What we did in 2009 and what we plan to do in 2010

[freebird5825]

This may look like a New Years' resolution thread, but it is not.

Please list your main accomplishents for 2009 and some ideas for things you want to get done in 2010.

2009
Consolidated all my investment holdings under 1 roof. No more multiple statements at tax time.
Cashed out 3 higher expense ratio funds and reinvested most of it in index funds.
Achieved Admiral status with a VG fund for the first time ever.
Got all my vaccinations updated and went on a fabulous Mediterranean cruise with dh2b.
Made a real difference in someone's life.
Made some new friends and started entertaining again.
Almost forgot...lost some weight. I am 3.5 lbs within my year end goal.

2010
Do top level plan and start winnowing down number of mutual funds and have additional Admiral share eligibility. Need to balance long term diversification goals versus shooting for lower expense ratios.
Going to FL in January to reconnect with a dear friend after 10 years.
Going to get out xcountry skiing for exercise as much as possible instead of winter hermiting in the house. Continue doing that into spring and summer and fall and...
Smile and enjoy life more.

 

[REWahoo]

Please list your main accomplishents for 2009 and some ideas for things you want to get done in 2010.

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

 

[W2R]

2009:

Accomplished a seamless transition all of my w*rk duties to responsible co-workers
pared down my possessions
retired!
caught up on my sleep and (I think) adjusted pretty well to retirement so far

2010:

finish getting my house ready to put on the market
donate the majority of my furniture to a worthy cause
sell my house
move north

This may be too optimistic for 2010, depending on the housing market which is not very good here right now.

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

Ah, you can see I am a new retiree and have much to learn!

The "accomplishments" list that I had to make at work each FY was an order of magnitude longer, though, and phrased in such a way as to sound like more than it was (without exactly lying). Tooting my own horn like that seemed to be helpful in being selected for cash awards and I got more and bigger cash awards than any other scientist in my unit. Still, much that was on that list could have been described as "doing my job".

 

[Johanna]

I am an about-to-be retiree, so I also have a long to do list with items accomplished and yet to be done. I've owned my retirement home for several years, my mom and I own adjacent townhouses at a beach in North Carolina. We've been renting mine as a vacation home during the summers.
2009
Replaced Patio Door, re-finished deck, rehabbed lawn.
Pared down my possessions.
Moved the bulk of them to my new home in North Carolina (Topsail Island).
Re-painted, re-carpeted, cleaned and polished my home in Maryland.
Put in my retirement application (Dept. of Navy).
2010
Put my house on the market
Retire (end of February)
Complete the sale and move-out.
Catch up on my sleep.

 

[audreyh1]

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

Same here! This feels too much like a performance review - reporting to the boss and all that!

ick!

Audrey

 

[Fireup2020]

2009:

• Maxed out my Def Comp/TSP to IRS limitations for third consecutive year!
• Selected for CPO(E7) and commission as an officer in USNR – took the commission J (O1E) (this will more than double my eventual pension from the military!)
• Took $25K collateral free loan @ 4.9% interest from USAA to pay off state pension service credit at 8.25% over 10 yrs. (payroll deductions w/ no option to pay ahead) New loan balance down to $21K since Nov. 09 - have 15+ yrs towards state pension now
• Accumulated over $10K in savings/travel/car fund
• Completed over half of MSHRM graduate courses

2010:

• Max out Def Comp/TSP prior to July 2010
• Pay off USAA pension loan listed above
• Accept 2 year recall to Active Duty here in NJ
• “Play” more with individual stocks
• Complete my MSHRM in June 2010 (Post 9/11 GI Bill footing the entire bill now)
• Motivate/lead my reservists in my unit to move on to bigger & better things
• More “mini-vacation” camping, rafting, skiing weekends (practice ER)
• Maybe purchase new car this time next year – I want the big red bow on it!
• Have another GREAT year personally & professionally!

 

[Goonie]

In 2009, I've succeeded in accomplishing very little! I'm really gettin' the hang of this Early Retirement thing down pat!!!

What I accomplished in 2009:

I spent far less time on the internet than I have in many years!!!

I fiddled around in the gardens, and enjoyed my time landscaping and gardening here on the ol' homestead.

I fiddled around out in my workshop/hobby room, and continued working on my model railroad empire.

I traveled far less this year than in years past...just decided to spend more time relaxing around here for a change.

I reconnected with a LOT of old friends this year...many of whom I'd not seen or heard from since childhood! (mostly through Facebook)

What I plan on accomplishing in 2010:

I plan to spend more time and energy in the gardens.....I'm already working on several design changes and additions....and spend a lot more time just sitting around enjoying it all!!!

