• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Start Here
  • Our YouTube Channel
  • Mile High FI Podcast
  • About Me
  • I ♥ Longmont
    • Cowork In Longmont
    • Live In Longmont
  • Stuff We Like
    • Tesla In Ten Years
  • Best Credit Card Offers
  • Contact
    • Media
    • Guest Post

1500 Days to Freedom

Think different and escape the rat race.

1500 Days to Freedom
  • My Investments! (REAL TIME!)
  • Bucket List
    • Anti Bucket List
  • All Posts
  • Best Posts
  • Guest Post Policy
  • 10 Questions
  • Tesla In Ten Years

Bad Bosses, Conniving Coworkers, And Team Buiding Terror

December 14, 2020 by Mr. 1500 Days 24 Comments

My career as a software developer lasted from 1998 to 2017. I enjoyed the part of my job where I wrote software. Solving problems with computer code was a rewarding challenge. However, I didn’t like all of the crap that went along with it including:

  • Bad bosses. One was a scheming, paranoid, racist, control-freak of a person, He would ask me and my teammates not to share knowledge or even talk to programmers on other teams. We’d catch him following us around.
  • Rigid schedules. Two weeks of vacation time? And sick days count against your time off? Great! I’m coming to work sick!
  • Meetings and documentation. Need I say more?

If I could have written software for non-tyrannical humans and had more flexibility, it would have been much harder to quit. The work was fun. I liked my coworkers. The money was good.

I don’t have a formal job anymore but still work pretty hard. The basement project that I began almost a year ago is mostly done:

drywall in the basement

Our kitchen is too small. Mindy and I want to put in an island when we remodel it, but there idn’t room, at least in its current format. The refrigerator stuck out too far. The solution was to move the wall back:

construction

On the other side, I built a platform on top of the relocated wall for the girls. And who am I kidding, I like to go up there and fart around too:

kid hangout

I have enough home projects planned to keep me busy for years. And that’s exactly how I like it.

A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell.

George Bernard Shaw

I couldn’t agree more. These projects are what I live for. Sure, I like to screw around too, but the fun is a lot more enjoyable after I feel like I’ve done something to earn it.

Humans are meant to work. And, we’re meant to work at tasks that make us grow and give us a sense of accomplishment.

The problem with most of the work we do is that it often comes with bad bosses, conniving coworkers, stupid schedules, mandatory meetings, shitty stress, crappy commutes, terrible team-building activities, dumb dress codes, and sedentary life. The purpose of FIRE isn’t to lead a life of leisure, but to extricate meaningful work from all of the surrounding bullshit.

Back To Work?

In the 3+ years that I’ve been away from my computer job, I haven’t thought much about writing code. That it, until this past weekend.

A friend of mine has been working on a pretty awesome project. He’s in the process of obtaining a patent and figuring out a path to commercialization. Since he’s still early in the process, he asked that I don’t divulge the details. But trust me, it’s pretty awesome. It’s so awesome that I asked him if I could buy a prototype. My friend is a kind and generous person, so he gave me one over the weekend.

secret project
Younger Daughter gazes at the _________.

I talked to my friend about his plans for the project and he mentioned that he needed a complementary app. My friend knew I wrote software but didn’t know that I’ve written apps. I mentioned it to him and he suggested that partnering on the project might be a good idea. After he left, I thought about the conversation:

  • I like to write code.
  • This would be a fun project to work on.
  • I’d be working with a really good human.
  • Perhaps it would make money, but at this point, I don’t need more. My payment would be the fun I’d have writing code and working with my friend. Anything after that is a bonus.

So, perhaps I’ll be back at work soon. This one checks all of the boxes.

Join the 10s who have signed up already!

Subscribing will improve your life in incredible ways*.

*Only if your life is pretty bad to begin with.

Thank you!! Please check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Side Hustle, Something Completely Different Tagged With: work

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dave @ Accidental FIRE says

    December 14, 2020 at 4:23 am

    Awesome post Carl, that’s what FIRE is all about – being able to do the work you want, when you want, regardless if it pays money or not. Every day can be a new adventure.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 14, 2020 at 9:38 am

      Yep! Life is good.

