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u/Teknology1

r/Retirement401k r/guessthegolfcourse r/managers r/lawncare
Image 1 — Fall KBG Overseed: Turns out patience actually works (7a)
Image 2 — Fall KBG Overseed: Turns out patience actually works (7a)
▲ 44 r/lawncare

Fall KBG Overseed: Turns out patience actually works (7a)

Went hard this fall for my annual overseed in Zone 7a, and I’m pretty happy with how it’s coming along (thanks to all you nerds!)

Started by dethatching aggressively, then put down fertilizer, Huma Green (humate soil conditioner), Thrive (molasses-based soil bio-activator), and a layer of peat moss, followed by Kentucky bluegrass seed.

Then took a spare 8'x8' chainlink fence and did a 1-pass drag across it to push the seed down. I looked like an idiot doing it, but man that works GREAT.

Followed a strict watering schedule of 3x/day (5-7 minutes each) for the first few weeks.

KBG definitely tested my patience at first, but once it decided to show up, it really took off.

Now I just need to resist the urge to mess with it.

Thanks for all the info, my dudes.

u/Teknology1 — 11 days ago
▲ 5 r/managers

Is Unnecessary International Onsite Travel Pressure Normal for Senior ICs in Tech?

I’m an MTS-level electrical engineer IC with 20 YOE. I’ve spent ~5 years systematically training our India team remotely. At this point, that training is complete, everything is documented, and any intern-level engineer could be trained remotely using the foundation already built over those five years. They have been carrying out the process for years now without issues.

Despite this, upper leadership (3+ levels above me) has repeatedly suggested me spending 1-2 weeks in India. Now the India team’s new manager is pushing it as well.

The justification is always some variation of: “We really think face-to-face can have benefits.” That is it, nothing else. No specific training topic. No technical problem. No defined deliverable that requires me to physically be there.

I was tempted to asking the new India manager to quantify the expected ROI of flying an MTS engineer across the globe for 1-2 weeks, including the definitive schedule impact. I ultimately decided to just nod and move on.

The irony is that having me gone for 1-2 weeks would directly impact major project schedules here. My new focus is pathfinding and automation proof of concept, which requires me here locally.

I also have family obligations that make extended international travel a nonstarter anyway.

My direct manager is vocal about keeping me local, but they only have so much say.

Is this kind of pressure normal at other large tech companies for senior ICs when nobody can articulate an objective business need beyond “face-to-face can have benefits”?

reddit.com
u/Teknology1 — 2 months ago
▲ 86 r/Retirement401k

Looking for objective feedback (not trying to flex), just sanity checking trajectory and structure.

- Family / Income

- Me: 39, Wife: 36, 1 child (7)

- HHI increased significantly ~3 years ago

- MCOL area

- Debt

- Mortgage only: $280K @ 2.9% (home ≈ $525K)

- No student loans, cars, or CC debt

Current Contributions (maxing all)

- 401(k)

- Simple IRA (spouse)

- HSA

- Backdoor Roth IRAs

- Net Worth (~$1.01M)

- 401(k): $383K (60% Traditional / 40% Roth, TDF 2050, 5% match)

- Wife Simple IRA: $86K (TDF 2053)

- Roth IRAs: $66K

- Brokerage: $357K

- HSA: $9K

- HYSA: $40K

- Cash: $8K

- 529 (2038): $30K

- UTMA: $31K

- Notes / Context

- Large NW jump from RSU sales + stock gains (now mostly de-risked to cash/brokerage)

- More taxable exposure than I’d like vs Roth

- Child savings split ~50/50 between 529 and UTMA

- Significant RSUs vesting next 3 years (worth $1.6M, but NOT counted in NW). I fully expect a sizable pullback over the next few years.

- If sold 25% of my RSUs next year at -55% of today’s value → mortgage payoff possible (after tax)

-No chance I can continue this (Engineering) until Im 65.

- Goals

- “Semi-retire” in ~10 years (~50)

- I would work to cover living expenses + healthcare with income

- Let investments compound untouched until 59.5

- Current spend: < $90K/year (including mortgage)

- Pay child's college tuition, any surplus goes to their home downpayment

- Questions

- Am I realistically on track for semi-retire in ~10 years?

- Should I prioritize shifting more into Roth vs continuing heavy brokerage?

- Would you accelerate mortgage payoff given 2.9%, or stay invested?

- 529 vs UTMA — is 50/50 reasonable, or should I tilt harder one direction?

- Any obvious allocation or tax strategy gaps?

Appreciate any direct, objective feedback.

u/Teknology1 — 5 months ago