Fox's Journey: And Onto the Sunlight!

Where are you and where are you going?
thrifty++
Posts: 1171
Joined: Sat May 23, 2015 3:46 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by thrifty++ »

Olaz wrote: I've upped my job searching to a panicked A LOT, because graduation is in a few months and I do NOT want to be living back home in this backwards, retail, and depressing city, thank you very much. I'm also still super annoyed at this insurance @#%! from delaying orthodontic/jaw treatment for longer than necessary. It bothers me so much to not have control over essential tooth structures wearing away unnecessarily.

Total Networth: 47K
Wow thats a cracker of a net worth at your age.

Do you have to go back to Miami though? Could you not just stay where you are or go where you want and work in any kind of job for a while until you get a grad job? I didnt have a grad job to go to immediately and was really panicked about it too. But I ended up just working more hours in a service industry job until I had a grad job. It ended up being a really nice period in my life where there was very little stress, no dealing with university stress or complex work stress. I only worked about 30 hours a week and had time and energy to engage in lots of hobbies. Had enough money to cover my basics and more. I also had a net worth of about minus $40k lol. I ended up really enjoying myself. It only lasted for about 4 months then I moved into a grad job.

TopHatFox
Posts: 2322
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: FL; 25

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TopHatFox »

Updates!

In my last semester of college. It's been a long time coming, all the way from elementary school some 15+ years ago. I can't believe the formal education process is so long. I've pulled back on work from 20 hours a week to 5-10 hours/wk, which means savings will stall. The reason is that I am required to take a 3-5 hr/wk lab and I want to take a language discussion section for ~3 hrs/wk. Most fun classes I'm taking are a social movements class and a french class. I can understand french pretty well now, even if my pronunciation and speaking vocabulary could use work. The social movements class is giving me ideas for post-FI activism/adventure.

Job wise, I've landed two final interviews, one at a HNW financial advisory in a small city of NY and the other at my college's investment office. If I had a choice, I'd likely choose the one at my school since it's in a very progressive and definitely less expensive area. It also has anti-consumerist vibe compared to a metro to be sure, not to mention more accepting of polyamory, LGBTQ, minorities, etc. In any case, the NY interview includes a dinner and hotel stay on an upcoming Saturday, and an 8 AM Sunday 3-hour interview including a written assessment, IQ/Personality Test, and meeting with upper management in the office. The Investment Office Interview will include meeting with upper management in the office and hoping for the best. I have no idea how to prepare for these after the first interview except to show up.

Relationship wise, my primary partner (strong emotional and physical relationship with a shared life path) and I have been together for almost a year now, and my secondary partner (strong emotional and physical relationship with a mutual understanding that a shared life path is not desired) and I have just transitioned our norm set from an "affectionate close friendship" into a secondary form relationship. Yay. Of note, think of "primary partner" and "secondary partner" like a primary form relationship and a secondary form relationship, rather than as a label hierarchy indicating competition between lovers (that would be the antithesis of polyamory). I also became "hug buddies" (I defined it as a strong emotional and cuddly close friendship) with a late 20's woman who is married and poly but her husband is monogamous and uses stricter physical norms than I'm use to. I wasn't sure where to fit the label, but we laughed it off - labels schmabels.

Vanabode wise, I think I'll wait until I'm living in a warmer climate, I don't want to blow up in the van. Cool news is, my PP is totally into financial independence, travelling the world together, eating a healthful vegan diet, being open, and working on climate justice together. We recently hiked 7 mountain peaks over 10 miles of up and down. She likes science, and I like writing. I see a power couple happening!<3

Vision Training wise, I've been slacking. I recently checked my eyes at the optometrist and got -1.25 and -1.5. I'm hoping to improve that, but I've failed at developing the habit of bringing my reading glasses everywhere, not to mention that my iPhone 5 screen's text is always too large. I'm wondering if there's a way to make the text smaller automatically (like really small).

Possession Wise, I'm still working on selling my bikes for a touring bike, sewing a ton of ultra light-weight Ray Way gear, and getting some misc. items like a standing desk adapter or nice drapes.

Jaw Surgery Wise, it's at a standstill. If I can get the Investment Office job, I can start orthodontic work ASAP and be done w/ the surgery within the year likely with fancy work insurance. If I get the job in NY, I don't know, I'll pick up the process from there I suppose.

