u/sdrockr

Hi All,

I'm reflecting on my career, I graduated from MIT (bachelors and masters) 21 years ago and have 11 years of working as an engineer in the federal gov. I'm 45 now, and live in a high cost location (San Diego). I'm a topped out GS-13 and after breaking my back doing so many additional collateral duties for the last 6 years, I was recently told I can't be promoted without taking on bigger projects and they don't just appear out of thin air. I'm at the burnt out stage now and taking a break isn't the answer, I'll be coming back to frustrations (traffic, parking nightmares, office BS politics, stupid micromanagement, turmoil from the administration, etc).

I estimate FEHB in retirement being worth $600k but maybe I'm off (I don't know how to estimate this). I also don't know if I want to stay another 12 years to reach MRA and keep FEHB. Each year longer I stay, the less it makes sense to leave though if I start to consider the FERS pension/FEHB together!

I could cash out (sell house etc) and have $1.3M plus the $441k that's in my TSP, plus ~$45k FERS contributions I should get back and ~$30k in comp/vacation time (after taxes).

I'm single, chances of starting a family and getting married seem shot... I could buy a house in areas like Melbourne Florida for $350k cash and still get to surf (a big passion of mine) and have decent leftover, but the health insurance worries me. I should be able to work as a contractor from anywhere since I have a connection that works with my current gov org that said to reach out if I want to leave fed service but not sure if my frustrations will just follow me. I could also maybe day trade stock with some of my nest and avoid having any actual job or start a surf school 😄

If I was earlier in my career I'd just bail when I find something else. If I was closer to retirement the answer is obvious, stay to retain FEHB but I'm right damn in the middle and not quite at the typical $2M number most say is needed to reach financial independence! I also feel time passing quick and I don't want to be unhappy frequently either.

Does anyone have advice? I don't really think leaving and coming back 5 years before MRA is easy.. also I left gov service in 2008 and came back in 2016 and that may make it harder. If I leave San Diego I'm not returning unless I'm really rich but I don't want to live anywhere I can't surf.

Hi All,

I'm reflecting on my career, I graduated from MIT (bachelors and masters) 21 years ago and have 11 years of working as an engineer in the federal gov. I'm 45 now, and live in a high cost location (San Diego). I'm a topped out GS-13 and after breaking my back doing so many additional collateral duties for the last 6 years, I was recently told I can't be promoted without taking on bigger projects and they don't just appear out of thin air. I'm at the burnt out stage now and taking a break isn't the answer, I'll be coming back to frustrations (traffic, parking nightmares, office BS politics, stupid micromanagement, turmoil from the administration, etc).

I estimate FEHB in retirement being worth $600k but maybe I'm off (I don't know how to estimate this). I also don't know if I want to stay another 12 years to reach MRA and keep FEHB. Each year longer I stay, the less it makes sense to leave though if I start to consider the FERS pension/FEHB together!

I could cash out (sell house etc) and have $1.3M plus the $441k that's in my TSP, plus ~$45k FERS contributions I should get back and ~$30k in comp/vacation time (after taxes).

I'm single, chances of starting a family and getting married seem shot... I could buy a house in areas like Melbourne Florida for $350k cash and still get to surf (a big passion of mine) and have decent leftover, but the health insurance worries me. I should be able to work as a contractor from anywhere since I have a connection that works with my current gov org that said to reach out if I want to leave fed service but not sure if my frustrations will just follow me. I could also maybe day trade stock with some of my nest and avoid having any actual job or start a surf school 😄

If I was earlier in my career I'd just bail when I find something else. If I was closer to retirement the answer is obvious, stay to retain FEHB but I'm right damn in the middle and not quite at the typical $2M number most say is needed to reach financial independence! I also feel time passing quick and I don't want to be unhappy frequently either.

Does anyone have advice? I don't really think leaving and coming back 5 years before MRA is easy.. also I left gov service in 2008 and came back in 2016 and that may make it harder. If I leave San Diego I'm not returning unless I'm really rich but I don't want to live anywhere I can't surf.

Hi All,

I'm reflecting on my career, I graduated from MIT (bachelors and masters) 21 years ago and have 11 years of working as an engineer in the federal gov. I'm 45 now, and live in a high cost location (San Diego). I'm a topped out GS-13 and after breaking my back doing so many additional collateral duties for the last 6 years, I was recently told I can't be promoted without taking on bigger projects and they don't just appear out of thin air. I'm at the burnt out stage now and taking a break isn't the answer, I'll be coming back to frustrations (traffic, parking nightmares, office BS politics, stupid micromanagement, turmoil from the administration, etc).

I estimate the Federal Employee Health Benefit (FEHB) in retirement being worth $600k but maybe I'm off. I don't know if I want to stay another 12 years to reach minimum retirement age (MRA) and keep FEHB. Each year longer I stay, the less it makes sense to leave though if I start to consider the federal employee retirement system (FERS) pension/FEHB together!

I could cash out (sell house etc) and have $1.3M plus the $441k that's in my TSP, plus ~$45k FERS contributions I should get back and ~$30k in comp/vacation time (after taxes).

