Money Diary #71

Morning: Wake up before 6, lay in bed for a while, and then brush my teeth. Go check the mail, walk around the house, and do a clay face mask. Dad texts that they are at the airport. Read and here is what I learn:

• Culture at the executive level: "Those of us in the executive level understand there is a stickiness to culture, that being exposed to and ingrained with that culture is part of the process of coming into our positions, and that the mentalities that led to certain decisions several years ago continue to persist today." 

• "It's all about expenses": "I contributed to the max allowed in a 401(k) for 20 years from age 37 to 57 though I went part-time at age 50. The company match was nothing special. The 401(k) reached 7 figures. I started late and retired early. It is all about expenses."

• "The perception of introversion as a negative thing makes me really sad": "With regard to the comments about how boring her life is, she is working out, hanging out with her significant other, visiting her favorite restaurants, and reading. All of those things sound wonderful and totally fulfilling. Just because something isn't your jam doesn't make it boring."

• The end goal: "She sounds like she doesn't care how she is perceived. Very chill."

• What high salaries mean: "I totally get the burnout. People only look at others' high salaries without thinking that it is high for a reason. I work in tech, and if an emergency issue emerges, I'm expected to solve the problem fast even if it's almost midnight."

• Separate and together: "I really admired how you and your significant other have such separate identities but are also a great team."

• No need for explanation in order to normalize the decision: "While an explanation would have been fun insight, I actually appreciated she did not feel the need to explain the decision as a way to normalize it."

• Setting prime conditions for my mental health: "My husband left for a trip for a few weeks, and during that time, I got to sleep exactly how I wanted. Cold room, windows, and blinds open, so I could hear birds and feel sunlight first thing in the morning. Getting to sleep and wake up in exactly my own prime conditions did wonders for my mental health, sleep quality, and outlook for the day."

• When expenses come from savings vs salary: "This week was really eye-opening. I was a bit horrified at how much I spent compared to how much I earn. I realized I've been relying on my savings from the pandemic to fund a more extravagant lifestyle than I might be able to afford currently."

• Cooking as a survival strategy: "Cooking and taking care of each other is a survival strategy to bring order to the day when you are out of a job."

• "Cooking as therapeutic 'me' time:" "The act of feeding people is primal. Cooking is my downtime, my therapy, and my headspace."

• Cooking concepts: 

• Person asks for a Thai peanut sauce recipe.

• Culinary expert responds that while she is horrible at measurements, the ingredients in the recipe were garlic, ginger, honey, lime, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, Korean hot sauce and peanut butter. Something salty, something acidic, something sweet, and something creamy. Instead of being hyper focused on specific ingredients, she googles things to get a general idea and then works with what she has.

• This applies to more than just cooking: "You can't just ban someone from the kitchen just for screwing up. How will they learn? I say that as someone who couldn't cook an egg before I met my significant other, but was very interested in food. I had the knowledge, and he taught me the skills. Now, I'm the better cook."

Afternoon: Dad texts that they've boarded, and I air fry the last piece of salmon for lunch. Drink it with the last bit of Kroger cold-pressed orange juice. Since I'm out of the coconut pulling oil, I brush my teeth instead. Dad texts that they're about to start, and I start washing dishes that have been piling up over the past week. Go shower after that, and watch I Dream of Jeannie for a while. Dad texts that they have landed (yay!) and then more TV time. Once they are on the highway, they call and ask what I want from our favorite Chinese place for dinner. I put in a request for my regular Mongolian chicken and settle in with Rick Steves as he goes to Lisbon. They get back around 5:15 and then tea and crackers for everyone. They've brought back a ton of food, including some really salty nuts that are too salty for everyone, haha.

Evening: Dinner is Mongolian chicken & lo mein. They tell me about the trip, old friends they saw, and how people that I remember as babies are over 21 now. OMG, I feel so old, haha. Dad tells me he rode in a Tesla for the first time. Eat a nougat dessert they brought back, which is really tasty. More I Dream of Jeannie, and then bed around 10.