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Since I
entered the work force, back in 1987, my job had been an integral part of my
life in a way that goes beyond a mean to pay bills and buy some luxuries. I
always choose to do whatever I liked; money always came second (even as I like
very much the things money can buy), because I thought (and still think) that
the first thing is to be happy with what you are doing. Why? Because that's
the foundation. Happiness has nothing to do with wealth, you can be happy
being either rich or poor. Had I thought otherwise I would be a Medical doctor
or MBA (the best paid professions in my country). I choose being an Architect
(a poor financial choice due to the market conditions). The marriage between
Computers and Architecture made my job a heaven. I became a highly skilled CAD
consultant. In 1990 I left my job and sunk myself in debt up to the eyeball to
buy my first computer, a no-name "cheap" computer. My workweek had 7
days and no regular schedule of both work hours and paycheck. I was told to be
insane because I was investing (they said spending) in US$ and charging in my
country's currency (which had less market value than the US$). Within a year I
was able to upgrade to an IBM computer and more software to expand the field
of my services. Since then I had never bought a no-name again and always had
been upgrading my equipment. I have no pictures that could tell that story but
I have pictures of my transportation means since 1987.
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 This
is the car my Mom bought when we arrived to Honduras for the second time
(1979). The Nicaraguan civil war took almost everything we had and poverty
struck us hard. This picture is recent as of 1999. She bought the car brand
new and is still working. That was my first transportation: A borrowed car.
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 This
was my very first car. A 1981 Toyota Celica. I bought it in 1991 when my
business was starting. It was my best shot, so I treated well and detailed it
like brand new. I hold it for 5 years.
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 I
don't have a picture of my second car; a 1986 naturally aspirated Toyota MR-2
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This is the third, the last one I had before coming to the US. A 1988 Toyota
MR-2 Supercharged. I bought it on 1997 with only 52K miles and paid for it in
cash!; the equivalent of 7.5 years of my country's mandated minimum wage. By
comparison my current car (a brand new Infiniti I30t) cost around the
equivalent of 3.2 years of the US Federal mandated minimum wage. So, Was I
making money or what? Yeah! By that time I was working to no avail; I had my
brother working for me full time (and also overtime) and even hiring part time
help!!!
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Today; as a new stage on my
financial life is being initiated, I had to take a step back into employment
(in a new country) in order to be able to make two steps towards my objectives.
Therefore my entrepreneurial spirit took a rest from the income earning
point of view; but remained alive and developing through personal projects
like this web site, insights into new fields as digital photography and special
effects. Some of the skills developed
in those projects helps me in my job and keeps me ahead of my competition.
As of
this writing I had been investing in the US Stock Market for a few months; and continue to build
a fund I started late in 1996. The objective is to develop a passive income;
money I don't need to work for.
My wages from my job are my active income. The ratio passive/active is what I call my "freedometer". As of this
writing it is below 1% (Silly, is not it?) But as Compounding is working its
magic I will see it rise year after year. The initial target is 100% (when my
passive will be equal to my active). That day I will be working by free will.
The idea attracts you? Learn more about this concept in my Freedom
Stage 1 The Great Tunnel page.
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Roger's
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