k_bedBug_wisdom k_tectonic
In this blog, I’m trying to combine several visual metaphors. The success (or lack thereof) of the “combining” fundamentally determines the longevity of this blogpost. The more visual, the more memorable, the longer I will use this blogpost, relative to the many similar blogposts.
This blogpost is more /near-horizon/ than the “ffree” blogposts, because carefree is temporary, and always relative to other people’s lives as we see them.
Now the metaphors — With my carefree /utopian/ bliss, I feel like operating inside a gigantic bubble ball [complete bliss] rolling on parallel rail_tracks [smooth sailing]. These big and small rails are a physical reminder of the passage of time. An “ezlife” phase is often the calm_between_the_storms [storms being more massive, more disrruptive]… Along the tracks, there are several recurring dissatisfaction magnetic_fields [blackholes .. recurring forces of gravity]… My bubble experiences reduced/improved friction only when rolling ON the rails so derailing (often due to blackholes or storms) would test the robust defenses of my bubble on various areas of resilience and areas_of_vulnerability, i.e. the trouble_spots.
There are also firewalls between the rails, around the blackholes, or firewalls for storm protection. Firewalls serve to contain or isolate a hazard.
As we grow older (the defining backdrop of this blogpost), we hit minor storms many times a year, and get partially derailed on some tracks, esp. in terms of wellness… So your gigantic bubble is damaged at the affected trouble_spot.
On other tracks such as pff, your bubble has deep defenses, so derailment is partial, and your bubble is /weathered/ but largely intact. When my bubble ball is rolling on cashflow high ground, it is protected against one type of storm, and one type of blackhole i.e. cashflow stress.
— ##rich metaphors for utopia .. We can pick one metaphor to focus on for a month. For comparison, see also the strike-out.
- rude awakening (dream);
- utopia;
- losing high ground;
- precarious pillars .. described in TJ.Lin
- smooth sailing (storms)
- calm between storms
- long peace after WW2 .. coming to an end someday
- all-green dashboard .. impermanent
- MTBF
- (described in the current bpost) bubble burst; derailer; blackhole; calm between storms;
Burst of bubble is a transition from complete bliss to imperfect real life.
eg of “storms” and bubble (rather than a blackhole or derailer): Despite the fierce storms, SG as a nation is an exceptional bubble, with vulnerabilities in terms of geopolitical tension, racial, climate, birth-rate/aging, water resource,,,
— If I put my carefree ezlife “bubble” into the bubble_pool of my cohort, I feel my bubble stands out: (I retain this section here, inside this blogpost to increase the laser energy allocated to this visual metaphor.)
- the most rare element .. my breakaway (from the Chinese middle class) in terms of exclub, burn rate
- the most temporary side of my carefree bubble .. current job .. income, WorkLifeBal [workload, timelines, hours, blogg access], commute,,
- the most $$valuable side of my ezlife bubble .. career longevity. With my passport to this WSC harbor, my bubble is partially protected against the storms, and I keep my hope for career longevity.
- the least celebrated, least recognized [highest actualValue/recognizedValue ratio] but important side of my blissful bubble .. the fading dissatisfaction with my woman
- the most vulnerable side of my carefree bubble .. family harmony. family: important to xpSelf+rmSelf@@ explains why I think wellness is more fundamental.
- the most important side of my ezlife bubble .. wellness is the core and stabilizer of my bubble.
- the most visible side of my ezlife bubble .. barebones ffree [brbr, NNIA, career longevity,,]
==== G3 trouble_spots ..
Beware othRisk — Most of the major identifiable derailers are probably listed in other blogposts already.
[s=specific item. In this and other blogposts, I really value specific rather than “accurate” domain descriptor that are inevitably high-level]
[r=small derailers that are likely recurring. Probably a matter of “when”, not “if”]
[w=swans, either black or white]
[m=strategic missteps ]
— trouble_spot: [rs] ED .. (or toothache?).. easily derailed, so I need a firewall to contain the psychological damage.
I need serenity + zqbx (active mgmt)
(Some may classify ED as a storm or derailer event, but in this blogpost, I would rather classify it as a trouble_spot. It’s not a dissatisfaction blackhole!)
— trouble_spot: family harmony .. bonding with boy; stable marriage
[m] I often lose my cool. It threatens the bubble of /harmony/.
