Too many thoughts after vacation/working from home in a different country so I find it challenging to sit down and write a post.
So maybe start with finances as numbers are more straightforward than feelings, thoughts an all that fluff.
In the past month my and DH’s combined NW hit my line in the sand - a half-way point that I set for myself as the point of decision.
I think it was back in 21/22, when I tracked all of our expenses and giving closely and calculated (using the contentious 4% rule) what NW number would be needed to support those.
I had 2 values - one for expenses only, one with giving added. I wanted to aim for the one with giving added, but divided that in half, for “flamingo FI”. “Flamingo FI” = standing with one foot in FI, one foot open to “coasting” and future work opportunities.
So this past month our combined NW hit the flamingo number. I anticipate that by the end of the year, or close thereafter, our $ would hit the full expenses-only FI amount.
So it’s time to evaluate and make some decisions.
Spending time in my childhood home for a month was great. Being able to see mom, dad, grandpa, lost of cousins and even some old friends was fantastic. Being able to work remotely during that time was great but difficult due to time zone differences. I very much dislike working evenings and nights - it messes with my sleep, eating and overall wellbeing. Yet, the chance to leave the office for 4 weeks was excellent, and I would like to do that again.
Spending time with a few good friends and family made it clear that 1) they won’t understand if I “retired” and 2) I don’t necessarily want to “retire”.
I’d like more flexibility, maybe being able to take a sabbatical at some point, but, ultimately, work gives my life meaning that would be difficult to replace. And at this stage, none of the things I want to do have the potential to replace that.
Which led me to the conclusion that I would like to continue working.
There is definitely volunteering and travelling that I’d like to do, but none of it over a long stretch of time (yet) that would require resigning. On the way back to the US, I flew through the Middle East and spent a weekend in Oman visiting an old university friend. We had a great time. I would definitely like to come back for a week next time I’m in the area. Turns out Oman has a variety of natural environments and historical/cultural elements that are well worth exploring!
Interestingly, right before I left for the month-long trip, a recruiter contacted me about the position that I wanted to apply for earlier in the year. We had a great chat, and I mulled over it while on “vacation”. Decided that I like the flexibility of my current role enough to not look elsewhere. Serendipitously, a couple of my projects have the promise of becoming more interesting in the near future. So, the decision is made to stay where I am, and I feel good about it.
At least until the time something changes, or something clear comest along on what I am meant to be doing next.
Plan to continue to develop skills in the free time.
Working on:
Gardening (a little bit) - harvested green beans, maybe will have a couple of zucchinis. Helped mom with the garden while in Russia. I also tried making low-salt cucumber preserves from some cucumbers that a colleague gave me. Haven’t tasted yet.
Quilting - making progress on the current project. I am doing it all by hand, so it’s going slowly, but enjoying every part of the process.
Other - plan to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to learn some new skills.
I finished reading the Bible in a year! That was a worthwhile project - definitely challenging at times, but so rich in meaning.
Want to try something new for the next year: no sugar (good for teeth, overall health, and weight) and 50 burpees a day (good for posture, overall fitness and stamina). The latter came back to my attention after a conversation with a friend. So I hope I can stick to it this time. I’ve been building up to 50 in the past week and it’s going well.
