Bye for now

[Martha]

Enjoy your new career and a lifetime of adventures.

Thanks for posting what you are doing. I really don't like it when people just disappear.

[azanon]

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Thanks for posting what you are doing. I really don't like it when people just disappear.

I got nervous when i first clicked on his thread. I was hoping it wasn't my fault,

[Martha]

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Originally Posted by Azanon I got nervous when i first clicked on his thread. I was hoping it wasn't my fault,

It's not, but everything else is.

[FlowGirl]

Good luck! Definitely hope you take your European backpacking trip. I didn't start travelling until 5 years ago and have been trying to make up for it ever since. I'm fairly certain that if my spouse had a career he could take a break from then we would be planning a sabbatical every 5 years instead of working towards ER. It's important to have some adventures while you're young.

Hope you check back in from time to time.

[wildcat]

Thanks for all of the kind words people.

Wab -

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I took the route of doing what I loved. * Luckily, I loved developing software, and it paid well enough so I could exit once burn-out set in. * *I took frequent and long breaks. * Traveled. * Went back to school. * Started a couple of businesses

I agree. *I think at this point in my life I am focusing on the wrong goal and it is limiting my success. *Your route is a much better way IMHO and it is one I am aiming for at this stage. *

Ha -

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And BTW, since you have been living in Lexington a lot more recently than I, is there still a tavern on campus named the Paddock? And do they still serve beer in frosty chilled steins?

The Paddock is still around and still serves chilled steins. *Some things never change and it is for the better. *If you ever happen to be around Lex while I am around, the beer is on me and I will make sure you have some nice eye candy.

L and BMJ -

You are both right and have good points. *Reading all of these success stories just drives me nuts and makes me focus just on the paycheck even more. *I have been working and saving ever since I was in college and I honestly regret not doing a lot of things. *Hell, regret at 27 is not an easy burden to live with, it's way too early to have those kinds of thoughts. *From this point on I will focus soley on what I feel are attainable goals for me and not base it on what other wildly successful people - $250k a year folks - from an ER forum have managed to accomplish. *

C-T -

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did not buy as big a house as others though. That can be a 'real killer'. Mostly, I wanted to become financially independent, so the 'Man' could not keep me down!

I think that is more of a realistic goal for a young person. *Watch what you spend and work at being FI rather than just RE.

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Oh yes, Bulldogs gonna take some revenge out on the cats next year on the football field.

You wish. *The Cats swept those poor Dogs in football and basketball last year. *I guess that calls for 'PM' the day of the next football game *

I will keep in touch.

[riskadverse]

Sorry to see a fellow UK grad go, but hell, I didn't start thinking about retirement until I was 45 or 50 and then it consumed my thoughts. There's were lots better things to do than constantly think about money before then.

[Jarhead*]

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Originally Posted by riskaverse Sorry to see a fellow UK grad go, but hell, I didn't start thinking about retirement until I was 45 or 50 and then it consumed my thoughts.* There's were lots better things to do than constantly think about money before then.* * *

Yep, for me personally, I would have been bored out of my skull with the subjects that are discussed on this board prior to age 50.

Wildcat:* If you're still out there, I hope that you'll concentrate on your career, family, etc. etc., and re-visit the thought of early retirement,
many years in the future.

Now go out there and make us proud.

Best of Luck,

Jarhead

[BunsGettingFirm]

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Originally Posted by cube_rat Wildcat- I wish you the absolute best of luck with whatever you do!!! I'll miss you around here. Please come by and post or PM me to say hi.

Yes, cube rats are going to multiply and over run the place without a cat to keep things in check.

