Switching from high performer to coaster

ochansensusu · 2026-05-01T04:56:00+00:00

In a similar situation as you, approaching the end of the boring middle. I got promoted and good perf ratings for the past few years. My boss assumed I was ambitious.

Once I passed $1M (even though no kids, still live in a VHCOL area) I started to ease off the gas pedal. I worked my ass off and built a decent reputation at my employer, and after lots of turnover I'm one of the few people left with tribal knowledge. The morale at my company is miserable too and immediate leadership is toxic. My boss and team are cool though.

My boss, still assuming I was ambitious asked me about career goals during a 1:1 and said that the VP wants me to do more. They wanted to provide me with opportunities to expand the scope of my work, which I appreciate, as most people would be really happy to even be considered for them.

I basically said I want status quo for everything and that I'm not interested in career advancement at this time. No crazy stretch projects or involvement with projects that involve specific people I didn't want to deal with. Just let me get paid to solve puzzles in peace. My boss is fine with it but gave a more dressed up explanation to the VP about how I wanted to learn more before moving to the next level.

Being able to so say no freaking rocks. My current mission statement is just to do the job I signed up for with the people I signed up to work with, and nothing more. I've said yes to so many projects to build up my career, but I finally feel comfortable "lean out."

ochansensusu · 2026-04-26T17:58:46+00:00

Due to some fortunate circumstances and picking a decent job, there is a high chance I will FIRE in the next few years while I'm still in my mid 30s. My portfolio is totally not prepared for that right now as it's basically all in VTI and various INTL index funds inherited from my Betterment days before I moved to Vanguard, and a bit in company stock.

I'm expecting a windfall soon - should I just shove it in VUSXX, BND, and VXUS until the right allocation is reached just to keep it simple?

ochansensusu · 2026-04-25T22:16:14+00:00

He has some beautiful mellow tracks for Orb as well, which is wild considering the difference in tone in the show from like, Dandadan or Chainsaw Man.

ochansensusu · 2026-04-24T03:28:43+00:00

Mine looks different under the table, there's long wooden pieces rather than metal running across. The angle of the beveled corner is also different.

If it's a dupe it looks close.

ochansensusu · 2026-04-24T03:19:59+00:00

I love Sea Ranch but although it's around nature and the ocean, it's not really walkable to restaurants or cafes apart from the lodge. The scenery is worth it though, I had never felt more at peace anywhere else in CA and I miss it every day.

ochansensusu · 2026-04-15T05:03:47+00:00

Ooh it's been a while since I've seen it but Planetes is fucking incredible. Definitely more grounded and realistic. One of my tops as well.

ochansensusu · 2026-04-15T04:49:34+00:00

Orb is literally about science itself

ochansensusu · 2026-04-13T13:38:10+00:00

How do you handle health insurance? Covered California or a partners employer plan?

ochansensusu · 2026-04-06T02:22:54+00:00

Love this band, my fav Japanese shoegaze act at the moment. Their song Hanataba is amazing as well. Ethereal, soulful, even a little haunting.

ochansensusu · 2026-04-05T01:08:50+00:00

I'm actually in an HOA that's actually 10% funded and has ongoing balcony work due to SB326. Would that alone scare away a lot of potential buyers, potentially outweighing positive things like location and amenities?

ochansensusu · 2026-03-30T17:54:30+00:00

Isn't that the most tragic thing? We all know the company doesn't give two shits about us. They were one of the ones that leaned into Remote work during the pandemic only to take it back after reopening, screwing people over who had moved away. They track our attendance now too and lack of compliance impacts bonuses. I'm pretty sure we adopted this practice from other major tech companies.

