Morning: Up at 7, brush my teeth, and check my inbox. Breakfast is a hard-boiled egg and a croissant with tea, and then I go shower. Get dressed and head out on errands with parents. First up is Costco where we get garden stuff, a light blue Fila sweatshirt for me that's on sale, Lindor chocolates, riced cauliflower, and limoncello chocolate almonds. I had thought that the almonds were $5.99 but instead they are $9.99. Since parents have already paid, we don't return them, but I mentally kick myself for not double checking the price before I grabbed them. I see that a work project has come in, so I'll check that after getting home. Up next is Harbor Freight where dad gets a chainsaw that's on sale, and with coupon, he gets a tarp for free. Then to the Middle Eastern grocery store next door where Mom says everything is too pricey. Dad tell me later to keep an eye out on the date syrup if it drops in price from $6.49 to $5 and that he wants to get the $1.99 juices next time. Last stop is the grocery where we get cold-pressed orange juice, chicken chorizo burritos that are on sale, and two dental rinses (one of which is ultimately free we realize after getting in the car & looking at the receipt).
Afternoon: After getting home, turn on laptop, check email, and see that a few projects have come in. Eat lunch (split a Totinos cheese pizza with mom) and drink a glass of orange Fanta. I tell her that at Winco, these pizzas are running $1.50 each and I remember when they were less than a dollar! I'm feeling lazy, so I download the projects to work on later. Read a couple of WSJ articles, and I'm feeling tired. I lay on the couch, close my eyes, and apparently fall asleep for an hour for a glorious nap, LOL. Get up and get an afternoon snack of 2 croissants and tea (with milk this time). Also try some of the cauliflower fried rice that is being made for dinner. Get a at-home hot water facial and it feels really good. Read for a while, and here is what I learn:
- Ain't that the truth: "Post-pandemic bodies don't necessarily fit pre-pandemic wardrobes."
- Career longevity is the most important: Money is important, but a sustainable & long-lasting career should be a priority.
- What is the incentive: Anytime there is profit sharing, "the incentive is to keep equity partnership as small as possible to capitalize on the profits of the non-equity employees."
- On Corporate America politics: "They could simply block the transfer because you are needed more where you are, either long enough to get you out of the running for this job, or permanently. This doesn't have to be official -- one phone call from one VP to another, or between an exec and a leader who also reports to the exec, and things out put on indefinite informal hold."
- I want to read these books: A World Without Email, Time Smart, Do Nothing
- On client relations and maintaining good WLB: "I have two client rules. One, fire them if they don't pay. Second, fire your three worst clients every year. I can't tell you how much easier the job is by simply following those rules."
- Spending time with myself > money: "The concept of time = money makes white collar workers work more. After all, you are always on edge because you could be doing more. But, sometimes it's better to cut the grass and be by yourself for an hour rather than to pay someone else to do it."
- What I am aiming for: The combination of simplicity and beauty. Simplicity is a gift. Figure out how to have beauty without compromising the simplicity of my life.
- Truths about Corporate America: "It's a job, not a family" and "any job is soul-killing if you make it so. The trick is not to care."
- On net worth: "If your net worth went from $6 million to $3 million, that would make a bigger difference to your life than going from $6 million to $10 million, particularly if you don't like your job."
- On epiphanies:
- "Major life decisions and accomplishments that look subtle compound overtime."
- "It's always worthwhile to make others aware of their worth."
- "To be agreeable while disagreeing -- that is an art."
- "People will buy into any idea that is good for them and creates satisfaction and reduces worry."
- "You never know who is observing a situation you are in."
- "Altruism is really, really rare."
- "You learn far more with your mouth shut than with it open."
- "Everybody lies. So, in any given situation, I say nothing and wait for the first lie to emanate from the other person."
- My personal finance philosophy: As one Money Diarist put it, "figure out what spending actually adds value to your life and stick to the minimum viable product elsewhere."
- Something I should try: From another Money Diary, "every month, when I make a non-essential purchase (basically, anything outside groceries such as clothes), I put it in a Google Sheet and color-code it green, yellow, or red depending on how much I liked or needed it. I've been looking at it recently, and there's stuff in there from January that I haven't touched since I bought it -- it's been really eye-opening and made me take a hard look at my spending habits."
- A good daily reminder: Each day, only do things that I like and want to do. Things that I enjoy and make me happy. Start every day with a sense of adventure and excitement.
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