Tyler9000's Journal

Where are you and where are you going?
FBeyer
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by FBeyer »

Post a picture of the view!
No pics, no likes. This is how the world works today dudeski!
I'm glad you're doing what you want, not what you feel compelled to do.

And since you've been flexing your self-sufficiency muscles for so long: if something comes up, you'll probably just move again. It's not like your job income depends on where you live.

Congratulations.

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

FBeyer wrote:
Fri Jun 08, 2018 1:29 am
Post a picture of the view!
Unfortunately there are enough recognizable landmarks that posting a picture would likely count as self-doxxing my home address. But imagine the most picturesque high-rise city view you can think of, and it probably isn't too far off.

Considering what other comparable rentals are going for, I do feel like we got a pretty nice bang for our buck. And you're right -- if that ever changes we can always move. As much as I thought I'd prefer home ownership in the long run, right now the flexibility of a rental seems a lot more empowering. But I reserve the right to change my mind again later. ;)

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jennypenny
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by jennypenny »

I'm sorry about your cat but I'm glad you're taking the opportunity to try something new. I hope you enjoy it.

classical_Liberal
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by classical_Liberal »

...
Last edited by classical_Liberal on Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

Desert
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Desert »

Tyler, congrats on the new place! Strangely enough, we also are somewhat tied down by a soon-to-be 16 year old cat. They grow up so fast, he'll be driving soon. :) But seriously, congrats on the new place.

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

Transitions

Back between my junior and senior year in high school I landed my first real job. My friend’s parents owned a small screen printing company and they were happy to have me help out over the summer. I was an artistic type so I thought working with the artwork sounded fun, but I quickly learned that I didn’t have the steady hand for cutting films or the consistent touch for printing shirts. Luckily I wasn’t totally useless, as I did have a pretty good knack for cleaning and stretching screens.

Most of my day thus involved working alone in the back warehouse with a high pressure spray booth and nasty cleaning chemicals while listening to the radio and mixing in mini workouts between tasks. I was basically in my own world doing menial tasks for minimum wage with a reasonably high degree of personal agency while working for good people. In retrospect, it was awesome. And with my parents shouldering the responsibility of putting food on the table and a roof over our heads, my little side job was really more about freedom than anything else. It’s no wonder so many people are nostalgic for high school summers.

Of course I was also an ambitious kid who planned to go on to bigger and better things. So I went to college. With a bunch of internships mixed in it took me five years to graduate, and those five years represented a major mental transition from the carefree living in the moment of my high school days to the high-stakes responsibility expected of a professional engineer. I certainly don’t remember all of the subjects I studied in school, but I definitely remember all of the projects and finals that at the time felt like they could make or break your entire future. So if five years of alternating semesters of work and college is the ever-accelerating on-ramp to the fast working highway, in my case it certainly did its job and got me up to speed.

It’s hard to believe that it has now been an equal five years since I last worked full time. After taking some time completely off I fell back into part-time work which has been really nice. But I realized recently that working part time for several years has acted somewhat like college in reverse. The things that I liked about my job and was most hung up on when I quit just no longer feel so important. I’m a lot more carefree overall, and frankly I’m finally feeling truly deconditioned rather than simply overly excited about reaching my financial independence goal. And with my investment account acting like the ubiquitous unseen parents in high school that pay the rent and put food on the table so you don’t have to, the possibilities are wide open.

It’s sunny outside today, and it feels like an old high school summer. I have no responsibilities, no real goals, and no major worries. Like cleaning T-shirt screens over good music for petty cash, perhaps I’ll keep working to the extent that it makes me happy and affords a few extra luxuries. But it’s interesting how the aura of “career” has faded. Today work is just one node in the larger web of goals rather than the hub that everything else revolves around, and it’s interesting that it took so long for me to figure that out.

Five years on, fourteen years of racing, and five years off. Like exiting the highway and finally hearing the quiet idling purr of the engine without all of the wind and road noise, you wonder how you tolerated all the extraneous stuff for so long.

