Thinking about a life change

Salty said:
Yes, suggesting someone think carefully about a life change is just showing a total lack of understanding. Good lord. You really aren’t trying even a little bit to see any other perspective.
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:rolleyes:
 
And my friends and family thought my pursuing a PPL was my mid-life crisis....To the OP, I say do what you feel is right as long as it doesn’t harm others who depend on you. Good luck!
 
CharlieD3 said:
Perzackly!
Showers are a big consideration... I don't wanna feel like the great unwashed!
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Stop at airports with pilot lounges that have showers every couple of days and you're all set.

When I hike I take a change of clothes and plan to stop at a laundromat after a few days.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Tim, big life changes like that are good for the soul. Adventure is important in life and it's easy to get burdened down by "stuff" which you think you own, but can quickly own you. I know this first hand.

>snip<

As far as the equipment goes, I'm definitely interested in some amount of it... the backhoe, skid steer, and hangar door come to mind the most but perhaps others as well. So if you decide to go forward with your plan, let me know.
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:D

I totally understand what Tim is talking about. I was raised by, and lived with, people who kept EVERYTHING. Then I ended up with having to deal with a lot of it. Also, when you are young, you are in the accumulation stage. Then you realize that your stuff owns you. I probably have a third of the stuff I used to have; went from two residences and two vehicles to one of each. Also got rid of much of the stuff that filled the two residences since it all had to fit in one; the smaller one.

I have discovered "Buy Nothing", a neighborhood group where you can give away or request free goods and services. I find this more satisfying than Salvation Army or Goodwill, since you know the person actually wants the item because they go to the trouble of picking it up.
 
schmookeeg said:
Huh, I thought this restless mode was a thing for city types only.

We did it in 2016. Can't recommend it enough. The cost of "what if..." is just too dang high.

The rest is just "stuff". It's amazing how quickly you can adios stuff once you realize it has zero value in your life. Our Los Angeles goodwill has probably been remodeled in velvet and ermine thanks to our "week of purge", but we didn't stick around to see it. :D

Family troubles dragged us back to the US, so we are plotting and scheming chapter two while letting those things resolve themselves.
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Where did you go to? When you leaving again? :)
 
Well, if you want to dispense with one of the trucks and a trailer, you could take them up to Rockford next year:
 
I've been wanting to downsize to a much more minimal degree for a long while now. I've had a hard time getting rid. partially because others in the family...and partially because I don't want to take the time and to deal with selling the bigger stuff...things like teh boat we never use. I just don't want to deal with advertising and selling it and Just hate to give something of significant value away either. It's just easier it seems to leave it in the garage even though its in the way and causing stress....
At least I've been living much more minimally and not adding to the problem much....
 
flhrci said:
Where did you go to? When you leaving again? :)
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US, Canada, Europe top to bottom and east to the Ukraine, African west coast, select parts of the middle east, asia, NZ, and Aus.

We'll be leaving again when mom's dementia either claims her life or enables us to place her on Medicaid as a ward of the government. (as a person who I recognize, I argue that she died last year -- she's just an empty vessel now -- sis doesn't like when I talk like that, so I don't) Actuarial tables suggest this will be in 3-11 more months, but my family members have a habit of malingering, so we are braced for a longer stay.

I bought a house that will be easy to sell, but other than my badass computer setup, it's furnished ala Craigslist. I foolishly got bored and bought a plane that will be hard to sell, but I may just adios it all via bonus depreciation this year, so its means of disposal won't really matter. Nobody likes clawed back capital gains nor rushes into them. :D

The plan is -- it will be a snap of the fingers to adios it all once more and return to our wanderlust and pet projects and passions. Who knows what the next curveball life may throw at us, though. I've had a too-easy life, honestly, so I don't cherish the security and whatnot here, and it makes me anxious and annoyed to sit in my little cocoon and hear the petty kvetchings of those around me who have it so, so good also. I like being around grateful people. I envy them and aspire. In some ways, they are richer than I can ever be.
 
