Thoughts and reflections about the past week or so from my own financial independence campaign.

Progress on my goals

Boat life

Too tired to do angle grinding this weekend (see the distractions and detours section this week, below).

We’re going to get another water container so we don’t have to top up ours so frequently.

It’s starting to get colder on the boat now and we’re going back into the condensation management routines of last winter. Obviously we’re now pretty skilled at this, so it’s not the burden you might expect.

Sold the drum kit. Added a few pennies into my pocket, reduced my use of the storage unit slightly. Still chipping away at it…

Distractions and detours

Gulliver’s travels update

Enjoyed myself and made some cool work contacts in London at a Web3 conference. Spent this weekend recovering from my jet-set lifestyle and getting ready to go to New York City on Tuesday.

Maybe I’ll get time for some sightseeing?

I suspect next weekend will be a write-off too, as I don’t get back home until Sunday dinner time. Standing by for jet lag…

Inked up Part II

On Wednesday I returned to the tattoo parlour to get colour added to my leg tattoo. No photos to share yet, it’s in the “scabby and horrible” phase.

Tattoos are cool but the process is gross. Had to keep washing my trousers, Lady SierraWhiskyMike had to re-wash the bed sheets, eww…

Getting colour hurts less during the process than the outlines did. I reckon it’s about half as painful. However, it’s definitely more uncomfortable during the healing phase as the damage to the skin is, well, over a bigger area.

It kind of feels like I’m recovering from a concrete rash, like the kind you get from a cycling accident.

On the plus side it’s a cool bit of artwork and it hasn’t put me off getting others in future.

The healing time means that I’ve been told to avoid the gym, but as I’m on my travels anyway that’s not been as irritating as it was last time. I’m busy, I’m preoccupied, stuff is happening.

The tattoo recovery process makes you want to sleep more. It’s probably to do with the body wanting to be in recovery from what is basically an injury. Add that to my travels and to be honest all I want to do is sit in bed with my kindle and read fiction until I fall asleep again. Soooo tired…

Non-FIRE goals

My guitar rock god quest (AKA learning to play)

Guitar this week was a refresh of the chord theory from the week before. We haven’t started anything new since I’m not going to be able to practice while in New York and miles away from the guitar.

Kind of a limiting factor.

With the hectic nature of work and being so damn sleepy I haven’t had much guitar practice and I’m conscious that I’m not really improving. I’ll have to get back on the horse in November for sure, but this isn’t the week to feel guilty about not playing. There’s just too much to do.

Fitness

I did go for a decent treadmill session – with intervals and hills and everything – this week before my ink session put the brakes on it.

As with last time, I’ve been told not to get too sweaty or do any big leg exercises while the thigh tattoo heals, so I’m not going to get that much high intensity or strength training in. However, I’ve still been walking 10,000 steps or more a day (thanks FitBit!) so even though my specific fitness isn’t improving my activity levels and fat loss journey are continuing.

I’m hoping to get more walking done during my travels this week. Without a morning dog walk and with living with hotel conveniences I should have enough time each day to do some exploring.

Final thoughts

Another week where I’ve been mega busy with work stuff and financial independence hasn’t been top of the agenda.

I’m a little concerned that all of my goals are taking a back seat due to work commitments. Travel is cool and all, and I appreciate the opportunity to do some of it without spending my money, but if I do this pace of work too often I’m going to miss out on the things I actually value in exchange for shiny distractions.

As I said last week, the plus side of this is that I’m not really spending a lot of money because I just don’t have the opportunity to. My savings rate for this month is likely to be a bit higher than I’d expected.

Finally: it was sad to see the drum kit go. I know logically I can’t justify keeping one in storage, but I’ve been a drummer since I was 13 and this is a big change from who I was to who I am now.

Still: never mind. Onwards!

My financial independence campaign continues!