how could there not be, but so far so good. I haven't fallen in love with anyone yet. However, I very much want to fall in love. It's time.

**The Brain/Skills/Edification**
I'm starting a guitar picking class next week and doing a pork butchery class and I also splurged on season tickets to the symphony. These are my "edification" spendings as of late. My reading has slowed down substantially since starting work, but I've read a few books. Nothing of note, to be honest, though I did start Karl Ove Knausgaard's second book in his "My Struggle" series and that's okay so far.

**The Spend**
I am averaging between 1100 and 1300/month spending and it looks like my rent is going down $100 dollars for a few months while my roommate's new girlfriend lives with us while she looks for a new place. Right now the budget category I am struggling with is my groceries. I am spending around 250/month and feel like it should be less but I do eat a lot of meat (I eat a ketogenic diet basically).

**The Body**
Exercise-wise I haven't lifted in two weeks which is crazy for me. I have felt like cycling instead; being in nature. So I've been doing 10-20 miles a few times a week. I'll probably go back to the weights next week otherwise my muscles/lifts are going to start breaking down.

**The Creativity**
I started working on my book again last week; this is the big life-work book.

Okay, that should be good for now. I'm still here, just . . . in my head mostly.

[m741]

Hey Zarathustra, glad to see you're back. I always like to hear about what you're doing. It's rarely what I think I'd want to do, but always things that sound appealing.

[zarathustra]

**UPDATE TIME**

**WORK**
I was promoted this week to manage our operations team (infrastructure + customer service). i am mostly happy about this but i admit that it's likely welcome because it presents new challenges that will be distractions that should keep me occupied for another 6 months and it will come with a raise (how much, I don't know yet).

**LOVE/SEX**
The instructor of my pork butchery class was hot and his butchery shop/philosophy was so incredibly sexy I had to proposition him, so . . . I did. I'm not one to chase, but in this case I knew it had to go that way with him being my instructor and all. We've gone out twice (a picnic in the park w/ some whiskey and the second date was listening to classical music in my room and drinking wine and discussing existentialism). He's a frugal entrepreneur. Again, hot. I will likely escalate this to a sexual relationship soon. 7Wannabe5 says I should wait until we've seen one another 5 times so I guess I have 2 more dates to wait?

My main man, the chiropractor, is absolutely wonderful and as I told him, I feel tenderness for him. No one has ever taken such good care of me before. Maybe it's because I've always been so independent and seemingly capable, but no one has ever "taken care" of me and it is just . . . wonderful! I really like it! He is also one to listen and act. I told him I am very interested in exploring bondage and while I was gone he went ahead and installed some mounts for ropes by his bed. Hot. I fucked this guy on date #2. I have good instincts.

There's a designer I like for some other sexual exploration as well as emotional connection and that we have very similar personalities.

There's another entrepreneur that is more of a silly, fun one who is also a serious lifter and I love being able to talk about lifting with someone, but we can never find time to get together because I go to bed early, like, religiously and he is kind of opposite that way.

I don't know why I feel the need to explain all of that ^ to y'all but I suppose it is because this polyamorous experiment needs to be documented somewhere and I can't really do so anywhere else.

**THE SPEND**
This past month was a bit rich due to a $400 plane ticket to see my brother and sister in law and kids (new baby added in the mix) on the east coast. I can work when I travel so I like to take advantage of that. It was a good trip and I didn't spend anything additional. I think I am going to spend $16k this year with almost 3k being plane/train fare, two flights which were international.

Savings . . . The cash is piling up! I am nearing a rebalancing band with my cash for my PP though I am considering buying a house in the Portland area next year. I think it is possible to get something around $100k that is a fixer upper and that is what I want. I WANT to spend a few years learning the skills to fix up things and then maybe build a small cabin/tiny home of my own in ~5 years in "the woods" preferably around the columbia gorge maybe for me to indulge in my walden/hermit times. I love that area. I've seen a lot of beautiful places in the world and that area is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

I am still really weighing options here and know that I cannot rush this decision, but it is really feeling like I do want to put down roots here in the sense of making it my "home-base" and then renting out a room or two. I want a really small house with a good, big yard. There are still some of those here. I know plenty of people here and it is a good market for rentals due to the draw of young single people. I am hoping I can get my current roommate to be my tenant because we are ideal roommates and he is super solid. If it's small enough and I either pay cash or get a small mortgage the renter will pretty much pay for it all except maybe some initial fixes/upgrades I have to do.

