To the older crowd of AT

[spidey07]

It turned out kinda the way I wanted. Wife of my dreams, dream job, tending to the flowers, etc. Things change and events happen that are beyond our control.

But life seems to throw you some curve balls and pitfalls and you have to ride them out as I try to rebuild now that the wife is gone and the job is getting very difficult.

Just turned 33.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Im the same as I ever was.

Kind of like that that talking heads song:

"Same as it ever was."

Multigazllibillionaire. Didnt happen. Just a thousandaire.

 

[Slikkster]

To quote some 60ish lyrics: "I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Sluggo
When I was 18 I dreamed of being a millionaire before I was 40.

Now that I am almost 40, my dream is to get my credit cards payed off before I die.

 

[azazyel]

Not even close. But hey, who knew that world domination would be so tricky? ( age 27) Seriously though, the last 9 years since graduation from high school have been crazy. Nothing like I could have ever have expected. But I am happy which is sooo very important. One piece of advice for the younger crowd, "YOU DON'T KNOW SH!T." I know you may hear this a lot but it is so true and so important that you realize this. For me I come to this realization every 4 years. You can't go out into the world clinging to your beliefs and ideas. If you do it is going to make life more difficult for you in the long run. Be open to new idea and experiences let go of that access baggage. Don't make up your mind about how things should be or will be, just let it be.

[edit 4 sidenote] - Enjoy the optimism of youth, the cynicisms of old age will kick in quickly enough.

 

[Wingznut]

Career...I figured I'd live out my life doing what I loved... Working on cars. 10+ years into that career, I was absolutely miserable. Switched careers, and now I don't think I could be much happier.

Family... I have an awesome wife and two awesome kids. This is exactly where I hoped I'd be.

I knew I'd never be filthy rich unless it was purely by accident. Money is not that important to me to have the drive and ambition to become rich. All I ever wanted was to not live paycheck to paycheck. If we need groceries, I don't want to wait until payday. When payday comes and goes, I wanted to not even realize it's payday.

Having a good life is all about making good decisions. Like some have said, life throws everyone curveballs... It's just all a matter of what you do with them.

 

[Spamela]

i'm 49. is that "older?"

i wasn't clear on what marriage would be like. eventually you recognize that you
need a companion/best friend/someone you can trust and, therefore, that
personality & character are more important than appearances.
career-wise, i'm doing about what i thought i would be doing.

you realize that a lot of the things your parents tell you
(or you hear older adults talk/joke about) are true, namely:

your health is important - your body's going to start breaking
down in your thirties (earlier, if you drink a lot). you are no exception.
money doesn't make you happy.
the passage of time seems to accelerate.
most people, even smart ones, are stupid until about age 25.

of course, a lot of people have to learn these things the hard way.

 

[MaxDepth]

Career: I pissed away my fortune. I'm stuck in a very crappy job because of a company merger. But I have two offers that I'll be interviewing for this week. I could make close to 100K by the end of the year.

Family: I would have been married for 8 years this summer if my ex-fiance and I really and seriously worked on our problems. But I wouldn't be the person I am today. I love the women I've been with lately. They don't mind the age difference (sometimes 12 years difference) because I'm upfront with them. I don't know about marriage and kids. Maybe, but they aren't on the priority list for me.

Personal: I was a college soccer player. And now I'm not a fan, nor do I play it much. I am trying to make it to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Skeleton. I came close on the try-outs this past fall and I think this year is my do or die year.

In all, I am very thankful for all that I have. I guess the only disappointments that I have are those that come from seeing my friends and family getting the shaft at work or in their own lives. I wish I could help.


And no, I am not the person I saw myself at 18. Extrapolating my future at 18, I saw myself as an architect and soccer star - at the age I am now. And living in Italy.

 

[Doggiedog]

One other thing. When I was in college my vertical leap was 35". Now at 34, its more like 12".

 

[Feldenak]

18-26 would be considered wasted years by most of the younger folks here.

I spent those years occasionally going to class and getting real drunk. I eventually quit school to focus full-time on my drinking. Eventually I sobered up, found my future wife and went back to school. I'll be married next March and receive my BS in MIS next May at 31.

Would I go back and do it all over again? I don't know...probably. The experiences I had and the people I met have enriched my life beyond words. I made the best friends of my life and any one of us would gladly die to save another one of us. I see people talk about friends and how they wouldn't let them borrow their car or not seem very trusting of them...I pity them, I really do.

 

[KarenMarie]

I thought I would be healthy and gorgeous forever. I thought I would find someone, get married - forever. I thought life was gonna be one big party.

It didn't work that way.

 

[Pliablemoose]

44.

Thought I'd be wealthier than I am, but no big complaints.

