Money Diary #60

Morning: Up at 7:30, brush my teeth, and make scrambled eggs for everyone. Have that, buttered toast, and tea for breakfast. Watch a video about the organizational changes. Go shower and try the new psoriasis shampoo. Prep for a meeting with my manager later this morning, and then jump on my 10:30 call. Once that's over, surf the internet a bit and then sign into my 11:30 meeting with my manager. She gives me really good advice on last week's "crisis" (in my mind), and I reflect on what I can do differently next time. Send a couple of follow-ups and head to my noon call.

Afternoon: Once the noon call ends at 1, I air fry shrimp and have that & cauliflower fried rice for lunch. Feel tired, so I do a coconut oil pull and lay down for a bit. I get up, send a couple of emails & prep for tomorrow's meetings. Eat an afternoon snack of tea and Ritz crackers. A former colleague asked me to be a job reference, so I send over info for that. 

Evening: Still feeling tired, so I spend the evening reading. Here is what I learn:

• On why my manager is so awesome: "No win is too small for her to celebrate, no failure is too big to move past quickly."

• On what I want the next phase of my career to look like and figuring how to stay a technical individual contributor:

• "In 20 years, someone will likely be in the role I am in now, so there's no reason I couldn't be the person doing that."

• "Doing a good job in corporate America means you get raises until you price yourself out. In a technical corporate job, voluntary early retirement is a norm. I've rarely seen people above 55 unless they are extremely technical. The company only needs a handful of those. You can take the management track instead, but it is grueling out there and again, no guarantees. Few survive."

• More than the sum of its parts: "You can turn cross-disciplinary skills into something more than the sum of its parts."

• Things to remember about Corporate America:

• "It is not safe for most people to assume that they will be gainfully employed between 45 to 60 years old. This is independent of whether you have a road map for your career. This is the reality."

• "Opening your own business means you're less reliant on a particular boss liking or not liking  you."

• "Take a good look at 'what makes you tick' and which environment will stimulate you to want to give 100% every day. You don't want to 'bang a square peg into a round hole' personality-wise every day."

• "Do a bit of soul searching because whatever caused you to rage quit at the old company will likely be present at the new company to some extent."

• "You work each week and get paid for that week."

• "A good used car salesman": "Being a good financial planner is like being a good used car salesman, it's really hard to do and be ethical since being unethical can be so rewarding."

• On why comparison is the thief of joy even after you've won the game: "Let's say you hit it really big in NYC and make $5-10 million/year. Now you have enough to play in high society, buy a townhouse in the Upper East Side, buy tables at charity balls, have a summer house in the Hamptons. But, if you play that game, it can actually be worse. Now, you're rubbing elbows with the global elite who work a lot less than you and can easily outbid you on choice apartments, art, etc. They can afford yachts and private jets, while you might take a few Netjet flights and get invited on occasion on a friend's yacht. They get to actually buy the companies you can only advise."

• On an amazing trip to Portugal: "Fly into Porto and immediately take the train to Pinhao, enjoying the fairytale-esque views from the train along the way. Stay for three or four nights at the Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros where you can lie around at their scenic pool overlooking the river and valley and read/tan. Eat dinner at the Casa every night because it is amazing. After about 4 days, take the train back to Porto and stay in an apartment near the Sao Bento station. Take a class painting classic Portuguese tiles at Gazete Ajulejos. Eat dinner at Muu. Wander around the city checking out the tiles and the sights in the river district. After I guess 3-4 more days take the train down to Lisbon. Stay in the Principe Real district. Do a food tour with Culinary Backstreets. Check out the Mercado de Campo de Ourique and have some piri piri chicken while there. Also eat at Cervejaria Ramiro, have a drink at Pavilhao Chines, check out the Jerónimos Monastery, and take a day trip to Sintra to see all of the palaces (my favorite being Monserrate)."

I air fry fish and dinner is that fish with cauliflower fried rice. Do a coconut oil pull, brush my teeth, and bed around 10.