&gt;&gt;It seems like no one else will learn a thing from any of this.<p>There is a ton to learn from your story.<p>Most people think retirement is what you do when you get old. Retirement planning begins on the day you get the first pay check of your life. In fact the whole purpose of working should be to eliminate the need to work.<p>If you are not doing this already. You are sitting on top of  risky avalanche which will go downhill any day.