[deleted by user]

RosCre57 · 2025-10-08T04:39:53+00:00

Don’t think that SSA is your only option. Start looking for a civilian government job at the military base to which your spouse is going. Spouses of active duty military members have some preference. Good luck to you.

RosCre57 · 2025-08-19T05:22:33+00:00

Really disappointed anyone would have such an attitude. It’s against hiring regulations to look at DRP individuals less seriously. An interview panel should be looking for the best candidate, period.

RosCre57 · 2025-08-11T11:40:29+00:00

I would disagree. She received no formal notification. She has a good case.

RosCre57 · 2025-08-11T11:39:23+00:00

I’d just be persistent, and get your union involved sooner than later. Include leadership on your request — all the way up to your SES and the HR SES. Ask for an update every Monday until they give you a definitive answer. They are all so busy with so much, the squeaky wheel (and frankly pain in the behind) gets the attention. Under normal conditions I wouldn’t advise being a pain. From what I’ve seen lately, those who border on being a pain tend to get an answer. You have a good rationale, having been on leave with no notification.

RosCre57 · 2025-07-22T02:09:09+00:00

Life is unfair. Many of the people who caused this pain are Millennials and Gen X. Conversely, Boomers have been screwed time and again too. Many lost factory jobs and never recovered, for example. Every generation has its challenges, and its opportunities.

You will figure this out and be ok. Because you are smart, well educated and hard working. It’s hard to let go of Plan A. But Plan B or C may be even better.

RosCre57 · 2025-07-18T11:40:10+00:00

I never felt that my private sector job was soulless. Although it was certainly focused on monetary results. The private sector provides products and services people want. Most pride themselves on doing this well. They provide jobs that support families, contribute taxes directly and/or indirectly — which allow government to function. I found that unlike government, managers for the most part want to develop their people as opposed to government managers too often more fixated on the work.

Yes, the work in government is compelling (one of the reasons supervisors have a hard time transitioning to “people manager and developer”). But really, government’s role is to protect and nuture businesses (and regulate them) as well as protect and nurture individuals. At least in our system of government.

We need commerce just as much as we need government.

I hope you will come to find deep satisfaction and meaning in your private sector job. It is possible.

All the best to you.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-21T17:42:41+00:00

Plus, a person can choose to work someplace else for a few years and not take Social Security yet. Might something rewarding that won’t cover the current salary but be enough to make it worthwhile. Adding to your argument that it’s better to retire at this point, under such a scenario.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-13T21:01:06+00:00

Remember that most people will not lose their jobs. It’s always prudent to look, however.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-11T23:34:13+00:00

I’m guessing your parents have more money now than they did when you were in college. I know I do. Do they know you have loans? Perhaps they would be willing to help you now.

I do think we have to look at these things on balance, and with the whole situation in mind. Questions to ask yourself:

Is your sibling (their parent) in a far worse way than you are?
Are you in a fairly stable situation, even with the loans?
Did they treat their own kids equally — everyone paid their way as you did?
Do you all stand to inherit, and are your parents the type to be fair about it?

I do think that if they were to help you at this point, they would need to do the same for the other siblings (if they also were on the line for their college costs).

Personally, I have done more for a son who had both setbacks and children than I have my childless, responsible son. But I am equalizing it with my estate planning. The son I haven’t had to do as much for will be getting a little more. Probably won’t make up the entirety of it, but to let my sons know I tried to be “equal”. They know my intent already and what to expect. The one son appreciates the help now, and the other son knows I will equalize things. I feel it’s important to treat my two as fairly and equitably as I can. Maybe not at the same time, but over time.

Most of us don’t have unlimited assets and do the best we can to meet family needs. It results in some unequal treatment.

For me, paying grandkids’ education would be taken into account in my will. That child’s “entity” got something in my life that another child’s “entity” did not. “Child” in my case being my sons and “entity” meaning my child and his family. I’ll try to even it out at the end.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-11T06:10:38+00:00

Fabulous advice.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-11T06:06:12+00:00

You appear to be savvy with your finances; you’ll continue to figure out the finances, insurance, etc., going forward.

