Fractal Life

May 5, 2008

Q & A Session

Filed under: Vagabond — wordpress @ 18:37
  • Q: Why are you doing this?
  • A: We’ve already covered this. I’m either nuts, or inspired. Take your pick.
  • Q: Can you fit everything in your SUV that you might need for 3 years?
  • A: It’s going to be tight. I (briefly) thought about getting an RV, but the depreciation on them follows a curve more like that of a car than a home.

    This chart shows buying a $65k ($80k MSRP) RV, which is pretty run-of-the-mill. At the end of 13 years, your home is now worth 2/3 less than when you bought it. The appliances (the design of which is specific to a RV) are worn out, the chassis has 150,000 miles or more on it, and to buy a replacement costs even more than this one, thanks to the wonders of inflation.

    I’m developing multiple shopping lists for when I move to a new town. I expect, as much as I dislike the company, I’ll be doing some shopping at Wal-Mart. I’ve always tried to avoid joining the disposable society we’ve become, but with this change, it looks like I’ll have no choice but to buy the cheapest stuff available, and throw away what I can’t give away when I’m done with a contract.

  • Q: What are you going to do with your house?
  • A: I’m going to rent it out. If you know someone who wants to move to Raleigh, and be near WakeMed North Healthplex, it’s a great location, only about a mile from I-540, and so excellent for commuting to RTP.

    • May 3, 2008

    What is Chip up to?

    Filed under: Career, Vagabond — wordpress @ 18:43

    I’m leaving my job and becoming a vagabond.

    This may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done, but I really want to leave the Raleigh area and see more of the country. The Grand Scheme is to take contracts of six to nine month duration, and just go where the work is. It’ll be me and Hopper the cat, roaming the backroads of the USA in a small SUV.

    Does it make sense to give up a stable job, working with really smart people at a profitable firm that is making a real difference in people’s lives? Nope. None at all. But I want to do it anyway.

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