Bye for now

wildcat

wildcat

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
2,025
Location
Lou-evil
WC is signing off for a while. No, I am not quitting because of some disagreement with another member. Everyone has always been helpful and this has been a great source of information. A couple thoughts have popped into my head over the past few weeks and in some ways I have realized I need to spend more time focusing on what is in front of me now rather than just focusing on a goal that may or may not happen 20 years down the road.

To me, just focusing on ER puts me in the wrong frame of mind. Just focusing on the dollar amount on my paycheck and how much closer each paycheck puts me relative to my ER plans is no way to live a life. It's weird but I feel I am in a decent financial position for my age relative to the average person. However, at times, I would rather have experienced some of the things they have in life. I would rather hear their stories about how they managed to backpack through Europe on a low budget rather than how I managed to make 25% on my latest stock selection. I imagine you could guess which one sounds more interesting and balanced coming out of a 27 yr old's mouth. I guess I have kind of changed my thinking and I would rather have ER happen but without the, what seems to be, quarterly planning. I will continue to save, LBYM, read financial publications (because I enjoy it) and invest wisely but from this point forward I will definitely make more time to do the other things I enjoy in life and focus on what I can do to make my life better aside from making the almighty buck.

I will check in if I have something interesting to share or if I run across something that may be of interest to the ER world but I doubt it. You all have it pretty much covered and I certainly will leave feeling I have the tools to make it happen. Good luck to those aspiring ERs and best wishes to those who have made it happen.
 
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.
 
Classy exit, Wildcat. Check back once in a while.

Gotta have balance. The only surfing discussion board I'm on is the one I sit upon in the lineup...
 
WC, good on ya! Don't be a total stranger and check back in with us once in a while.

Oh yeah, you don't want to miss the annual picnic, so watch your inbox for an invitation! ;)

REW
 
Thats a good post Wildcat.

I personally focus in more on the FI aspects of the board than i do the RE.    I think my regular participation here just subtlely encourages me to make those small (but big) decisions that puts me more on a path to financial freedom, but not changes so drastic that i living a reduced life.   Case and point;  the new car i finally bought ended up being a honda fit sport instead of the gas sucking, insurance hog subaru WRX.   And i'm all the happier for it.

But i definitely agree;  if you're in a mindset where you're focusing on RE day in and day out and not living today, one needs to figure out what's causing that, and snuff it out.   If it ends up being these boards, so be it.  Spending a third of your life just looking into the future and dreading today is no way to live.

Azanon
 
WC

Good stuff - enjoy. Put those hormones to good use.

I have trouble remembering that Mr Market doesn't care whether he is beening watched or not - invest, diversify, time in the market, yadda, yadda.

In the meantime - bogey on! You have the right idea.

Moi - on the other hand expect to shortly suffer withdrawal symtoms(at the old age of 62) AS THE REMODELING MONSTER SLOWLY MARCHES THRU THE HOUSE - toward the big computer with the wireless router - and watching the Market and B.S ing here may suffer a brief hiatus.

I too may be - 'forced to get a life.'

heh heh heh heh - WC -  enjoy and check back when it suits you.
 
I spoke to my youngest Son, 28, yesterday.

His Best Friend, who has been teaching ESL in Korea for the last two years, is now off on a two year round the world back packing adventure, with a girl he met over there..

ER and back packing adventures in your youth are not Mutually exclusive.

We met a Danish back packing couple, in theirr 70's, in a small restaurant in Portugal.

Age is not an eliminator of travel on a Budget.

Hostels are an alternative cost effective way to Travel.
 
Good luck WC, I'm sure you'll reach your goals and enjoy the journey along the way.
 
I understand where you are coming from. Focusing entirely on retirement is a little silly at your age. Enjoy your youth and of course do save so you will be in good shape when retirement comes for you. Good luck! Oh yes, Bulldogs gonna take some revenge out on the cats next year on the football field.  ;)
 
Smart choice, WC. Life is something that happens while you're making other plans.

OTOH, I give you one week before you'll be back again.
 
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.
 
WC – I’ve enjoyed all your posts and will be sorry to see you leave.  Although I’ve only recently started posting a few things here and there, I’ve been a long time reader of the boards for at least a few years now.  As another young dreamer only a few years older than yourself, I could identify with you and your posts. 

If you get the opportunity, I’d highly recommend taking the European backpacking adventure at least once in your 20’s.  I did it 3 times and each time came back with a changed mindset about what was really important in my life and how much I enjoyed the freedom of traveling around, meeting new people, seeing new places, and creating memories that will truly last a lifetime.  I knew at the time I was sacrificing some future $$ but you can’t buy memories when you’re sitting in the rocking chair and trying to recall the good old days. 

I agree with BMJ about sometimes getting discouraged by the board.  It’s tough when others have multiple millions and are still struggling to get off the treadmill. 

Best of luck and try to check in occasionally.  Let me know if you need any encouraging photos from European backpacking trips! 

Aaron
 
Wildcat, this board is what people make it.    Perhaps we're overweight here in the ascetically frugal and intensely investment focused.   If you stay, you can change that weighting.

Personally, the idea of getting a random high-paying job, living a frugal lifestyle, and optimizing my investments so I could exit early never appealed or even occurred to me.

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.

My point is that there are many more paths to happiness (and even FIRE) than asceticism.    Enjoy your path, and post about it here so you attract like-minded people to the site.
 
Wildcat, I hope you will post whenever you have time. For one thing, I would like to know where you decide to live and work. 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?

Excellent place!

Ha
 
Best of luck, dude, but don't be a stranger. It's nice to have the camaraderie of like-minded youngins. Sometimes I feel alone among all the sheeple...
 
BigMoneyJim said:
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.
Click to expand...

Secret 55 and older board? What:confused: Laughing at us??

WC, you know I'm right there with you, BMJ and I have both been feeling what you are saying.

I had to quote you BMJ, because that line about $2 million and worried is so true! Especially when you hear it from someone younger than you! It starts to make me think there are few people who actually manage the Cut-Throat balance, and that too many either save like a miser and never enjoy it, or spend like a sailor and never gain security. (I'll probably get a couple nasty PM's for that statement! ;) ).

Good luck, WildCat, life is for living, I'm trying to take a page out of your book myself. Pm and write back when you can....
 
Not to change the subject, but thanks for the new word wab (asceticism). I didn't know that one. I like the way it sounds too, phonetically (looked it up in the dictionary).
 
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. :(
 
Thanks for posting what you are doing. I really don't like it when people just disappear.
Click to expand...

I got nervous when i first clicked on his thread. I was hoping it wasn't my fault, :LOL:
 
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.
 
Thanks for all of the kind words people.

Wab -
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
Click to expand...

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 -
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?
Click to expand...

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 -
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!
Click to expand...

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.

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

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.
 
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