      Reply
  2. Joe says

    December 14, 2020 at 9:39 am

    Wow, that sounds like an exciting opportunity. I hope it works out.
    I haven’t thought about engineering at all since I left in 2012, only occasional nightmares.
    I’m glad that phase of life is done. 🙂
    Joe recently posted…The Worst States to Retire InMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 14, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      Whoah, nightmares 8 years later? Oof.

      Reply
  3. Chris says

    December 14, 2020 at 11:01 am

    Very cool opportunity! I recently decided with certainty that I’m never going back to my old career.

    After 3 years, as of 12/1, of early retirement as a physical therapist, I recently decided that (a) I’m too out of practice, (b) lots of people need the income way more than me, and most importantly (c) I just don’t want to go back to my old work and I was only holding on to the option out of fear. So I’m letting my license expire as of 12/31 rather than going through the effort of completing the continuing education and paying the fees to renew it for another two year cycle.

    I do strongly agree though that we were meant to work and be productive. Also it’s fun and interesting to continue to learn, grow and see what opportunities come your way as a result.

    Best to you and your crew for the holidays!
    Chris recently posted…10 Tips for More Accurate Retirement CalculationsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 14, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      Congratulations on that big decision!

      “Also it’s fun and interesting to continue to learn, grow and see what opportunities come your way as a result.”

      Yep, the best part of FIRE is the growth and then actually being able to seize opportunities with your newfound time!

      Reply
  4. revanche @ a gai shan life says

    December 14, 2020 at 12:28 pm

    I do love creating documentation because I know how helpful it is in day to day operations even if it’s totally unglamorous but I know I’m in the minority in that 🙂

    The despising of bad bosses/dysfunctional leadership / terrible co-workers etc though, I’m right there with you. No thank you. I’ve been lucky in my most recent job but history says that can and will change so I’m always aware of that and don’t take for granted that the good times will last.
    Not sure what my next move will be when things go south at this job but my fingers are crossed that we’ll hit our FI number before that happens.
    revanche @ a gai shan life recently posted…Good Things Friday (95) and Link LoveMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 14, 2020 at 8:37 pm

      Documentation! You would have loved my job. We had to write documentation for the documentation. Ha!

      But, I did learn much from the writing. We had a stellar technical writer who was slightly evil, but she knew her shit and I learned a ton.

      Reply
  5. Mr. Tako says

    December 14, 2020 at 4:18 pm

    Nice job on the basement Carl! Looking good.

    Good story about potentially going back to work. That’s what it’s all about once you have enough — doing what you love.

    For me, personally, I still have nightmares about work. I’d never go back…even if they paid me double!
    Mr. Tako recently posted…A Hope And A DreamMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Frogdancer Jones says

    December 15, 2020 at 7:24 am

    It’s funny how things come around in cycles. You’re going back to “work” just as I’m coming to the end of mine.
    It’s Wednesday morning here – only 3 more workdays to go until I walk away from teaching.
    Yes, I’m retiring early(ish).
    I’m thinking that, like you, being able to pick and choose the projects I do from now on will be very sweet.

    Reply
  7. Chris says

    December 15, 2020 at 7:37 am

    Sounds like the perfect gig. Doing something you enjoy because you want to and it doesn’t have all of the crap that going back to full time work would have.

    BTW – I freaking hate doing drywall. Looks like you did a good job.
    Chris recently posted…No One Puts You in A CornerMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Arrgo says

    December 16, 2020 at 4:58 am

    Great post and insights here. I think its a good thing to keep being creative and active working on projects. I get a lot of satisfaction learning new things and also how to fix and maintain things myself. I started fixing and my lawn equipment and generator. Doing my own annual heater cleaning. Working on my car (next im going to try replacing my brakes and rotors). Initially it may not always be practical from a time point of view, but once you learn it will be easier next time. And its always good to save some money (and stick it back to these companies who over charge you). You realize how much these people charge you in marking up the parts and labor and many time don’t do as thorough of a job as you would do. You do great work remodeling your house and good luck with the new project.

