I hate the fact that I am a middle aged boring person. ;)

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Are you happy most of the time?


  • Total voters
    52

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
67,194
12,025
126
www.anyf.ca
I'm generally happy. I'm pretty much at the point in life that I dreamed of when I was a kid. Done school, full time job, house, etc. Human nature is that we always want more though, so of course I'd like to make more money, or have better job security, or a bigger property, etc... But when I really consider what I have, and the fact that I'm healthy and my family is healthy and all the good points, I could not be happier really. If I did have the things I want like a bigger property, I'd probably just want even more.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,135
2,445
126
Well, when I was around 25 I figured that "happiness is for pigs." That's what a friend of mine said in characterizing my attitude. I figured that passion is where it's at, not "happiness." Happiness is too close to complacency. It's sufficient to be thrilled with your life. There are moments when I feel pleased, even euphoric, but most of the time I work toward improving my life, am engaged in activities to achieve my goals, which are open-ended and in some degree unfathomable. My emotions vary a lot, they can be all over the place, but that's part and parcel of all the goings-on.

Ideas, often specific quotations that have appealed to me, are part of my mental life and this one comes to mind sometimes:

Man was made for joy and woe. When this we rightly know, safely through the world we go. - William Blake

Yeah.... "happiness" seems like a goal for single hipster millennials at this point in my mind. I'm a grown up now, with real responsibilities. I got a kid to raise, and bills to pay. Free time for fun stuff is a secondary objective.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
Happiness (or whatever you have internally concerning how you feel about your life) is a personal affair. It's a mistake to worry about being boring. That's seeing yourself through what you conceive as other people's eyes/ears. That's an ever changing mysterious and ultimately meaningless thing. What you do know is whether you are bored or not. You are in a position to do something about that! I am seldom bored to the extent that it's obviously a problem and if it does happen it's only briefly. I have way too much that occupies me to stay in the doldrums. And as Blake said, "the busy bee has no time for sorrow."
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
I'm generally happy. I'm pretty much at the point in life that I dreamed of when I was a kid. Done school, full time job, house, etc. Human nature is that we always want more though, so of course I'd like to make more money, or have better job security, or a bigger property, etc... But when I really consider what I have, and the fact that I'm healthy and my family is healthy and all the good points, I could not be happier really. If I did have the things I want like a bigger property, I'd probably just want even more.
Good on you. This very apt quotation of Socrates comes to mind and I'm sure you'll agree:
- - - -
He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have. - Socrates
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
Probably a good financial decision.
I don't know. It wasn't a financial decision (not to change to an english major from math). I wasn't thinking in terms of what academic direction I was taking could point me to financial security. I only thought like that much later when I was a truly impoverished student, many changes later. :) Then, I veered away from my major subject at the time (math) to business courses. I suppose those helped me some, they gave me insight into organizational strategies. But it wasn't an MBA that I went for, I was desperate at that time to just make a little money. I really needed some guidance, but I didn't get any worth a feather.

The funny thing is that after many years floating rudderless on stormy seas I finally found my way into computer programming (database). An old friend of mine told me that with my math background he thought I'd be very good at it. I took to it like a hungry bear takes to honey. But I discovered that a great many of the most talented and successful programmers I was shoulder to shoulder with (I joined the local organization of them) were not computer or math people as academics. They were English majors and such! You have to be very agile and creative to survive in the field and never sit on your laurels. Most any academic discipline might work for such people.
 
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purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
52,834
5,713
126
I am happy most of the time I would say. I typically find myself not as happy when I don't have a vacation to look forward to, which is why I try to always have one booked. Probably my favorite thing in the world is to be at a clear water white sand beach. There is something about the turquoise color of the water that is just mesmerizing. With that I can go snorkeling which is probably my favorite activity to do period.

This year I have 5 tropical vacations planned (3 of them already happened) and I hope to be able to keep that pace up next year. My wife and I make it a priority to travel and even after we had our first kid we didn't let it slow us down.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,202
5,608
136
vacations are expensive though. i spent over 5$k on them last year and am going to try to limit myself to 2$k in the future. maybe i'll allow myself a splurge year every 5 years.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
i can't wait to retire man

Yeah but I gotta find things to fill the time with. We stay pretty busy now but not enough to fill an extra 45-50 hours a week (adding in drive time) and it'll be a few years until any of my friends retire.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
52,834
5,713
126
vacations are expensive though. i spent over 5$k on them last year and am going to try to limit myself to 2$k in the future. maybe i'll allow myself a splurge year every 5 years.
I spent probably close to $5k or over the past 6 days in Grand Cayman.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,202
5,608
136
I spent probably close to $5k or over the past 6 days in Grand Cayman.

