The Itch and the Mustache

I have a three-year itch. I know, it's supposed to be seven, but try telling that to my high-energy, easily-bored subconscious. Status quo is not stimulating.

My latest need for upheaval centers around my employment and finances. I'm sick of this damn job, and I've got a plan to get out of it that centers dually around that inheritance check I mentioned and some lifestyle changes. I've been reading my way through the archives of a blog called Mr. Money Mustache (Financial Freedom Through Badassity) and charting my way out.

Here's my plan. I'm going to sell my car as soon as possible (yesterday would be great), pay off the loan, buy a cheap replacement car, and pour any leftover cash into my debts. When the Damn Check shows up, I'm going to pay off the rest of my debts (credit card and student loans), and invest anything that's left over. I'll keep working the 9-5 just long enough to build up a small cash cushion, then pay Shelby a few months' advance rent and move in with her and Aiden. I'm going to restart the webcomic I began in 2010, that by 2012 was paying me more than enough per month to cover the rent that Shelby requested.

Those are the major things. There are smaller ones, too, to help it all go forward. My motorcycle is finally fixed to the point where she's ready to be inspected, and I'm going to ride her as far into cold weather as I can handle. I'll install a 12V plug and get some heated gear (used, of course) and handgrips. She gets 60mpg...how can I not? I'm cooking almost all of my food myself now, and I don't really eat breakfast. I'm walking to work and biking to the grocery store. I'm telling Verizon to fuck off and replacing my phone with one from Republic Wireless.

I actually had nightmares last night that I bought things I didn't need, and felt a little silly when I woke up in a panic, trying to figure out how to return them.

I'm also geeking out about investing, learning about the different types of retirement accounts and rollovers and personal investing and interest rates and risk calculation, and and and...I love numbers. I really do.

The biggest day-to-day change will obviously be living with Aiden and Shelby. Shelby initially suggested the idea several months back, and I considered it lightly; it didn't seem like something I really wanted to do at the time. I saw it as an unnecessary upset to the relationship that would cause more problems than it would solve. I'm particular about my personal space, and I find it a difficult and time-consuming process to accustom myself to new roommates or housemates. I need my me-time to recharge, and I get grumpy and nasty when there's interference with that process. Even if Aiden, Shelby, and little Aiden were as quiet as my current roommate, it would still be three times the noise level I currently operate in. And none of them are that quiet.

Thinking about this potential issue yesterday, I had what appears to be a pretty brilliant idea, an image of what life could look like in this new situation, and now I'm excited. I have to separate my working hours and area from my non-working ones, and I have to be able to spend some time in my introvert bubble on a regular basis. I also know that I'm going to miss the mornings when I can get up early and have the house to myself...

...or not. If I combine those things, I can have all of the above. I can get up early, make my coffee, have the house to myself while everyone else is still asleep, and get started on my work. By the time everyone else gets up, I'll be holed up at my desk (what's currently a spare room will be mine for a drafting/music space). I can join Aiden and Shelby for breakfast, return to work when she goes to work, and then come out and be social when my work is done.

Have I mentioned I'm excited?