    Reply
  9. Brian says

    December 18, 2020 at 11:43 am

    I can tell you are indeed a DIY-warrior when you share that picture of the basement and you say you’re “mostly done “. BWAAHAAHAA! 🙂 love the optimism!

    Seriously, another great post.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 28, 2020 at 7:17 am

      Ha, I still have a looong way to go on that basement, but after manually digging out (and installing) an egress window, busting open the basement floor to add underground plumbing to support a new bathroom, framing, above-ground plumbing, adding a subpanel/wiring, drywalling, painting, and installing lighting and receptacles, I’m most of the way there.

      Reply
  10. David @ Filled With Money says

    December 19, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    That’s what the definition of true retirement is. You’re choosing to maybe go back to work because you want to, not because you have to. That super cool new thing might be in every Americans’ home one day, you never know!
    David @ Filled With Money recently posted…Manage Your Monthly Expenses the Guilt Free WayMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Financial Freedom Countdown says

    December 20, 2020 at 1:16 am

    I always thought if you ever decided to work it would be for Tesla or SpaceX 🙂
    Glad you found a fun coding project. When I moved from a pure engineering role to management it was a huge learning curve. Gradually I found I like most aspects of the management job.

    Life is more interesting when learning new skills.
    Financial Freedom Countdown recently posted…What is Forex Trading And Is It Right For Me?My Profile

    Reply
  12. BC | FrugalWheels says

    December 20, 2020 at 10:11 am

    I recently took on a managerial role despite my better judgement (though later learned it really isn’t much of a managerial role) and the gal I was dating at the time said something along the lines of “so now you get to yell at people and be the tough boss.” I rolled my eyes, and she asked about my reaction. I said, “the people I work with are adults. We do our work. Why would I need to yell at them?” I’ve been thinking a lot about the question “well why DOES work have to suck?” As in, where is it written that work needs to suck. It’s not. We just have it in our heads certain ideas that lead to work sucking.

    My ex gal pal made the point for me. She assumed that being a boss was about yelling at your subordinates. I’ve been a manger twice now (pretending that this current one counts) and I can say yelling never gets anything accomplished. You do have to set hard boundaries sometimes, and make sure not to let employees walk all over you, but if people are getting their work done, the rest are details you shouldn’t concern yourself with.

    As I’ve entered the entrepreneur space, both as one and as someone who is consuming a ton of content on entrepreneurship, I’ve realized the same think you said above. People really do love to work. What they hate is arbitrary rules, being overworked, and tyrannical bosses. Entrepreneurs, when they’re their own boss, will work their butts off. But they don’t hate it. Why? Because it’s on their own terms, and they have a purpose for their labor. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing inefficiencies in a process and having to engage in that process because some suit in New York thought it was a good idea. An entrepreneur can adapt and decide to fix the process immediately. And if you’re to the point of hiring people, the obnoxious can be shown the door or, better yet, never hired in the first place.

    Hmm, my conclusion seems to be “always be an entrepreneur.”

    Reply
  13. Chris@TTL says

    December 20, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    “Today you, tomorrow me”.

    You’ve identified exactly the sort of thing where paying it forward makes sense: helping out a friend, someone that might have helped you out, or working towards a good cause. That’s the sort of “work” that FIRE enables.

    It’s not nothing—it’s what brings you contentment. Awesome. Glad to read it.

    Also, I’m curious about the project of course 😉
    Chris@TTL recently posted…The Architect Who Made NothingMy Profile

    Reply
  14. Backpack Finance says

    December 26, 2020 at 2:38 am

    Cool! Can’t wait to see what this project is all about!

    This is just excellent and I couldn’t agree more.

    “Humans are meant to work. And, we’re meant to work at tasks that make us grow and give us a sense of accomplishment.”

    Cheers and good luck on your new venture 🙂
    Backpack Finance recently posted…Why You Need a Morning RoutineMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Stephen says

    December 27, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    I entirely agree. Too many companies treat developers like business people and waste our time by having us in pointless meetings and corporate crap.