Anyone who has gone through this "temptation" and felt like they were sure they wanted to stay put in a place a year or 2 or maybe 1-4 years before FI, please give me advice on this. Like, I remember @c40 bought a home which he is now selling and that wasn't too long ago! I am not saying that was a mistake, buddy! I am just wondering if maybe I should wait a little longer or if people have some advice insight on that front. I am hoping this job is my last job and I will be ready to jump ship in 1 - 2 years max unless of course I fall in love with the job.

**THE SKILLS**
The pork butchery class was really fun and I came home with a lot of meat and have been enjoying working on my meat cooking skills. I did a great boston butt for my first try in the slow cooker! I'm getting pretty good at ribs, too. I'm really excited for the pork belly. Anyways, getting really good at cooking meat is a life goal of mine.

The guitar picking class is going pretty well and I'm practicing most of the time. I'm looking forward to working on some christmas songs and recording some for the family/friends on youtube; I did start a project at the beginning of the year to record and sing 12 "one minute" segments as a way to get back in the habit. If you want to hear the few I got done before leaving Bali, they are here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5hmNl ... BSz4PUDuYw

**THE BODY**
Ugh no lifting still! Starting on Monday. There was some traveling in there, so we start fresh next week! My right hip is a concern, but I need to get back in my mobility routines and do my hip thrusts like a good girl.

**THE CREATIVITY**
I started some writing exercises I am going to continue next week and try to make a habit of them. I am going to TRY waking up at 5am M, T, W, & Th, do some cycling and then 30 - 45 mins writing before I start my day. Then my lunch break, which is about 2 hours, will be lifting, showering, errands. Then night time can be my time for sexy time, classes, relaxing, reading, and additional stuff if I feel up to it, but I find that after work it is difficult for me to be able to do creative/intellectual work so I need to get it in beforehand if I can and leave the evening for socializing and relaxing realistically. Oh and NaNoWriMo is coming!!! I need to decide how I'm going to leverage that. I should ask around the forum for who is doing it this year.

[Kriegsspiel]

Hey, I assumed you aren't living in your van up there in Portland right? Would you say it's feasible in the Portland area? From a quick perusal, it looks like it doesn't get that cold there (or hot...). Thoughts?

[zarathustra]

Hey, I assumed you aren't living in your van up there in Portland right? Would you say it's feasible in the Portland area? From a quick perusal, it looks like it doesn't get that cold there (or hot...). Thoughts?

Yeah it would be totally doable in Portland but no I am not living in my van now; I sold it before I went a-travelin'.

Portland does get below freezing in the winter but not by much typically. It shouldn't be too difficult to find "cool" people that would be willing to let you park in their driveway and perhaps even share facilities for a little rent. That's the kind of town Portland is.

I considered doing it again but decided against it since I wanted to stay in one place and I got a great living situation with an old friend. WHICH IS NOW EVEN MORE AWESOME because his girlfriend is moving in and we're splitting rent three ways so an already unheard-of rent of 450/month for a room in two bedroom townhouse in one of the trendiest areas in SE PDX is now 300/month. That's almost Jacob-level

It makes me want to forget buying a house for now and just ride this out as long as it lasts. I keep expecting the landlord to raise the rent or sell the place and get rent raised on us. It's ridiculous how much money he could be making on this place but perhaps he is just appreciative of my roommate's almost 8 year tenure as a solid tenant. Who knows?