I plan to spend more time fiddling around on the model railroad empire.

I plan on traveling more, and taking in several things that we've talked about, but just haven't gotten around to seeing or doing yet....and a lot of it is within a day's drive from home.
--------------------------------

In a nutshell....I've enjoyed a whole bunch of endless days of play....and I plan to enjoy whole bunch more of endless days of play!!!

 

[bbbamI]

I got out of bed about 45 mintues ago. I'll git back wif ya...

 

[CuppaJoe]

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

I gave it up a couple of years before leaving that place.

bbbamI, out of bed so early? It's such a nice sunny day here, I'll make the effort before noon but it's not required.


2009

Irrelevant

2010

Continue to take my late neighbor's advice to "get out of the house every day." Trying to become a "type B" person to no avail. Will try to slow down my new hobby, geocaching, so it does not become like obsessive w*rk; so far, it's a painless way of getting in more walking. May keep my mind too active, though; the last two nights I woke up, "ah ha, I know what that hint means."

 

[DangerMouse]

Ok I will play.

2009

Managed to escape from my consultant position at my former workplace. Haven't worked in paid employment since Feb.
DH switched jobs so moved 500 miles north.
Managed to squeeze in 3 trips to Australia, 1 trip to Hawaii, 1 trip to Vietnam and an upcoming trip to Hong Kong. Not bad seeing I didn't set out to travel much this year.

2010
Get rid of more "stuff". The amount of time it took to pack/unpack was embarrassing considering most of the "stuff" never gets used. By time we move next year most of it better be gone.
Do more travelling - so far have scheduled 1 trip to Hawaii to defrost, 1 trip to Oz and I wouldn't mind coming back from Oz via Iceland. Will have to review frequent flyer programs/points in the new year to make sure we can maximise our freebies.
Consolidate/close more accounts. I am tired of paperwork and want to simplify our investments/tax returns.
Time to get off my butt and exercise more. I have enrolled at the community centre for step aerobics 2 times a week and latin dance class once a week. Should be fun seeing I am the most uncoordinated person I know. I am unable to use my legs and arms at the same time. I also planning on walking to the supermarket when only a few items are required.

 

[FUEGO]

2009:
Got promoted
Got a pay cut
Got all benefits cut completely
Made a f***ing ton of money in the market
Moved the FIRE clock up quite a bit
lived, learned, loved
studied. a lot.
got my law license
read some books
spent lots of time with my kids
played some video games
got a cavity
played some computer games
went to Vegas 2x, learned how to play perfect strategy blackjack
Got some perspective on life
reconnected with old friends

2010:
pass another professional license exam
get a better job. or not.
make another f***ing ton of money in the market
move that FIRE clock up a bit more
get daughter through 1st half of kindergarten
get cavity filled
relax, have a good time
go on vacation. a lot. this may conflict with goal 2 and 4 and 5

 

[M Paquette]

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

That's the first think I thought of. "What? Annual review time already? Self-reviews this week!"

 

[FUEGO]

That's the first think I thought of. "What? Annual review time already? Self-reviews this week!"

You should just get a job with a company that explicitly says "no raises and bonuses for the foreseeable future". That negates the need for annual performance reviews!

 

[freebird5825]

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

In my last 2 years before I resigned, I submitted some pretty good tongue-in-cheek "career plans" knowing I was just biding my time until the right window opened. I thought I would have to wait until I was 50 years old for an early out, not escaping like I did at age 48 with April 1st as my last official day.

 

[DangerMouse]

2009:

went to Vegas 2x, learned how to play perfect strategy blackjack

does that mean you win with this strategy?

 

[FUEGO]

does that mean you win with this strategy?

No; playing perfect basic strategy blackjack leaves the house with a 0.15% edge at the Vegas casinos with the best rules, and 0.3-0.6% at most casinos. If one plays a hundred hands an hour with a 0.15% house edge and a $10 minimum bet, you "pay", on average, $1.50 an hour to sit at the tables and play. I find it fun, entertaining, and mildly challenging.

Perfect basic strategy has a negative expected payout. "Card counting", on the other hand, could actually net you a positive expected payout theoretically at some casinos in the world (I don't think Vegas has any and you wouldn't be allowed to play for long). I've practiced card counting and it increases the difficulty greatly vs playing perfect basic strategy. Neat little parlor trick amongst friends though when you can tell them what the final card in the deck will be, or when to increase their bet 10x if the count gets really high.

 

[bbbamI]

bbbamI, out of bed so early? It's such a nice sunny day here, I'll make the effort before noon but it's not required.