Citizenship Wise, I am now an officially naturalized US Citizen. I even applied for a US passport and to vote. 17 years in the making baby~ :mrgreen: I also successfully passed my driver's license test. I might get a zip car account just to have access to a car when needed.

-----------------------------

Net Worth: 47.5K

User avatar
C40
Posts: 2748
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:30 am

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by C40 »

A Citizen!?? WOW!!! Congrats Olaz! : :) :) :)


And... That place interviews people on a Sunday? Do they do that for your convenience (So you don't have to miss classes), or because they suck at working and work on Sundays?

TopHatFox
Posts: 2322
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: FL; 25

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TopHatFox »

I believe its the former. They tend to hire graduates of fancy colleges and want to accomodate classes. That's nice of them~

Gilberto de Piento
Posts: 1942
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:23 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

Congratulations on citizenship! That's a big accomplishment.

User avatar
TheWanderingScholar
Posts: 650
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 12:04 am

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TheWanderingScholar »

Congrats on citizenship.

TopHatFox
Posts: 2322
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: FL; 25

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TopHatFox »

Alright Dearies~~~, we're in business! :mrgreen:

-------------------------------
PRE-MOVE CONCERNS

College: I finish my last class on April 25th and graduate in late May, <3 months from now. Hello, capital accumulation phase with an interesting job.

Relationships: sh!t has gone to hell in a hand basket real fast. I might update later; I don't even know how I'm still getting my academic work done.

Vision Training: it's been put off to the side.

Citizenship: I got my US passport and can now vote. Yay.

---------------------------------
JOB OFFER AND NEGOTIATION

Career: I am currently deciding/negotiating between a job as an analyst/financial planner at a HNW mostly passive financial advisery/hedge fund and still waiting to hear back from a mostly active investing firm as an Investment Associate. Here are the stats for the analyst/financial planner gig:

Start Date and Hours: Mid-July 2017, 9-6 M-F
Base Salary: 56K starting in Mid-July 2017, with a salary review on Jan 2018
Profit Sharing Unit: 4 units ($4K) starting in mid-July 2017 and delivered after 2 years
Bonus: Office wide, I can be part of the bonus for Dec 2018, but not for the one for Dec 2017
Relocation Stipend/Sign-On: Haven't asked for one yet, but I will
Commitment: 3 years
Background Check: Required

Healthcare: @ $185/mo w/ the Office giving $550/yr, as far as I understood; offers disability, life, and optional vision and/or dental
Gym: Free

Holidays:
Federal
Sick time: 3 sick days/yr
Vacation: after 2-3 months, begin accumulating 2 wks/yr of vacation, with one additional day off per year
Birthdays: Celebrated at the office (that's nice of them)

Deferred Compensation: Simple IRA after 2 years, on 2019 Jan, w/ 2% match in April 2019
Commuter Benefits: free shuttle service from train station to Office and back (maybe I can find an apartment by the train station)

----------------------------------

POST-MOVE CONCERNS

Possessions: same as last time: I'm still working on selling my bikes for a touring bike, sewing a ton of ultra light-weight Ray Way gear, and getting some misc. items like a standing desk adapter or nice drapes. The pressure is now on to really sell all this stuff and get the nice reliable touring commuter. I'm not sure if getting a professional looking yet inexpensive used car might be good considering the biz caz requirement. I'll see.

Vanabode: yeah, I'll wait until post-accum. due to cold, though I could see camping out in the company parking lot in business casual. : )

Housing: Doing preliminary research on room options in the new city. I've found many rooms at $400/mo, so it's looking good. If I can bike it or free-shuttle it, that'll let me save even more.

Taxes: My biggest expense concern atm. I won't have the Simple IRA until 2 years and the income taxes are in a high-tax city in NY. Gah.

Food: There seem to be many ethnic markets or non-whole foods like markets in the area. Good.

Culture: haven't done much research into the place the job is located yet culture-wise. Hopefully I can find a climate justice, kink/poly, or other alternative communities, otherwise I might get lonely. NY city is a half to hour long train ride though.

