I should’ve seen this coming.
Last week Walt34 mentioned the “Fog Of Work” post that was written here over 11 years ago, and I responded that someday I’m going to add it to another book.
https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/finding-purpose-in-retirement-105780.html#post2493397
A few minutes later, a PM popped up in my queue:
Um.
For extra irony points, did I mention that I just turned 60 years old? I’m still financially independent (and will be even more so for the rest of my life), but I might be aging out of the “retire early” part of FIRE.
For the benefit of those who I haven’t met yet, here’s my response to that anonymous member:
For the rest of you who've seen me here over the last 17+ years:
Carol and I are in the middle of a [-]victory lap[/-] book promotion for the next few months, and when that tapers off a little (they never really end) then I’ll resume work on the next projects. If you’re interested in helping out under the same volunteer terms, here’s what’s on my decennial To Do list.
1. An audiobook version of “The Military Guide.” The publisher never got around to this project, and they recently relinquished the audiobook rights to me. I know how to record an audiobook now, and it’s a very effective writing/editing tool, so I’m doing it in two stages.
1.a. The first audio edition will be the original text of The Military Guide with some bonus material for new(er) benefits like the Roth TSP, the Blended Retirement System, and VA disability screenings. Most of that bonus material has already been posted on the blog.
1.b. The second audio edition will accompany the second edition of The Military Guide. This will be a total rewrite and re-recording. Everyone who bought the first edition of the audio book will be automatically (or manually) upgraded to the second edition for free.
2. The second edition of The Military Guide. Depending on how fast I write the manuscript (not very), the publisher is willing to release it as an eBook. The distributor (National Book Network) can use Amazon’s Create Space print-on-demand services.
2.a. If the publisher loses interest then I’ll self-publish.
3. My third book will be about sustainable financial independence, cleverly titled something like “Financial Independence For Life.”
Last year, at the callow age of 59, my spouse and I attended a FI Chautauqua. (Highly recommended.) When we looked around the room at the attendees, some of whom were already FI, we realized that we had far more FI experience... even more than JL Collins.
Meanwhile other attendees (well on their way to FI) had a firm grasp of the math yet grappled with the existential questions like “What will I DO all day... and for the rest of my life?!?” Well, golly, I have >18 years of answers to get them started.
During that week, Alan Donegan (of PopUp Business School fame) moderated a creativity session. With the help of a handful of attendees, I collected bullet points for the book outline. All I have to do now is build the outline and draft the manuscript, right?
4. For those of you who’ve wondered when the heck I’m going to publish the military insurance guide, it’s still on the list. I think the solution will be a series of 100-page booklets on individual military insurance programs. Some of you may have read similar shorter formats from William Bernstein and Mike Piper.
That’s the plan, although I’m allergic to deadlines. Feel free to ask questions or send along any material you’d like to see in the books. (If you've already sent me something, it's still in my database.) When I have actual audio files or draft chapters, then I’ll form another social group here to post the material for feedback & editing.
Last week Walt34 mentioned the “Fog Of Work” post that was written here over 11 years ago, and I responded that someday I’m going to add it to another book.
https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/finding-purpose-in-retirement-105780.html#post2493397
A few minutes later, a PM popped up in my queue:
Um.
For extra irony points, did I mention that I just turned 60 years old? I’m still financially independent (and will be even more so for the rest of my life), but I might be aging out of the “retire early” part of FIRE.
For the benefit of those who I haven’t met yet, here’s my response to that anonymous member:
For the rest of you who've seen me here over the last 17+ years:
Carol and I are in the middle of a [-]victory lap[/-] book promotion for the next few months, and when that tapers off a little (they never really end) then I’ll resume work on the next projects. If you’re interested in helping out under the same volunteer terms, here’s what’s on my decennial To Do list.
1. An audiobook version of “The Military Guide.” The publisher never got around to this project, and they recently relinquished the audiobook rights to me. I know how to record an audiobook now, and it’s a very effective writing/editing tool, so I’m doing it in two stages.
1.a. The first audio edition will be the original text of The Military Guide with some bonus material for new(er) benefits like the Roth TSP, the Blended Retirement System, and VA disability screenings. Most of that bonus material has already been posted on the blog.
1.b. The second audio edition will accompany the second edition of The Military Guide. This will be a total rewrite and re-recording. Everyone who bought the first edition of the audio book will be automatically (or manually) upgraded to the second edition for free.
2. The second edition of The Military Guide. Depending on how fast I write the manuscript (not very), the publisher is willing to release it as an eBook. The distributor (National Book Network) can use Amazon’s Create Space print-on-demand services.
2.a. If the publisher loses interest then I’ll self-publish.
3. My third book will be about sustainable financial independence, cleverly titled something like “Financial Independence For Life.”
Last year, at the callow age of 59, my spouse and I attended a FI Chautauqua. (Highly recommended.) When we looked around the room at the attendees, some of whom were already FI, we realized that we had far more FI experience... even more than JL Collins.
Meanwhile other attendees (well on their way to FI) had a firm grasp of the math yet grappled with the existential questions like “What will I DO all day... and for the rest of my life?!?” Well, golly, I have >18 years of answers to get them started.
During that week, Alan Donegan (of PopUp Business School fame) moderated a creativity session. With the help of a handful of attendees, I collected bullet points for the book outline. All I have to do now is build the outline and draft the manuscript, right?
4. For those of you who’ve wondered when the heck I’m going to publish the military insurance guide, it’s still on the list. I think the solution will be a series of 100-page booklets on individual military insurance programs. Some of you may have read similar shorter formats from William Bernstein and Mike Piper.
That’s the plan, although I’m allergic to deadlines. Feel free to ask questions or send along any material you’d like to see in the books. (If you've already sent me something, it's still in my database.) When I have actual audio files or draft chapters, then I’ll form another social group here to post the material for feedback & editing.
