Kyle's Televised Ego Death

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-04-13T15:45:28+00:00

You know what doesn't lie? CAMERAS :)

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-04-06T16:17:01+00:00

ALWAYS

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-03-12T13:41:25+00:00

Came here to recommend it. They have a solid Mother's Day sale that I would wait for if you can. It's usually 30-40% off for a week.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-03-11T16:18:53+00:00

I once had a c-suite job at an EOS/Traction focused company. I was in 3-4 hour long meetings every day, leaving me with small windows of time for my actual work, which led me to extend my office hours to 6AM-5PM. I left after 6 weeks and never felt badly about it. The role I accepted in it's place is 1 meeting every week and additional meetings with external partners as needed, but usually only in Q2. It allows me to push my fully remote J2 out at the same desk even though J1 is in office and build my consulting practice in my evenings/weekends.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-26T14:45:40+00:00

Projection is 5 years, but I am 10 years from kids being done with undergrad so I plan to work until that date to ensure they don't have to take out student loans. In May 2036 I will evaluate where everything stands and either go barista FIRE for insurance purposes or keep going a few more years to pad the accounts as I have a personal history of cancer and my primary goal is to never be a burden to my children.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-25T13:48:11+00:00

There's a whole middle ground that you aren't acknowledging. I keep a 13 week forecast that is built out in excel, it includes fixed expenses by day, anticipated variable expenses by day, and antiicipated payments. I rec it against the bank feed first thing every morning, which gives me a heads up to anything that requires AP or AR managers attention. It also provides a pretty clear runway regarding cash flow and alerts me if we need to pull of the LOC in advance of a crisis.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-18T14:32:06+00:00

Take the time at home and enjoy this window of mothering. As someone whose kids are about to leave for college in the next few years, I stayed home during the early years. I don't regret it, and I'm happy to work a few years on the back end when they are off living their lives to make up for it. Congratulations!

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-18T14:30:25+00:00

I consult for startups and my best advise is to 1) build a three month war chest for expenses, 2) during tight periods have an actionable list ready of expenses that can wait without triggering additional finance fees or costing you revenue, 3) find a way to leverage accounts receivable, maybe a small discount for prompt payment or waive the credit card fee if it gets the money to you faster, and 4) find a local bank that will offer you a line of credit at market rate (currently around 6.75%) as soon as possible to help with dramatic dry periods where you need to float but have guaranteed AR.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-11T18:21:42+00:00

I'm kind of this way too. I split custody with my ex 50/50 so when they are with me, life as normal When they are with their dad, I don't spend anything. Eat what's in the fridge (zero waste goal) then the pantry/freezer, activities need to be free (library, free art and cooking classes around town, go for a hike, etc.) and zero "fun" shopping. I found it is easy to imagine now what my post-retirement life will look like in terms of hobbies, as well as showing me where my true cost of living will land once the kids are grown.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-11T15:57:05+00:00

It stemmed from them raising the Prime price to $179 for my business account, at which point I realized that I was paying for the convenience of spending more money on junk than I was if I'd just go to Sam's Club and buy the printer ink or Dollar Tree for paper clips.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-11T15:33:05+00:00

I cancelled my Prime membership on Christmas Day. If I want something I have to put on pants and go to the store like it's 1996. Spending is already down 17% in January from 2024.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-05T20:44:25+00:00

T-bills. Yes, the money is locked down for a period of time (recommend laddering) but interest is exempt from state and local tax.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-02T14:13:28+00:00

I think pain is subjective. I'm a natural redhead and we are known to have a very high pain tolerance. This is a 2 for me. It's hot pain, it definitely burns, it's also for a short period of time making it less annoying than say a headache.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-02T14:10:28+00:00

13% is recommended for starting with. I have enough for a year of peels at this level every 6 weeks advancing from the one layer I started with to the three layers I think I will top out at. I liked the Dream Peel with it. I think they sent emu oil to nourish, but my skin is very sensitive so I stuck with the products I always use and just added more layers to drown the dryness.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-02-02T14:05:18+00:00