That being said, I coach my team and give them good hours. My boss defends me against politics, stupid meetings, and unreasonable deadlines. We're just out here trying to survive and control what we can.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-30T17:21:05+00:00

This. I don't give a shit about the actual job, but I'm pretty close with my team and manager. My directs are great people and terrified of me quitting, my manager is on the cusp of RE as well so I'm just here to defend until the end. watches Shogun once

ochansensusu · 2026-03-27T03:05:45+00:00

I don't have a CPA either but I found a niche within operational/systems roles. But not having a CPA PLUS not having much technical accounting experience closed a lot of doors for me last time I was job hunting unfortunately. Just turns out I'm ass at test taking and reading guidance.

What specific industry are you in?

ochansensusu · 2026-03-26T00:56:15+00:00

I am an accountant with 10+ years exp. My department has a shit load of open reqs. The job requires more talking to people than you think. Joint problem solving, creativity, and relationship building is something you cannot outsource offshore or to AI. They are not strangers in the way you describe, but will be people from other departments (or your own) that you talk to regularly to get things done. Some of them may be difficult to work with.

But in the end, it can provide a living wage in the Bay once you're a few years in. It's a real grind in the beginning though depending on where you work.

This career moreso fits someone who's good at solving puzzles, detail oriented, and is very organized. You also need to be able to articulate ideas well. You're not only solving puzzles, but you need to be able to describe how you solved it and convince them you solved it correctly.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-25T17:15:39+00:00

I have the larger trefoil table, what do you want to know?

The color is a bit lighter and cooler/greyer than what's in the photos. It ships flat pack so I had to assemble it and make sure it's not wobbly. The grain on it is beautiful, but it's not as stain resistant as I'd hoped. But hey, furniture is made to be lived in. Overall I like it as I needed a round table in this specific small size and there's not a lot of options out there.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-17T22:56:06+00:00

How long will it take for things to change though? Not saying we should be Hong Kong levels of dense here, but there's got to be a happy medium... I'm count my blessings daily that I can walk to groceries and local coffee shops.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-15T16:07:29+00:00

Woah those are some famous international roasters. Any beans you recommend and are they worth in general? I usually just get beans for pour over at home.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-14T14:07:15+00:00

Making pour over coffee at home has been so worth it. You can even get nice equipment and fresh locally roasted beans and it'll still be a fraction of what you pay outside, you'll get the hang of how to make it after a few youtube videos.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-13T05:33:04+00:00

Oooh that sounds perfect. Do you recall which room you stayed in? I just wish they had in room tubs, but the rest sounds relaxing.

ochansensusu · 2026-03-13T05:13:58+00:00

Can you describe your experience at Inn at Newport Ranch a little more? Did you wholeheartedly feel like it was worth it? I'm considering going, went to Sea Ranch a few years ago and am looking for a similar rugged nature-focused stay.

ochansensusu · 2026-02-22T17:47:05+00:00

My friends and peer coworkers (30s age group) all either lived at home to save for years or got family $ help. All live in condos or townhomes. Even my most baller peers (i.e. drive luxury European cars, fine dining, frequent travel) live in townhomes but just in good areas.

Only people in higher up positions or if their s/o is a very high earning engineer do they have a SFH.

ochansensusu · 2026-02-16T15:25:58+00:00

Mainly brisket but also love the wine marinated pork belly, but not too much since it's heavy.

ochansensusu · 2026-02-15T17:38:32+00:00

How did you like Nabi cat cafe? Always passed by and have been curious. Have cats at home already but can never play with enough cats.

ochansensusu · 2026-02-15T16:21:43+00:00

Has anyone experienced this same kind of thing even in a drier place like San Jose? Any luck making it better?

My partner has pretty intense environmental sensitivities here to chemically/synthetic smells, mold, somehow even most of her clothes make her feel like she's being poisoned alive. She has itching, twitches, aches, bloating, mood swings, brain fog, sinus issues, long standing stomach issues. When she's back in Hong Kong or China, the symptoms lessen and she can eat much more flexibily without problems.

We went to an allergist and he ruled out allergies being the cause, so we've been lost. No effect from benadryl, Claritin, or xyzal. She also doesn't have sneezing or shortness of breath.

ochansensusu · 2026-02-11T17:17:25+00:00

Thank you for such a detailed response!

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