NEVER thought I'd get married or have children (on 2nd wife, one bio child, one step child)

I have a pretty decent job, not what I expected, but it pays the bills & has great hours.

I did think I'd have a Corvette by now (guess I could, but it's not up there on the priority list like it was).

BTW, where's my flying car?

 

[apoppin]

I was certain I wasn't going to see my thirtieth BD . . . 21 years later I'm very glad I survived.

Surfing ocean waves changed my life. Even though I a "stuck" in the desert 2 hours from the beach, I am having the time of my life . . . work is great, health is awesome and my social life as a single is improving . . . so far so good

 

[CPA]

age 20 - I wanted to own my own restaurant and drive a Lamborghini.

age 34 - I ended up with a decent size kitchen and a Mazda6.

I still have about 30 years to make it a reality, though.

 

[Svnla]

Fritolays, first of all, how was the trip to the strip clubs? I didn't get the update. PM me, LOL.

Ok, let get back to topic. I am in my early 30s, so here I go:

Job/career: I knew back then I wanted to be a white collar worker and worked in the office. Got that. Decent money, not rich but upper midle class. Finished my BS and MBA on my own. I think I did ok in this area.

Wife/kids: not yet, dated a few gals but so far, still looking.

I have a few things for the younger crowd: you may not know exactly what you want now, just explore all optitions and learn as much as you can. Another thing, what won't kill you will make you stronger, just learn from your mistakes, and move on.

I agree with the posters about money/materials/stuffs will not make you happy. I am making now more than ever but I am not sure I am happy now than I was younger then. I used to drive an old car and I couldn't wait until I can get a new car. I have a brand new SUV now but so what?. Just do what you love and enjoy your life.

 

[Siddhartha]

I did not have any real plans after I turned 18 so it has been gravy so far. When I was 16, I made a list of everything I was looking for in a woman. I was lucky to meet a woman who fitted around 98% of my list. We dated in college. I am lucky she married another man.

 

[Electric Amish]

Then: I didn't figure I'd ever get married.
Today: Married for nearly 12 years.

Then: Wanted to be a mechanic...
Later-Then: Wanted to be a PC mechanic
Later-Later-Then: Wanted to be a Cosmologist/Planetary Geologist
Later-Later-Later-Then: Wanted to be a computer programmer
Today: I'm kinda in between a PC Mechanic and Computer programmer as a Sys Admin type position.

Barring my wife's chronic illness, things aren't too bad. I wish I made a little more money, but It's coming. The position I'm in now has lots of room above me.

I never had grand dreams. All I ever wanted was a decent job and decent money so that I didn't have to scrape by every month. A nice house, nothing overtly fancy, just big enough. I haven't achieved either of these, yet. I have a house, but it's kinda old and dumpy (late 70's split-entry).

 

[waggy]

actually i came close to how i wanted. Well when i first started school i wanted to get a mechanical engineering degree. ended up with a Computer engineering degree.

But I had planned on being married with kids and having a house. hopefully being retired and have a nice farmhouse and a nice fishing boat. well i got close. I'm 30 and semi-retired. we have the house (not a farmhouse though. they cost twice what i wanted to spend) and kid but no fishing boat! bah!

but again I'm only 30 so who knows?

 

[Noirish]

Almost 4 years out of college...
Let me check my bank balance...

Nope, it hasn't reached $10m yet, heck, not even $1m.

 

[cyclistca]

Career: Very happy with it. It can be stressful at times (With age comes responsibility) but I enjoy what I do. I'm single so I make more then enough to live on comfortably. I'm a software developer BTW. I have a business degree in Finance so I guess I went a bit off track here.

Family: Well this hasn't gone as planned. I figured I would be married with kids by now. Have dated even lived with a few women but nothings worked out yet.

Personal: This is good. I have a townhouse and a full paid of truck. I'm in great physical shat from road and mountain biking. No complaints.

 

[Norton]

Well lets see ... I was a Dad before graduating high school. That took care of any dreams I might of had for myself. Got married soon after graduating .... 10 years later got divorced/bankrupt. First 5 years of marraige were nothing but up hill financially. We went from living on food stamps to making $60k+ a year. Looking past the $1.3 million in medical bills from my oldest daughter being in a coma and almost 1 1/2 years of rehabiltation learning to walk/talk etc again(head injury in a car accident). Then sometime in the last 5 years of marraige my Ex found crack cocaine. Have spent the last 6 years raising my 2 daughters(soon to be 16 and 14) myself.

This is certainly not the life I saw for myself when I was younger. I wouldn't trade it for anything though. I have 2 beautiful daughters to love and care for. They know I love them and am here for them no matter what.

Now for the first time as an adult , I'm starting to have a little(very little but some) time to think about me. I'm clueless to what I want to do. Guess I'll just have to try a little of everything.