![]() ![]() But could only stay there 6 months out of the year. An arrangement where we own the condo unit. ![]() We found what we thought was a nice condo and learned it was a unit in a condotel. In 2022 my wife and I both decided we wanted to move to Orlando for a change of pace and decent weather all year. The same month at 46, I fell into a fully remote role at $BigTech and assigned to a virtual office that meant a significant pay increase. But after asking him repeatedly, he assured us he didn’t want to go. I had planned to cash flow his college expenses. For all intents and purposes they were my “sons”. I made it clear to him and his mom since he was 9 (when we first got engaged) that I would find a way for him to college. In June 2020, my youngest (step)son graduated from high school and decided to work and not go to college. It did make me change my perspective and priorities. Short version: after Covid, we realized we didn’t care about “stuff” and we wanted “experiences”.Īfter Covid lifted, even though it didn’t affect anyone fatally in my immediate or extended circle fatally. I’ll be 50 next year so I’m right in the middle. Those things have very little importance to me as in my view, all they can give me are superficial "highs" of feeling superior, but then I immediately remember that the desire to feel superior itself needs to be suppressed as it is not just evil when taken to the extreme, but also is a never ending race where there's no winner and no real satisfaction. But I was never one to give high importance to showing off wealth or status. With a motivation like that, I found it very easy to "jump off the hedonistic treadmill". I may continue "working" on something, as I do think I will continue to enjoy building things, but I want to do that on my own terms, from wherever I feel like. ![]() The reasons I don't do that are exactly that I do not want to be "forced" to continue working (even if I currently enjoy working, I know I won't forever) well into old age, and I have realistic hope that I will be able to retire within a few more years (I am in my early 40's now). I could have a bigger house, a bigger car, travel more. I've been living a comfortable life, but well below my means. (That last paragraph is awfully generic, but until such time that we invent time machines, a very important one.) Stop smoking now, stop drinking now (or at least moderate a lot), talk to a doctor on a regular basis, take care of your teeth (really). Health: everything truly and rapidly gets worse once you're 50. Find at least one activity to enjoy on at least a weekly basis, travel (even if it's close to home), go for walks, spend time with your loved ones. You might not make it (see 'health' below). Leisure: don't put off things you truly want to do until some unspecified later date. Be knowledgeable/reliable instead of trendy. That doesn't mean you can stop learning: remaining up-to-date on relevant skills is important, but 'relevant' does a lot of heavy lifting there. However, outside of 'fashionable tech' there is an entire world where you can make a comfortable living and nobody cares about your age. Accept that you're not going to be a hotshot coder/consultant/whatever forever. ![]()
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