Do you ever get it all figured out or mostly figured out?

[ultrarunner]

Me too on the landline from 1983… should be free after 40 years or at least get rid of the toll zones that kick in about 5 miles out.

 

[MossRoad]

Another thought that crossed my mind is from speaking with neighbors that have left.

Everyone said they loved the neighborhood and most liked their home but the deciding factor in whether to stay or go is being comfortable growing old here.

Maybe that is the real question?

On a side note about 2019 being great is the transit agency just published data saying current 2024 ridership is only a 45% of 2019 ridership… says a lot and not mention to nearly 2 billion in federal funding soon to be exhausted.

Wonder if that has anything to do with working from home?

 

[MossRoad]

Me too on the landline from 1983… should be free after 40 years or at least get rid of the toll zones that kick in about 5 miles out.

We had our landline moved to a cell phone years ago. Mostly just for nostalgia. It's a fun number.

An old iPhone 6 sits in the dining room permanently plugged into a charger. The only ones that call it are my mother in-law, one of our kids (just for fun) and people that want to buy our home or ask for donations.

What's nice is that phone is bluetooth paired to our cell phones, so if it rings, our phones rings, too and we don't have to walk in there to get it.

We used to have a set of 3 cordless phones in the house that the base station was paired to the cell phone. So they'd ring in basement, garage and dining room. But no need for those anymore.

 

[ultrarunner]

For several most definitely yes.


Thirty something professionals in tech working in the SF Bay Area found they could basically work anywhere with good connectivity which could mean cheaper, scenic, recreational, etc.

One of my friends had a cabin in Nevada and moved there during work at home and loved every minute of it.

I kept an eye on their Oakland home.

He got great reviews and very productive until one morning his supervisor texted and said regional here this afternoon so all hands on deck and my friend said sorry can’t make it… with the reason getting out he was hundreds of miles away in the next state.

HR had a fit as working outside California introduced all kinds of work rules and Cartier tax implications.

Friend was told he couldn’t work in Nevada because the company has only California employees.

Company stood firm so friend resigned and sold his Oakland home.

No regrets and said they probably would have never sold but when pushed it just made sense.

 

[ultrarunner]

We had our landline moved to a cell phone years ago. Mostly just for nostalgia. It's a fun number.

An old iPhone 6 sits in the dining room permanently plugged into a charger. The only ones that call it are my mother in-law, one of our kids (just for fun) and people that want to buy our home or ask for donations.

What's nice is that phone is bluetooth paired to our cell phones, so if it rings, our phones rings, too and we don't have to walk in there to get it.

We used to have a set of 3 cordless phones in the house that the base station was paired to the cell phone. So they'd ring in basement, garage and dining room. But no need for those anymore.

I just replaced the battery in my iPhone 6s yesterday… should be good for another 8 years and using it now.

 

[tradosaurus]

I had hoped with maturity would come the time to enjoy the fruits of ones labor.

So far the goal has remained elusive.

A few close friends achieved or are close to their ideal but as a group it meant pulling up stakes and getting out of Dodge or more accurately leaving their home state... a few also left but never found what they were looking for...

Getting out often comes at a steep price and I'm curious how many here stayed put compared to those that liquidated and simplified elsewhere in their golden years?

And if relocating did you significantly downsize as part of your move?

Aside from tractors some of the threads I enjoy most are threads where folks follow their dream and build that house in the country with the barn, pond and neighbors good but not close...

My wife went back to work at age 50 after most of the kids were grown. This allowed us at age 53 to find a house with land out in the country within a short drive to work (we both work at the same facility) and a good school system for the remaining two kids. Starting over buying a house was concerning but our goal is to have it paid off by age 64.
We didn't move far from our last place and are both born and raised in Texas. The kids that moved on have no interest in living in our part of the world and I'm happy for them.
This is our retirement home and I hope my final resting place.

 

[MossRoad]

For several most definitely yes.


Thirty something professionals in tech working in the SF Bay Area found they could basically work anywhere with good connectivity which could mean cheaper, scenic, recreational, etc.

One of my friends had a cabin in Nevada and moved there during work at home and loved every minute of it.

I kept an eye on their Oakland home.

He got great reviews and very productive until one morning his supervisor texted and said regional here this afternoon so all hands on deck and my friend said sorry can’t make it… with the reason getting out he was hundreds of miles away in the next state.

HR had a fit as working outside California introduced all kinds of work rules and Cartier tax implications.

Friend was told he couldn’t work in Nevada because the company has only California employees.

Company stood firm so friend resigned and sold his Oakland home.

No regrets and said they probably would have never sold but when pushed it just made sense.

That's interesting.

I know many people that live in Michigan, but work from home for Indiana companies and vice versa. Of course, all of them are within about a 45 minute drive or less, as we're right on the border with each other.

 

[ultrarunner]

Texas very much a popular relocation destination for Californians.

My last purchase with a 15 year mortgage is being paid down ahead of schedule to coincide with possible retirement.

I don’t want house payments in retirement.

 

[MossRoad]

I just replaced the battery in my iPhone 6s yesterday… should be good for another 8 years and using it now.

So funny story....

I change batteries in cell phones myself. The battery in the iPhone was starting to swell. So I bought a new battery, backed the phone up, powered it off, opened up the phone, and there's supposed to be some sticky tape like a command strip holding the battery in place. You pull the strip out from under the battery and it should just zip right out. Nope. It broke off immediately, probably due to the heat of the swelling battery.

So I take some small spudgers and carefully start to pry the battery out. I hear a small click! and the battery ever so slightly bent.

Then an orange spot appeared at the small crease and smoke!

Started getting bigger and smoking harder, so I figured to heck with care, and yanked that thing out of there.

Threw the battery in an ash bucket and ran it out of the house. Threw it in a frozen bird bath and it melted a hole through the ice and sat there for about 5 minutes smoking with an orange glow under the ice.

Yikes!

 

[riptides]

For several most definitely yes.


Thirty something professionals in tech working in the SF Bay Area found they could basically work anywhere with good connectivity which could mean cheaper, scenic, recreational, etc.

One of my friends had a cabin in Nevada and moved there during work at home and loved every minute of it.

I kept an eye on their Oakland home.

He got great reviews and very productive until one morning his supervisor texted and said regional here this afternoon so all hands on deck and my friend said sorry can’t make it… with the reason getting out he was hundreds of miles away in the next state.

HR had a fit as working outside California introduced all kinds of work rules and Cartier tax implications.

Friend was told he couldn’t work in Nevada because the company has only California employees.

Company stood firm so friend resigned and sold his Oakland home.

No regrets and said they probably would have never sold but when pushed it just made sense.

My work is all remote until reporting is due. My coworkers took advantage of remote and went remote all over the world. They absorb the cost of world travel for reporting purpose. Even write it off. Smart people. Happy people.

Let's all sing Shiney Happy People....