Early Retirement TOO Extreme? Jacob Fisker unRetires

[MichaelB]

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Originally Posted by dixonge And yet 'early-retirement' is the domain name.

The "About us" statement could not be more clear

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This community was started in 2002 as an alternative to a then fee only Motley Fool. The focus of the discussions is on topics related to early retirement and financial independence.

[dixonge]

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Originally Posted by MichaelB The "About us" statement could not be more clear

Duly noted, sir.

[Sarah in SC]

I get the generational thing perfectly that Jacob tried to say. I am tied, for various reasons, to the job I now have, but use this forum to help me stay on track for savings goals and investing plans. I enjoy the people of all ages and stages of their own plans, but recognize that the central theme of this board, that of early retirement, is not even on my radar most of the time.

[FreqFlyer]

I'm a long-time reader of Jacob's blog and can identify a lot with his situation. Maybe it's a Gen-X thing? I'm striving to reach FI; once that goal is reached who knows what I'll do.

Best of luck Jacob and I hope you'll update us on how you do in your new phase in life.

[Koogie]

Jacob is a hard to deal with at times visionary who spells things out succinctly and in a logical, concise fashion who has influenced and inspired tens of thousands. As opposed to people who are grammar nazis' about the name of his blog.

[Texas Proud]

I could care less about him getting a job.... for whatever reason.....

It is his life, he can live it the way he wants to live it.... if he needs the money, then a job is a good way to go.... if he needs brain stimulation, and this job provides it... that is also a good way to go...

[W2R]

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Originally Posted by Texas Proud I could care less about him getting a job.... for whatever reason..... It is his life, he can live it the way he wants to live it.... if he needs the money, then a job is a good way to go.... if he needs brain stimulation, and this job provides it... that is also a good way to go...

I agree completely. If he knows what he wants in life, and is pursuing it, more power to him! Self knowledge is the key IMO.

It's just the mention of a $400 sweater that makes me choke. I might have the same response if Donald Trump mentioned buying a $400 sweater.

[Bestwifeever]

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Originally Posted by W2R I agree completely. If he knows what he wants in life, and is pursuing it, more power to him! Self knowledge is the key IMO. It's just the mention of a $400 sweater that makes me choke. I might have the same response if Donald Trump mentioned buying a $400 sweater.

Imagine what knitting that sweater would cost when you add in the labor costs! Donald Trump would be the only one who could afford it.

[Texas Proud]

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Originally Posted by W2R I agree completely. If he knows what he wants in life, and is pursuing it, more power to him! Self knowledge is the key IMO. It's just the mention of a $400 sweater that makes me choke. I might have the same response if Donald Trump mentioned buying a $400 sweater.

I agree.... there is no way the guy would buy a $400 sweater, so why compare it to one.... but my sister made a lot of afghans and gave them away... said it kept her hands busy.... she could do it without looking...

To me, just like the rake... the cost of building was way more than the money spend at your big box store.... and time is money even if you are not making any (some day.....)....

I might agree on furniture.... most people will say 'wow, you built that!!!'... but I don't think you get the same reaction when you pull out your home made rake.... it is more like 'wow, you built THAT?'...

[jacob]

LOL you'd be surprised at what impresses people these days. One of my neighbors was quite taken with my mallet which is essentially a round of firewood with a hole drilled into it for a handle.

All I'm saying about the handmade cableknit sweater is that if you had to buy a similar one, you'd pay $400. I'd never pay that either and was also quite surprised when told what these things cost.

[W2R]

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Originally Posted by jacob LOL you'd be surprised at what impresses people these days. One of my neighbors was quite taken with my mallet which is essentially a round of firewood with a hole drilled into it for a handle. All I'm saying about the handmade cableknit sweater is that if you had to buy a similar one, you'd pay $400. I'd never pay that either and was also quite surprised when told what these things cost.

I'm relieved to hear that! I just couldn't imagine you standing in front of a display of $400 sweaters at a very expensive designer sweater establishment, and the following conversation ensuing:

Jacob: "Hmmm.... That's the one I want. Very cool and it makes me look so dashing. $400? No problem. I think I'll buy it."

Jacob's wife: "But dear, I know you have a closet full of $400 sweaters and this time couldn't I just knit you one? We only have $401 left in our budget this month."

Jacob: "Oh, very well, if you must..."

Not a likely scenario!!! I'm glad that isn't the case.

[eridanus]

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Originally Posted by FreqFlyer I'm a long-time reader of Jacob's blog and can identify a lot with his situation. Maybe it's a Gen-X thing? I'm striving to reach FI; once that goal is reached who knows what I'll do.

There's definitely a generational difference between the boards. A lot of ER people on this here E-R forum have traditional pensions. Most Gen Xers don't have that luxury. A lot made good money from being invested in the 90s. Gen Xers haven't had that decade yet (witness the 1990-2000 S&P run compared to the 2000-2011 S&P slight drop).

The goal on E-R is to save a $hit-ton of money and then retire (or work at a job that has a pension). The goal on ERE is to...be FI? Of course, that's also the goal of E-R posters but obviously the finish lines ($$) are vastly different.

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Jacob is a hard to deal with at times visionary who spells things out succinctly and in a logical, concise fashion who has influenced and inspired tens of thousands.

Grasshopper, "to conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle."*



*Dalai Lama

[Moemg]

Jacob , I wish you the best . I've read your blog . It's a little too frugal for me but it is very interesting and I admire you for having the courage to go in another direction .

