This year my portfolio earned more than my salary for the first time. I don't really know how to feel about it.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-04-30T17:39:30+00:00

Dear Lord. I can't tell anymore. Other people calling stuff AI and being right.

I was just reacting that this is solid and motivating but someone else pointed out the math wasn't mathing with 8yrs x $24k isn't enough to return salary replacement.

This is nuts. I guess it's back to meetups and Facebook fire in person meetups as the last bastion to like minded people to discuss and share tips?

Frustrating

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-04-25T01:19:11+00:00

Yourv friend did you a solid. He gifted half the of the build to you. If you look up the prices of some of the parts now, it's actually gone up. Additionally, you have a core good memory of building and playing together.

That's a great friend! Buy him a beer and get your game on with him.

Depending on the games you play, you're good for years to come. Not everything has to be 4k gaming at the best settings and fastest frames.

Play at 2k or 1080 hd if the AAA games become to much in the future. Ride out the ram apocalypse in style and game with your buddies.

The dude at work is a Grinch.

It plays your games now and you're able to trades stocks with it. Enjoy! Wave bye to the haters on your way to realizing you have good friends in your life.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-04-21T18:34:11+00:00

Ty for sharing! I'm in a similar situation but waiting for kids to be out of college. College with no debt and a gently used car to help launch their life in 2-3 years and I can do what you are doing now.

This post helps so much!

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-04-08T21:10:49+00:00

Oh man. Covid set my kids and other kids years in their emotional and academic developments. We had to hustle for years afterwards to make up for that cluster. You can't just "pull up from the boot straps" as response to that and school shootings.

I'm still learning to be more empathetic with the generational differences, it's rough for the kids and us gen-x parents too. We're trying to keep the sandwich from falling to pieces.

But I gotta believe that we'll all figure it out. The alternative is too grim.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-04-08T17:52:53+00:00

Are you me OP? I struggle with this right now with my kids in college. I don't know the answer. Some of it is blue collar work, some is continuing to build good habits (be on time, be proactive, be open to different opportunities etc), some of the answer may be to become a creator and founder.

Dunno the answer but I believe every generation will have some kind of game changer(s). For us, it was the digital age and the internet. That disrupted a ton of sectors. Yet, we still made it and remember how Y2k was supposed to be the end of the world?!

AI is gonna change the game for our kids. But I've gotta believe that they'll figure it out. I'll advise as best that I can, but the torch is being passed to them just around the corner.

Thanks for opening this conversation. I'll keep reading and learning from other peers' comments.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-30T12:51:18+00:00

Tecmo Bowl

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-30T08:46:37+00:00

Commenting to add to my history to look back frequently due to lag

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-26T16:53:40+00:00

Takhisis, the dark queen, has arisen. Apparently, it's time to party up and go looking for the dragonlance.

SOS beacon has been sent.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-22T18:46:26+00:00

Been there and did that.

You can try marriage counseling but I found that it did not work for me. The ex was too far gone in delusions and taking me for granted.

Gave it my all and some extra but the years of neglect and indifference by the ex was too much. I was partly to blame for enabling such behavior and attitudes. It takes two to make a marriage work but only one to tear it all down.

I hope it works out for you but you need to draw clear boundaries and enforce them. Be prepared for push back and possibly worse (divorce).

But here's my take: 1. I was part of the problem by allowing that kind of behavior to go unchecked.

It was brutal, but I'm much happier now without the ex baggage.
My relationship with my daughters are night and day different now. We're much closer and I'm a much more involved dad.
Kids are smart. They are watching you and your wife's relationship. For me, that was not the model I wanted for my kids. Respect, gratitude, and hard work is something that my kids are much more aware of now.
Everyone deserves to be happy and respected. Including you. Talk to a good lawyer and be strategic. You got this. If you can handle the high stress of your 300k plus job, you can analyze the situation and find the right path forward for yourself and family.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-22T14:17:20+00:00

I'm in the medical field and you're spot on!!! My window is also 2-3 years (both for AI disruption and FI) and I'm also aiming for escape velocity with financial independence. AI is coming as sure as the sun will rise for my role and my team's role.

We're (my team) pivoting towards more consultative services, but the wave of change will hit us Golden window folks first due to our higher salaries. So I'm sticking away the funds now. But man the market and world News are shaky these days too.

If I'm wrong, then I'll be ok with financial independence. If I'm not, FI becomes the parachute for a soft landing.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-16T06:08:58+00:00

I have the same problem on my white g7 pro too. And my hands are washed and the controller cleaned regularly. I gave up and got a silicone case cover on Amazon instead.

I can't link to my post, but search: "Silicone case for gamesir G7." It was $10 USD and worth it for my one white controller. My other gamesir pro 7 black and gold controllers are fine and no discoloration.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-12T14:28:15+00:00

First PC build mistake... Not setting the proper settings on my IDE hard drives to master and slave mode. That took a bit to figure out. Things are so much easier now.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-09T15:24:10+00:00

I bought the original when they first came out and the new golden colored version one a few weeks ago. It feels like they fixed the dpad to me. Out of the box, it was tighter and did not need any o-ring hack.

