Whatever happened to Mesomic?

[mesomic]

Back in the days when we were all using the REHP board on fool.com (back when it was free), you might have read numerous posts from me -- Mesomic.

I think I read every single post there (and there were tens of thousands of them) over a period of a year or two or three before I finally got the courage to take the plunge and RE in July 2001, shortly before my 39th birthday (and what a great birthday present that was). Since then I've been living on about a 2.3% withdrawal rate or less -- much better than hoped -- and am happier than ever.

I'm also busier than ever. Not sure how I ever had time for work! ;-) Just for fun I thought I'd check on the "original" (for me) www.retireearlyhomepage.com to see what was new. I've a lot of catching up to do, and am not even sure if I'll get there, but thought I'd at least drop a line. And I figured it can't hurt to brush up on some of the things I learned before I actually RE'd. Some of you who've been here a few years may remember me.

 

[yakers]

I don't go that far back at MF, about the time they started charging. I am close to retirement, maybe next year if there are buyouts or a bit later.
One thing I like about this board is that both people who are contemplating retirement and those who have retired post here. It would be good to hear how retirement is working for you. Most people seem to like it
But it does involve planning issues so its good to know how it works for different people.

 

[mesomic]

The pros far outweigh the cons. ;-)

One of the biggest issues for me was and continues to be a [slight] feeling of not being a "productive citizen." I'm actually quite productive at most everything I do. But I do what *I* want to do. I generally go to bed later and get up earlier than when I was working full time, and I still feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to do all that I want to do. And yes, it's true that sometimes I take a nap, or even three, during the day. ;-) But usually not. I do some volunteer work but most of my time is spent among my many, many hobbies.

There is clearly envy among family and friends. I have to be careful not to be too "in your face" about being retired -- especially being so young. I generally try to "steer" conversation with new people I meet so that I'm not asked what I do for a living. It was fun to boast about retiring at 38 a few times but to be honest I don't enjoy boasting about it anymore -- not even to other folks who are retired, as they're usually older and still seem to be envious. For a while I made up occupations to tell people: investor, philosopher, consultant, etc. Sometimes I still do. But my tax return says "retired" and has for a few years now.

The other "issue" with ER is that my family/friends who are still working seem to think they need to find work (or "projects" or "favors") for me to do ... usually for them, and of course without pay. That got old really fast. Sadly, some "friends" and even "relatives" got a little bit bent out of shape when I put an end to that, but not so much as to destory our relationship (whew!). I'm just thought of as that lazy bum who won't work and can't always be counted on for free labor. (Sigh)

Other than those two things, and the slight but decreasing worry about whether my money will last the rest of my life, ER has been *great*. No regrets whatsoever. That said, I often daydream about working again, believe it or not! But it will definitely be something where *I* call the shots this time around. Should be fun, even if I don't make any money. In fact, it might be fun *because* I won't be making any money at it. Ha!

 

[Martha]

One of the biggest issues for me was and continues to be a [slight] feeling of not being a "productive citizen."

Interesting comment, given the recent mention of Ted and his feelings about being a productive citizen.

That said, I often daydream about working again, believe it or not! But it will definitely be something where *I* call the shots this time around. Should be fun, even if I don't make any money. In fact, it might be fun *because* I won't be making any money at it. Ha!

This message board probably hasn't been around long enough to have many examples, but I wonder how many people who retire early, especially when it is very early, end up going back to work for one reason or another.

Martha

 

[malakito]

I only know one...a guy on the TMF REHP board who sort of day-traded AAPL stock and made a bunch. He was like 25 when he retired and I think had to scale back his retirement about a year later when he made a string of bad trades.

Anyone remember him or what happened to him? I want to say his userid was 4aapl or something like that.

malakito

 

[Hyperborea]

Anyone remember him or what happened to him?  I want to say his userid was 4aapl or something like that.

Yeah, I remember him.  I was just lurking on the REHP (and the Fool in general) at that time.  IIRC he didn't retire but only planned to based on a fluffed up portfolio value that was mostly (completely?) in tech stocks.  When the downturn came in 2000 and his trading "geniusness" was shown to be equivalent to the other market timers he had to postpone plans of retirement.

I just did a quick check on the Fool and he's still posting there - I'm comped out the wazoo by the Fool and so my account is valid till sometime in 2008.

 

[Nords]

Always good to hear a success story!

I often daydream about working again, believe it or not!

Personally I wake up screaming.

But except for the "productive citizen" part, everything else you've said goes double for me.

Martha, I hope you're healing fast and eagerly anticipating physical torture rehabilitation. It's apparently very hard to persuasively explicate how one can retire from a 60-hour workweek to "nothing" and subsequently end up too busy to even think about returning to the office. But your creative juices presumably started flowing during your vacation and you'll surely find plenty of things to do during your new (temporarily) sedentary lifestyle. The trick is to extend that same beginning to the rest of your life.

From the books I've read (admittedly not from any of TH's unbiased sources) I'd say the recidivism rate is over 50%. However among that population it's very difficult to separate the "I'm bored" from the little white lies disguising "I'm bankrupt." I'd say they're evenly split among those who wish to return to work and those who wish they'd invested more aggressively (or with more savings).