[Gumby]

I don't know anything about Jacob's blog, but I will observe that at the end of the day, each of us must live life on our own terms. I'm trying to follow my own bliss, and it appears that Jacob is following his. How he chooses to characterize it is not my concern. I wish you well, Jacob.

[bow-tie]

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Originally Posted by MichaelB Jacob, I’ve not read your blog or book, but would like to make a few comments. Yes you did when you published it on a blog.

So everyone who blogs has aspirations of being a figurehead Uh... never would have figured that one.

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Originally Posted by MichaelB Hugely generalizing - yes. And I think, not fairly.

I've been a member here since 2004, and owe this place a colossal debt of gratitude for helping me understand why I couldn't wait to find a way out of corporate hell. That being said, after I found Jacob's blog, it "spoke" to me in a way this site never really did. I think Jacob's point has merit... perhaps because I'm of a different "generation" (X to be specific).



... and who knew naming your blog with retirement in the title would set you up for such semantic gymnastics...


I never posted on your farewell blog post Jacob, but please accept my gratitude for what you have shared. I won't lie, reading about you going back to work totally threw me for a loop, but it's your life... go live it!

[Chuckanut]

Isn't Steve Jobs famous for something to this effect: You only have one life, don't waste it living somebody else's.

Good Advice.

[NW-Bound]

The reason Jacob got in hot water was not simply because he wrote a blog. It was because his Web site is named "Early Retirement Extreme", and he sold ebooks on his frugal methods to achieve that goal. Had he stressed from the beginning that "what the site is really about is not “retirement” but financial independence", then he would not have to admit that he is "about to commit some “light ERE treason”".

I remember now that I first heard of Jacob's site from a mention on this forum. I did go there to read some of his musings. Overall, I thought highly of him, and agreed with him on many philosophical points. Being a frugal guy and a tinkerer myself, I would always take things apart to see if I could fix something before throwing it away. In my youth, I would disassemble even working things to understand how they worked, with the often regrettable end result that they no londer did. I remember someone mentioned Richard Feynman on this forum. I enjoyed reading about Feynman's exploits, and I am sure many of you also did or would. There are people who think like Feynman, and some who do not. I am not sure if it has anything to do with being a boomer or a Gen-X'er.

Jacob is famous here for his homemade rake, and this reputation may stick with him for a while. I would not make fun of that though. I thought to myself that a guy who could rip (cut lengthwise) through a 2x4 with a handsaw definitely had more skills than I did in woodworking. Well, my skill in this area couldn't be called woodworking, but more like rough carpentry. I would be glad to merely be able to set up my power saw to rip a 2x4 lengthwise without a mishap from the blade kickback. Then, I happened to read his post on saw blade sharpening. He surely knew a lot more about saw blades than I did.

I believe Jacob is the kind of guy who would do well at whatever he sets his mind to. That's why I said in my earlier post that it did not surprise me that he got bored with early retirement. In fact, I wondered why he should have retired at all! Maybe he just got burned out from his time in the academic environment. And had he spend some time looking, perhaps he would have found something more interesting, like his upcoming job.

As someone said in an earlier post, there are challenges in life or in the workplace (gasp!) that can be a more interesting problem than what one can come up with on his own. And if someone even pays you to work that problem, wouldn't that be even better? Just because you get paid to do something does not mean that it has to be bad w*rk. The main issue is for the individual to find something that he enjoys doing, and to find new challenges, new frontiers in that work. Often times, we think we have some problems solved, only to find out later that we were only scratching the surface.

I hope that Jacob will not feel obligated to maintain the same frugality that he has been exercising. Come on! If a bicyclist rode the length of the muddy Dempster highway, would anyone question why he did not ride all the way there from Florida, in lieu of transporting his bike to start riding from Dawson City? Would anyone call that cheating? If I want to go sailing, do I have to start from scratch with building my own boat? I agree with Jacob's philosophy of DIY, and of the appreciation of skills and knowledge in even leisure pursuits, but can one carry that a bit too far? And why do I have to prove anything to anybody?

Anyway, I wish Jacob well, and look forward to hearing his future story. I know it will not be a dull one.

[jayc]

Back in the 70's we used to ride dirt bikes in Rockcastle county, KY. Whenever we happen to be on pavement in the morning there would always be turtles sunning themselves on the pavement. We would always stop and rescue the turtles from getting smashed by cars. At the end of the day everyone would compare who saved the most turtles and what kind they were. We even had t-shirts made with 'Rockcastle Turtle Rescue' on them.

One morning as we were all getting ready to go for a ride, Willis proclaimed that he had already saved 1000 turtles this morning. Everyone stopped getting their bikes ready and wanted to here the story. He went on to say that he got up that morning with the intention to kill 1000 turtles. But after having breakfast he changed his mind, which in turn saved 1000 turtles that day from demise.

I saw Willis in Florida last November 2010 and he still brags about the day he saved 1000 turtles.

[obgyn65]

+1. You only live once. Enjoy, learn, follow your passions. Time is precious.

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Originally Posted by Moemg I admire you for having the courage to go in another direction .

[cloudeleven]

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jacob wrote... Early-Retirement.org posters are mainly baby boomers who see retirement as a big long party of traveling and having fun following some, hopefully, meaningful career. Your reason for E-R is to make that party last longer.

This is also how I think of this message board, and it's also why I don't particularly like this message board. It's a lot better than Bogleheads, but still filled with lots of snarky, consumption-oriented Boomers. I'm more fond of the ERE forum.