    We’d all be happier if we could spend our time building new things instead of dealing with the business.

    Your projects sound exciting, I’m sure they will keep you working for years to come.
    Stephen recently posted…A Breakdown of My Net WorthMy Profile

    Reply
  16. Z says

    December 28, 2020 at 10:53 am

    Legit question. How did / would you deal with people taking advantage of a managers “good will”. IE: Constant stream of excuses. Constant delayed deliverables and late work. After a couple of decades of actual engineering work i got shunted into a manager position for better or worse. I vowed i’d treat people like i would have liked to be treated. But there’s a few just taking advantage of the system. I have no other recourse than to babysit/daytrack. 🙁

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 28, 2020 at 11:12 am

      Yeah, I definitely saw this happen on a team. One guy knew how to influence a manager with gifts and other nonsense. He stayed on when better engineers got canned during layoffs.

      I think that managers can be friendly, but definitely shouldn’t be friends with those that they manage. An improper relationship influences and corrupts the relationship and the work.

      I was never a manager, so don’t have informed answers. However, just like most things in life, using numbers to make decisions seems like a starting point: “You said you were going to have A, B, and C done by date X…”

      PS: I’m sorry to hear about your new position. 🙂

      Reply
      • Z says

        December 31, 2020 at 7:31 am

        Yes, i am sorry to hear about it too. But it’s been an interesting adventure. Honing some skillls (like holding my tongue) that i’ve been avoiding for a while. Politics is and can be a thing. It still pays the bills no matter how frugal i am, i’m not where you are currently. So such is life until the magic day comes.

        Pretty sure half my team loves me and the other half hates me. I make damn sure there’s nothing personal there. I even rejected a transfer because of conflict of interest because he was a personal friend.

        But i’m so mad/frustrated at the few. I would have died if my manager would have just let me do my bleeping job when i was around the same level of experience. Instead, we have water pipes bursting and flus every other week. Numbers it is, give me the commitments and lets go from there. Ugh.

        Reply
  17. The Millennial Money Woman says

    January 11, 2021 at 4:59 am

    What a great opportunity.
    I really look forward to reading more about it and how it pans out in the future for you.

    Continued success and good luck to you!

    Cheers,

    Fiona

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on RSSFollow Us on Instagram

Freedom!

My goal was to build a portfolio of $1,000,000 by February of 2017; 1500 days from the birth of this blog (January 1, 2013). And hey look, I’ve since retired!

Investments only
1/1/13 (The Start): $586,043
1/1/14 (1 Yr Later): $869,635
1/1/15 (2 Yrs Later): $987,351
1/1/16 (3 Yrs Later): $1,057,961
1/1/17 (4 Yrs Later): $1,257,128
1/1/18 (5 Yrs Later): $1,527,701
1/1/19 (6 Yrs Later): $1,549,440
1/1/20 (7 Yrs Later): $2,035,040*
1/1/21 (8 Yrs Later): $3,379,746**
1/1/22 (8 Yrs Later): $4,762,642

2021: Investments only
1/1: $4,762,642
2/1: $4,404,447
3/1: $4,214,068
4/1: $4,499,622
5/1: $4,007,476

Overall
2022 investment gains: -$755,166
Investment gains since 1/1/2013: $3,421,433
Net worth***: $4,237,476

* The big jump between 2019 and 2020 was partly because we bought another home, but kept the previous (much more expensive) one as a rental. We have since sold it.

** Tesla.

*** Includes our primary home equity in addition to our investment portfolio.

Finally, we still have about $290,000 in mortgage debt (which I love!). No regrets about the debts!

Featured in

Smiley face

Disclaimer

Investing is risky business. The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only. As with all matters financial, proceed with caution. Do your research and seek professional advice.

Get my annoying emails!

Join 1500 Days! (now 27% less annoying)

Subscribe to get great good pretty ok content by email.

Thanks so much! Check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

All Posts

Read all the posts ever published to 1500 Days of Freedom.

© 2022 1500 Days to Freedom · Privacy Policy · Contact