So far, so good.
Yesterday I reduced my monthly costs by $1104. – not a bad start! I still have more to cut as my current “burn-rate” (budget deficit) is around $3000 a month even after yesterday’s cuts. My goal is to get to a $1500. a month deficit, which is where my wife and I were eight years ago when she stopped working for five years. Back then, I made what she is making now, so I know we can get there — we’ve done it before… so $1.5K more in cuts to go. If we can stick to a $1.5K deficit, then I’m good for many, many years, and if I can find a way to make money without a formal job, so much the better.
I got my new laptop today. Yeah!
My car battery died yesterday morning. Boo! I put the battery on a trickle charge overnight, and it was no better today. I’m officially calling it dead. I’ve only had that battery for three months! If it weren’t raining today, I’d go and get it replaced right now. I’ll do that tomorrow after the storm.
This morning, I re-read the beginning of my prayer journal right up to that seven month period that I had read to last week. The journal starts 1.5 years ago – about six months after I had gotten a new boss and about the time I had decided that it was time to transition out of semiconductors. July 09, when this journal starts, is also right when I first knew for sure that my former company had decided to get rid of me. It took them 1.5 years to replace me! Though that entire period of my life was definitely the most stressful period in my life, I could, without a doubt, see the hand of God on me; molding me and directing me. I remain excited about my future under God’s direction.
I had lunch with my former crew today; looks like at least one of them is jumping ship soon. They tell me that my replacement is in way over her head and they’ve given her the task of completing the chip I started. She has no expertise in bipolar technology, so she will likely fail; too bad, she sounds like a nice gal. I guess they won’t be hiring me as a consultant to finish that chip after all. That’s fine with me – I’d rather not work for my former boss in any capacity.
I just hate watching my former company’s stock every day, but currently, it represents a ton of money in options – far more than my (former) annual salary! I must sell all my options by Feb 9.
In doing the research, the stock appears cyclical on a year-to-year basis. Usually, I wouldn’t concentrate on this, but with such a small window to work with, I must concentrate on short-term trends. Fortunately, 14 out of the last 15 years shows that February is a month of huge gains – shortly after the announcement of the fiscal year-end results on 1/30. If I wait until February, I will likely be in great shape.
Today the stock is back up to where it was when I left the company – right at the fair trade value of the stock by some estimates. Other experts place the ideal stock price at six dollars higher. All these figures will be adjusted shortly after the announcement on 1/30. I hope that the estimates go way up! With every fifty cents representing $10K in options for me right now, a couple more bucks in stock price sounds mighty nice. In a way, what I’m doing right now feels a lot like gambling or playing the lottery. Do I cash out now at a fair price, or risk it all for a chance at higher earnings? I’m literally risking tens of thousands of dollars!
Having said all that, I do trust God to supply my every need; even if the stock market crashes and I get nothing. I’m simply trying to be the best steward of His cash that I can. All that I “own” belongs to God.
Day 9 mood: Actually, today I’m feeling very “inefficient.” I accomplished few of the goals that I had set for myself today. That lunch really disrupted my entire day, and since it was spicy Thai food, it disrupted my tummy as well! It was good to see friends though – I have no reason to complain!
Tomorrow WILL BE better.