"I walked in right out of school and walked out 40 some odd years later. No significant complaints."
I hope you appreciate how fortunate you were, Kelly. Being able to stay with one employer for that long is rare enough, but enjoying is is even rarer.
Stan's got a point worth researching - Becoming a consultant for three years.
Depending on what programs you've been involved with and clearance levels and so forth, consulting for a few years might be a viable option if you have a decent network and can discern where the need is for your talents and experience. Whether you can remain in the same town is a big question, though. But while consultant fees are usually quite high on a per-week basis, you can end up paying for lots of your expenses (unless you can get the hiring company to pick those up). You've probably dealt with contract SW people so I'm sure you know the drill. Sometimes it's great, sometimes not.
It's rare for a consultant to be able to enjoy the medical benefits of the place hiring you by contract (that's usually an HR nightmare), so you'd pick up something like COBRA which is VERY expensive for the care levels you're used to - That can be a wake up call for a while until your wife qualifies for Medicare (you're already there, but would need a supplement to get back to your company's current benefits), so there is that.
The first place to look (and I'm sure you're already doing this) is where you already are but in a different (still funded) group. Sometimes, longer term employees can get picked up for a short term project like 2-3 years and then retire and everybody wins. Worth looking into.
I'm way ahead of you there, Gordon. I've reached out to a lot of contacts, within my current employer and otherwise. My current leadership is also assisting in finding me another spot. They have a vested interest because if they end up laying me off they'll owe me a considerable severance package, which comes out of their overhead budget.
As for being a freelance consultant, maintaining a clearance on your own isn't easy (or cheap). Also, I'm not particularly confident in my marketing skills. Hopefully I won't have to develop them.
I was wondering about maintaining clearance levels and I know it’s a big deal. I haven’t had to deal with that since I left Northrop Electronics and weaponry behind.
So you sound optimistic and it looks like they’re trying to be helpful, so hang in there and look for the best deal you can find.
@Marty Grzynkowicz posted:with what engine^
Probably a 2200-2300 Type IV.
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m way more of a “slow car fast” kind of guy.
I see where you are coming from Stan. When I was in high school and college working in gas stations I certainly felts some times that I was someone’s boy. Probably made me hit the books harder. After I got those 2 initials after my name I think that the only person I had to live up to was myself.
Lane you deserve that car. You need that car.
@Gordon Nichols posted:The small block compares very favorably in weight and the full conversions cost about half of just a new Porsche 6 engine, alone.
I have a family friend who bought an IMS failure 993 with the intention of doing an LS conversion. Before he commenced, he sat down with a pencil and paper and weighed the pros and cons.
In the end, he figured he could repair the motor for the same price. Bought the factory workshop manuals and the all special tools and did it himself. Twice (he did something wrong with the oil pump iirc. Said he realized it the second he turned it over and the oil pressure didn’t even bounce off the pin, so he pulled it out and did it all again.)
Some crazy stuff on that engine. The special tools required to assemble it were almost $5K. The WSM was another $1500 or so.
I thought I'd finish this off by letting y'all know I placed an order for a 2023 BMW M240i last week. Colors are Portimao blue with black and cognac interior. Went for the cooling and high performance tire package (better, staggered wheels and tires, extra oil coolers, mild flares) as well as a smattering of other options. It's rated at 382hp at the crank although I wonder if that's pessimistic. The M2 (next step up) is rated at 453 at the crank, but has been dynoed independently at 464 at the wheels, meaning over 500 at the crank. Hmmm...
Sadly a manual is not available in the M240i. For that you have to spend another >$10k and wait a year for an M2. I think 0-60 in 4.5 sec is quick enough for me and it'll be nice to have some money left over. Besides, most of my driving is currently in urban high traffic areas so the multi-mode 8-speed automatic (with flappy paddles) is a better choice. The car should be here in July.
Depending on how the job situation plays out (and I'm convinced I'll be fine) the black 128i may be on the market if anyone is interested. If I can work from home, I won't need it, but if I have a lengthy commute I may want it for that purpose.
@Lane Anderson posted:EPILOGUE
Sadly a manual is not available in the M240i. For that you have to spend another >$10k and wait a year for an M2. I think 0-60 in 4.5 sec is quick enough for me and it'll be nice to have some money left over. Besides, most of my driving is currently in urban high traffic areas so the multi-mode 8-speed automatic (with flappy paddles) is a better choice. The car should be here in July.
For me at least, if the car is only for "fun" use, a manual is a preference. If there is any traffic driving, having the option to do one or the other is nice. My BMW had paddles and truthfully, I never used it and never really got use to it when I tried. That car was a daily driver though.
