View Full Version : Back after a hiatus and some life-restructuring
I don't remember the last time I posted here on SLF. Maybe a year ago? Two? No matter.
By way of re-introduction, about five years ago I burned out severely at work (IT) and was fortunate enough to do something quite different and start a photography business. SLF was instrumental in providing the how-tos and support for the move to living more simply and, I must say, provided a touchstone in the earliest days of this new stage of life. As time went by, however, it became more obvious to me that the forum could not provide what I needed at those times, so I drifted away, posting less and less until I just stopped logging in altogether some time ago.
Fast forward ... DW and I are still doing fine, enjoying grandchild #1 and anticipating #2 literally any day now. DW still is working, with her retirement day in sight (2019). I closed my business, largely because real-estate photography has changed in ways I don't want to and because I was not gaining traction in it with what turned out to be a relatively low priority in my life. For all intents and purposes, I've retired.
Both DW and I are experiencing getting older, both now in our late 50s, and realizing increasingly that we are not the people we were 15-20 years ago -- but, then, the world is not what it was 15-20 years ago. But I have not yet stopped moving. I'm more physically active now than I've been in several years. I've lost 25 pounds in the last year just out of being busy (and away from ready sources of food I'll eat). I've become much more involved in core volunteer activities (like feeding people) and active in fighting certain political developments (much as I'd like, you can't fight them all).
I've learned to focus better and to ignore more of the bull----. And I feel the need to come back. Even as entropy continually attacks order, some aspects of our lives are much simpler now. But others are not. I still see value in a diversity of thoughts around the idea of living simply. And, looking at the last month or so of posts here, it seems there are several who still participate in many areas. That's A Good Thing. I am hopeful I can contribute again and that SLF, in turn, will serve as a supportive environment for some re-centering.
I'm going to try this again. Thanks for having me back.
freshstart
6-21-17, 1:52pm
welcome back!
Awesome! So glad to see you back! We missed you!
Teacher Terry
6-21-17, 2:11pm
I missed you. So glad you are back:))
Glad to see you again Steve.
Great you are back to the forums!
I enjoyed your update.
Our lives are changing too. We bought a little 800 sq ft 2 bedroom house just a few blocks west of downtown PHX. Will be moving in August. Yes in the heat. Ah well ...
We thought we would rent for the rest of our lives, having done so since 2010. But we sold our condo in Ohio last summer, and have casually looked at homes in our area of the city since then. We were never interested the suburbs and also never interested in large homes. And we refuse to spend a quarter million on a house.
The right house showed up. And while I never liked the idea of a home loan in my 50s, it will lower our monthly cost of living by about 500 dollars. The market for these 85 year old homes that are small is not competitive, and it's the only size of house we would consider. It's a win for us.
One thing I realized through this process is that we are heavily invested in nonliquid savings. Lots of pension and IRA funds. Barely enough liquidity to put 10% down. Since the interest rate is 4.1% we are borrowing 90% of it instead of taking penalties on moving less liquid funds.
Another thing I notice is the increasing paperwork and bureaucracy in taking out a loan. It seems so much more demanding than it was in 2005 when we last did this. Or maybe we are just getting old and don't want to be bothered. 😄
gimmethesimplelife
6-21-17, 3:43pm
Welcome! It's good to see you back here and I look forward to your posts once more. Rob
gimmethesimplelife
6-21-17, 3:44pm
I enjoyed your update.
Our lives are changing too. We bought a little 800 sq ft 2 bedroom house just a few blocks west of downtown PHX. Will be moving in August. Yes in the heat. Ah well ...
We thought we would rent for the rest of our lives, having done so since 2010. But we sold our condo in Ohio last summer, and have casually looked at homes in our area of the city since then. We were never interested the suburbs and also never interested in large homes. And we refuse to spend a quarter million on a house.
The right house showed up. And while I never liked the idea of a home loan in my 50s, it will lower our monthly cost of living by about 500 dollars. The market for these 85 year old homes that are small is not competitive, and it's the only size of house we would consider. It's a win for us.
One thing I realized through this process is that we are heavily invested in nonliquid savings. Lots of pension and IRA funds. Barely enough liquidity to put 10% down. Since the interest rate is 4.1% we are borrowing 90% of it instead of taking penalties on moving less liquid funds.