Everskyward said:
:D
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I have discovered "Buy Nothing", a neighborhood group where you can give away or request free goods and services. I find this more satisfying than Salvation Army or Goodwill, since you know the person actually wants the item because they go to the trouble of picking it up.
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Yes I realize that I had some duality and mutually opposed statements in my post. ;)

I do like your neighborhood idea. If the members are good, that could be very nice. We've had issues when we've tried to give away things (or sell them cheaply) for someone else to use. It's amazing how many people want us to deliver it to them. I realize we live in the country, but no. If we're going to do that then we'll donate it or else just throw it in the trash.

Matthew said:
Seriously, Tim...are you ok?
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You've met him, right?
 
Velocity173 said:
As far as living in another country, well I’ve lived all over and no other country has everything in one package like the US does. Anything you can get in a foreign country, you can get here and then some. There is somewhat of a freshness, the newness of it all in living overseas but that goes away. You’ll get to the point of missing the familiar.
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I've gone most places in the United States and done a good amount of world travel (although probably not as much and maybe different world travel from what you've done). While I'd agree that no other country has everything in one package like we do here, they have their own packages and their own flavors which can be appealing. At the moment there's no other country I would want to live in, but there are a lot of reasons for that, one of which is the stuff that we're currently tied to.

The flavor of foreign countries can be very pleasant for the ones that are accommodating for ex-pats. Another thing that lot of countries can offer is certain living arrangements at a price point far more affordable than what can be found here. I have a number of friends who've moved to various countries in Central America (Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica) and love it. They have beautiful homes very fitting to the area, wonderful climate.

It's not for everyone, but there are good reasons to look elsewhere.

Fiveslide said:
I can tell you that that is never a bad idea. A decent percentage of people doing it are sailing with kids.
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Oh I know a lot of people do that. It's not for us, though. There are lots of great ways to raise kids, and we love raising ours on our 11 acres surrounded by tractors, go karts, etc.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I do like your neighborhood idea. If the members are good, that could be very nice. We've had issues when we've tried to give away things (or sell them cheaply) for someone else to use. It's amazing how many people want us to deliver it to them. I realize we live in the country, but no. If we're going to do that then we'll donate it or else just throw it in the trash.
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Ha! I encountered people wanting me to deliver items I was giving away for free when I was living in Colorado. Big items.

I found out about Buy Nothing Project from a friend I was visiting in Virginia. I was surprised to find out it is worldwide. We searched for my neighborhood and found it! This is their website, but the groups are on Facebook, once you find one in your area. https://buynothingproject.org

My group is pretty friendly, but I'm sure it depends on the neighborhood itself, and the members. Most of the people who post seem to be youngish women (younger than me). I see lots of kid stuff. It's amazing what people offer and ask for. I have had the most success giving away household or decorative items.
 
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If you’re still feeling that way when you sober up, I’ll have a bidding war with Ted on the skid steer. Maybe the side x side.

Seriously tho, if that’s the direction you’re heading, I wish you the best. Come to Texas for a few days!
 
JCranford said:
I’ll have a bidding war with Ted on the skid steer. Maybe the side x side.
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I'm interested most of all in the backhoe, but the skid steer as well. Remember I have a bulldozer.

Sorry. My wife has a bulldozer that she lets me use.

Was about to end up where Tim was in my avatar picture.
 
Well this ought to be fun. How shall we divvy up Tim's stuff? I'm thinking there should be a big blowout fly-in open only to those that are willing to land on the 2200' ft strip. We gather around a bonfire. One by one, Tim presents his stuff to the crowd. Those who wish to have it must engage in some sort of battle to earn the right. Battles of strength, of wit, of knowledge, each determined by Tim as he sits on some sort of throne with a staff or sceptre.

But seriously, that sounds like super deep stuff and a heck of a major change, Tim. I can't say I relate, but I sure wish you luck in whatever you decide to do. It's funny, what you have going on there sounds about like heaven to me. Some land in the boonies, a house, barn, tractor, all the tools needed for self sufficiency, and old airplane and a short grass strip. Sounds like the simple life to me. Redneck paradise.

P.S. I would be willing to engage in hand to hand combat for that skid steer and mower. Pretty sure @JCranford can best me with cop judo skills, but I won't let him just take the skid steer without earning it honorably. @Ted DuPuis has enough stuff already.
 