Congrats on your new car Lane!
@Lane Anderson posted:EPILOGUE
I thought I'd finish this off by letting y'all know I placed an order for a 2023 BMW M240i last week. Colors are Portimao blue with black and cognac interior. Went for the cooling and high performance tire package (better, staggered wheels and tires, extra oil coolers, mild flares) as well as a smattering of other options. It's rated at 382hp at the crank although I wonder if that's pessimistic. The M2 (next step up) is rated at 453 at the crank, but has been dynoed independently at 464 at the wheels, meaning over 500 at the crank. Hmmm...
Sadly a manual is not available in the M240i. For that you have to spend another >$10k and wait a year for an M2. I think 0-60 in 4.5 sec is quick enough for me and it'll be nice to have some money left over. Besides, most of my driving is currently in urban high traffic areas so the multi-mode 8-speed automatic (with flappy paddles) is a better choice. The car should be here in July.
Depending on how the job situation plays out (and I'm convinced I'll be fine) the black 128i may be on the market if anyone is interested. If I can work from home, I won't need it, but if I have a lengthy commute I may want it for that purpose.
Were you able to do a full build spec with all of your own choices made on the build Lane? Any chance you have a link to to the configurator with the build code so we can all gawk at the choices you made? That's always a risk though because everyone here will have an opinion on some other choice you should have made.
Kathy’s Subaru Outback has paddle shifters and I love them so much I drive her absolutely Bat$#!+ with them. And when I get to the point where she’s about to pound on my arm while holding her grab handle, I can flip the shifter to “Drive” and let it turn me back into “Docile Grampa”.
I just traded the Nissan Rogue for an Acura RDX and have yet to learn what the heck its’ “performance” modes act like.
Stay tuned….
@Robert M posted:Were you able to do a full build spec with all of your own choices made on the build Lane? Any chance you have a link to to the configurator with the build code so we can all gawk at the choices you made? That's always a risk though because everyone here will have an opinion on some other choice you should have made.
I was, Robert. I haven't saved a build but can recreate it easily. I'll see if there's a way to save it and provide a link.
@Gordon Nichols posted:Kathy’s Subaru Outback has paddle shifters and I love them so much I drive her absolutely Bat$#!+ with them. And when I get to the point where she’s about to pound on my arm while holding her grab handle, I can flip the shifter to “Drive” and let it turn me back into “Docile Grampa”.
I just traded the Nissan Rogue for an Acura RDX and have yet to learn what the heck its’ “performance” modes act like.
Stay tuned….
One of my track instructors had an M3 with paddle shifters and took me for a ride in his car. I have to admit I really liked them for track use - at least from the passenger seat. I should get a chance to try them out during the Tour de Smo' in September.
Oh, one thing I left out of my Epilogue post was how availability played into my decision. Used late model, low mileage Caymans (Caymen?) are almost as expensive as new ones, which I have a bit of a problem with. New Caymans are unobtainium short of a year's wait, and most dealers mark them up. Those that don't will only sell to you if you're in their district. Same lack of availability applies to Supras, Nissan Zs, M2s, and probably Corvettes. The M240i, while hard to come by, can be had after a 3-month wait.
Also, I recently drove a friend's just acquired previous generation M4. Wow! Lot's of power and the car just fit me like other BMWs I've driven. So does the M240i.
At least my local dealer (Rick Hendrick Imports) will sell at sticker without one of those ridiculous markups.
My limited experience with paddle shifters was that at full hoon they were a blast, but at anything less they were slightly annoying, like you were doing it just to do it. A stick at even a moderate pace rewards a modicum of talent (or at least practice), but a paddel shifter doesnt require any talent, so low reward. At full chat it gives one more control over things and so the reward comes back. It also provides a great soundtrack as one rips off downshifts like Sebastien Vettel. Lane's new coupe is gonna sound great when excercising that feature!
@JMM (Michael) posted:My limited experience with paddle shifters was that at full hoon they were a blast, but at anything less they were slightly annoying, like you were doing it just to do it. A stick at even a moderate pace rewards a modicum of talent (or at least practice), but a paddel shifter doesnt require any talent, so low reward. At full chat it gives one more control over things and so the reward comes back. It also provides a great soundtrack as one rips off downshifts like Sebastien Vettel. Lane's new coupe is gonna sound great when excercising that feature!
If your cruising on the highway and you need to overtake, you normally are in 7th gear then with two clicks down your in full power range or rpm the car then becomes responsive and you can easily overtake then wait a moment and it goes back into the driving D or S that you chose for your drive and the rpm's drop to 2K while your back cruising on the highway. Easy peazy ... Nice GTI 
Good for you Lane. Can’t wait to see it in September. Something about that straight 6 Bimmer engine. Torque monster.
