Vol. I — A Lifestyle DispatchJan in Japan
Southern Sakura

Southern roots. Far East dreams. FIRE in between.

Points of Interest

FIRE

Financial Independence, Retire Early

Money, investing, side hustles, and building a life with more freedom than meetings.

  • Dispatch No. 1

    July 8, 2026

    • I Was Offered a W-2 — Benefits and All. I Said No. Here's Why.

      Last week, a client I genuinely enjoy working with offered me a full-time W-2 position. A steady paycheck. Benefits. Paid holidays. The whole package. Sounds like a dream, right? I spent a week mulling it over before politely saying, "Thanks, but no thanks." Here's why staying a contractor made more sense for my FIRE journey—and why pursuing financial independence doesn't always mean taking the safest path.

All interests