jriot

I am 34 years old working remotely as data scientist, making $107k TC. My wife who I've been married to for 13 years is a stay-at-home mother as we have two children in grade school. Since they are in the school she is turning in our half-acre into a sustainable garden with chickens. We own our home, are financially comfortable while saving $1500 a month, and travel. We were planning a 2-month trip to Japan this upcoming summer until we realized the Olympics are held there in 2020. In the end we will shift dates around to make it work.

Aside from being active duty for 11 years which allowed me to complete through two graduate degrees without any student debt, was taking my first role after the military in a small town one and half hours from the nearest city; a small city at that. I stayed there for four years to get comfortable enough to work on my own without any oversight; soaked up all possible learning opportunities. When switching roles to my current job, I negotiated to work remotely, now I live 2500 miles from my employer. Cost of living is the same, but now I don't have to purchase airline tickets to see family.

The number one advantage I see compared to others comes from the military. I complete all tasks asigned without complaining, and get them down without bothering those above me. Doesn't matter the task, if it is assigned and needs to be completed, I do it. Sometimes these are trivial, others would say beneath them, others are writing patent paperwork with the co-founder. This mindset has worked two-fold, I touch numerous areas of the business so my skill-set is well rounded, and my bosses are happy; work gets done without their involvement.

Live below your means, take advantage of where you live, and maintain a simple life. Good things come to those who wait.

I've read one Don DeLiio book, White Noise. There are other works on myself of his that I intend to read as thoroughly enjoyed White Noise.

Though more to your point I recently finished Mathias Enard's Zone - three months to read. It is 517 pages long, one sentence, a stream of thought. A difficult book to say the least, as the topic, dealing with not only the melancholy of the narrator's life but how his theme has remained the same for thousands of years. Zone will have a lasting impact on my ideological outlook for the remainder of my life.

As a break from hard topics, I am now reading How to Listen to Jazz, as an avid jazz listener.

Having lived two hours from Gaziantep, Turkey did this quite often, this isn't anything new. Often times many sites were blocked, then unblocked depending on the whims of the government.

Ulysses S Grant comes to mind.

I have two advanced degrees, my wife has a bachelors degree, and we've been married since we were 21/20 (now both 34) and have two school-aged kids.

You left the best one - join the military!

Not only will your college be paid for while in, but you have the GI Bill when you separate and if you were forward-thinking choose a job that is marketable on the outside e.g., air traffic control.

Upfront costs aside, you can make a living as a pilot. There is a shortage of pilots!

We are quick to see the negative, but conservatism also maintains keeping traditions and culture. I live in the Acadian region and we continue our traditions as they preserve our culture.

Is being a conservative consider being an extremist from your viewpoint?

Being employed as a computer programmer does not mean you are bright.

I posted above but recently moved back to Southern Lousiana. While I cannot trace back thousands of years I can trace back to my great-grandfather who was a shrimp boat captain in the same region I live now; I could back further if my grandmother would stay focus on the task at hand. Furthermore, Cajun culture has maintained their traditions which I believe is the most important aspect of maintaining a group identity, sharing those values.

This is partially true.

I recently moved back to southern Louisiana as all my family lives and is from here. One major difference I've noticed, not once have I been asked what I do for a living. No one ever talks about work or what they do. The culture down here is certainly different from the rest of the United States. Granted I've primarily lived in various areas of the Pacific North West but traveled throughout.

If we did that, 90% of HN articles wouldn't exist.

Though I am glad someone has similar thoughts as me!

~ Cheers

I have two kids, my wife and I never sacrificed our physical health. When our first was born I was an air traffic controller, and when my second was born I transitioned into being a data scientist.

During the first 4 years of fatherhood, I did triatholons and ran ultra-marathons - primairly ultras as the crowd was far more relaxed. After our second was born I decided to take up powerlifting, worked up to a 1405 total.

I've recently decided to go back to endurance events as being 230lbs of raw strength isn't conducive to life, plus our grocery bill is higher due to that. So I'm swimming and dropping weight; running at 230 (now 210) was terrible and humbling all at once.

My wife did half-marathons and now does cross-fit.

During these different 'eras' we exposed our children to our activities and they partook when interested, they are highly interested in riding their bikes and run as they please. Though they prefer volleyball and gymnastics at the moment.

They only negative, is they can't sit for school, as school only offers one recess during the day.

A benefit no one has mentioned, afternoon delights with the wife.

Yes, as I stated, but then realized he was above his level and dropped out.

Well said.

Ben Carson during last election demonstrated this clearly, top in his medical field, but was not well informed on matters of politics and economics. Even though he is the head of HUD now, at least he seemed humble enough to know his limits at the time.

Exactly! Barbershops are a unique place and great to spend an hour or an hour and half once a month chatting with everyone. Plus a proper haircut with a straight razor around the edges and neck, followed up by a cool/warm towel to clean everything off, and after-shave applied.

Its $33 for that with a solid beard trim; mine is at 3-4" and he keeps it looking nice.

How do impose on taking guns away?

Do you believe the majority of Americans are going to willingly turn them in?

I'm unsure.

Index funds with low expense costs are my personal strategy. While I'd love to retire now (early 30s), my realistic goal is to retire at 59. The plan I have now with moderate ROI allows that - patience while staying the course long-term with your financial plan is key.

Last week I literally set-up up all my automatic investing since we sold our previous home and made a profit, allowing us to become financially stable. I did 75% in a SP500 index and 25% in an intermediate bond market index. Every month I will put $500 split accordingly into those funds. This is after maxing out our IRAs. Not saying this is the best strategy but simple split with the mindset of keeping the money in there long-term e.g., over 10 years.

Does it suck seeing the money we just put in there drop? Yes. Though I know I am in it for the long haul, not the get quick rich approach or attempting to time the markets.

My personal income is in the top 5% of where I live but since my wife is a stay-at-home mother we are in the top 15% for household income. Granted next year when I move up an age bracket we move down to the top 15% for individual income and 25-30% for household income.

Given that we very much have a 1950s lifestyle, modest single-family home ($348k, 4 bedrooms/2 bathrooms as I work from home, on a half acre with no restrictions), 2 kids, health-care, and saving for retirement. We are down to 1 car as we recently moved across the country but since I work from home we are seeing if one car will work; it would if there we more sidewalks but ditches seem to take up that space.

I certainly do not have to deal with what you are dealing with. I don't carry my phone with me everywhere I go, particularly when I off of work.

I have a flip-phone to eliminate this exact problem.

Cities are the wrong direction, people need to move out to the country, spread out. Be out in nature, hunt, fish, gather; not just for a hike. Cities are soul-crushing.

Or be critical and dismissive since as don't need to accept this nonsense. Some changes are in the wrong direction with influencers being in that direction.

Sure thing. Sent an email to the one listed on your profile.

You can start by just switching your lifestyle.

I'm a remote worker, who will be moving to the semi-rural south in two weeks. My wife and I plan to use our half-acre to grow our vegetables and hunt/fish for all of our meat within three years; we will start immediately but want the transition to happen in gradual steps. Small local changes will aid the environment.

I would not work at Facebook regardless of the paycheck. Granted I doubt they want a conservative veteran working for them so the feeling is mutual.

You cut them off from nothing. I'm a 34 old data scientist without a smartphone, and I'm not cut from anything, why would they?