M2aS’ Journal

[Married2aSwabian]

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[Married2aSwabian]

It’s hard to believe that FI and retirement is right around the corner in just 3 months or so!

I’ve been giving some thought to what life will look like after the 9 to 5 is over and I’ve come to the conclusion that this will be an ongoing, ever-evolving thing. For sure it will afford me the luxury of more time to spend with DW and DD and extended family. I plan to spend time on hobbies like camping, hiking and backpacking together with DW and friends, combined with some affordable travel. I’ll also have more time for swimming and woodworking (possibly generating some income in the future with this). I'd like to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity again, too.

I look forward to having more moments to savor like this one in our backyard recently:




Upon reading this daily zen quote this morning, I was reminded of Jacob’s discussions regarding intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation / intelligence:

Self deception often arises because you are afraid of your own intelligence and afraid you won’t be able to deal properly with your life. You are unable to acknowledge your own innate wisdom. Instead, you see wisdom as some monumental thing outside of yourself. That attitude has to be overcome.

~ Chögyam Trungpa



I think with age, comes the realization that we often already have everything we need to be happy: within us, beside us and all around us. Family, friends and the basics. Less is more.

I’m grateful for this community, as it’s helped us get our plan on a track that leads to more rapid FI.

[Married2aSwabian]

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[Married2aSwabian]

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[mountainFrugal]

DW and I already have the first camping trip planned - just 12 days in May in MI. It will be a nice way to launch FI lifestyle. Hope to build the boxes for our DIY minivan Camper conversion by then - will see how it goes.

Sounds like the perfect way to start to recharge. Make sure to share some photos, nature, and mental state observations.

[Scott 2]

Ever tried one of the online vendors for glasses?

We've had good luck with Zenni. My wife still spends the same amount, but has 3 or 4 pairs instead of just the one. Regular, transition, sun glasses, etc.

[MBBboy]

Michigan in May sounds great, and looks like you're on a great path for FI takeoff!

[shaz]

It sounds like things are progressing smoothly. I can't wait to read about the travels and camping. Have you figured out health insurance?

[Married2aSwabian]

Wow, thanks everyone! Even later in life, it can be a little anxiety-inducing to prepare to cut loose from the world of work and income. This community has truly been a key in preparing and feeling confident: there’s no time like the present (or very near future) to do so.

@mF, I will do so! DW and I went on an amazing hike in the snow covered woods yesterday. Unfortunately, we were camaraless. I’ve tried to capture in words what the experience was like and will post separately.

@Scott2, thanks for the suggestion. Not yet, although we’ll check out that one. A colleague at work did suggest a similar site which I checked out. DW did take her prescription to Walmart and got a great pair of new glasses for $117! Unfortunately, this was after we committed at the overpriced eye doctor to get her new prescription lenses. Won’t do that again. The Walmart pair are her backups, which are needed since she’s lost without them.

Thanks, MBBboy. Yes, it’s getting exciting in the home stretch!

@Shaz, so far so good. After doing some research into expanded Medicaid here in MI, it seems totally fine. I guess we would slightly prefer an ACA plan, but not willing to “manufacture” income (ie. Via Roth conversions or the like). Most of our docs accept it and ACA is not an option at our predicted income for this year and next. I’m fortunate to have a lot of experience in a booming industry, so I’m confident I could get future gig work, if needed / desired. Also Medicare is just 5 + years down the road for DW and 7 for me.

[Scott 2]

@Scott2, thanks for the suggestion. Not yet, although we’ll check out that one. A colleague at work did sugg3st a similar sight which I checked out. DW did. take here prescription to Walmart and got a great pair of new glasses for $117! Unfortunately, this was after we committed at the overpriced eye doctor to get her new prescription lenses. Won’t do that again. The Walmart pair are her backups, which are needed since she’s lost without them.

Worth exploring during a low pressure time. The hardest part is getting her pupillary distance. Some eye doctors don't hand it out with the Rx or want to charge extra for the number. Costco gave it to us and also offers a very affordable eye exam. In my state, no membership required. The vision insurance as a marketing funnel business model bugs me. Any chance to upset that, I am all for.

We saw a highly reputed eye doctor for our exams just prior to pulling the retirement trigger. He took a little more time than Costco. The biggest difference was probably his ability to take a digital image of the iris. It was an extra $50 on top of the base $125 and felt like very modern medical care. IMO a premium exam is more worthwhile than premium glasses, but I don't think it is required every year.

[Married2aSwabian]

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[mountainFrugal]

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Snow clings to every slumbering, dormant tree and underbrush,
Occasionally releasing it’s grip on high branches and floating down gently.
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Love this! Beautiful written imagery.