[7Wannabe5]

I am, for obvious reasons, very interested in continuing to hear about your experiment with polyamory. I'm really not sure if the 5-dates-until-sex-rule should apply-lol. Totally weird coincidence would be that you are dating a pork butcher and I am dating a permaculturist who wants to raise orchard-fruit-fed hogs. Also, I just reread "Strong Curves: A Woman's Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body", so I might come to you for advice on hip-thrusts etc. if/when I get time/energy to adopt some of the recommended practices from this book. I am very borderline on the extrovert/introvert divide, so I am finding that when other life factors push me into introvert mode, I am not so sure that polyamory is a good idea, and vice-versa. However, it's more like I want to live alone in my mini-earthship-pit with a Boston Terrier as my only male companion when I am pushed into introverted mode, not so much that I crave monogamy. Also, FYI, it has been my experience that age, both actual and relative, is a huge factor when it comes to care-taker-ey behavior exhibited by men. I really appreciated that sort of thing when I first escaped from my terrible marriage, but now I am, perhaps only temporarily, kind of gagging-on-a-spoon-of-sugar-syrup when a man "baby-dolls" me. Yummy on the bondage play, but be careful. Request that your partner check your heart rate and flesh tone periodically and do not do anything like operate a car for at least a half-hour afterwards. I was wondering if you have had any difficulty with actualizing the desire for erotic possession within the context of polyamory? It seems to me that it can be done, but you have to stay very much in the moment. One of my new mantra's is "I am my own b*tch.", but I still can't say it without laughing at myself for multiple reasons. I think some strength training might help.

[Kriegsspiel]

I'm sorry about the van thing too, I really just want to hear about your sex life.

[zarathustra]

I am, for obvious reasons, very interested in continuing to hear about your experiment with polyamory. I'm really not sure if the 5-dates-until-sex-rule should apply-lol. Totally weird coincidence would be that you are dating a pork butcher and I am dating a permaculturist who wants to raise orchard-fruit-fed hogs. Also, I just reread "Strong Curves: A Woman's Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body", so I might come to you for advice on hip-thrusts etc. if/when I get time/energy to adopt some of the recommended practices from this book. I am very borderline on the extrovert/introvert divide, so I am finding that when other life factors push me into introvert mode, I am not so sure that polyamory is a good idea, and vice-versa. However, it's more like I want to live alone in my mini-earthship-pit with a Boston Terrier as my only male companion when I am pushed into introverted mode, not so much that I crave monogamy. Also, FYI, it has been my experience that age, both actual and relative, is a huge factor when it comes to care-taker-ey behavior exhibited by men. I really appreciated that sort of thing when I first escaped from my terrible marriage, but now I am, perhaps only temporarily, kind of gagging-on-a-spoon-of-sugar-syrup when a man "baby-dolls" me. Yummy on the bondage play, but be careful. Request that your partner check your heart rate and flesh tone periodically and do not do anything like operate a car for at least a half-hour afterwards. I was wondering if you have had any difficulty with actualizing the desire for erotic possession within the context of polyamory? It seems to me that it can be done, but you have to stay very much in the moment. One of my new mantra's is "I am my own b*tch.", but I still can't say it without laughing at myself for multiple reasons. I think some strength training might help.

girl, i feel such a kinship with you it's crazy! maybe i should come check out detroit! also, i want to know more about your earthship idea. are the laws in detroit cool with this or you figure no one is going to care?

i am also borderline on the I/E. Last I tested I had transitioned from a 51% e to an i (don't remember the strength).

the "caretaker" thing . . . not so much of a daddy/babygirl thing, i guess simpler things like when i was sick he came over with all the remedies and took care of me, gave me a massage, etc. when i mentioned i was almost out of walnuts he brought me a huge bag of them (favorite present all year!). he offered to pick me up from the airport. maybe it's really sad that i've never been with someone that did things like this, idk. heh.

bondage: check. i actually work for a kink company, so i'm fairly well-versed in such things, but he is pretty new to it, so we are taking it slow. i would like to add someone more experienced in these matters to my "pack". working on that one but it's hard given my position at my company. anyways, maybe a PM on that front would be more appropriate if you want to know more.

what do you mean by "erotic possession"? are you talking D/s stuff?