I'm single, chances of starting a family and getting married seem shot... I could buy a house in areas like Melbourne Florida for $350k cash and still get to surf (a big passion of mine) and have decent leftover, but the health insurance worries me. I should be able to work as a contractor from anywhere since I have a connection that works with my current gov org that said to reach out if I want to leave fed service but not sure if my frustrations will just follow me. I could also maybe day trade stock with some of my nest and avoid having any actual job or start a surf school 😄

If I was earlier in my career I'd just bail when I find something else. If I was closer to retirement the answer is obvious, stay to retain FEHB but I'm right damn in the middle and not quite at the typical $2M number most say is needed to reach financial independence! I also feel time passing quick and I don't want to be unhappy frequently either.

Does anyone have advice? I don't really think leaving and coming back 5 years before MRA is easy though some do it so they can get the FEHB and retire (the rule is you must be employed with the government the last 5 years before retirement).. also I left gov service in 2008 and came back in 2016 and that may make it harder. If I leave San Diego I'm not returning unless I'm really rich but I don't want to live anywhere I can't surf.

Hi All,

I'm reflecting on my career, I graduated from MIT (bachelors and masters) 21 years ago and have 11 years of working as an engineer in the federal gov. I'm 45 now, and live in a high cost location (San Diego). I'm a topped out GS-13 and after breaking my back doing so many additional collateral duties for the last 6 years, I was recently told I can't be promoted without taking on bigger projects and they don't just appear out of thin air. I'm at the burnt out stage now and taking a break isn't the answer, I'll be coming back to frustrations (traffic, parking nightmares, office BS politics, stupid micromanagement, turmoil from the administration, etc).

I estimate FEHB in retirement being worth $600k but maybe I'm off. I don't know if I want to stay another 12 years to reach MRA and keep FEHB. Each year longer I stay, the less it makes sense to leave though if I start to consider the FERS pension/FEHB together!

I could cash out (sell house etc) and have $1.3M plus the $441k that's in my TSP, plus ~$45k FERS contributions I should get back and ~$30k in comp/vacation time (after taxes).

I'm single, chances of starting a family and getting married seem shot... I could buy a house in areas like Melbourne Florida for $350k cash and still get to surf (a big passion of mine) and have decent leftover, but the health insurance worries me. I should be able to work as a contractor from anywhere since I have a connection that works with my current gov org that said to reach out if I want to leave fed service but not sure if my frustrations will just follow me. I could also maybe day trade stock with some of my nest and avoid having any actual job or start a surf school 😄

If I was earlier in my career I'd just bail when I find something else. If I was closer to retirement the answer is obvious, stay to retain FEHB but I'm right damn in the middle and not quite at the typical $2M number most say is needed to reach financial independence! I also feel time passing quick and I don't want to be unhappy frequently either.

Does anyone have advice? I don't really think leaving and coming back 5 years before MRA is easy.. also I left gov service in 2008 and came back in 2016 and that may make it harder. If I leave San Diego I'm not returning unless I'm really rich but I don't want to live anywhere I can't surf.

Hi All,

I have a 1953 Chevy that is a radical custom. I bought it chopped already and the previous owner put the body on a G body chassis from an 80's El Camino or Monte Carlo. The frame appears to be lengthened and the welds on the splice don't look that good. The rear was "z-notched" and they used some angle frame to make the mod but maybe I can use square plate pieces to close those angle pieces up in that area (in the last photo).

Is it feasible for me to learn to do stick welding if I buy a Lincoln 240V DC "tombstone" arc welder and touch up the welds and/or add plating over where the splice was made and weld that to the chassis? Someone told me I might weaken the frame more if I do more welding in that region.

The photos show an example of the suspect welding that was done. This car hasn't left my garage/driveway since I discovered this. I'm just trying to figure out if this is something I could do on my own before I possibly get rid of the car at a loss, or possibly see if a shop here in San Diego that does custom car fab can work on it for a reasonable price (very unlikely). I could practice for months (there's no rush) on metal and worse case just abandon ship if I don't get proficient.

I figure MIG wouldn't be a good option because I may do some of this in my driveway and its usually breeze in this area. It also seems stick might be easier to learn and get good at?

https://preview.redd.it/38d1ohseu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbd8c8892a818b6e5f379c4a87fb86a67e578004

https://preview.redd.it/ylbpy4yfu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee14ecf8f4db5a8d666043eded258239e6a7f3f8

https://preview.redd.it/abuf95yfu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21ff49ee13a3dc5e19db5dced622d715c470eb7f

https://preview.redd.it/g0xmy5yfu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=675f64f31596f3397fa7a144db180d2578f59076

https://preview.redd.it/hckt37yfu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dcf3d2902f2d2e7daac961d799e952a29272cf9f

https://preview.redd.it/glxar6yfu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47894ddcb9f2723daa8f191dbbea9c0aaeda97ac

https://preview.redd.it/chvwtblhu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c98691cf070565a311571b5fd44ba17f98644aa1

https://preview.redd.it/u96ot9lhu50h1.jpg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2dd516d7a7ca8224d2ae24dc0433ece360816757