March felt a little like a down hill leg of a race for me and the family. Time is moving faster. I can feel it. I got into cycling at the beginning of the month, and it manifested itself into my wife and I purchasing entry level road bikes at a decent price at the end of the month. How’s that for a slippery slope? At work, my work load is reaching levels I haven’t felt in quite some time. It feels as though everything is getting brighter and better and I can’t remember a time I’ve been so optimistic for the summer.

deadlines

Deadlines after deadlines peek out at me from my work calendar, like little dense rocks I must carry around with me everywhere I go. I sleep with these little rocks. I play with my kids with these little rocks. I’m always aware that something is needing to get done, and it can happen whenever I choose because I’m computer based. Beware what you wish for, I’m now telling myself; as it wasn’t too long ago I felt as if I were adrift in the basement of the company. A lonely employee number at a forgotten small job.

I’m now corresponding daily with VP’s and division presidents and a whole assortment of friendly co-workers who hungrily await my humble schedules. While this new role fills a void of mine (read: ego), it leaves me with very little time. I feel important now. I feel appreciated at work. People tell me good job and thanks. And it feels damn good. Who would have known a couple of words could make me feel so content? Am I that fragile?

Still, I know its a trap, as I’ve tasted the forbidden fruit called FIRE, I’ve awakened from the matrix, but nonetheless I’ll revel in this selfish ego filling meal as long as it lasts, because what’s the other option? Be unhappy with work? I’ve had enough of that, and I’m sure there will be stormy days ahead. Right now work is good, and recognizing that is half the battle.

investing

We’ve kept at our scheme of utilizing our custom “risky” version of the classic Boglehead 3 leg portfolio: Total Stock, Small Cap, International. The March index returns also makes our portfolio feel as though it’s on a down hill leg, though down hill in this case is higher valuations. Still investing 50% of our income. We are tracking nicely to our FI goal and lately I’ve felt myself shift from looking too far out ahead and more to the present, as the present has become more enjoyable with work.

We haven’t purchased any individual stocks in March. My fingers still burn a bit from my last purchase of TDOC and CHGG, though mentally I know buying some growth stocks is the right choice. April will probably see us buy a few growth stocks, likely out of favor tech or some banks will get picked up.

As discussed on last month’s finance post, we purchased an outdoor dining table for $130. With chairs it totaled $200 bucks and was totally worth it. We use it to eat outside as much as we can, and now that I’m working at home three days a week, I’ll have a morning cup of coffee out there and enjoy the spring birdsong and brisk morning sun. And if its just checking email, I’ll sit out there in the afternoon while the kids run around. We have a set of comfy patio furniture, lounge chairs and a love seat that we bought 8 years ago or so. The couches are in great condition still, as we cover them every winter and on the hotter days, but we’d been lacking a place to eat and work. You know, all the upright things that you can do while sitting in a backyard.

Next up will be a fire pit before July 4th. Nothing fancy, just something that puts out a flame and that we can gather round as a family.

bicycles

As far as the bikes go, I’m hella happy about the purchase. It’s a Giant bike and it exactly what I’d like in an entry level. We bought at some mom and pop stores around the bay. I’ve been wanting a bike for some time, years actually, but never pulled the trigger for a variety of reasons. First it was the type of bike I wanted, then the question was would I ever use it and when? But this time the stars aligned and it felt right. Plus my 7 year old just learned to ride and now we’ve gone on a few father daughter rides already.

My wife’s gym has a cycling club and they meet around the bay every other week. So we spur of the moment decided to hit up one of these meets. We borrowed some road bikes from her friend and had a blast at the meet. I’d never ridden a road bike before, and once I got comfortable with the bike’s characteristics I found it thrilling to be speeding around in a group down roads and trails. As far as hobbies go, I don’t have many. Drinking and sporting events, really any social function, were a big hobby of mine pre-sobriety. I camp and hike every summer. But I’ve been looking for something I can do for an hour or two on a weekend morning that didn’t require driving far and allowed me to take care of chores the same day. The blog is a great hobby, but it doesn’t fill the need for sunshine endeavors. I wanted something that didn’t revolve around beer. So far I’m enamored with cycling and I hope to have a summer full of riding.

As I write this, I received the second dose of Moderna yesterday, on April 2nd (not really a March item, forgive me) and the effects hit me hard over the weekend. So this post will be a bit shorter, as a good anime and blanket might hit the spot right now till I fully recover. Mostly just fatigue, headache, and chills. Nothing severe. I think I might have forgotten what it’s like to feel under the weather, so I need to man up and be thankful its not a real virus making me feel like this.

I also couldn’t let two weeks go by with no post.

March Finances

Uncle Sam- Very much a ball park figure in a plus or minus a thousand range. Still have another property tax installment due in November too. An outlier for March. Luckily, we planned for this and saved for it. This chunk o’ change came out of our cash cushion. I opened up a Hilton Surpass card and used that to pay our property tax.

Childcare- Lower than usual as I’m now working from home 3 days a week. Working from home is one of the great joys of this present time in my life. No commute. I enjoy coffee from home. The kids are around. And really, I’m hella more productive. I get way more done at home than at work for some odd reason. Maybe because I’m happier, get more sleep, don’t have a commute to wear me down, don’t have office nonsense chatter, and spend my commute time at the computer. Anyway, I love it and if they give me the option to do this schedule making thing full time, I’ll do it. Running jobs be damned.

If I deduct the line item for taxes, we’re running right about normal at $6K a month. Which is right where I want to be. I go into work two times a week and I buy a $1.35 coffee each day from a mom and pop store after a morning stroll around the block to stretch my legs. I feel myself sort of loosening up in a good way and getting into my groove. There would have been a time I lamented the coffee, and road bike, or outdoor dining set purchases. I’m seeing an acute change in minor spending related to the happiness I feel at work at the moment. What I’ve bought with my March purchases are joy and quality of life. Save 50%. That’s all I need to do. That’s all I can do. And most importantly, it’s all I want to do at the moment.

How was your March? Other than blogging/reading blogs, what kind of hobbies do you enjoy doing? What are you looking forward to now the weather is getting better?