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Everskyward said:
Ha! I encountered people wanting me to deliver items I was giving away for free when I was living in Colorado. Big items.
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This is a large reason of why I gave up on Craigslist and now I just donate all my items. The amount of people that would complain, or just be downright jerks when you're giving stuff away for FREE is astounding. Selling most items, for $10-$20, the hassle just isn't worth it to me to deal with these people. Facebook marketplace is marginally better depending on your area, but still not great.
 
OkieFlyer said:
Well this ought to be fun. How shall we divvy up Tim's stuff? I'm thinking there should be a big blowout fly-in open only to those that are willing to land on the 2200' ft strip. We gather around a bonfire. One by one, Tim presents his stuff to the crowd. Those who wish to have it must engage in some sort of battle to earn the right. Battles of strength, of wit, of knowledge, each determined by Tim as he sits on some sort of throne with a staff or sceptre.

But seriously, that sounds like super deep stuff and a heck of a major change, Tim. I can't say I relate, but I sure wish you luck in whatever you decide to do. It's funny, what you have going on there sounds about like heaven to me. Some land in the boonies, a house, barn, tractor, all the tools needed for self sufficiency, and old airplane and a short grass strip. Sounds like the simple life to me. Redneck paradise.

P.S. I would be willing to engage in hand to hand combat for that skid steer and mower. Pretty sure @JCranford can best me with cop judo skills, but I won't let him just take the skid steer without earning it honorably. @Ted DuPuis has enough stuff already.
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Haaa, thats a GREAT idea! Both the Fly-in and the 'battle of rights'! Now I have a picture in my head of Tim on a throne (The Throne?) wearing a cape and holding a scepter! Love it

And Tim, when you posted that I immediately started thinking more seriously about retirement. Thanks for that. Seriously.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
This is a large reason of why I gave up on Craigslist and now I just donate all my items. The amount of people that would complain, or just be downright jerks when you're giving stuff away for FREE is astounding. Selling most items, for $10-$20, the hassle just isn't worth it to me to deal with these people. Facebook marketplace is marginally better depending on your area, but still not great.
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We're pretty much there too. Trying to sell cheap items costs too much. I generally won't bother trying to sell anything for less than $100.
 
timwinters said:
Yeah, I'm great. Just the results of two months of taking stock of what's important in life and what's not.
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Good.

For about the last year, I've been having a similar conversation in my own head. In about a year, I might be doing something very similar to what you are planning. It's sort of a liberating feeling, isn't it?
 
Matthew said:
Good.

For about the last year, I've been having a similar conversation in my own head. In about a year, I might be doing something very similar to what you are planning. It's sort of a liberating feeling, isn't it?
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What if you could feel that liberation by just not worrying about the "stuff" in the first place? ;)
 
Salty said:
What if you could feel that liberation by just not worrying about the "stuff" in the first place? ;)
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That would be great, too. Many times "stuff" becomes a headache - it needs maintenance, it needs insurance, it needs time and energy. If that's your way of staying busy, occupied, and happy, then that's OK. But once it becomes just another chore, maybe it's time for a change.


Edit: of course I am talking about “stuff” and not “spouse”!
 
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Salty said:
What if you could feel that liberation by just not worrying about the "stuff" in the first place? ;)
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So let's take an airplane.

Ok, I'm "not going to worry about it." But if I want to fly it it still needs an annual every year, insurance (ok technically that's optional, but that's a decision I have to make still), hangar or tie down (again, a decision to make).

I own an airport. Now I have to mow it if I want to use it, repair ruts from the ****ing moles/groundhogs that dig holes in there. Keep it flat. If it's a legal airport I have to report NOTAMs as required, although if it's private use only permission required before landing that eases it somewhat.

I own an airport, so I want a hangar for my airplane. Now I have to design and build that hangar, do whatever upgrades I want to it when needed, fix it when it's broken, deal with insurance, hail damage, etc.

I own a fleet of heavy equipment that requires oil changes and other maintenance yearly, fixing when broken. Maybe not insurance but probably storage.