I love the paddle shifters on my Smart. Probably orders of magnitude less performance oriented than a modern 7-8 speed auto, but I’ll never by another 3 pedal car as long as I live.
A Smart trans is a little different than a PDK. It’s actually a computer-controlled, electric clutch, manual. But given the normal trans programming is set to grandma mode, shifting manually is the only way to keep the engine in its power band. Important with a 999cc motor.
I guess I will have to play with the paddle shifters on my GTI. I never use them.
@Michael McKelvey posted:I guess I will have to play with the paddle shifters on my GTI. I never use them.
Just keep your hands on the wheel and every time your brain and the tach tells you to shift, hit an up or down paddle. It won’t take long to rewire your brain from keying your left foot and right arm to keying your fingers. I often shift my smart with my little fingers.
The funny thing is when I find myself slapping at the 968 steering wheel when it’s time to downshift. Then, when I get back in the Smart, I’m stamping on the floor looking for a clutch pedal. 
I have just been letting the transmission react when I step on the gas. Maybe the paddles are more useful for downshifting.
Nice car Lane!
Around town and in traffic I expect to let the car do the shifting for itself. The 8-speed transmission has four modes: Eco-pro, Comfort, Sport, and Sport manual. Sport is a hoot, but not particularly useful in traffic. I expect to use Comfort most of the time except when I am in a position for some minor hoonery - strictly in a safe and legal manner I assure you. 
The configurator link to my build is https://www.bmwusa.com/build-y...dio/f0qhgq5s/summary
Oh, and I didn't really want the Park Assist stuff, but I did want the drive recorder, which requires it.
That’s beautiful Lane. I didn’t know BMW still built cars without the “gaping maw” grills.
@JMM (Michael) I totally agree about the paddle shift experience.
Lane, sounds like a nice car. I wouldn't buy a BMW, but they are really nice and I know you love them.
My son just bought a slightly modified 2009 Legacy GT turbo with a 5 speed.
Why, you may say? It's a STICK! He really wanted to learn. I took him a couple times in the Cayman and once in the Spyder.
I drove it home for him from Carlisle, then taught him to drive stick the next day. HOLY ACCELERATION, Batman!
It has a Cobb downpipe, full dual stainless exhaust, and a MEGA tune on the ECU. 300 hp to the ground. Goes from 80-120 like quick! He's gonna have to be careful, but he's 21 and an adult. So, his choice.
The car has 3 modes, economy, sport, and sport plus. It would be a fun car for the mountains.
Excellent Lane!
@Lane Anderson posted:The configurator link to my build is https://www.bmwusa.com/build-y...dio/f0qhgq5s/summary
That's a handsome automobile, Lane, and a relative bargain at $52K (these words coming off my fingers.... who is typing them?). You know how I feel about automatics - but I guess I understand, living as you do in a people-pile (biggish city).
3 or 4 pages back I said that I always knew you'd end up in a BMW, and so you did.
I hope it scratches the itch. I was starting to become afraid you weren't going to buy anything. It would appear that Van Gogh is still in the blue period.
Well done.
@Michael McKelvey posted:I guess I will have to play with the paddle shifters on my GTI. I never use them.
Just start with the passing routine I described above, you might really enjoy it ... FYI, the rest of the time I don't find them really useful but keeping the car in the powerband is where paddle shifters IMO really shine. Especially with VW GTI implementation where it returns to the auto DRIVE mode all by itself.
^what Ray said. For down shifts is awesome. My Blackwing is an absolute beast and it does even need the paddles shifters. That said, if you get bored with the almost 500 HP just toss in manual mode, pressed V button and play with the shifters and it’s like your a kid again with all the entertaining cracks, snaps, & pops from the Turbo waste gates. When I drive the car back from Florida, I want to play with the 🏁 mode.
"It would appear that Van Gogh is still in the blue period."
You don't know how many times I've said that, @Stan Galat. My second choice (which I can still change to for another week or so) is mineral white metallic with black and Tacora red leather interior. I drove a Brooklyn gray metallic one with the cognac interior. The gray isn't bad, but kinda boring - sorta like glossy light gray primer.
.
I kinda like the blue/cognac, Lane.
But look on the bright side. At least the wheels won't be body-colored.
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I like the Congac interior, too. And it’s a pretty blue.
I just passed on a new Jeep in a similar color, but it just didn’t look right on a Jeep, no matter how “Macho” the rest of the Jeep was.
You’ve spec’d a very nice car, Lane.
And you fit in it!!
