As with most newbies, I've spent alot of time reading the (mostly) insightful comments on this board over the past few months and finally decided to stop lurking and take the time to contribute my intro.
As I think back on my life, I have vivid memories of high school study hall, where I continuously worked out scenarios by which I could be FI asap. These scenarios always included living in tents, trailers, lean-to's, etc - whatever it took to not have to be tied to a 40 hr/wk job. I found those scenarios work better if you never really seriously consider having a wife and family!
Fast forward - 2 college degrees (EE and MBA), 3 kids (11, 9 and 5), two houses, 3 cars, 1 wife, and 26 (or so) years later and I still find myself working the scenarios. The updated version doesn't usually include a trailer or a lean-to, but if things don't work out as planned.......they may re-emerge (along with the cat food for dinner)
As a 22 year employee of MegaCorp, I have done pretty well (by their standards). Several promotions, a nice salary, etc - all despite the fact that all I can ever really concentrate on is not having to be here! I just can't take any more worthless staff meetings, office politics, brown nosers, company men, HR, management that doesn't really care about people, performance reviews, ethics training, stress, anxiety, traffic, aaaaaarrrrrrghhhhhh!!!!
My 2007 resolution is to RE by this June. The calculations tell me that we should be fine financially - my main hurdle is my emotional resolve (read: FEAR). I fear I've been brainwashed by my 22 years of indentured service to the point they have me afraid to quit. But Bob Clyatt's book (Work Less, Live More) holds a prominent place on my nightstand and every now and then, in the middle of an anxiety filled night, I reach for it and read some reassuring words that reassure me I can pull this off (hopefully he didn't write it as a cruel practical joke!).
So - thanks for all the inspiration - I'm sure I'll continue to lurk on a daily basis to help relieve my disdain for the corporate world as I look forward to the day I can read a Dilbert cartoon, and not get it!
As I think back on my life, I have vivid memories of high school study hall, where I continuously worked out scenarios by which I could be FI asap. These scenarios always included living in tents, trailers, lean-to's, etc - whatever it took to not have to be tied to a 40 hr/wk job. I found those scenarios work better if you never really seriously consider having a wife and family!
Fast forward - 2 college degrees (EE and MBA), 3 kids (11, 9 and 5), two houses, 3 cars, 1 wife, and 26 (or so) years later and I still find myself working the scenarios. The updated version doesn't usually include a trailer or a lean-to, but if things don't work out as planned.......they may re-emerge (along with the cat food for dinner)
As a 22 year employee of MegaCorp, I have done pretty well (by their standards). Several promotions, a nice salary, etc - all despite the fact that all I can ever really concentrate on is not having to be here! I just can't take any more worthless staff meetings, office politics, brown nosers, company men, HR, management that doesn't really care about people, performance reviews, ethics training, stress, anxiety, traffic, aaaaaarrrrrrghhhhhh!!!!
My 2007 resolution is to RE by this June. The calculations tell me that we should be fine financially - my main hurdle is my emotional resolve (read: FEAR). I fear I've been brainwashed by my 22 years of indentured service to the point they have me afraid to quit. But Bob Clyatt's book (Work Less, Live More) holds a prominent place on my nightstand and every now and then, in the middle of an anxiety filled night, I reach for it and read some reassuring words that reassure me I can pull this off (hopefully he didn't write it as a cruel practical joke!).
So - thanks for all the inspiration - I'm sure I'll continue to lurk on a daily basis to help relieve my disdain for the corporate world as I look forward to the day I can read a Dilbert cartoon, and not get it!
I'm still happily living everything I wrote in there 6 years into ER with no regrets and no course-changes (beyond ditching the part time career work entirely in favor of newfound hobbies-turned-modestly-cash-positive -- something made possible by the last 4 years of buoyant market returns...)