I suspect that all ERs feel some degree of survivor guilt. ("How could I achieve this without everyone else I know? What let me escape their fate?!?") I was thoroughly brainwashed by the military but luckily I found several mentors (both positive & negative) and broke out of the mold. Ted was an extremely influential negative example.

When I first started posting here I frequently pestered the more "experienced" ERs with questions about upcoming pitfalls & surprises. Most of the answers ranged from "What pitfalls?" to "I'm surprised I didn't do this years ago!" I know it's turning into a cliche, but each ER experience is highly individualized and the only way to know how you'll turn out is to start experiencing it for yourself. If you weren't faxing & phoning the office twice daily from the road (OK, at least after the first week) then you should be able to survive. And thrive!

I only know one...a guy on the TMF REHP board who sort of day-traded AAPL stock and made a bunch. He was like 25 when he retired and I think had to scale back his retirement about a year later when he made a string of bad trades.

Anyone remember him or what happened to him? I want to say his userid was 4aapl or something like that.

malakito

One of my in-laws did the same-- traded his schoolteacher's salary into small-cap stocks and an early retirement. He did this in the 60s & 70s no less. So he ER'd in his late 30s, moved to LA, and started auditioning for commercials & sitcoms. It paid for his travel & hobbies but he was living off his investment trades for over two decades.

Then in 1997 he became convinced that the NASDAQ was overvalued and he spent the next two years shorting it. He shorted himself right back into the classroom. He's about to try a second retirement, much wiser and more adequately capitalized. I know his story well because my FIL rarely fails to remind me of it and summarize with "Don't f*** it up, my man"...

 

[Martha]

Re: Always good to hear a success story!

Martha, I hope you're healing fast and eagerly anticipating physical torture rehabilitation.

Hey, I am still taking the pain killers. No worries for me.

If you weren't faxing & phoning the office twice daily from the road (OK, at least after the first week) then you should be able to survive. And thrive!

Checked email twice a day--does that count?

:-/

 

[Nords]

Re: Always good to hear a success story!

Checked email twice a day--does that count? :-/

Heck, you're almost addiction-free.

You must really trust the people holding your briefs, so to speak...

 

[Martha]

I am comforted by the fact I am still loved by my major client, who sent me this email yesterday:

O.k., enough screwing off. How are your new crutche's? We've got a bunch
> of deal's waiting for you on your desk when you get back, and here is
> another one.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

We love you here too Martha.

JG

 

[Nords]

I am comforted by the fact I am still loved by my major client, who sent me this email yesterday:
O.k., enough screwing off.  How are your new crutche's?  We've got a bunch
> of deal's waiting for you on your desk when you get back, and here is
> another one.

Tough love. Although if they REALLY loved you they'd be sending a courier to your house with the paperwork... and chocolate.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Chocolate paperwork...mmmm!

What a great idea Nords! The inbox fills up a little too much, you eat it!

Heck...if we had that I may have continued to work.

As far as unbiased sources...there arent any. In fact, its hard to find any information source that isnt biased by the provider, the aggregator AND the reporter. Its all a matter of interest...if you dont care, you dont bother providing, aggregating or reporting. If you do care...you've got an influencing bias.

 

[Spanky]

Nords says

.. he was living off his investment trades for over two decades.
Then in 1997 he became convinced that the NASDAQ was overvalued and he spent the next two years shorting it. He shorted himself right back into the classroom.

It is amasing that he could still return to his previous profession. For certain occupations, i.e., engineering, there is no way that one can go back to the same profession without additional training.

 

[Nords]

It is amasing that he could still return to his previous profession. For certain occupations, i.e., engineering, there is no way that one can go back to the same profession without additional training.

LA schoolteacher-- middle-school math & science. The district even let him buy back into his pension plan.

I hear there's a lot of vacancies in that niche of the field... I bet they're real flexible.

Regardless of the working conditions, he says it's a lot better than the early 1960s Merchant Marine.

 

[johnblake]

Congratulations. I also ERed at 38 and have many of the same experiences. Sometimes I have -nightmares- about my old jobs, even though I actually enjoyed working. I don't mind helping family, but most of the help that I'm asked for is financial planning. I live 5000 miles from most of them, so I'm available for emergencies, and not for painting the fence.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Man, I wish my folks would ask me for financial advice.
My Mom would listen but my Dad (although no dummy)
is quite ignorant of financial matters and very prickly. I know they are losing lots of money but I can't do anything about it. To make matters worse, they are 20 minutes away so I do get called to "paint the fence",
etc.

JG

 

[johnblake]

The funny thing is that frequently I'm asked for financial advise, but my suggestions are rarely followed. Some of them (parents, and siblings) trust their 'gut' instincts -- I don't. After years I'm convinced that a balanced fund approach is best for the average person who doesn't like to see significant fluctuation in individual assets.

 

[Nords]

To make matters worse, they are 20 minutes away so I do get called to "paint the fence", etc. JG

I hear ya, John. And we're still waiting for the grandparents to swoop down and take the kid for a day or two... or a month.