Another thing I notice is the increasing paperwork and bureaucracy in taking out a loan. It seems so much more demanding than it was in 2005 when we last did this. Or maybe we are just getting old and don't want to be bothered. ��Congrats on the house, Tammy! And good for you for staying in the core instead of moving on out and "on up" (remember the Jefferson's theme song?) to Gilbert or Chandler or somewhere depressing (at least to me anyway) like that. Rob
Teacher Terry
6-21-17, 3:55pm
Where we live the old, small houses close to downtown cost more then in the burbs. They say the Millennial's want to be close to the action.
Welcome back. Yes, getting older is an interesting process. We also made a huge shift this past year and it remains to be seen whether it was the right move. But you never know until you try something. As is often recommended for retirees, we cashed out on our house in the inner burbs of a too expensive city and moved to a city/state where we could pay cash for a house. But we underestimated the strength of homesickness and all the little things you take for granted, i.e. familiarity. General discombobulation for going on a year now is not how I imagined it would play out.
I love watching the PHX downtown core come back to life and I want to continue to be part of it ...
There's still lots of old downtown PHX neighborhoods that people perceive as dangerous. So that keeps prices down for people like me who already live here and don't think it's dangerous. 😄
It took us 2-3 years to feel like PHX is home after moving from Ohio. Give it a little more time pinky toe ... I now have friends in PHX as close as those I had in Ohio,
I missed you Steve! Glad to have you back!
Ultralight
6-21-17, 5:28pm
Welcome back!
iris lilies
6-21-17, 6:04pm
Steve, good to see you! I retired 2 years ago. I have a million things to do but dont always do them. Like for instance this moment, I am typing on an iPad rather than groom lilies for the show tomorrow.
I logged in again to look at (and maybe comment on) some old threads here. Wow! What a reception! Thank you, all. :thankyou:
Congratulations, IL, on retirement. I see it as keeping about as busy as I was in the working world -- but (largely) on projects which interest and have value to me. It makes a huge difference.
pinkytoe and Tammy, best wishes on your new locations. It's an adjustment made with the best intentions. I'm guessing I'll get into it more in a thread somewhere here, but I think DW and I finally have agreed that we're in our (same old) house for the foreseeable future. When you look at living here from the YMOYL perspective, what it would cost us to move to something else is more than we want to pay. And, as Tammy mentioned, it's fun to watch a neighborhood finally seeing a renaissance, as ours is.
See you folks around the boards...
Welcome back, Steve. I missed you, too and am happy to read your update.
Hey, Steve!
Depending on when you left I've moved 3 or 4 times, bought a house with my new (almost) husband, and started a business. Things are good.
rosarugosa
6-22-17, 5:14am
Glad to see you back, Steve. I've always appreciated your input and perspective, and you were definitely missed.
TooSweetForMe
6-22-17, 7:48am
Hello, Steve. Welcome (back) to the forums. I'm a newbie here, so I'm not quite acquainted with your postings yet, but I try to read some o the older posts when I have some extra time.
ToomuchStuff
6-22-17, 8:46am
Welcome back. I figured all the political threads drove you away. Can you guess what area of this board seems the most active now?
Welcome back, Steve. I don't post here as much as I used to, but still pop in occasionally to check on old friends. Good to hear from you!
Welcome back, Steve....I missed you!
Good to see you posting again, Steve, and that things are going well. (coincidentally the name of my new SO, so another reason to hail all the good 'Steves' of the world!)
And I'm also officially retired now too, about 7 weeks in. Life is Good.
Sad Eyed Lady
6-23-17, 9:12am
Welcome back Steve! I remember you also from earlier days, and I too am back after a couple of years away. My life has been restructered, but not of my will or doing, after the sudden death of my husband just over two years ago. Adapting, changing, moving (not always forward), and finding who I am now takes a big part of my time and energy. So, a few weeks ago I logged in and here everyone was! Again, welcome back.
Changes (big ones) for many of us. I'm glad so many of us still are around. :)
SEL, my condolences on your husband's passing away. I cannot imagine how wrenching that must be.
Welcome back...good to hear things are still good with you...
Hey Steve, welcome back, I always valued your contribution on these boards and missed you when you were on hiatus! I'm not nearly as active as I used to be now that I am out in New Mexico and living the life I had dreamed about while being a wage slave at Wholefoods. Mostly I am just too lazy to provide ya'll with a detailed update because I hate typing it all out, but I think I will be ready by the time my first anniversary of the move comes up in August. Meanwhile, back to the jeweler's bench, as it is pretty slow in town today and not much action in the gallery.
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