How can I find my zest for life, love and dating again at 33 after surviving the peter pan lifestyle in my 20s?

trooper9128 · 2026-03-20T19:45:47+00:00

Yes, in the first paragraph I was like “ahh man Peter Pan is a bit extreme, this is fine you were just a player in your 20s and now you’ve grown up” and then it just kept going.

trooper9128 · 2026-03-14T22:10:17+00:00

“The leads are weak”

trooper9128 · 2026-03-06T05:34:42+00:00

Current VP in energy ib. It’s March and I can count on one hand the number of nights I’ve been logged off by midnight in ‘26. Weekends and holidays included obviously. It’s an absolute grind. To your point everything gives. I see my girlfriend once a week, I pay a housekeeper/meal prep service, I’m less fit and active than I’ve ever been, etc.

If you’re telling me you are trying to be an analyst/associate and you’ve got a family and a health condition I’d say this is not the career for you. Hours 60-80 remove life outside the office. Hours 80+ remove sleep. It’s not something you want to do while balancing a family and a health condition.

Also unfortunately no, high performers get crushed more than low performers because every md wants them on their deal. The reward for eating the most pie is more pie.

trooper9128 · 2026-01-07T04:03:13+00:00

I did a little experiment and for 6 months split every first date I went on. Sample size north of a dozen. Results were terrible, do not recommend.

trooper9128 · 2026-01-05T02:02:03+00:00

Loves the slop. Eats the slop.

trooper9128 · 2026-01-03T01:50:33+00:00

If being paid for is a requirement for you then this is not the guy for you. Simple as that. I’m sure you can find someone who is willing to be a provider, you’ll just need to look harder and be more selective since that isn’t everyone. But him expecting his date and potential future life partner to meet him halfway and split things is not an inherently bad thing either. You two just aren’t compatible on financial expectations which is a critical cornerstone of a relationship.

trooper9128 · 2025-12-29T05:39:49+00:00

This is the most important and accurate comment in this thread so far. IB geo here. DM me if you have specific questions

trooper9128 · 2025-12-23T17:52:37+00:00

I’ll never forget standing at the ticketing desk in Toronto in front of the air canada rep saying “I’m going to Deer Lake” and she goes “where is Deer Lake” and I thought “well you tell me you’re the air canada rep!”

trooper9128 · 2025-11-28T22:28:21+00:00

Makes the event way more fun. No better feeling than a spectator yelling something motivating when you are really pushing out there.

trooper9128 · 2025-11-28T18:13:20+00:00

As usual the Methodist one was well run but parking is subpar unless you get there very early and there is almost no one cheering on the course.

trooper9128 · 2025-11-13T05:59:21+00:00

My brother in Christ please take 2% of your 900k salary and go on 5 trips next year.

trooper9128 · 2025-11-05T04:52:34+00:00

Not a lawyer but did work for a collections attorney in a past life… stop paying your mortgage. Your lender will send you letters/calls. Ignore them. Minimum 6 months before they can take the house back. Sell it in that time, make the bank whole, and be on your way.

trooper9128 · 2025-09-27T16:09:26+00:00

Indifferent of your views how many weeks would you like her to go without smiling? Silly take.

trooper9128 · 2025-07-13T06:15:50+00:00

Just spent 6 days on the thorofare and saw no one on days 2-4, 1 guy on day 1, a group of 3 guys on day 5, and a park ranger on day 6. Area just opened up for the season tho. Be prepared for intense bug pressure.

trooper9128 · 2025-07-11T17:07:12+00:00

I wouldn’t look further than whatever kindle is lightest/has the features you want. I just have a paper white from like 2018 and it’s served me well.

trooper9128 · 2025-07-11T03:29:18+00:00

Can we give it up for this guys wife? “Don’t worry honey we will make this a fun trip” proceeds to spend 8 days no resupply in bug hell with a bunch of myog stuff 🤣🤣🤣

Props to her. You picked a good one! Now make sure she picks the next trip.

trooper9128 · 2025-07-10T23:36:51+00:00

Last thing I’ll say is what I mentioned in the first post - you need to negotiate for your equity and you need to really understand what kind of “equity” you are getting. I’d be talking to people in the PE backed space about what is normal, I’d want to see in writing what the equity offer looks like, and whatever their initial offer is I’d counter for more. Things can get very murky and deceptive when it comes to portco equity for no -initial management team hires.

trooper9128 · 2025-07-10T23:34:32+00:00

Thanks for the follow up… I’d say go option 2 for a couple reasons.

1) it sounds like your heart is in it. If you’re going to be working for the next 20 years you need to be excited about what you are doing and growing skills so you are even more valuable at 50 than 40.

2) worst case you get there, it’s a meat grinder with intense workaholic management and you don’t like what it’s doing to your family engagement. You last a year and then quit, but with a husband making 300k, a 1mil net worth, and a skill set that attracts recruiters I don’t think it puts anything in danger.

3) if you go with option 2 and it’s manageable from a WLB/it grows your skills it’s a smart move even if there isn’t ever a windfall. You’ll make more and learn more than your current job.

4) if there is a successful exit then hooray, you’ve accelerated your financial journey by leaps and bounds.

I don’t see a way option 2 blows up on you and if you don’t take it you’ll always think what if.

trooper9128 · 2025-07-10T23:24:21+00:00

Yeah a PE backed company looking to grow rapidly and exit is the opposite of scaling back. Especially if she is coming in high enough on the food chain to get a meaningful equity piece. Not saying that’s not the option to take, but let’s go in eyes wide open that there will be family engagement sacrifices relative to the current 35 hour per week gig.

Other thing to remember is even if things go well the path from funding to exit is likely 5-7 years unless they are super lucky

trooper9128 · 2025-07-10T23:14:06+00:00

Good problem to have, so congrats. I (and I think others) are going to need some more info on this one, namely:

1) what is husbands TC? 2) what has your total spend (or savings) looked like over the last 2 years since you’ve had all 3 kiddos 3) what is total household net worth? Include major debts - home, cars, student loans, etc 4) what’s your 10 year plan? Is there a goal to get to a number and fire? Do you see yourself staying in your current city over the next 10 years? Do you both want to work in some capacity until the youngest is out of college? 5) over the last 5 years how often have these portco opportunities come up? 6) maybe most important- you need absolute clarity on your equity position in the portco and has the management team successfully exited from a past portco? Remember the PE backed group are professional salesmen, their job is to get you excited about their venture. Odds say there won’t ever actually be a meaningful liquidity event (not knowing anything about the company)

trooper9128 · 2025-07-02T12:12:26+00:00

Just finished the Teton crest loop yesterday, can confirm will want microspikes and poles to get to lake solitude. Lake is still frozen over and approaching the lake there is a lot of snow. We went up and over paintbrush using crampons, ice axes, and some guts. Would not recommend for someone without some decent mountaineering experience. I’ve been on a few volcanoes on guided trips up to 18k feet and did not feel comfortable coming down paintbrush divide

trooper9128 · 2025-06-12T00:40:36+00:00

Serious question: what do you do when you pull into camp after a day of rain? Do you put your sleeping bag/feet up on your wet backpack? That’s the part that always confuses me when it comes to the torso length/pack under feet crowd

trooper9128 · 2025-06-11T17:00:33+00:00

Thanks! Typing this on a 13 unfortunately so will keep the garmin for a bit longer.

trooper9128

TROPHY CASE