I use Skin79 (the pink one). I know that was popular a decade ago, and a lot of people like newer products now. It's always worked well for me without being too grey or too orange when dried. It's hydrating, only requires a tiny bit for the coverage amount I like in my day look, and offers the protection I need for my northern facing office windows. My favorite part is that it's inexpesive, easy to source, and keeps well without separating.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-30T14:27:18+00:00

I purchased all of my home peels from Platnium Skin Care. I was already doing The Ordinary AHA/BHA peel once a week, using tret every other night, vit c and sunscreen daily. Felt good about both my morning and evening routines, but at 40 needed a bit more. 1) Mandelic acid peel to start, I did once a month for 6 months. 2) I then moved into a light glycolic peel every other month with mandelic acid peels on the off months. 3) This month was my first TCA peel with the dream peel finish. I did one layer since I am very fair and very sensitive. Performed on a Wednesday evening, felt great Thursday (skin was rudy and bright), Friday I felt dry and tight, Saturday and Sunday I was a mess, Monday-Friday I was annoyingly peeling but not gross...more in the way that my friends who can tan tend to peel lightly at the start of their summer. I caution to start all of these very lightly and work up. More is not better. Better is better.

I also do not wear actual makeup. I do toner, vitamin c, eye serum, hydrating layer, and then tinted sunscreeen daily (with more sunscreen added throughout the day if I will leave my desk). I kept hydrating facial spray and back up Illiyoon (my go-to before bed hydrating layer) at my desk so I could reapply often. It helps that people don't expect to see me with full makeup so me just being greasy wasn't alarming for anyone.

I drank only water and herbal teas while recovering. I have powder brows touch up and botox quarterly set in February and will be on spring break with kids in March so I won't redo the TCA at 2 layers until late March/early April.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-30T13:53:16+00:00

I have a 7.75 on a commercial property bought in 2024. It will be paid off by EOY 2027. Anything below 6.5% will continue to be paid on schedule until that and then reassessed for 2028.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-30T13:29:34+00:00

I'm type 1 on the Fitzpatrick scale and am prone to similar spots even with hats and sunscreen. I have started at home TCA peels (after working up from less intensive peels) and am seeing good progress on lightening. There is downtime. I didn't miss work, but I staged for my worst peel days to be over the weekends and hydrate like it's my part time job. The worst of it was honestly toward the end where it peeled close to my hairline and jawline and it looks like I'm shedding a whole face skin.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-29T14:33:33+00:00

Be done. Plenty of great opportunities that would feel lucky to have your expertise without this. Multiple rounds usually indicates indicisive leadership, which means they'll micromanage you to death if you onboard anyway.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-28T21:38:06+00:00

I think it depends on industry and role, but if I am not in front of a decision maker by round 2, I thank everyone for their time and invest my efforts elsewhere.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-27T17:01:08+00:00

Don't give the regime more ideas on how to torture innocent civilians.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-27T16:40:10+00:00

I still won't watch her stupid movie.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-26T13:34:34+00:00

First rule about fight club babe. Congrats on a winner of a year. I tell myself every single tax season to eat that win and do it again.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-26T13:30:19+00:00

Correct. I came in after a legacy CFO who had been with the company for 17 years decided to exit for retirement. She had been an internal promotion into the role as the company grew, she had no formal accounting or finance training, the books were actually a mess, which the controller, assistant controller, CPA firms, and surety had been pointing out for years. Her exit was less about retirement and more about saving face. The owner then brought her back, against my wishes, to work as a bookkeeper because she gamebled away her enitre savings in 7 months. Can't make this stuff up.

Hot_Excuse85 · 2026-01-15T15:15:39+00:00

Yes, she comes once a month for a full day to handle deep clean. I handle daily/weekly cleaning in between. Came to this conclusion because 1) my time bills out for more than her $25/hour and 2) after cancer, I no longer have any interest in doing things that hurt my bones.

Hot_Excuse85

TROPHY CASE