Orthognathia and Jaw Surgery: I'll investigate the many orthodontists in the new area and the firm's dental/health insurance for coverage, so I'll likely begin the process this June or July. Sadly, the recovery for double jaw surgery (yes it's medically required, I got multiple opinions) is 4-6 weeks. This will occur sometime late into my first year with the firm, so I'm not sure how I'll figure this out in terms of time off and communication with the Office.

----------------------------------

MONETARY PROGRESS

Net Worth: 48K

Gilberto de Piento
Posts: 1942
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:23 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

Good work making progress on getting a job. Some questions, since I am not in this field and some of the details look unusual to me:
1. How does the profit sharing work? What are you really likely to get out of this.
2. How does the commitment work? You have to work there for three years?
3. They only contribute $550 per year for healthcare?
4. Three sick days isn't much. What happens if you get the flu and are out for two weeks?
5. They won't do any sort of deferred comp match until two years?

Maybe someone in finance can explain if all of this is normal.

James_0011
Posts: 392
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2016 12:00 am

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by James_0011 »

It sounds like this job is in white plains, ny. If so, be prepared to go to nyc for an 'alternative' social life - white plains is cooker cutter and isolating imo.

Scott 2
Posts: 2824
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:34 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by Scott 2 »

You might not want to be so open about posting the offer details non anonymously, online. If they stumble across it, it could be a problem.

Is the six week gap between graduation and start desired on your end, or required by them? Since you'll be in a low tax bracket this year, that missed work is especially expensive.

If you do not qualify for a retirement plan through your employer, can you open an IRA on your own? Or would the eligibility date for their IRA be negotiable? I managed that with my 401k at a smaller company.

Your tax rate will be pretty low for now anyway, tax optimization is probably only worth a few thousand during that time period.

Congrats again.

My biggest concern would be that you have a clear understanding of the work and expected hours. Moving for a job is a big commitment.

TopHatFox
Posts: 2322
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: FL; 25

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TopHatFox »

Brief updates:

Accepted the job offer above with a negotiated 4K moving stipend. Insurance is $185/mo OoP. SIMPLE IRA takes 2 years to be eligible.

Now looking for an apartment and to sell all my shit/prepare for the move. Also need to buy a second suit , some more dress shirts, and a nice touring bike to use as a commuter (and for travel). Bike slow, show-up, dress-up. Still need to work out the details.

Working on educating myself more on relationships, break-ups, and best practices during times of crisis. Will read.

Working on finishing comps, which are due tomorrow and determine whether I graduate in May (monkey wrench if there ever was one)

Working on passing all classes, french being the potential defector (or risk having to take a summer class instead of adventuring)

Want to plan a big trip during the 6 weeks I have before I start work.

Will reach out to a few orthodontists/oral surgeons when I get to my work city

----------------------

Networth: 52.5K
(due to sign-on)
Last edited by TopHatFox on Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

TopHatFox
Posts: 2322
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: FL; 25

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TopHatFox »

Gilberto de Piento wrote:Good work making progress on getting a job. Some questions, since I am not in this field and some of the details look unusual to me:
1. How does the profit sharing work? What are you really likely to get out of this.
2. How does the commitment work? You have to work there for three years?
3. They only contribute $550 per year for healthcare?
4. Three sick days isn't much. What happens if you get the flu and are out for two weeks?
5. They won't do any sort of deferred comp match until two years?

Maybe someone in finance can explain if all of this is normal.
1. Apparently the Christmas bonus is a lot, a double digit percentage of salary. I won't have access 'till my second year.
2. Yes
3. $550/mo. $185/mo for me. Maybe it'd be better to get a high deductible on my own, but the insurances might be useful for jaw surgery
4. Maybe I wrote it down incorrectly. Thankfully I don't get sick often.
5. Yes, but then, I'm being paid a lot, so I'm pretty darn grateful already

George the original one
Posts: 5404
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2010 3:28 am
Location: Wettest corner of Orygun

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by George the original one »

Nice negotiating on the moving stipend!

