About Me

In 2017, I was relocated for work from Chicago, IL to Sydney, Australia to take a position as Head of Purchasing for Australia & New Zealand for my company.  My girlfriend at the time, agreed to come with me and we got engaged in Kauai, Hawaii on the way over during a beautiful sunrise on the beach.  In Australia, we made a home in the northern beaches of Sydney and I quickly took up surfing with the occasional weekend trip to the Blue Mountains for rock climbing.  We also became avid snorkelers in the turquoise waters near Shelley Beach.  In 2019, we got married and life seemed to be moving in the right direction.  

Work was challenging, especially during the first two years but the lifestyle was wonderful and the Australian minimum 20 days vacation per year was well appreciated.  However, in late 2020, my expatriate assignment inevitably came to an end and we were relocated back to Chicago, IL.  The new position was a promotion and a global role which was exciting for me but I was also sad to leave Australia.  Chicago is a fantastic city though and we rapidly found our footing.  It was very nice to see old friends again and to be closer to family.  However, I knew that the Chicago lifestyle was not for me after having tasted living on the beach for 4 years.

Fortunately, my wife and I had both been gradually and persistently saving and investing towards early retirement ever since our very first jobs.  Now, after I had been working at large global corporations for 20 years, we had achieved our financial targets and decided to take the plunge into early retirement in order to pursue our hobbies and passions.    So, with much trepidation, I submitted my resignation.  This was a huge decision for me as I loved the company and was proud to have the opportunity to lead a team at the global level.  At the same time, I was eager to pursue other interests and confident in our early retirement plan.  So, I gave nearly 3 months notice to allow for a good transition.  I worked diligently to the last day and then, with excitement we took the leap in September 2021!

We promptly sold most of our possessions (except for all the sporting gear – snowboards/surfboards/wetsuits/climbing gear/etc.) and set our travel plans in place to head to Portugal!  We lived in Portugal for a year, bought a house there, and travelled all over western Europe and the UK which was an amazing experience.  Unfortunately, our relationship began to devolve and, in January 2023 we separated.  Our divorce was finalized April 15, 2024.  This was devastating on many levels.  To start fresh, I moved to Australia where I now reside and hope to rebuild my life.  

It’s been a challenging journey, but I remain optimistic about the brighter future that lies ahead.