For some of us this stuff can be enjoyable and fun. At some point it gets to be "too many things", and at some point it gets to be "**** this ****" if you get burned out from doing it too long, and you just want to do something else. Especially when the things you do for your hobby start to really look a lot like your day job.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
So let's take an airplane.

Ok, I'm "not going to worry about it." But if I want to fly it it still needs an annual every year, insurance (ok technically that's optional, but that's a decision I have to make still), hangar or tie down (again, a decision to make).

I own an airport. Now I have to mow it if I want to use it, repair ruts from the ****ing moles/groundhogs that dig holes in there. Keep it flat. If it's a legal airport I have to report NOTAMs as required, although if it's private use only permission required before landing that eases it somewhat.

I own an airport, so I want a hangar for my airplane. Now I have to design and build that hangar, do whatever upgrades I want to it when needed, fix it when it's broken, deal with insurance, hail damage, etc.

I own a fleet of heavy equipment that requires oil changes and other maintenance yearly, fixing when broken. Maybe not insurance but probably storage.

For some of us this stuff can be enjoyable and fun. At some point it gets to be "too many things", and at some point it gets to be "**** this ****" if you get burned out from doing it too long, and you just want to do something else. Especially when the things you do for your hobby start to really look a lot like your day job.
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Sometimes . . . it's cheaper to rent.
 
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Reflecting here:

Being a pilot, owning a plane and making so many friends all across the nation has indeed been an absolutely wonderful experience. Most of the time, when I take a business trip, I know people in the area, contact them and am almost always successful in having dinner and/or a few drinks. How many other hobbies...obsessions...afford that type of nationwide exposure to people? And a wonderfully diverse group of people it is too. I have made many good friends here and elsewhere via this aviation obsession.

But...

I used to have a valid reason to fly and did so...did so A LOT...for numerous years I flew between 200 and 300 hours. It was cool. As I've said here before, I was one with the machine, I no longer sat in it...I WORE IT! It was a very, very cool place to be. I flew in all conditions, including hard IFR, no autopilot, just me, the machine, and a garmin 496 with data link weather...the Cadillac of the day.

But I no longer have a REASON to fly, I'm simply a weekend warrior and I'm no longer in "that zone." I'm no longer wearing the plane, rather, I'm simply sitting in it. And, honestly, on some days, It's not a very comforting place to be...especially remembering what it WAS like when I WAS IN THAT ZONE! If you've always been a weekend warrior, I doubt you can relate. That's not a slam, just a statement of a perceived fact.

I likely won't quit flying completely. There's a cute little ultralight at my airport for sale (a qucksilver or something similar). With an ultralight, I can scratch my itch for less than a $10k entry fee and not have to worry about most of the FAA BS. These days, when I'm flying, I'm just putzing around "the neighborhood" anyway, with no particular destination in mind. I can just as easily (and with more excitement) do that in a $10k open cockpit ultralight than I can in a $75k C182A that I spend an additional $10k on a year.

I've come to view it as a stooopid and wasteful excess, even though I can well afford it.
 
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timwinters said:
I used to have a valid reason to fly and did so...did so A LOT...for numerous years I flew between 200 and 300 hours. It was cool. As I've said here before, I was one with the machine, I no longer sat in it...I WORE IT! It was a very, very cool place to be.

But I no longer have a REASON to fly, I'm simply a weekend warrior and I'm no longer in "that zone." I'm no longer wearing the plane, rather, I'm simply sitting in it. And, honestly, on some days, It's not a very comforting place to be...especially remembering what it's like when I WAS IN THAT ZONE! If you've always been a weekend warrior, I doubt you can relate. That's not a slam, just a statement of a perceived fact.
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I know exactly what you're talking about. So does Laurie. Once kids came along and we both had our flying ours cut significantly (hers to 0, mine to somewhere between <100 and maybe 125) and not just the hours but the frequency of flying having gone down so long, well, it wasn't comfortable. My brain had to recalibrate itself which took a few years. Of course my flying hours are back up now with the kids having a few extra years and the MU-2 being what it is, but yeah, there's a mental recalibration. Laurie flies 500 hours a year so she's obviously in that zone.