Two additional techniques to broaden your awareness while moving slowing through nature:
1) Fox walking- http://gaianism.org/fox-walking-a-natur ... editation/
2) Owl Eyes: https://www.wildernessawareness.org/art ... ess-skill/

[Married2aSwabian]

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[Married2aSwabian]

My sister and I were in Berlin in Nov ‘89, just a few weeks after the wall came down. We chiseled off our pieces of it and joined the celebration there near Brandenburg Gate: the joy, hope and optimism in the streets were palpable. These past days feel like the opposite of that.

I am reminded also of my Great Grandma this week. She was born in 1899 and came to the US in 1914, just before WW1. My dad and grandma always said that she was Austrian. About 15 years ago, my dad asked DW and I to translate her “German” language birth certificate. Of course, this was not written in German, because she was born in Austria-Hungary, not modern day Austria. It was Ukrainian. I remember thinking that the town she was born in:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolomyia

was “on the 50 yard line” of so many wars throughout history. Now it’s happening again.

Terrible week. I pray for peace and the Ukrainian people.

Sorry, I cannot post this week about saving and investing numbers (especially how to profit off of an effing war) or how to fix something … all seems kind of irrelevant.

[chenda]

It's is absolutely horrendous. I hear stories of Ukrainians who hid from the Nazis as children are now, in their 80s, having to hide again.

[Married2aSwabian]

DW are looking at best ways to donate to people of Ukraine to help alleviate some of the suffering caused by this terrible war.

Does anyone have good suggestions?

May attend a rally and fund raiser in Warren, MI today.

Also Ukrainian Red Cross looks to be a good way that is local and well established:

https://redcross.org.ua/en/donate/

When I look at links like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/registries/custo ... age_result

with AMZN wish list for aid relief, my heart just sinks and I also feel guilty as hell… thinking about what my “needs” are. Really.

I know we all are attracted to this forum to achieve financial freedom, but know this: there is no freedom - in any form - unless there is peace. When bombs are dropped on any of us, they are dropped on all of us.

[chenda]

Does anyone have good suggestions?

Donating cash to a reputable agency like the red cross seems the most efficient way. They know what's needed and can purchase it. I hear a lot of goods get donated by well meaning people to the borderlands which ends up in landfill or causes logistical problems so unless you are in a position to supply specialist goods cash is king.

You can also rent air B&Bs in Ukraine (they've waved the fee) and just sent them a note to acknowledge you obviously won't be attending.

BTW Jacob cancelled a thread about this as he was concerned it would turn too political. But I'm hoping some low level discussion on people's journals shouldn't be a problem if we just focus on humanitarian aid, which shouldn't be controversial.

[Married2aSwabian]

Donating cash to a reputable agency like the red cross seems the most efficient way. They know what's needed and can purchase it. I hear a lot of goods get donated by well meaning people to the borderlands which ends up in landfill or causes logistical problems so unless you are in a position to supply specialist goods cash is king.

You can also rent air B&Bs in Ukraine (they've waved the fee) and just sent them a note to acknowledge you obviously won't be attending.

BTW Jacob cancelled a thread about this as he was concerned it would turn too political. But I'm hoping some low level discussion on people's journals shouldn't be a problem if we just focus on humanitarian aid, which shouldn't be controversial.

Thanks, Chenda.

We’ll be donating to multiple organizations.

Yeah, if humanitarian aid is too controversial a topic for this forum, then I’ll be done here.

[macg]

there is no freedom - in any form - unless there is peace. When bombs are dropped on any of us, they are dropped on all of us.

This is a powerful statement.

I think the Red Cross is a solid choice.

+1 to @chenda's suggestion about air bnb, and I will throw in flexport.org - I think the actress Mila Kunis set up a GoFundMe specifically targeting those two organizations.

For those still working, it might be worth looking into if your company is doing anything. For example, my company is matching any donations made to the Red Cross or other organizations, in addition to the regular yearly matching they generally offer for charity.

Also, at least around me, local religious groups are rallying to accept and ship donations and / or money. Similar to what they do with various natural disasters like hurricanes. So that could be a possibility as well.

[jacob]

Yeah, if humanitarian aid is too controversial a topic for this forum, then I’ll be done here.

The aforementioned thread (now gone) related to supplying tactical hardware to the conflict. I do not want to provide a platform to support war logistics or funding. The ERE platform does not have the resources to defend against cyber attacks or troll armies that may result from being associated with various conflicts around the world. If that ever happens, the ERE forum will "be done here" too.

Further, consider the precedent donation drives set for future conflicts. Even if something doesn't seem controversial now or here or to you or that big of a deal "when only one person is doing it", it may still become so to others or yourself in the future or in other conflicts as more forumites start asking for money for things they mutually disagree with.

It's not hard to imagine the forum disintegrating because two factions are asking for support for opposing causes they feel very strongly about until they suddenly don't. We already saw the result of that last year and this is why politics is now banned.

As such I'd really ask people who want to support a cause to do so via their personal email lists or by putting signs up in their own front yard. Not here, where I'll be the one dealing with the fallout over and over. Unlike the rest of you, I can't just go sayonara on my account or start a new one when things go south.