There are many ways to get ready for ER, but I've noticed that the typical ER poster tends to fall into one or more categories of stereotypes. While some of you more grizzled veterans might recognize specific examples of other posters in these stereotypes, I'm not making fun of anyone in particular. Well, maybe JG, but he's earned it.
These stereotypes apply mainly to those getting ready for ER. I'm sure there's a whole 'nother batch of stereotypes for those living the ER life.
Think of this post as holding up a mirror. If you don't see anything but other posters and punchlines then you have nothing to worry about. If you see your face looking back at you, though, then you may need to reflect (so to speak) upon the implications of your symptoms.
1. "But what will I do all day?!?" One of the top three concerns before ER, and a source of "What the heck was I worried about?!!" less than a month after ER.
2. Rich's previously-diagnosed
"Just One More Year" syndrome. Subsets include:
- Paralysis by analysis ("The real SWR must be 3.289745%, but only with AAA-rated bonds", and "FIRECalc doesn't account for...")
- "But what if the sky falls?" and its alter-ego
- "This must be absolutely positively totally safe or I can't retire. Ever."
3. The "Yeah but" skeptic: Yeah, I'd retire tomorrow but the Fed… the yield curve… the housing bubble… the latest Hussman/Grantham/Mauldin/Bogle/Gross commentary... P/E10 fluctuations... the price of gold… oh, the hellish uncertainty!
4. "It's not me, it's my spouse & kids." I guess there doesn't have to be anything wrong with this symptom, as long as the worker isn't smoldering with resentment.
5. "Will, guts, the back of an envelope, & iron discipline." Well, sure, supplemented by his spouse's paycheck, credit-card stoozing, dumpster diving, Social Security at age 62, and a reverse mortgage…
And, on a more serious note:
6. Medical hostage. Unfortunately I don't have a flip answer to this problem. If you're working to maintain affordable healthcare for you and/or your family (because you can't get it anywhere else) then you're doing exactly the right thing.
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