BRUTE
Posts: 3797
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by BRUTE »

sweet :)

Olaz will have 100k saved in no time

TopHatFox
Posts: 2322
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:07 pm
Location: FL; 25

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by TopHatFox »

BRIEF UPDATES PART II:

1. Relationships: Now partnered with the 25 yo polyam woman. Yesterday we were walking around the campus barefoot with her wolf-dog; another evening we were building a fire atop a mountain range cuddling by blankets; yet another staring intently into our eyes on her loft after answering the "36 questions to fall in love" for around 6 hours. Our budding relationship has been a surreal experience for both of us. Also seeing four affectionate close friends, three of which have met and like each other. Celebrating my birthday in a few weeks with a hike including all these lovely humans will be beautiful I imagine. Haven't heard back from my previous primary-form partner for around a month or two now, so I guess her communicating back is not happening, which makes me sad, but I suppose it's out of my control.

2. Finishing off Classes: I have accidentally missed a few French classes due to my now PP living 18 miles away and me biking my butt back to campus listening to podcasts. I might get a C or below in that class, and in the last Geol class for my major. Thankfully I don't need the former class to graduate, and I'm doing my best on both. 2 and a half more weeks of classes remaining. My PP and I might go and travel through Canada for a week at the end of April, and maybe do some longer trips during June and half of July. I bailed on the plan to get short-term work during June and July.

3. Updated Systematic Thoughts: I no longer believe capitalism can be "fixed." Literally 6 people own more than 50% of the lower half of the wealth. Sure, there are people like us and the FIRE community that are smart optimizers, whether inherently or by nurture, and can become the capital owners in the system--reeping the benefits and problems of this capital-owning class--but this leaves a garguartuan inequality throughout the world, not to mention the detriment of our environment. Frankly, it seems that working most any mainstream job is meant to destroy our bodies, minds, and passions, or at the very least it's a very strong bi-product; this is similar to how our educational system has the effect of destroying the curiosity of young people and making non-readers out of most. I'm currently seeking more books to read on how to transition capitalism into a more radically democratic system.


4. Systemic Thoughts on Personal Life: Perhaps I could work on creating this space hyper-locally just like I have created a network of loving and non-traditional relationships around myself. All of this will prove interesting while working for a pro-capitalist hedge fund/mainstream financial planning firm, but I imagine I will still like the work of getting interested people more wealth in this current system, especially since I'm good at it from what friends have asked. Furthermore, even while I might not agree with the impact of capitalism, I can still most definitely see the benefit of being a complicit anti-capitalist capital-owner ($500k in the portfolio while living in an intentional community or travelling/writing books, for instance) rather than a pure capital-poor socialist (working for my keep at a commune and feeling restricted in where I can go due to monetary constraints). I guess that's the conclusion Jacob came too as well - combine simple living with capitalism and watch as the world falls apart is one of the best options we can do under the current system. Perhaps I'm still optimistic I can change the latter of that statement to "work toward creating a better system," though I might definitely want to start in my immediate community/people I know.

------------------

Net Worth: 50 something K, I don't really care as much of late. Can't pinpoint why. Maybe I'm a little more disillusioned today?
Last edited by TopHatFox on Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

daylen
Posts: 2528
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:17 am
Location: Lawrence, KS

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by daylen »

Take a look at "Survival+". This book is highly relevant to 3.

User avatar
C40
Posts: 2748
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:30 am

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by C40 »

Olaz wrote:
Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:55 am
I can still most definitely see the benefit of being a complicit anti-capitalist capital-owner ($500k in the portfolio while living in an intentional community or travelling/writing books, for instance) rather than a pure capital-poor socialist (working for my keep at a commune and feeling restricted in where I can go due to monetary constraints)
YESSSS!

Did
Posts: 693
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:50 am

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by Did »

Enjoyed your diary Zalo. And mate, you're 10 % of the way there to FI while shagging multiple partners at once and having wonderful adventures.

And how old are you? 22 or something?

Can you tell me when you saw the light. What guided you? When I was 22 I was just studying hard and drinking beer.

Scott 2
Posts: 2824
Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:34 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by Scott 2 »

Glad life is going better.

Power consolidates, you'll find such inequality appears in every form of government. IMO it is the scale at which we operate today (through technology) that makes it appear so broken.

If you don't need French, you might change it to pass/fail or an audit, to shield your GPA.

BRUTE
Posts: 3797
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 5:20 pm

Re: Zalo's Journey

Post by BRUTE »

Olaz wrote:
Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:55 am
I'm currently seeking more books to read on how to transition capitalism into a more radically democratic system.
Das Kapital

Post Reply