Aaaaaaaand we're back!

...5.5 years later!

Five years ago I chronicled our journey to pay down debt and live our dreams - and at that time, the dream was to purchase a boat and sail.

So what happened?

We did not purchase a boat and sail. Se la vie. Instead:

*I went back to grad school and obtained a Ph.D. in a STEM discipline. I had a blast. Conferences, fieldwork in the western U.S. and Brazil, lab work, collaborating with advisors and fellow students... even writing the dissertation. I do not regret the decision in any way. Well, okay, I do regret that we re-acquired some of the credit card debt we'd previously paid off, but I still wouldn't go back and erase that experience.

*My husband continued to work online, but shifted from teaching to science publishing. It's a contract job so it isn't guaranteed, but it's a good gig as long as he has a contract.

*We sold our house in Nashville. We waited long enough that we sold it for almost exactly the same price at which we purchased it.

*I somehow landed a tenure-track teaching job at a small college in the rural Midwest. We moved there and crammed ourselves into a tiny house on a dead-end road where my son bikes whenever he wants and I don't worry about him getting hit by a car. I'm currently in my second year of working here. I love low-key, frugal living in a small space. As for work...

*Last week, I quit said job. Why? Because I discovered I do not enjoy rural living... I do not enjoy the politics of academia... and I just can't see myself staying here, in this place and in this job, for my entire career. More to come about the interesting world of academia and the "I just can't quit you!" nature of walking away from it.

And now?

Now... We're kind of but not really back to where we were six years ago:

*We're still seeking financial freedom. We're still in debt. BUT...

*We cashed out some of our 401Ks and paid off most of our credit card debt. I know not everyone will agree with this strategy, but for us, the debt took an emotional toll and we needed to be unburdened of it.

*We still have school loans we're paying off. Damn school loans. If there's one regret I carry, it's the decision to take on school loans when we didn't actually need to.

*We're still looking for freedom... But this time, the plan is to purchase an RV and live as freelancing nomads starting this summer. We're saving up for a used fifth-wheel trailer. The plan is to homeschool our son, move every few months, work remotely, and spend more time with family.

Do I think this is a decision Suzie Ormon would agree with? Haaaaaaaa. No. Many people wouldn't agree with it. But you know what? Life is short. I want to spend my time having adventures with my family, not sitting at a desk. I want to see the country, meet new people, have memorable experiences, and give my son an education beyond the classroom.

So that's the focus of our new blog: Preparing for, and embarking on, this new and exciting journey.

We work hard for the money, do-do do-dooo...

I've slacked off on posting lately not for a lack of things to say, but because I don't have enough time to say it. This August has consisted of work, work, and more work. I think we're somewhat overcommitted right now, job-wise, and yet I don't think we can afford to cut back in any area; one of Trent's highest-paying contracts ended for good a couple of months ago, and now we're playing catch-up. 

We've put our son in daycare 20 hours a week (which he absolutely loves, by the way - that in itself makes it worthwhile) so we have time to tackle our work and do it well. Ideally, we'll be able to make more money even with the daycare expenses than we would if one or both of us let some of our other contracts run out. We'll try this until December and then re-evaluate.

I truly enjoy my job but I do wish it paid more. I've stopped calculating my hourly wage. It's too depressing. Every now and then, I scrounge around for some possible alternatives on the job boards, but I don't see anything that appeals to me or for which I am qualified.

Opportunity

I'm so excited! I just found out I've been invited to take part in a paid "leadership opportunity" at work. This means our income will increase - not by much, but every little bit helps. Moreover, it means I'm doing a good job, and that makes me happy. I generally like what I do and I take pride in it. Being recognized for my hard work feels very gratifying.

Bonus to an already thumbs-up day: Trent surprised me by ordering Confessions of a Shopaholic through Netflix. :-)