whew. you've got multiple people though so its understandable. i just have myself to move around so i about pooped my pants when i realized i'd spent 6$k.
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
67,194
12,025
126
www.anyf.ca
Yeah not a big fan of splurging on huge vacations. Yeah it's a nice experience, but I rather put money towards things I can enjoy for longer like a toy, or a home project, etc. I'm a fan of cheaper vacations where you still get to see stuff but it's mostly playing it by ear. Like I went to Halifax years back, we had no real plans for what to go see, we just walked around and like "hey let's go check that museum out" kinda deal.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
52,834
5,713
126
Yeah not a big fan of splurging on huge vacations. Yeah it's a nice experience, but I rather put money towards things I can enjoy for longer like a toy, or a home project, etc. I'm a fan of cheaper vacations where you still get to see stuff but it's mostly playing it by ear. Like I went to Halifax years back, we had no real plans for what to go see, we just walked around and like "hey let's go check that museum out" kinda deal.
Eh I pretty much have all the toys I need so I don't really buy much now a days as far as toys go. We just redid our floors and put in hardwood as well a week before this last vacation, but that is what we had saved our tax return for. So I still buy toys when need be and things that have to be done around the house.

Experiences and the memories that those bring are priceless though. I can pretty much walk through in my head each and every vacation I've ever taken since 2005 (when I first left the country) and that is without looking at any pictures. I don't think I really care to talk much about the first HDTV I bought that was a DLP back in 2004 for $3k though.
 

Xcobra

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2004
3,623
365
126
Happiness (or whatever you have internally concerning how you feel about your life) is a personal affair. It's a mistake to worry about being boring. That's seeing yourself through what you conceive as other people's eyes/ears. That's an ever changing mysterious and ultimately meaningless thing. What you do know is whether you are bored or not. You are in a position to do something about that! I am seldom bored to the extent that it's obviously a problem and if it does happen it's only briefly. I have way too much that occupies me to stay in the doldrums. And as Blake said, "the busy bee has no time for sorrow."
I wouldn't 100% agree with this. In my view, happiness is a state of mind really. I don't expect to try to meet someone's perception of me. I find that I give leds crap about what everyone thinks. I believe that being in a happier state changes your body biochemistry in some way. I've noticed it myself. You're more positive and people can feel it and it can rub on to people. I think it's a good thing. You worry less about the less important stuff and stress is a secondary thought. You even tend to make better choices for yourself. My rambling 2¢.
 
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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
I wouldn't 100% agree with this. In my view, happiness is a state of mind really. I don't expect to try to meet someone's perception of me. I find that I give leds crap about what everyone thinks. I believe that being in a happier state changes your body biochemistry in some way. I've noticed it myself. You're more positive and people can feel it and it can rub on to people. I think it's a good thing. You worry less about the less important stuff and stress is a secondary thought. You even tend to make better choices for yourself. My rambling 2¢.
Yeah, OK. Not sure we were talking about the same thing there. IOW, not sure there's any lack of agreement going on. I'm just saying that bring bored is something other than being boring. The OP's worried about being boring. I'm not worried about that. You can do something about being in a state of boredom. Trying to be interesting so other people don't find you boring is just a weird preoccupation. Suit yourself, not other people.
 

cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
13,664
28
91
:) I woke up this morning, I did have the alarm set, but awoke 20 minutes earlier,
and came out to the kitchen and made a 1/2 pot of coffee. Why 1/2 pot, any more living alone is a waste. LOL.

I have had a nice day so far, not perfect, but nice.

Life is short, try and have some Happiness while you can.
 
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cavemanmoron

Lifer
Mar 13, 2001
13,664
28
91
Went to a Ham radio Club meeting this evening, about 10 Gents showed up.
There was 1 other Gent a little younger than me.

Somebody brought a 24 cut cheese pizza to share and somebody also made coffee,
Folgers with a Mr Coffee, there was some half and half, and sugar. splenda etc. :)

10:40pm and I am ready for bed. LOL.

Hope you all had a decent day!
 
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bradly1101

Diamond Member
May 5, 2013
4,689
294
126
www.bradlygsmith.org
Boredom is just serenity with judgement added like, "I should be doing something!" Boredom affords the opportunity for self reflection, and a lot of people could use more of that. It's also an opportunity for meditation, for working on concentration.

You mentioned also that you are boring. How so, and to whom? I think sometimes as our lives wind down, our bodies go into self-protection mode, unwilling to feed off of or need the endorphins granted in the excitement and risk of our youths.