Retired at 38 - Worth it?

[Onward]

Traveling the world for the past twenty years, we have garnered a wide range of experiences and have tested our mettle. How do you put a price on first-hand education and twenty years of living around the globe?

Was it Worth It?

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Billy and Akaisha frequent this board often. Why don't you just PM them?

For me, after almost 3 weeks of vacation, I think I have enough rest and excitement. Yesterday, I jumped from a platform 30 feet in the air into a bat cave 20 feet underground for almost 50 feet of free fall. I say almost because those last 10 feet were arrested by a cable. That first step off the platform was far more difficult than I had thought, and those first 5-10 feet of free fall knocked my testicles all the way into my stomach. That little jump made the previous 3 canopy wire drops through the Dominican high country look like child's play.

Later in the evening, I rode on the back of a 125cc motor cycle along a coastal road through the cooling early evening air to go to a party. While the driver helpfully provided a casco (helmet), the helmet had a non-functional clasp, so the entire ride, I was watching him dice through on coming traffic through tear-stung eyes while also trying to hold on to the bike and the helmet at the same time. The party was worth the hair-raising ride though because I got to dance Bachata all night with three 20-something hotties, two of whom stated that they were there looking for husbands. Yeah, I think that was a full day. I don't, however, think my wallet, liver, or brain can handle an infinite string of days like that.

Mind you, I am not saying that I want to go back into the office politics, the bitching, and the complaining (think adult version of babies needing pacifiers and you'll have a good idea), but I wouldn't mind a year punctuated by 4 such exciting vacations instead of just one. The current corporate environment just wouldn't make that possible even if I were willing to take the time off as non-paid time. It is unfortunate that in the white-collar jobs that I know, it is one's presence and 24/7 availability rather than pure effectiveness that is valued.

 

[CoolChange]

So...Are you (Onward with the great link and bgf with the trip report) just trying to push me out the door of my current (and, likely last) full time employer?

 

[Onward]

trying to push me out the door of my current (and, likely last) full time employer?

Naw, I want you to have a long, rewarding, stimulating career.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

So...Are you (Onward with the great link and bgf with the trip report) just trying to push me out the door of my current (and, likely last) full time employer?

No, what I am saying is that the current American system of 2-3 weeks of vacation is completely stupid. My first vacation in 2010 was September 18, 2010 for a week. By then I was running on fumes after covering everyone else's vacation and medical leaves the entire summer. Even though I had a great week, I wasn't 100% recovered. The result was that I started contemplating books such Tim Ferriss's 4-hour Work Week seriously because I know that I don't want to run myself into the ground each year for the next 20 years.

Note that I did hint that on the flip side, I don't think I can be in vacation mode forever either because even the thrill of a great day like yesterday wears thin if repeated too often. It's akin to saying I feel really tired, so I am going to sleep for the 85 hours. I just hope that there is a happy median. I just have yet to land on the right pace of work, learning, & leisure.

 

[glippy]

I don't know how they made it in a job all the way to 38.

 

[Onward]

I don't know how they made it in a job all the way to 38.