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Seppia
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Seppia »

You're such a great writer.
Thanks for sharing, the sensations you describe are pretty much what I am striving for longer term.

classical_Liberal
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by classical_Liberal »

Great update again! I'll second your writing ability. When I write in my journal, it's conversational, while yours feels professional, like the commentary on your site.
Tyler9000 wrote:
Mon Nov 18, 2019 12:10 pm
But it’s interesting how the aura of “career” has faded. Today work is just one node in the larger web of goals rather than the hub that everything else revolves around, and it’s interesting that it took so long for me to figure that out.
Being two months into this process myself, I'm finding that the transition isn't quite as black & white as I thought it'd be. Finding the "right" place and time for paid work to compliment life is harder than it sounds when your simply desperate for more time and freedom.

I'm curious, since you decided to slightly "upgrade" the living situation when you went back to part time work, do you now feel kind-of stuck in that circumstance? IOW, are you enjoying that extra so much that you now feel like earning the income is needed to stay happy with life?

Thanks for all your contributions around here and in the FI community!

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

Well I don't know about "professional", but I do enjoy the process of crafting a good story.

classical_Liberal wrote:
Mon Nov 18, 2019 2:15 pm
I'm curious, since you decided to slightly "upgrade" the living situation when you went back to part time work, do you now feel kind-of stuck in that circumstance? IOW, are you enjoying that extra so much that you now feel like earning the income is needed to stay happy with life?
Good question! Yeah, the living situation is terrific but the cash flow balance has been a topic of conversation lately.

On the one hand, we entered into this living arrangement with the understanding that part time work would cover all of the expenses and make it a financial no-brainer. So I admit I do sometimes feel a little bound to work by the lease. But on the other hand, our finances have gotten better and better just letting the investments grow untouched even with little new savings. Give it just a little longer, and our portfolio will be able to comfortably support even our new higher expenses. So the beauty of the setup is that it's not all or nothing. There's a method to our madness, and time continues to work in our favor. And in the meantime, DW also found her own PT gig so it's not like it's all on my shoulders. It's a team effort and we have a lot of flexibility.

Now whether we want to stay here for an extended time over eventually looking for a new adventure is another thing entirely. We really like it here, but we're also the types to constantly evaluate options.

mooretrees
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by mooretrees »

Your journal is one I've read a few times as a sorta carrot for me. It's really interesting to hear about life on the other side of work. And exciting, I hope it's not too far away for me! Thanks for keeping the journal going.

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

No Fireworks

I have lots of great memories of July 4th celebrations over the years, and they naturally all revolve around fireworks.

I remember as a little kid watching the skies with my family near the fairgrounds and climbing Grandma’s tree as high as I could to look for any more explosions on the horizon. There was the time the wife and I truly felt the show after a game at the ballpark, where the booms were so loud and chest-rattling that they set off every car alarm in the parking lot. And most recently there’s the display we saw from our own downtown balcony, with the colorful lights reflecting off the glass facades, the sound echoing from building to building, and the smoke eventually getting so thick that it was like watching lightning through nighttime clouds. Everybody loves a big explosion, and there’s just something magical and memorable about a good fireworks show.

But this year the skies were dark and silent save for a few stray firecrackers. All outdoor gatherings were banned over the holiday weekend in an attempt to slow the latest coronavirus outbreak. Personally I think cancelling the fireworks themselves was unnecessary overkill, but I certainly understand the caution. Things are just different now, and in the grand scheme of things interrupted holiday celebrations are a relatively small inconvenience in the COVID-19 craziness. The loss of life and jobs has been staggering, and clearly it’s going to be a while before things get back to anything resembling the old normal.

Like many other companies, my employer adjusted to the unfolding situation by transitioning to a remote arrangement where everybody works from home. Frankly, I sorta hate it. Work for me these days is more about the environment and the relationships than the projects or the paycheck, and the remote setup sacrifices all the things I look forward to in order to preserve the things I don't. Even if it’s only temporary, the sudden change has been a clarifying moment regarding what I most value in a work commitment and it's clear the best parts don't really have to be tied to employment. So if I had any doubts about my ongoing transition away from the old career-dependent mentality, the virus effectively gave me a pretty good kick in the backside as I lingered near the door.

Outside of work, one of the interesting side effects of a global pandemic that decimates employment and violently shakes the markets is that it generates a remarkable amount of new interest in financial resources that teach people how to wisely invest in all economic environments. Go figure! The Portfolio Charts traffic is way up this year, and the idea of refocusing my energy towards building something special at just the right time to maximize a big opportunity is pretty exciting.