I've had the same feelings. For my mission currently (and specifically the Cloud Nine mission, since I don't own a plane) the MU-2 is great. But it's a lot of airplane to feed, and something small and simple has a huge appeal to just fly for the fun of flying.
 
timwinters said:
My birthday last November was a <cough, cough> milestone and it has provided me with the reason to pause, reflect, take stock of life and what is most important to me. An old saying I love: I don't have a lot of control over length of my life but I certainly do have control over the breadth and depth of it.

My main revelation: In many ways, I have become the type of person I so despised when I was in my 30s and 40s. That, in and of itself, probably bothers me more about me than anything else that I've concluded.

I have pondered it long, hard and often over the last two months...the holidays definitely aided the "taking stock" portion of my internal debate and evaluation.

The bottom line (and I haven't completely landed yet) but the direction I'm strongly leaning towards...

I am going to divest myself of nearly all my worldly possessions, minimize material "junk" and maybe even move somewhere outside of the states.

So, if you need a nice 2,200' grass airstrip (soon to be charted), or a ZTR to mow it with, or one of the finest examples of a straight-tail 182 that exists, or a dump truck, a backhoe, a skidsteer, a tractor, a side x side, a beautifully pristine 2002 Tahoe, a 2016 4x4 Silverado, a 2002 4x4 Silverado ("the beater farm truck"), or a 44'x12' Wilson, aluminum bi-fold hangar door, 4 or 5 chain saws, two generators, 3 air compressors, countless sets of hand tools and power tools, etc...

...then stay tuned.

This may just be your lucky year.
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If I can you find a buyer, will you take me with you?
 
Tim... Do whatever makes you happy! The only one who'll regret anything later is you.

Personally, I'm hoping to work until 65, buy an airplane that can fit in a trailer and an RV to tow it with, and get outta dodge. Explore for a decade or so, find a combination retirement community/airpark, keep flying until I can get my Wright Brothers award at 78 at least... And once I've got my wife set up with a support network AND I can't fly any more, kick the bucket in a hopefully relatively painless and quick fashion.
 
timwinters said:
I likely won't quit flying completely. There's a cute little ultralight at my airport for sale (a qucksilver or something similar). With an ultralight, I can scratch my itch for less than a $10k entry fee and not have to worry about most of the FAA BS. These days, when I'm flying, I'm just putzing around "the neighborhood" anyway, with no particular destination in mind. I can just as easily (and with more excitement) do that in a $10k open cockpit ultralight than I can in a $75k C182A that I spend an additional $10k on a year.

I've come to view it as a stooopid and wasteful excess, even though I can well afford it.
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I often just fly around for currency, especially during the colder months. What I love about the airplane is if I really want to go somewhere I will get me there in speed and style. I'm not giving up that aspect of it until I must, and that time isn't nigh at all. Says me if you can keep the Skylane you should. Flying as a hobbyist is still fun, and you can go visit friends and have fun trips. Nicest thing is if you don't HAVE to get there, you don't have to do approaches down to minimums and all that other hero stuff. Heck, buy the ultralight and zip around on calm summer evenings. But you'll still have the Skylane to go places. I'd love it if you joined us at Oshkosh, for example, or mad the pilgrimage to 6Y9. Heck, you could hold a do at your strip. You'd have takers.
 
Kudos to you! We have downsized quite a bit ourselves. We don't buy stuff for the sake of buying it.

Hope wherever you go you have interwebs.
 
Good luck and Blue Skies Tim.

Three days after I retired, I was in Steamboat Springs, had a season pass, a place to live and was on the ski mountain. Only stay for the ski season then back to Ohio. 23 years later, I’m packed and ready to do it again.

Possessions are not a big deal to me and never have been so getting rid of or keeping isn’t really something I think about much. If it gets in the way and I don’t think I might have a use for the gizmo or whatever, it’s disposed of, if it isn’t in the way, it may or may not go one way or another.

Whatever you decide, it ain’t permanent so there’s nothing to really worry about.

Cheers
 
timwinters said:
Especially when it comes to being banned the most! ;)
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Now you’ve got me wondering if you’ve been banned more times than anyone else without it being permanent... ;)

And for the record, I consider Tim a good friend and someone always welcome in my home.

He’s also laying on the ground in front of the bulldozer in my avatar.
 
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