and strength training is key! we've been talking about longevity on the forums lately and i keep meaning to dig up the recent studies about the key indicator of longevity and quality of life in old age is no longer VO2 max, but LEG STRENGTH. Yes, LEG STRENGTH. *sigh* i suppose i should contribute to the forums more with my research/knowledge on this front but i am lazy and assume y'all already know or will figure it out or best my research anyhow.

i'll post my program next month so you have a good idea of what i do. it's really simple, scalable, and super effective. i was told recently i have an incredibly sexy back, which i am sure comes from the overhead press, deadlifts, and pull ups

seriously though, i wanna know more about the earthship! please post in your journal or something! i would even come out and help you with it, actually, come to think of it, if you have internet and i could work from your house during the day lol. #stalker

[7Wannabe5]

I will post more about my earthship eventually. It is the major focus of my dilettante energy at the moment. I would welcome you or any other "known" member of this forum who is interested in the possibility of frugal urban pioneering to come visit me. There are all sort of cool projects going on all around me. Some young women have completely developed their mini-city-farm across the street from my two adjoining lots, and they have a rather large greenhouse on site. They actually built it with a farming grant and the city is supportive. One day it dawned on me that their greenhouse is big enough that you could park a tiny house in the corner of it, and thereby shield it from any violation of zoning code. So, I think as long as everything about my earth-ship is modular, not hooked into the grid, and not in the category of permanent shelter, I will be okay. The city is pretty much in favor of anything that seems like building and maintenance vs. neglect and decay. Anyways, what I am building now is more of a practice prototype than anything I would actually consider inhabiting full-time.

If you want to attract more caretaker-ey behavior from men (or anybody, really) all you have to do is relax in your sensual feminine energy and let go of the wheel. Except it is not correct to say that relaxing in your feminine energy is something you "do", because it is inherently the opposite of "do"-ing but it's not passivity either, and it's not really about your interactions with unique individual humans who happen to be of the male gender. You can relax in your feminine energy in relationship to the universe and thereby attract the opposite energy from the universe. I am really not a woo-woo type at all. I would explain this in scientific terms if I could. It has to do with releasing the anxiety center of your brain and changing your locus of perception or attention to your emotional or sensual or aesthetic state of perception vs. planning/thinking/action mode or another way to put it would be that you are allowing yourself to be as vulnerable (not weak!) or as trusting as possible. I don't think you should have a huge problem with this at all since it seems to me like you generally are happily engaged with and not frightened of men or the world, maybe just a wee bit hyper or easily distracted. BTDT -lol. When you engage in an activity such as bondage play, you are on a level using the bonds to force you to deeply relax and release or surrender in the moment. Your partner who is bringing the masculine energy in the moment is thoroughly in "do"-ing or driven mode. When maximized "do"-ing energy meets maximized relaxed sensual energy then, in theory, what results is ecstatic sexual union, which is not to be understood as strictly limited to sexual interaction between two people, however your sexual personae will likely prefer bringing one form of energy over the other. Like how some people are introverts and some people are extroverts, except there does seem to be more correlation along gender lines, likely due to hormonal influence. And, that in a nutshell, is why it is often poor practice to "chase boys." ; )

[zarathustra]

**UPDATE TIME**

**WORK**
As I mentioned last time, I was promoted and then kind of promoted again . . . It's a little insane right now. We are a small company in that teenager phase where we are trying to figure out exactly what the company is really going to be about and how it's really going to work and what we really want to do. Big decisions have to be made in this phase, and it's very exciting but it is also very challenging and time consuming. I am now working 10-12 hour days as I ramp up and work with the rest of the "leadership" to figure out what we're doing. I anticipate things to calm down in the next 2-3 months or so. We'll see.

This is an interesting job to have right now, as I will have to stretch in new ways and learn a lot of new things, which will keep me engaged for a while. In some ways I worry the stretch may be too far or I will tire of the annoyances related to some of these things a little more quickly than I'd like. I also know I could crash and burn on this and that is okay too.

I am keeping daily track of my hours and color-coding when I have really great days, really terrible days, and kind-of terrible days so I have a visual indicator of the general trend.

