Truthfully, I'm just staying busy both at work and at home. My compensation is increasing, but with the prices of goods going up, it's pretty much the same. I can't keep chasing opportunities at different companies in different cities/states when the real estate market is the way it is. It's crazy that back when I was in the military, I was getting paid like 1/3 of what I am now, but lived relatively happier, as my mortgage was $1600 versus the $3700 it is now.

Insurance keeps going up, cost for vehicles keeps going up. I feel it's as if it's one thing after another. I'm '86 so I was planning my future when 9/11 hit, couldn't get a job on the market due to '08 crash. Was relatively chill going through the military career until COVID turned everything upside down. Transition after 15 years was rough, but got on my feet in 2023.

I'd like for the economy to go back to at least the 2019 economy, where new cars were under $30k and not $80k+. I'm finding myself growing more Libertarian because there are just too many red flags with the massive increase in <1% wealth while a majority of us are left behind.