Half year FIRE portfolio status

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben no way you can blow through 2M$ here - even if you tried!

I think I just heard a glove hit the ground...

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben no way you can blow through 2M$ here - even if you tried!

Not even Neil Bush?

Ben, I'll have to introduce you to my spouse. Alex Trebek is creating a new Jeopardy category for our next Thailand trip: "Home improvement wood products for $10K or higher." Buy FedEx stock now.

OAP,

Quote:

Lots of people warned me before I retired.* How does a person gain a passion? I enjoy walking, watching and not much else tickles my fancy.

I think there are books on this topic.

A lot of folks will say that you should look to your childhood and what you were interested in before you became an adult and it spolied it.

For example I used to love to fish when I was a kid, I still do! -

You have to follow your interests and curiosity. For instance : - if you enjoyed looking at an aquarium when you were a kid, you might take a scuba diving class and then a trip that dive shop sponsers. It could open up a whole new set of social friends, trips, activities around snorkeling, diving, visiting Underwater reefs etc.

I know people that their whole lives revolve around snow skiing. In fact, after my divorce, I joined a ski club to meet chics. Met my current 'hot wife' of 20 years there.* Never did ski. - We took at winter trip to Mexico instead with the ski club. 8) - After we got married we left the ski club - My wife was just there to meet guys also - didn't really want to ski either.

So get out there! - The world will not beat a path to your door. Learn to socialize with activities outside of work!

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldAgePensioner My worldly goods are a desk, a commode(not that kind), a laptop, desktop, 2 guitars, a TV, DVD player, books and clothes. So, I've done nothing in life but save.

Well, if I were in you position, I would make a nest. I'd buy the Chicago condo, go to Thailand and shop for cool furniture for the condo. Have a couple of beers with Ben and Lancelot.

But maybe this is a women thing not a man thing. Except the beer part.

[KB]

First of all, look for a walking or hiking club since you know you like to do that.

Then as you flip through magazines or newspapers, look for things that interest you. And think whether you would like to try doing them someday. And if so, write it down on a list.

Do you read magazines? If so, what type? Do you read books, how about about a book club.

I started a list of things I'd like to do when I retire, a few years ago. And since I retired last week, I'm reviewing my list. I do have gardening as a hobby, and just completed a Master Gardener program where I can volunteer as many hours per year as I want. I plan on spending a lot of time with that this year, until I get other things going.

Are there things that you've said 'I've always wanted to do that but don't have the time' ? That is where to start.

Good luck. I hope you can find a passion.

[OldAgePensioner]

Martha,
I do love wood furniture and in Thailand they use teak which is awesome. If I go to Thailand this fall, Ben and Lancelot are definitely my first stop, ahh cheap beer.

Cut-Throat, KB,
Thanks for the thoughts, I'm a true loner, always have been, so it limits the options. I've been called a hermit by most everyone who knows me. Reading Don Quixote right now and he seems a lot like me. Tilting.

[KB]

Not to beat a dead horse......but most of the things on my list are individual things. I'm a bit of a loner too, and I enjoy doing things that do not require other people.

Good luck though, you're the only one that can decide when and if. It's not really the money though....

[OldAgePensioner]

KB,
thanks for the thoughts again. I still worry about the money thing, I have a large family (mom, 5 sibs) and all of them are marginal, financially. If any of them needed a million tomorrow, it'd get there tonight. Scares me more than anything else.

[MJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben Well said cut-throat..... And AOP you have a standing invitation to come visit Lancelot and I in Thailand - you really should get some perspective - no way you can blow through 2M$ here - even if you tried! But more importantly - time to get a life... Cheers!

I read a "story" about a Scandinavian that got a lump sum settlement due to an injury who then went to LOS and got taken big time by a young Thai woman and her "poor" family. It wasn't 2M but "only" about 300k. After a year in LOS, he had to return emptyhanded to live with his Mom.

[preben]

Mj; many of that kind of horror stories here - westerners falling for a sweet Thai woman and later realizing it might not have been for love (and she might not have been that sweet ). Explains why I have a western girl friend . Cheers!

[OldAgePensioner]

MJ, Ben,
I have several friends who have married into the Asian community and, Ben, correct me if I'm out of line, most Thai/Asian ladies marry westerners for the purpose to help support their families.

I don't have a problem with that at all. They are very family oriented and will forego their own desires to support family. If both in the relationship know that, it's pretty easy to accept.

[JB]

I'm only up .85% YTD. This is total portfolio adjusted for spending.
Amazing how many of you did better than many popular asset classes (index 500, intermediate bonds).

[preben]

OAP; maybe not "most" but "many" would be right. This however does not go only for marrying western men - but also marrying other Thais - culturally it is completely normal and fully acceptable to marry for practical/family/status reasons more than love. Culture clash. Cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldAgePensioner MJ, Ben, I have several friends who have married into the Asian community and, Ben, correct me if I'm out of line, most Thai/Asian ladies marry westerners for the purpose to help support their families. I don't have a problem with that at all.* They are very family oriented and will forego their own desires to support family.* If both in the relationship know that, it's pretty easy to accept.

[preben]

I think reason is that most here are much more diversified than the "classic" SP500/US bonds. Cheers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB I'm only up .85% YTD.* This is total portfolio adjusted for spending. Amazing how many of you did better than many popular asset classes (index 500, intermediate bonds).

[OldAgePensioner]

Ben,
Good morning. You're right, I should have said "many". I have 2 bestest of friends married to Thai ladies and my respect for those ladies is unquestionable.

I'm up 5%ish on the year mainly because of bad performance last year. Looking at the 3rd and 4th quarters is kinda scaring me.

[mikew]

Quote:

Mj; many of that kind of horror stories here - westerners falling for a sweet Thai woman and later realizing it might not have been for love (and she might not have been that sweet ). Explains why I have a western girl friend* . Cheers!

I had a friend who went to Thailand fell for a sweet young woman (prostitute) and later realized she wasn't as much of a woman as he thought.*

[mikew]

OAP
How much do you think your problems have been related to your expat life?

In my case, I have always been somewhat of a loner too. Coming to Japan about 15 years ago, I found my interests slowly narrowed. Until I lost all my hobbies. Mainly, I think because I never could integrate into society and I was never financially stable. So I focused on work. Now my wife is pushing me out the door to go play.

Mike

[OldAgePensioner]

mikew,
really, it is 20 years of living what seemed like a great life overseas and then trying to live on my own back home.

Lots for me to work out first before I know what to advise others.

[mikew]

OAP
From what you have written, I can see some similarities between our situations.

The thing that worries me the most about retirement is what then. Living overseas means cutting many connections with home. I can pull up and move back to the states. But moving back to Toledo is out of the question. I have been back a few times. It takes a few weeks to adjust but you never really do. Japan has been a good life. But Japan is for work not pleasure. I also need a better climate. It has been rainy season for the past two weeks.

Some place like Thailand, Vietnam or Europe would be good for a few years but long term it would have to be back to the states.

How to spend my time. I am redeveloping my interests like bicycle touring. But I think the most important point is what happens coming back to the states. If I can make a soft landing in terms of finding like minded freinds, being in a place where I can join a compatible community, it should work out. I am worried this is luck.

The best long term answer I have come up with is move to Hawaii or somewhere else with a strong asian community.

Mike

[laurence]

Hmmm, basically flat this year, maybe up 2% (yay for dividends).

Outside of this freaking crazy real estate market, of course.

OAP, good luck man, follow Martha's advice, you need a nest you want to come home to, maybe someone there with brightly colored plumage, too.