Combine all of that with a healthy financial situation that now allows us to continue our lifestyle without my current job, and my web of goals has changed quite a bit over the last few years. So after lots of thought, I decided to adjust to the new landscape and make a change. I officially resigned from my job with the intention of focusing full-time on personal projects and any new opportunities life throws at me.

While past resignations usually elicited a “boom!” of relief and excitement, there were no fireworks this time around. It just happened. Thanks to the unusual working situation the initial conversation was all remote and my last day was eerily quiet. The office was almost completely empty, I cleaned my desk in solitude, and there was no obligatory shaking of hands with every coworker on the way out. Instead, we closed the day with a virtual happy hour over Zoom that was less about me and more about everyone catching up on a social level and feeling normal again. You could tell we all missed that and it was great. Real life isn’t all about work.

Honestly the low-key transition from this chapter feels strangely appropriate, not just for the firework-free times we live in but also for the occasion. Because for the first time I can remember, quitting a job isn’t an end or a beginning or a moment worthy of a big event. It’s just a choice. Like turning off the overhead light because the sun through the window is already plenty bright, there’s really nothing to adjust to. Once the self-sufficient ERE system is truly up and running, life is less about depending on outside inputs and more about what you make of it.

I can’t say I know exactly what the future holds, and I’m sure I’ll re-adjust along the way as new situations and opportunities unfold. But I look forward to the journey.

Happy Independence Day!

CS
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by CS »

Congrats on retiring!

So what are your immediate plans?

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

Relax, stay cool, and enjoy life. 8-)

(...and then start checking off the backlog of items on the Portfolio Charts to-do list. So if anyone has a request, now is a good time to hit me up.)

Smashter
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Smashter »

Congrats, sounds like a great next step.

As a fan of your writing, my request is for even more essays in the "insights" section of portfolio charts. I think you have a real knack for telling stories with data, making strong arguments while maintaining humility, and explaining the emotional side of investing. I would never want you to be on an unnaturally fast posting cadence, or to start diluting your articles by chasing SEO keywords. Just saying your writing rocks and I'm always down to read it!

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jennypenny
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by jennypenny »

congrats Tyler!

+1 to more insights posts

classical_Liberal
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by classical_Liberal »

Great post! It'll be great to see what you come up with next in PC!

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

Thanks!

And I appreciate the encouragement to write more. That's definitely the plan, but it's nice to hear that I'm not barking up the wrong tree. :D

bryan
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by bryan »

Nice! Only a matter of time until we hear about portfoliocharts.com being sold for millions!

classical_Liberal
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by classical_Liberal »

Tyler9000 wrote:
Sun Jul 19, 2020 10:40 am
...and then start checking off the backlog of items on the Portfolio Charts to-do list. So if anyone has a request, now is a good time to hit me up.)
I hit an all time networth high this week, which of course lead me into the rabbit hole of PC and retirement simulators for a couple hours last night. Old habits die hard :lol:

Anway, I realize PC is more of a portfolio tool than a retirement calculator tool. I'm not sure if you wanna change that dynamic at all. So, I'm certainly not complaining as I find PC extremely helpful. However, the improvement I, as a pretty stereotypical FI-type user, would love to see is even more options to "tweak" in the Retirement Spending section. PC offers the ability to manage WR's very well, but nothing external to that. Like, I'd love to see what those lines do if I added 50K of earned income to the withdrawal schedule 10 years from now, or if I decided to not take any withdrawal(s) if the portfolio hits a critical low value, or a recurring addition from a pension or annuity, ect. It's certainly possible to extrapolate that to some degree with PC as it is, but as you always say, a picture is worth a thousand words. To visualize these types of things in the existing format would be great.

Tyler9000
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Re: Tyler9000's Journal

Post by Tyler9000 »

@CL -- Yeah, that does start to get complicated but I'm not opposed to the idea of making a few more standalone tools (sorta like the Portfolio Finder). The trick is figuring out how to design the inputs so that they're flexible enough to be useful and cover all of the important variables but simple enough to not be confusing. I'll have to think about that.

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