The EPIC WIN Thread 3: SON OF EPIC

Been mulling whether to put this here or in one of the 2020/NY threads, but figure it belongs here.

In September of 2017, my wife and I were approximately $187k in debt (I think). Student loans, mortgage, auto loans, credit cards, etc. Around the middle of September, we decided to Do Something about that.
As of December 31st, 2019, our family is now only ~$20k in debt, and we are looking at the very real possibility that 2021 may see us able to bring that down to zero.
This triumph is even sweeter because it was accomplished while keeping loss of human life to its barest minimum. @Emrys would be proud.

--Patrick
I'm assuming that you mean that in 2020 you'll take care of the final 20k, rather than waiting a year to finish it off.
That's one hell of an accomplishment either way! Way to go! Did you do something like the Ramsey plan or just budget it out?
 
Been mulling whether to put this here or in one of the 2020/NY threads, but figure it belongs here.

In September of 2017, my wife and I were approximately $187k in debt (I think). Student loans, mortgage, auto loans, credit cards, etc. Around the middle of September, we decided to Do Something about that.
As of December 31st, 2019, our family is now only ~$20k in debt, and we are looking at the very real possibility that 2021 may see us able to bring that down to zero.
This triumph is even sweeter because it was accomplished while keeping loss of human life to its barest minimum. @Emrys would be proud.

--Patrick
I would like to know how you did it, especially the minimum loss of life part (so I know what not to do).
 
Did you do something like the Ramsey plan or just budget it out?
It’s... complicated. But I represent that it was all 100% completely legit. I did not find a cache of Krugerrands in the trunk of my car, nor did I sell 25000% of the profits of an upcoming show.

Feel free to hit me up in PMs for more info, I’m less reticent about repeating myself in multiple chats than I am about stating it here where the ENTIRE INTERNET gets to know about all my business.

—Patrick
 
So I learned something interesting recently. I had posted in other threads about how I and my wife are going to Disney World in January and again in November. My Aunt and Uncle are taking our family on a big trip for the second one. They are both doctors and don't have kids, which is how they can afford to do that.

The thing I learned is that they were invited to be a part of Club 33. So on the November trip, not only will I possibly get to go inside of that, but we are getting VIP access to the parks for no extra cost. This means we will have a Disney Cast Member taking us around and putting us onto rides with little to no wait for a certain amount of time one day. Additionally, the other days, we will have 16 fast passes to use that we do not have to schedule in advance. We can just walk up to the ride and scan our badge whenever we want. ALSO, we will be taken from our hotel to a side entrance of the parks, bypassing the main entrance for everyone else.

I am simply agog that I will get to experience this.
 
So I learned something interesting recently. I had posted in other threads about how I and my wife are going to Disney World in January and again in November. My Aunt and Uncle are taking our family on a big trip for the second one. They are both doctors and don't have kids, which is how they can afford to do that.

The thing I learned is that they were invited to be a part of Club 33. So on the November trip, not only will I possibly get to go inside of that, but we are getting VIP access to the parks for no extra cost. This means we will have a Disney Cast Member taking us around and putting us onto rides with little to no wait for a certain amount of time one day. Additionally, the other days, we will have 16 fast passes to use that we do not have to schedule in advance. We can just walk up to the ride and scan our badge whenever we want. ALSO, we will be taken from our hotel to a side entrance of the parks, bypassing the main entrance for everyone else.

I am simply agog that I will get to experience this.
That is AMAZING and you'd better take a lot of photos!
 
What I consider an epic win may surprise you....don't laugh at my nerdiness...

I got a 2U wall-mounted rack for Christmas. And I was so excited about it, so I could do this with it:



The space in the basement has 2 plugs that I've been juggling any time I needed power down there. And since the whole house has been wired for ethernet, I've been propping up the old switch on a stack of empty cardboard boxes.

So, now I have 12 power plugs with surge protection, and a rack-mounted switch. A little cable management and I'll be able to put the lid on that white box where all the various cables in the house (coax, alarm system, networking) come together.
 
I was set to give up on Match.com. It had already auto-renewed for another three months so I was just going through the motions when some girls finally started returning my messages. One just stopped visiting Match. Another disappeared entirely. But the third one stayed. We talked for about six weeks before meeting up. The first date went really well and she asked for a second date before it even ended. We stayed in touch over winter break and went on several more dates last week. Then we had the exclusive talk. We have a lot in common and feel comfortable around each other. There is definitely a strong chemistry between us. She has a list of events she'd like to attend with me, and that list stretches into the end of this year. The relationship is young but I like where it's headed. I have a girlfriend and am quite happy.
 
So this happened today. Scott Snyder, a high profile comics writer, followed me. He discovered me from a tweet of mine that went semi-viral ("what's your controversial comics opinion?").

The reason why he followed me, though? He visited my blog via my Twitter profile and read some of my posts on depression. He said it affected him, because he struggles, too.

And I'm just... gobsmacked. I wasn't even following him on Twitter. Heck, I'm not even a huge fan of his work. I've liked some of it, but he wouldn't rank high in terms of writers whose work I follow. But...yeah, that came out of nowhere.

Screenshot_20200123-105813.jpg
 
Everyone has their struggles. Even famous people. Especially famous people.
I feel like anyone who says otherwise is either in denial or on some serious drugs. Or both.

—Patrick
 
For the first time in my adult life, I've been offered an honest-to-god, full time, 9:00-5:00, medical and dental insurance-providing, paid vacation-having job. I start Tuesday for 3 days a week training/transitioning out of my old part-time job, then start full time in earnest on the 17th.
 
For the first time in my adult life, I've been offered an honest-to-god, full time, 9:00-5:00, medical and dental insurance-providing, paid vacation-having job. I start Tuesday for 3 days a week training/transitioning out of my old part-time job, then start full time in earnest on the 17th.
Conga-rats!
 
For the first time in my adult life, I've been offered an honest-to-god, full time, 9:00-5:00, medical and dental insurance-providing, paid vacation-having job. I start Tuesday for 3 days a week training/transitioning out of my old part-time job, then start full time in earnest on the 17th.
That’s awesome! Congrats!
 
For the first time in my adult life, I've been offered an honest-to-god, full time, 9:00-5:00, medical and dental insurance-providing, paid vacation-having job. I start Tuesday for 3 days a week training/transitioning out of my old part-time job, then start full time in earnest on the 17th.
My sincerest condolences, welcome to wage-rat work life ;-)
 
Had my last day at my part-time print shop job today. Boss pulled me into his office and we hashed on a deal that I would keep working on a freelance basis as-needed, they'll email me files and I can process and send them back and bill my time.

I'll also be welcome back to my old position should things not work with my new job, which I feel gives me some pretty good leverage when my probation period is up and I can negotiate a higher wage. In the meantime with a full time job and two regular freelance clients, I'm set to pay off my credit cards in just a couple months and be in a better financial position than I've been in my life!
 
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