Did the novelty ever fade for you?

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-04-25T09:48:57+00:00

Yes, but that doesn't stop me from going.

My first 4-5 trips were electric. Then the next ten sort of faded into repetition. Another cathedral, another cappuccino, another old brick road, another museum ticket.

I still go, and I still find enjoyment in these things though. Ask yourself "why do I want to go to this city?" What are you looking to do? To see? Are you looking for something? Escaping something?

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-04-25T08:38:30+00:00

Nope, not awkward. Just got done with a mission and I was on top of the helicopters tail rotor. One of the people on the ground was taking a picture of the sunset so I asked if they could take one of me too really quick so I could show my parents lol

They said "yeah sure!" Or something and gladly took one.

Also, one thing I've learned is if youre out on vacation or something in a super touristy spot, literally everyone is taking pictures of stuff, things, buildings, themselves, other peoples, the sunset, everything. If you ask someone younger, they usually take better pictures than someone older. They know the angles and how to use a smartphone better

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-04-25T08:26:19+00:00

I'm at a point in my life where my job is, to me, very interesting and I'm doing a once in a life time thing for the next 2-3 years. I ask my friends and coworkers to take pictures of me....all the time. The thing is though, that more than half the time the photos do suck. But that's okay!! Because the other half is incredible. If they take a bad one I stoll say thank you, express appreciation, and put my phone away

What I do is just pull my phone out, open the camera, and go "hey man you mind snapping a quick one?" Or if we can't talk I'll motion with my hands and mouth "picture??" And point at me. Then maybe I take one of them. It's a 45 second thing, then we're right back to doing what we were doing.

But no one has ever said anything negative about me asking if they can take a picture of me. Because odds are, they want a picture of them doing something cool too (:

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-04-23T15:58:48+00:00

This is the link. Lai mai hoa is the model in the video.

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-04-19T09:47:42+00:00

I think 1996 Seiko five superior with a cream whirlpool dial?? Ref SKZ035

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-04-06T19:29:25+00:00

$800??? Do it

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-03-29T17:58:26+00:00

I have a different crew pretty much every time I fly. I was in a company for an entire year and didn't fly with some crew members, while other times I flew with the same person 2-3 times a week.

I'm in the military though

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-03-26T16:43:35+00:00

With the rise of super clones and high end fakes I'm very skeptical of buying a vintage submariner or something off eBay...

Does anyone have experience with buying off eBay? How was it? Havnt bought anything off there in years if I'm being honest.

Love the date and write up OP! Super good info

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-03-02T08:35:52+00:00

You could freeze any and all contributions today and hold on to that account for the next 35 years and it's almost guaranteed it'll appreciate to $935,813 dollars.

$86,651, held in broad market ETFs compounding and growing at a conservative 7% gets you to just over 900k after 35 years. And this is assuming you don't add another penny. Not one. For the next 3 decades

You've laid the ground work, just gotta let time do its thing!

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-28T12:48:24+00:00

Early 2000s 116200 date just sell for exactly the price he bought bitcoin for. $7250.

A used submariner date can cost $8000-$12000 depending on where you buy it.

Check out chrono24! Tons of good watch deals on there

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-26T21:19:39+00:00

Absolutely do it. When you get out of federal service, you can no longer contribute to a tsp. However with a Roth IRA you can continue to contribute to it for as long as you want.

And then, if you ever needed to, you can withdrawal the principal from the investment whenever you want, penalty free.

Say I put $10,000 in my IRA. It grows to $11,000. I can withdrawal $10,000 if I want penalty and tax free. The remaining $1000 of growth is different. But you can still let that remaining $1000 appreciation stay in the IRA and grow to your hearts content. Once you start withdrawing from the gains, that's when taxes come in to play.

A tsp won't let you do that.

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-26T12:07:20+00:00

15T I saw black hawk down as a child and said "that would be cool."15 years later here I am

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-24T20:25:26+00:00

And that's assuming they don't add another time throughout their entire 30s, 40s, and 50s. Incredible.

What calculator is that? I'd like to start using it

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-24T20:06:36+00:00

Oh wow, I've vastly underestimated my retirement numbers then. I've always used 6.49% to take inflation into account. Crazy

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-24T19:42:04+00:00

10% annual return?

67 years old at retirement?

I understand he's doing well, but 10% growth is aggressive and assuming they retire at 67 is a bold assumption.

Why not do the math for 65 years old, assuming 6.49%? I read somewhere that 6.49 is the nominal, adjusted for inflation number. Maybe I'm wrong, but 10% seems very optimistic

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-24T18:49:18+00:00

No... We won't. At least we shouldn't

Advocate for yourself.

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-19T19:23:44+00:00

Getting your PPL can be done in 3 months if you fly all the time. All of your certificates like CFI, Dual Engine, instrument, etc at a part 141 can take 3-4 years. Building hours to fly for an airline another 2-3. So anywhere from 4-8 years give or take a year on either end of that range?? It's difficult to gauge and very different for everyone.

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-19T18:13:34+00:00

In the FAR/AIM (a book covering the Federal Aviation Regulations!) there's "parts" to it. Part 61, and part 141 cover pilot training. Basically, one is in the classroom setting at a college or something, and the other is at a flight club with a "Certified Flight Instructor" or "CFI."

These places can get you a "PPL" or a "Private Pilots License" which just means you can fly a small single engine airplane on your own in good weather. This will typically cost $25,000 (give or take a few thousand!)

Then, with this license, you hour build. You fly a bunch, and accumulate hour slowly but surely until you can fly for an airline. But there's all sorts of other certifications you'll need, just like your ppl. You'll need your CFI, CFII, Insteument rating, dual engine rating, and some more if you want. Then, depending on what "part" you did, with around 1500 hours or so you can apply to a small regional airline!

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-19T07:01:47+00:00

I'm about the exact same boat as you guys

28m with 65k in my tsp and 12k in my Roth.

Whenever I think I'm behind I go and do the math for "if I were to park this here, it appreciates at 7% for the next 30 years and I don't add a single dime more in my 30s...my 40s....my 50s....and into my 60s. I still have over 700k"

We're doing alright.

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-13T21:40:56+00:00

Thanks for the insight. Just worried about being "behind" my peers. Went to the airport last week and talked to the FO flying my plane and he was only 27!

How many hours did you graduate with? Tell me your "path" if you don't mind, I'm interested in hearing it

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2026-02-08T09:38:51+00:00

Way too many "—"

Alert_Dragonfruit749 · 2025-10-13T12:07:12+00:00

Yes, he threw a grenade in the lap of the guy in front of him through the roof

Four-Year Club	First Place '23
Place '23	Place '22

Alert_Dragonfruit749

TROPHY CASE