[s] Wife often loses her cool over screen time.
boy’s bmark (I didn’t say “academic”) performance often threatens family harmony
me over-reacting and hurting a loved one, esp. ahboy
— trouble_spot: [rs] PIP .. (including bonus stigma) a real risk and vulnerability once I leave the MLP bubble, an inner bubble within my gigantic bubble.
This derailer is #1 heaviest. I recall the GS/Macq/OC/Stirt devastating experiences. For Sachin, the increased work stress under a “bad boss” (like PIP) was the next storm and the next derailer.
As to ffree state-of-mind… Can I feel comfortable about a SGD 3k-4k family burn rate? The more comfortable, the more cool confidence in my livelihood and my barebones ffree.
With this storm/derailer/trouble_spot, I need serenity more than zqbx.
(Note investment derailers are always much smaller than PIP. )
~~ related trouble_spot: tech IV .. If no PIP, then job search obstacles (Re Deepak, CSY, JackZhang, Pinsky, Raymond) would be the next biggest derailer. I would feel trapped and unwanted. Obstacles include tech churn, age discrimination,,, Luckily, these obstacles (and storms) are mostly visible and never hidden.
In a massive storm my NNIA + severance package would be a huge cushion. See 3stressors: FOMO^PIP^ livelihood[def]
WSC IV is the main (defensive) battlefield for my career longevity. Over the decades, I have built up defenses in depth, and once I fall off the rails I could get back. I need zqbx more than serenity.
====
— Now some of the high-level (vague) items, or past, minor items, half ranked by frequency and magnitude
- trouble_spot: [rs] BMI .. I want deep green zone i.e. deep defense. When I get derailed, I need serenity then a lot of zqbx.
- trouble_spot: [rs] meimei’s dental and eyesight issues (abated/subsided), and other health issues in a family member like grandparents
- trouble_spot: [mrs] lost retainer , or more costly items
- trouble_spot: [rsw] bed bugs, or other things broken at home. Serenity required in this white swan storm. Mosquitos are much smaller as a trouble_spot.
- trouble_spot: [rsw] blogg siteblock, or other blogg infrastructure components outside office
- trouble_spot: reno headaches.
- trouble_spot: [sw] investment woes .. like the HY/PE (white swan). I blogged about oversized losses in ##[19]random derailers@ffree
- trouble_spot: [sw] losing access to office… This black swan derailer did disrupt my blissful bubble. For grandma, losing access to swimming pool was a derailer to her satisfactory life. Zqbx (adjustment) needed.
- trouble_spot: [s] Rbh unusable. Need more zqbx than serenity. Need to find alternatives.at
- trouble_spot: [s] substance abuse and other 成长 problems… See ##[19]random derailers@ffree
- trouble_spot: MLP compliance breach
— Many of the above items are exaggerated imaginations of Potential derailers! My current carefree phase has lasted more than 3 years since late 2018…. Question: excluding the minor derailers, what are the actual derailers /recorded/, based on recorded events, not forecasts, not imagination, not sentiments?
- brief derailer: MLP compliance swan events
- brief derailer: RTO and other lockdown pains. Too many…. Recorded in other blogposts.
- boy’s math weakness
- Erection, BMI
- In terms of sentiments I did worry about PIP for a few days,
without any trigger whatsoever!
— countless everyday caution (habits).. Babies learn to protect their heads and toes while crawling. Likewise, as my bubble rolls on, I need countless caution/prudent habits to keep it from derailing/breaking. These habits take years of learning/adjustment, become second nature, but sometimes can feel like constant background_stressors in my ezlife. The stressors remind me of the realities outside (and inside) my bubble.
Slow-down is a key safety factor on many (not all) “tracks”.
- keep the house organized.. Slow down helps.
- maintain dental hygiene and eyesight .. Slow down? Yes allocate enough time
- bicycle safety; safe driving
- avoid losing things when on the go
I need a more memorable descriptor (more visual or sharper English phase). “Everyday caution (habits)”
— Q: For each item, am I really learning to cope with this particular derailer, weather this particular storm, and strengthen my bubble?
Harmony of Serenity vs zqbx .. is part of defense in depth, and fundamental to my carefree ezlife.
NB in these storms or derailer times, zqbx often means active management, seeking alternatives (if possible), celebrating each improvement … while accepting and living with a tough situation… like living with covid.