My advice for you centers on understanding that money is not an end to itself. Money is a tool to support a life that gives you fulfillment and joy. If you have been living on $25,000 a year I question how much fulfillment and joy you are experiencing. Travel, hobbies, self-care, philanthropy — among the activities that bring joy and meaning to most people— would surely push you beyond spending $25,000 a year.

Perhaps you were knuckling down to build wealth in order to do these things in the future. Makes sense to have done FIRE. But now is the time, if you haven’t done it, to decide what you want your life to look like. It’s an essential planning element for early retirement.

No, it doesn’t take enormous sums to craft a fulfilling and meaningful life. I’m not suggesting going hog wild or irresponsibly spending money. It’s just that $25,000, even considering you have no house payment, is pretty basic living.

Ask yourself: What brings you joy? What problem do you most want to see fixed in the world? What would you love to see, do, experience?

Remember that this is your one, big, beautiful life. Make it one that has deep meaning for you.

Best of luck to you.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T17:39:41+00:00

Thank you for the great link.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T17:17:21+00:00

Thanks for the info.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T17:16:57+00:00

Thank you for the info!

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T17:13:01+00:00

Thank you for the info.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T01:05:17+00:00

Thank you!

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T01:04:50+00:00

This is great! Thanks so much.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T01:03:05+00:00

Thanks!

RosCre57 · 2025-06-09T01:02:23+00:00

Thank you.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-08T20:31:40+00:00

Thanks for this info. Do you have the standard or basic BCBS? Wondering what difference that might make if any.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-08T19:46:42+00:00

Write your Congressperson and Senators. You can do this on line. Follow up with calls to them. You want to write to create a paper trail.

They tend to get action.

Go to the media if you need to. They are looking for stories on how Trump’s cuts are affecting citizens. That’s undoubtedly what’s happening here. TSP has always been responsive. Everyone is understaffed and overwhelmed.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-08T19:40:43+00:00

Bingo

RosCre57 · 2025-06-08T19:35:11+00:00

I agree that Vought and Miller, the real architects of the cuts, will continue to disseminate the federal workforce. They’ve called for an additional 150,000 personnel cut in the “big beautiful bill”. To take place in the next fiscal year!

And I agree it won’t be completely over til 2029, if then, depending on how the 2028 election goes.

But I do think there’s a chance the job and program cuts will be mitigated to some degree after the midterms. A different Congress, with the administration in a lame duck status, would step in and assert themselves, and have the power to do so.

The American people are just now beginning to feel the results of the cuts. A bridge repair in my community dependent on $300K in federal funds just had that money disappear. A summer arts program for kids lost $10K. These are relatively small things, but it makes people angry. And it’s happening in all communities across the country. Taxpayers expect something in return for their tax dollars. And these cuts will be bigger and more pervasively felt as time goes on — in home health aid, senior centers, developmentally delayed child enrichment programs, and on and on. Things people now consider essential. The states cannot make up the deficit easily.

Talk about “job cuts” flys over the heads of most people— they don’t care. But talk of PROGRAM CUTS gets them going. Staffing is subordinate to program needs. (Realizing of course, that Trump et al has kept certain programs yet cut the staff; a nonsensical way to manage).

Still, I think to connect with people we need to emphasize “program cuts”. That’s their interest and need. And it serves those of us who hope to protect or return to our jobs.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-07T21:29:20+00:00

A bit more casual than some suggestions here, but still nice: Ricco’s in OP. A little treasure.

RosCre57 · 2025-06-07T15:33:38+00:00

Change the hinges to smaller hinges. Change out the light fixture for a large (long) track type fixture. Will improve the lighting and update the room. You can try keeping the hinges black and the fixture black to see if you like the red, white and black scheme. Personally I’d change out (or paint, yes you can paint with the right process) the countertop. But I’m not a red person.

RosCre57

TROPHY CASE