Because of the extra focus and hours and energy spent, the rest of my life has had to be paired down in order for me to function. Most of my intellectual/creative energy is gone at the end of the day, so I have turned to reading more fiction than non-fiction. I have given up on NaNoWriMo. I have stopped going to guitar class.

When things get crazy and I start getting anxiety, I gather myself and write down the most important things to focus on and then tell myself it is okay if I just put my energies and focus into those three things for a while. It helps me because I tend to want to do all the things and then feel guilty when I can't.

So the three things are:

- Freedom
- Fitness
- Family

"Freedom" right now being: working for $, which will provide freedom. It also means living frugally making good $ choices.
"Fitness" right now being: lifting regularly again, eating healthy, and cycling for transport and when the mood strikes.
"Family" right now being: focusing on just my closest relationships and not worrying about the more frivolous ones.

Every day when I light my incense I look at those three categories. When I get stressed at work I look at those three categories. So far it is helping.

**LOVE/SEX**
This has slowed down significantly since the promotion; I am still in contact with the butcher, but have kind of avoided meeting up with him a bit, just feeling unable to "do that" while so distracted. I still have my main man and that is getting kind of . . . serious. He told me he loved me and I admit I was feeling that perhaps I had fallen for him too, but I was in no rush to name it. Now that it is named, I have been struggling with it and feel it has changed things for me, even though I know it should not. It is all fear of being tied down and now because we say we love each other this puts a kind of pressure on us whether we want it to or not, to take things more seriously. I am trying to relax and get back to that wonderful headspace I had before where I could just relax and enjoy him and what we shared with no other expectations. That was far superior.

**THE SPEND**
Last month I ended up spending ~$1700 which is about 500-600 more than usual for me. $400 of that was a plane ticket. $150 more was getting my passport replaced.

THIS month is also going to be around that because I had to purchase a new bed. The one I was using was my brother's and he is returning from abroad this week. I got a good deal on a king for $400.

**THE SKILLS**
The guitar picking class has not seen me in a few weeks.

**THE BODY**
Started lifting again! Went one cycle through my lifts and had to wait a day or two between each because of the DOMS, but it feels good to be back in the saddle on that.

Eating a lot more turmeric and staining the shit out of things while doing it.

**THE CREATIVITY**
Not much here; stopped writing NaNoWriMo and haven't been playing guitar much. I am reading fiction though, which helps spark the creative side of me.

[zarathustra]

**DECEMBER UPDATE TIME**

**WORK**
Once again we have re-organized and my duties have changed . . . again . . . I just don't even know anymore! This is my last go-around this particularly merry-go-round I've decided. May take some time off again if I decide this isn't working anymore.

I've refocused my goals and morning routines to help me manage some of the issues I've been having related to work and stress and letting all that work craziness get me off the healthy habits I had built over the last year.

**LOVE/SEX**
The difficulty I was experiencing with the "i love you" thing has faded away. Things are great with my main partner. Really great!

I am starting to fold back in the butcher and the designer to see if I can finally get into the sexy-time territory with another person. It's time to test that boundary.

**THE SPEND**
December I kept expenses under 1k. Still waiting on my final internet bill. I will be putting up my final 2015 numbers probably end of January after I do the taxes and stuff. However, it will be a more expensive year than the last two. I spent just a little over 17k!! (3k was all the international flights mostly and I had to buy a new bed and phone. I think those were the biggest expenses but I'll break it down better later this month).

January & February will be unusually expensive because I have a series of shots that will be costing me almost 1k this year but they'll be worth it. I am also taking a trip with the partner (our first vacation together and I'll be meeting his lifelong friends).

I'm considering buying a cheap fixer (house) on a ~quarter acre lot this year (before I quit my job because I think leveraged will be smarter/less risky in this case) to start building my gardening/chickening skills. I think I'd just mortgage about 50k just to make sure I had some good cash. I'd also make sure I could rent a room of it to cover the mortgage (the renter's market here is crazy town . . . so expensive, the rent). Anyways, I'm still working it out, but it's getting more solidified for me. I'm pretty sure I want to stay here for several more years, if not longer, and I want to gain those skills to be more independent.