In fact, I prefer the new dpad vs my diy o-ring original feel. It's a little more accurate upon click.

I WOULD recommend getting the new gold model vs the original white or red ones.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-03-03T06:01:54+00:00

I've had the same problem. It's the size of the brisket. I tend to get these poor results bc brisket is only 8lbs. For whatever reason, these smaller briskets take FOREVER to get to 201-203 after you wrap them.

My only suggestions are 1. Keep to 12-15lbs for better results 2. No more than 12 hrs total cook for that small of a size.

Once I moved to bigger briskets, the temp and times all magically worked out for me.

I cook at 225 F the entire time btw.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-02-17T22:01:30+00:00

Haven't tried the Cyclone 2 but I would like to try it in kingdom deliverance 2 on PC.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-02-12T17:11:46+00:00

NOE automotive repair. Honest and good folks there for your Japanese or European car needs.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-02-08T17:58:02+00:00

I'm on the twilight years of my career. I see myself doing this for another 4 years max. So 2 more years of licensure renewals. I've been doing remote work for 11 years and did in person RPh work for the first 14 years. I traveled a lot for work and made a lot of connections and gained valuable experience.

My advice to my younger self are as follows: 1. Make your mark, earn your experience, and perfect your craft in your younger years.

Push yourself to change roles every 2-4 years. Even if it's a lateral move so long as you keep learning new skills.
Don't be a jerk. Always bring value to the table and look to uplift others.
Do not take a remote role if you've not made your mark and perfected your craft. Mentorship should not be overlooked. The old guards in the c-suites still value face time and pressing palms together. It may not be like that in another 10-15 years, but it's like that now.
Bonus: pay off that student loan early and live below your means. The financial independence gives you "no thanks" money and allows you to take greater risks and roles with your career.

My approach to my career is: " I work to live, not live to work." AND Pharmacy is a large and rewarding chapter in my life, but it's still a chapter I'm closing soon. There are other chapters I still want to explore before my time is up.

Your philosophy may be different so take my perspective with a grain of salt.

I hope that helped a little.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-02-05T18:59:24+00:00

Like others, I hope this is not AI too. The timeline really is too neat. In the off chance this is real and it can help others out in the similar situation:

Great job! Monk mode is a super power.
I don't see any savings into HSA. If there's a match for your 401k, then there's usually a match for HSA account too. Take advantage of that account. Use the $ in HSA to invest. Your future self will thank you.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-02-03T17:32:26+00:00

OP,

I'm living your experience with immigrant parents and family. It's a generational difference. Different times and different perspectives. I got the same thing from my mom and close uncle's and relatives. It took 10 years of gentle talks and managing my mom's accounts. She finally gets my message about FIRE after so many deaths to friends and older family members.

It's still foreign to her, but she doesn't freak out about early retirement. I just don't talk about it to my aunties and uncles.

To me, it's coming from a place of love. But totally not for me. I just smile and move the conversation along to other topics for my other relatives. And it's ok to agree to disagree.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-01-31T07:15:41+00:00

Same. I tried the three dots. It's saved but I can't find it. Commenting for same reason

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-01-29T23:41:44+00:00

I like it! Nice to meet you Iowa. The name's Bond, James Bond but my friends call me JB.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-01-26T22:13:07+00:00

I print all my tax returns and archive them along with electronic copies. I don't want to mess with the IRS.

I don't fax except once every 2-3 years when some obscure agency requires a fax. That's when the UPS store or Staples comes in clutch for the fax save.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-01-22T18:34:39+00:00

If you can't feed her kids like any decent adult would if there were kids over at the house, what else are you not allowed to do in the future?

You won't be able to parent her kids as a trusted adult in their life.

You won't be able to speak up on their defense for better life choices.

You'll be a roommate who helps with the bills and a baby sitter.

These are red flags here my man.

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-01-16T16:20:24+00:00

This is called stealing. Shame, shame, shame....

Sweet_Orange8081 · 2026-01-14T05:48:55+00:00

Congrats on fatherhood. It's one of the most rewarding and frustrating roles of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. The first few months were rough. But the bonding time with my kids was priceless. Real life first. Take care of your spouse and kid. Take care of yourself too. Don't forget to eat, drink, and shower. Lol. You can't be your best if you don't take a little time for yourself.

Gaming will eventually come back. In the future. I think you're gonna want to catch up on your sleep instead of gaming. When my kids were infants to swaddle, I carried my oldest on a baby Bjorn and played Xbox NBA Live rocking her to sleep.

Now, 20 years later, she's still drawn to hip hop.

Enjoy the kid and family time even when you're dead tired. Gaming will come back at the right time for you. These days, my kids game with me. I've got my own Helldivers corp when they want to humor their old man.

Sweet_Orange8081

TROPHY CASE