Recent content by Easy Rider

Stochastic proccesses (probability theory part 2) was hardest for me, but mainly because I was taking 2 graduate classes for my MSEE while working full time and paid overtime back then. The professor taught it very abstractly without the practical knowledge that aids me when learning new...

Exactly what i did. I bought 2 so i can watch inside my house too when away. My neighbor alerted me to a beeping sound coming from inside my house - i could here it through the camera and confirmed it was my water leak detector. No recurrent subscription payments, walkie talkie type interface...

We had to be 55 to start collecting pension at a good rate - if before it'd drop about half. We had a special exception limited time VRIF offered when i was 48 - if you had 75 points (years service plus age) you'd be eligible for full retirements benefits at 55. Since my last 5 years salary was...

silly poll - I'm actually in the top 1 percent on this one. Fed, state and property tax was 9k,4k(California)and 4k to about 16k total. I only spent about 12k besides this. Fed and state taxes where zero the last 6 years though ... until the pension kicked in.

When i have dreams that seem to last all night about some complex problem solving at work - i seriously really feel like calling my old bosses and telling them they owe me money for all the work i just did. Pretty sure they'd think i was delusional but to me it feels like i was really working...

When i used to get yearly blood tests and had a new doctor about 10 years ago - i thought it was very strange that he told me to expect to take statins. He actually was 'grooming' me to get on the statin bandwagon - all right after drawing blood. I felt that used car dealer attitude - it was so...

I had the same circumstances - gave tentative notice for july 4 and they let me stay till end of the year - that was 7 years ago. Those last 6 months were wonderful - i made up a list of extra items on my wish list - which I'm still fulfilling. I enjoyed working those last months. Those extra...

It's amazing what goes down the drain when you have roommates - with no liability. I guess I'd be just as indifferent if i had no consequences. Once i got rid of my roommates, i took great care of what goes down the drains. Now all drains are perfect - i love the sound of the slurping for my...

I never leave Costco without a pound of smoked salmon - usually wild. What a great breakfast on whole wheat toast - or Einstein bagels when I'm feeling adventurous. Just a little cream cheese - when i ran out of cream cheese, surprisingly a little smart balance on the toasted bread turns out to...

Gave my notice in at age 48 when a voluntary RIF package became available 8 years ago (July 4 independence day). The company was so gracious they let me continue on for up to the end of the year - not only giving me that Christmas week pay, 26 weeks severance, but a deferred pension that i can...

Good to note that the estimated SS benefits are based on today's dollar. That explains why my benefits are projected higher today than in 2010 even after 5 years of zeros.

Very helpful info - My last mailed ss benefits was mailed out 2010, I was using that to estimate benefits for the future. I worked 2 more years after 2010 and retired in 2012 at at 49. I think back then I calculated that adding those extra years with zero income I saw a relatively small...

well stated However, I had the unfortunate luck of neighbors with complete lack of normal decency. Three home schooled idiot kids that skateboarded their way through childhood and turned into complete jerks. Imagine having a drum set facing your house 30 feet away, alto sax practicing...

1989 glacier white corvette is my only car for the last 20 years or so. Bought it when it was exactly 3 years old just off warranty from a lady neighbor (GM employee) that babied it - for half off sticker ... $17k. One of my first projects being retired was changing out the head gaskets -...

I remember buying at the DOW 8000 level and friends just laughing at me. It was even hard for me, I refused to look at the markets myself and blindly maxed out my 401K contribution plus after-tax (which I recently roll-over to a ROTH IRA) - I was contributing 35% gross pay. Then when the DOW...