[BunsGettingFirm]

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Originally Posted by BigMoneyJim See ya, WC, but you're doing it wrong. You're supposed to complain about the [liberals,conservatives] and pick a poster or two that ruin your day and gripe that there is [too much,not enough] moderator intervention. Then a discouraging word about the purpose of the forum as a whole, then stomp off. (Hey, maybe a form letter for leaving would be a good project...) Back on-topic, yeah, detailed retirement planning is a bit silly for those of us 15-25 years or more from retiring. LYBM and asset allocation are about all we can do for now. I keep looking for the secret 55-and-older board where the posters laugh at our saying things like "I'll never have kids, I'll always live in a one-bedroom hovel and drive 10-year-old cars." Also reading this stuff can be somewhat discouraging. I have more saved than most of my peers, but after reading "I have $2mil and am worried..." for the 3rd time in a week I start feeling poor sometimes. On the other hand, reading about these people's time-unlimited travels gives me something to look forward to. Anyway, go live life, and hopefully this place will still be around later.

This form letter proposal is funny. Seeing how I just responded to the same post 2 times, maybe I need to sign off and get a life, too.

Oh, yeah, I do drive an 11-year-old car. I have no kids and no wife. The exciting life/dating pool of the engineering world likely will ensure that I will have no wife and kids unless I go the Russian mail order bride route, so I keep playing FI like so much background Muzak.

[Eagle43]

Good luck, and do check it. Once a month would be nice; lemme see, that would be twelve times annually. Well, you could take a four percent withdrawal and only check in 11.952 times.

[Nords]

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Originally Posted by BigMoneyJim I keep looking for the secret 55-and-older board where the posters laugh at our saying things like "I'll never have kids, I'll always live in a one-bedroom hovel and drive 10-year-old cars."

Why, BMJ, you're an admin, I thought you knew that it's 45-and-over...

... uh, never mind, forget I said that-- maybe it's time you had a "quiet conversation" of your own with Dory?

[Dreamer]

Wildcat,

I agree with Martha, I hate it when people just up and disappear. Don't be discouraged about some of the $ figures that are thrown around here. I am 53 and retiring 6/2 and I don't have anywhere close to $1 million. Money definitely helps, but it is not everything. I will have a dependable pensionl

I wish you the best of luck with everything and go have your great adventures! That is what life is about. Enjoy yourself and I am sure that you will do fine. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders.

Stop back in from time to time, just not too often, so that you can have a good time.

Dreamer

[BigMoneyJim]

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Originally Posted by Nords Why, BMJ, you're an admin, I thought you knew that it's 45-and-over... ... uh, never mind, forget I said that-- maybe it's time you had a "quiet conversation" of your own with Dory?

dory36 professes ignorance about the database side of this forum, but I believe he's just leading me on and is doing all sorts of secret things I'm not noticing. (BTW, I wasn't paranoid until he started plotting against me.) He certainly picked up PHP with zest. (Evidence Firecalc V2.)

[Jane_Doe]

WildCat-

Sorry to see you go, but totally appreciate your sentiments. It can be very consuming thinking of the possibilities of independence while running in this rat race.

When my DH and I married almost 25 years ago we made a pact to always make room for travel in our lives/budget - no matter what. We have pretty much done that every year - even if we had to CHARGE some of our expenes (No wet noodles, please! ) One year when the kids were little, we ended up in a cheesy timeshare trade (normally our trades are really good) in a ski resort in Feb. I don't ski. However - it was AWAY from home and the day to day grind. Always does the mind good to get away. On the othe hand, I always enjoy getting back home, too.

While you are on your path to FI, have fun! The other will come along when you aren't paying attention! Believe me, we never thought we'd make it to where we are today! We were just determined on our path, and it ended up here.

I think you have your head on straight and will do GREAT!!!

A note to Buns of Veal - my sister is an engineer, married an engineer - married w/kids (great with money. too!!! ). There ARE women out there that like smart men. Go to continiuing ed classes - or better yet, teach a cont. ed class. Take a class in something fun like bartending or cooking, etc. Join a local singles group, go to a local pub that has those trivia contests - great way to meet people! Ok, off my band box. Just don't give up please.

WC, Good luck to you in all your future endeavors.

Follow your heart .........

Jane