**THE SKILLS**
I am not currently working on any skills while I re-focus on the basics and getting them down again. So I guess you could say I'm working on reforming good habits again to build upon.

**THE BODY**
Doing pretty well! Lifting and eating well.

**THE CREATIVITY**
My happy/creative spark has returned after a two week vacation and reset of goals/priorities.

[C40]

It's great to see these regular updates from you!

How much are you expecting to spend on the fixer-upper? Are house prices going up a lot in Portland?

[zarathustra]

It's great to see these regular updates from you!

How much are you expecting to spend on the fixer-upper? Are house prices going up a lot in Portland?

Hey darlin'. There are several places for ~100k, so I was thinking of putting down 30k. I could rent to a friend and more than cover the mortgage + tax if I wanted to.

I'm trying to decide how foolish it would be to basically get my mortgage/house then quit my job and start working on growing food/raising chickens and doing some side work as I felt like it/wanted to and start thinking about a "career" change. I'd have enough cash on hand to do a few major repairs, or start a business, or keep my life going for several years without having to liquidate anything . . . I am in no hurry anymore to get to a perfect SWR, I just want to start working on better skills for self-sufficiency and find other good skills to learn and trade with or make some money with to continue some small savings every year. Maybe some personal training/crossfit coaching, some tax prep work, some side PM stuff . . . I like to clean bathrooms . . . idk. It would just be hard to get a mortgage after I quit this job because I'm not sure I want to get another "responsible adult job that is high paying and stable for more than a year", you know?

What's your advice on this front?

[thrifty++]

I love reading your journal Zarathustra!

Awesome that you lived in Bali. I was there for a month a couple of years ago. Loved it. I know what your saying about the drinking party culture though. I didn't spend a lot of time engaging in it.. I think there is also quite a nice spiritual, bohemian, surfer scene in bali though which is really nice and is quite separate to the touristy party scene. Did you surf at all in Bali? I never made it to Changu but it sounded like the best surf beach - for those who don't like reef breaks anyway.

I remember stumbling across this awesome yoga studio in Sanur made totally of bamboo and did yoga to sunrise and sunset. http://powerofnowoasis.com/ I really liked Ubud and the Yoga Barn there as well.

[7Wannabe5]

The House of Zarathustra. Has a nice ring to it. I like it!

Real Estate Investment
Property Ownership
Home Renovation
Home Maintenance
Civil Self Husbandry (being master/mistress of your own domain, bound only to your own house/land)
Landlording
Housekeeping'
Homemaking
Gardening
Animal Husbandry

Lots of different perspectives to consider. Lots of different hats to wear.

[ether]

You're right it will be hard to get a mortgage without a steady job! Several cities have housing programs for helping people get <100k mortgages with low income, but I did a little research and Portland is not one of those cities. However there is a federal program that subsidizes your interest payments by 20%. Read more here and here. Congrats, sounds like you're opting for retirement from the rat race, you're living the dream of Portland! Queue the music

[C40]

If you want a mortgage, I believe it will be much easier while you still have the job. One thing to consider is, if you're going to fix the place up, how much money and time will it take? I'm assuming that you are good at finding and keeping room mates, as it sounds like that may be critical for the cashflow. When I first bought my house I did some math of having one room mate, having a room mate and girlfriend living with me, and having two room mates and putting my bedroom in the basement. But then I didn't go through with any of it. I guess my introversion and desire for not having any one around to offend with sex parties trumped that .

I admire your approach to FI (through skills, hobbies, smaller types of work, taking mini-retirements, etc.) It is much different than my "work 10+ years at the same company and pile up all the money and be bored as hell at the end" method.

[thrifty++]

I
I admire your approach to FI (through skills, hobbies, smaller types of work, taking mini-retirements, etc.) It is much different than my "work 10+ years at the same company and pile up all the money and be bored as hell at the end" method.

Me too. I think your stories are awesome. I am on the cusp of looking at a mini retirement so your journal is quite inspiring.