Yeah, it was difficult...but there's always tomorrow...heh, hopefully.

2009

Managed to complete my 9th year at the police department without getting shot.

Made money even though I didn't w*rk.

Didn't fall off the motorcycle.

2010

Complete my 10th year at the police department without getting shot.

Make more money without having to w*rk.

Keep the shiny side up on the motorcycle.

 

[donheff]

Good grief. I gave this sort of thing up for good when I left the workplace.

Same here! This feels too much like a performance review - reporting to the boss and all that!

ick!

Audrey

That's the first think I thought of. "What? Annual review time already? Self-reviews this week!"

Me three!

 

[M Paquette]

In my last 2 years before I resigned, I submitted some pretty good tongue-in-cheek "career plans" knowing I was just biding my time until the right window opened.

Heh. I went back and looked at my last work self-review.

***
-***What didn't you achieve that you wanted to?
I'm not quite retired yet, but I'm working on it...

Always a fun way to stir up the old management hierarchy.

 

[check6]

2009
2 trips to France
Sold 2 motorcycles (sniff, sniff)
Bought another condo
Put old condo up for sale
Keep an eye on Mom


2010
2 trips to France
Sell another motorcycle (sniff, sniff)
Remodel new condo
Sell old condo
Keep an eye on Mom

 

[Meadbh]

What is this, a 360? Pay for performance?

I don't think so!

 

[Moemg]

At my house the list is for my SO
2009
Re mulch the yard
Replace kitchen lighting
stain deck
repair pool filter
Hang new doors

2010
Redo all the molding in living room & dining room
Rip up carpet in bedroom
Replace bedroom ceiling fan
Paint bedroom
etc,etc,etc

As you can see he has a busy schedule and my job is to keep him motivated .

 

[NW-Bound]

My! I have not had to do a performance review since 1996, the last year I was with a megacorp.

But I will be nice and play along. So, here goes.



NW-Bound's 2009 Great Accomplishments

1) Sat on my butt, and did not sell low during the March market rout (the truth was that I was busy with w*rk, and did not even look at my portfolio. However, I could claim that as an excuse for not going "all in", if had I not been so busy)

2) Portfolio is up 22% YTD. Up 40% since March low. Mostly due to sitting on butt, but there were some minimal "buy, buy, buy" in there, plus no panicking and "rebalancing" after some "wheee" random drive-by postings, despite being 70% in equities.

3) Recovered from a mini personal depression, and subsequently rejoined with this forum after a few month hiatus.

4) Able to find and post some happy youtube videos, to partially cancel out the other "gloomy" music (that I really liked to share - a concurrent poll shows forum members being way too happy!).

5) Passed huge kidney stone without pain killer

6) Stained home exterior to save $4K+, and lived to brag about it (link to posts about this and above kidney stone provided upon request)

7) No foreign travel for pleasure this year, but scored some free business travels, one to an "exotic" locale 7 time zones east of the East Coast.
​

Goals For 2010.

1) Continue to make lots of money in the market, by sitting on butt.

2) Overcome Mc-Scrooginess to buy an RV for domestic travel. Learn to safely handle the "stinky slinky" and be able to talk wife to come along on a trek.

3) Make good money with part-time work, which would allow splurging on said RV and perhaps a couple of foreign trips without touching the "nest egg", which would allow it to grow and grow for unending counting pleasure.

4) Not losing any more tooth (after the first one lost in 2009).

5) Continue to be able to sneak in "gloomy" music posts (preferably in French), without getting shutdown by moderators.​

 

[W2R]

5) Passed huge kidney stone without pain killer

OK, you won!!!

 

[GoodSense]

I'll play! I make lists everyday at w*rk anyway so I pretty good at it!

Accomplished 2009
1. Vacationed in Costa Rica, Cape Cod, Yellowstone, Glacier, and the North Shore of Lake Superior
2. Refinanced house into a 5-year ARM at 4%
3. Passed the first 2 rounds of a competitive exam into a new c*reer
4. Began painting again after a 10-year hiatus
5. made a few of new friends, lost a couple


Goal for 2010
1. Go to bed at 1:30 a.m. at the latest everyday
2. Eat more organic foods & less sugar
3. Paint (acrylic) more
4. Learn beginner's Italian
5. Work on pottery skills
6. Audition for the opera
7. Get into a new c*reer path (currently am in month 5 in a multiple-year hiring process)
8. Take a caribbean cruise
9. Take a summer trip to Europe
10. Waste less time online, especially on Facebook

Clearly I have more ambitious goals than I am able to accomplish, but it doesn't hurt to dream!