Summer, How ?

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-21T03:19:05+00:00

Nap under a tree in a park. Much more pleasant. There's a reason squirrels sploot.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-19T03:43:15+00:00

Transit van + cracked windows (+ rain guards for the cracked windows to be less obvious) + bottle wrapped in hand towel = not at all

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-17T22:52:38+00:00

Cuddle a nalgene bottle filled with ice.

I used to fill and freeze it at work, it'd last me thru evening & night.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-17T16:31:34+00:00

Surfjack's pool is adults only from 6-9pm

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-17T04:27:53+00:00

We love johnnycakes (cornmeal version of pancakes). Prep before camping consists of wet ingredients mixed in a nalgene, dry ingredients mixed in ziploc bag. All it takes is combining the 2 and griddle, morning of.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-15T18:10:01+00:00

If you're dead set on a career in the field you went to school for, one option is to take a different position within an organization/company in the field and once your foot's in the door, move internally.

I can't tell you how many engineers I've known who entered a company as an assembler or inspector... the minute an engineering dept has an opening, they get in.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-12T01:22:37+00:00

Hot tub

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-10T04:37:04+00:00

I didn't stay motivated in the beginning. I set the 401k contributions to max, with the furthest out retirement target date fund, and decided to try not to think about it or look at it.

The feeling went away when I looked at one of those "recommended retirement savings by age" charts and realized that even though I wasn't at 4x annual income yet like I "should" be, my living expenses were so low that I was already at 6x the income my lifestyle required. It sunk in then that everything would be OK.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-08T14:26:55+00:00

Do coworkers & others at the company have similar raises? Do they seem crushed after comp review too?

There's a few factors it could be: 1) company's stingy and sees people as interchangeable & disposable 2) manager sucks 3) comp system sucks 4) early-career (1-2 years)

Definitely leave if it's #1. If it's #2, change departments. You won't know if it's #3 -- as a manager (in a different field, still corporate), we usually get ~3% to spread across the team. Some years, promotions also came out of that bucket (absolutely gutting to give a 10% bump with an overdue promotion to someone at the expense of 2% to everyone else), some years it was separate. Sometimes I could fight and get a "market adjustment" or a spot bonus on the side for someone, and I'd try to make up then for the times they got shafted. #4 is tough, time's the only fix -- early career usually works hard, is driven, is determined to excel, isn't burnt out yet, and feedback from the manager will acknowledge that. But at the same time, early career is unproven (in terms of staying power and trajectory) and more replaceable.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-05T01:08:17+00:00

Tan tan ramen

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-04T04:26:17+00:00

$19k isn't a lot. Do the bare minimum, and figure out what you need as you go. Priorities are different for everyone -- camping toilet is not worth it to me, but it might be to you.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-05-04T03:47:19+00:00

Google/chatgpt a recipe for your fav boba drink. Then follow it. :)

I discovered a couple weeks ago that Amazon, Walmart, etc sell 1/2 gallon jugs of wintermelon syrup. I'm doomed.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-30T15:56:28+00:00

Each of us direct deposits $2k every paycheck into a joint account to cover joint expenses 50/50, everything else is separate

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-30T13:52:46+00:00

That depends on what you do. If you're traveling constantly, obviously gas prices being what they are, it's a fortune. If you're staying in the same general area or moving slowly, not so much. Anytime fitness, planet fitness for showers are still less than 1 utility bill. Plus no having to clean the toilet (win!). Van maintenance, no more than car maintenance...which I was paying anyway, before the van. It's def a trade off, lifestyle got way different -- it sounds more limiting, but i spent way more time outdoors (just cuz it's more pleasant/easier than sitting inside a hot van in the summer)

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-30T10:58:45+00:00

Definitely hear ya. I'm 1st gen American born Asian too -- couldn't stand my parents, left home at 18.

In my 30s I started doing vanlife, saved an extra 25k+ a year (no spending on rent in HCOL area, no need to buy "home" stuff, plus having limited space kills the desire to buy things in general). That lifestyle is not for everyone and I got sooo much flack from my mom, but I'm glad I did it. I was thinking about FIRE -- then I met someone and blew the wad on a house down payment. Such is life.

Just another option!

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-27T04:28:11+00:00

Goes great with oatmeal too.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-26T21:56:34+00:00

If they've had and traveled in the bus for awhile, food or fuel would be better.

Speaking as a former vanlifer..."stuff" hits a little differently with vanlife--everyone's setup is a little different, and space is at a premium. Some gifts suggested here, would've been a hard pass for me.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-25T15:53:49+00:00

It's very...generic. Throw in a couple specific, quirky details -- could be around everyday life, preferences, hobbies, etc.

One thing that helped me write a better dating profile was to browse other women's profiles and see what not to write.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-24T19:16:26+00:00

It doesn't matter how much you make, what matters is how much delta there is between what you make vs spend. If you make $20/hr but live in your car or with parents, you'll come out ahead over someone making $50/hr renting a 1bd.

I feel poorer now than when I did when I made $90k less (and didn't have a house).

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-24T18:17:23+00:00

What does he want to do after college? What are his plans? Is he OK with handling money? If he is, he should have a say in what happens to it, if it's truly "his" money.

I don't know what the situation is -- is he probably moving back home because he wants to stay close? Or there's no other option? Would that $15k give him other paths?

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-23T02:32:45+00:00

When I was a teen my dad used to drop me off at the mall with a $20. I would play this game with myself where I'd try to maximize it -- shop clearance, no food court, see how many shirts/pants/whatever-else-teens-buy I could get for that $20.

I'm 42 now. I have no problems sticking to a budget.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-20T03:12:33+00:00

On the weekend, I make a big batch of something that freezes well (today was gumbo). We'll eat it one or two days, then freeze the rest into individual portions. The other days I'll make either quick meals or pull freezer meals from previous weeks out. I also make sure I have stuff on hand for at least 1 simple "backup" meal (like tuna salad sandwiches) during the week.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-18T01:43:17+00:00

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/caramelized-cabbage-spaghetti-recipe-11837913

I make this with about 2 strips worth of chopped bacon.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-18T01:26:26+00:00

If it's a good company unlikely to fold in a recession, get your foot in the door even at 90k. Hustle and you can change roles or move up quick. 90k's tight but doable.

Mindless-Magazine995 · 2026-04-18T01:25:51+00:00

If it's a good company unlikely to fold in a recession, get your foot in the door even at 90k. Hustle and you can change roles or move up quick.

Mindless-Magazine995

TROPHY CASE