2012 Off topic thread(basketball,movies,etc whatever)

[SPX]

That's not been my experience. I pretty consistently stay depressed and sad, always looking back to when things were better.

My best memories are from about 16 to 20.

[MMA_scientist]

I have some good memories from that time. But I have good stuff now too. I get nostalgic about high school some and to a lesser extent college. But I get nostalgic about my first law job and my shitty office, and then I get nostalgic about marriage and kids, and moving...

Honestly, if I had to choose between being 21 and 35, I would choose 35. I am starting to feel my athleticism leave me, and I am fat now, and I was svelte then, so that part of me is longing for better days. But my mind and my life, I prefer it now. There are parts of 21 year old me that I would take, but total package, every year I think I would choose the current edition so far.

Sorry to hear that you are sad all the time. I don't see why you should be sad. You have youth and potential and no major hurdles to doing whatever it is that you want to do with yourself. I think I would be pretty damned excited to be in your shoes.

[SPX]

I had a lot more enthusiasm for life and more passion for things when I was younger. I didn't have such a grim view of life and the universe. I think I'm more aware now of the amount of suffering in the world and the fact that there's not much that can be done about it. I can't remember which movie it was, but there was a movie where Woody Allen says, "I can't be happy if there's even one person suffering in the world." I kind of feel that way.

I also have less faith in myself and my own abilities. When I was younger I always thought that once I get established in the world that I would make it my bitch. When I was 15 I thought that by the time I was 30 that I would already be wildly successful and would have participated in all kinds of awesomeness. Pretty much the opposite has happened.

Most importantly, though, I have lost a lot of faith in people. I've come to the conclusion that we all suffer from a disease called humanity and, as far as I can tell, it's a malady that is pretty much unfixable.

[Svino]

When I was a little kid, I was convinced that life was going to be basically downhill, at least until retirement. I thought that way because it seemed like you just had to take on more and more responsibilities as you got older and that would make life suck. Adulthood seemed like all work and no play.

So far, I've found it to be almost the exact opposite. I have so much more freedom now; it feels like I can pretty much do whatever I want, whenever I want. I guess I didn't appreciate just how much it means that the responsibilities you have can be of your own choosing and that some of the ones I had the least interest in (like parenthood) could be easily opted out of.

[SPX]

My arc has pretty much been the exact opposite. When I was young I thought the adult world held all the awesomeness. I was like, "If I can just get on my own . . . if I can just become an adult . . . then I can make anything happen." I figured my life would be like a movie.

Then I actually became an adult and I realized that the shit is actually pretty lame.

[zY|]

I'm with X on this one. I'm so fucking bitter and cynical. I hate pretty much everything and everybody, most of all myself.

[Ludo]

I'm with X on this one. I'm so fucking bitter and cynical. I hate pretty much everything and everybody, most of all myself.

We've noticed.

[Mr. IWS]

Speaking of, my son is dealing his very first bully.

I gotta say, for Me, this is the worst part of having to be a parent. Its the first time you really can't protect your child. You feel helpless and it makes you sick. I had to pull my Son out of his first school because of that shit.

My wife had the approach with my Son to not hit anyone (mostly because I was pretty violent when I was young and She didnt want him to be like that) but turns out that line of thinking made the kid so passive, he wont raise his hand to anyone now. I kinda got lucky because He is fuckin huge now, plays highschool football and is actually a really friendly kid, so he gets along with everyone no matter who/color they are but My wife says she should have let him confront these little fuckers more when He was a kid and work that shit out Himself.

We took that approach with my Daughter, and to be quite honest, If I had to characterize her, she would play the part of the Bully. As much as my neighbors hate Her and are always complaining about her, given the choice between the two, Ill take the Bully. LOL

[SPX]

I'm with X on this one. I'm so fucking bitter and cynical. I hate pretty much everything and everybody, most of all myself.

For once, we agree on something. My brother.

I still try to hold out hope that I can reverse course but the older I get the less likely that seems.

[SPX]

Someone here should order one of these, take pics, and post them:

http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/hug-jacket-coat-cold-lonely-164500181.html

[zY|]

We've noticed.

Leonardo is the 2nd lamest ninja turtle, only ahead of Donatello.

[edman5555]

I have some good memories from that time. But I have good stuff now too. I get nostalgic about high school some and to a lesser extent college. But I get nostalgic about my first law job and my shitty office, and then I get nostalgic about marriage and kids, and moving...

Honestly, if I had to choose between being 21 and 35, I would choose 35. I am starting to feel my athleticism leave me, and I am fat now, and I was svelte then, so that part of me is longing for better days. But my mind and my life, I prefer it now. There are parts of 21 year old me that I would take, but total package, every year I think I would choose the current edition so far.

Sorry to hear that you are sad all the time. I don't see why you should be sad. You have youth and potential and no major hurdles to doing whatever it is that you want to do with yourself. I think I would be pretty damned excited to be in your shoes.

Damn, 35? I am turning 30 in JAnuary. The reason I was asking about ACL's before is I am going to have to get an ACL reconstruction next year. I injured myself falling down and I have a partial tear in my right ACL. I think I also hurt my MCL though that should have healed. Partial tears don't heal so they only option is to have a weaker knee or get it replaced. I have to wait until next year for insurance reasons. We'll see what happens. I think I should be ok. I found a really good doctor.

[MMA_scientist]

Damn, 35? I am turning 30 in JAnuary. The reason I was asking about ACL's before is I am going to have to get an ACL reconstruction next year. I injured myself falling down and I have a partial tear in my right ACL. I think I also hurt my MCL though that should have healed. Partial tears don't heal so they only option is to have a weaker knee or get it replaced. I have to wait until next year for insurance reasons. We'll see what happens. I think I should be ok. I found a really good doctor.

It doesn't seem old to me now ( I just turned 35). I actually feel much better than I did when I was 30. I really don't think I have diminished strength or speed, I just break more often and it lasts longer. Every age that I am, that usually seems like the right age to me.

Sorry to hear about your knee... sucks you didn't even get hurt in a cool way. You'll heal up. Your dreams of being an NFL back are probably over, but you will be good enough to do everything else.

[MMA_scientist]

For once, we agree on something. My brother.

I still try to hold out hope that I can reverse course but the older I get the less likely that seems.

I don't know, I am a pessimisstic prick on the outside, but really, I am quite content and happy. I mean, day to day, I have very little fun and I don't smile and act chipper, but I feel more or less fulfilled- at least as much as people can I think. For me, I don't focus on happiness in the moment as much as overall satisfaction. I am the opposite of those people that smile all the time but are depressed, I am grumpy all the time, but I am actually feeling pretty good.

So yeah, everything pretty much sucks and I don't like people very much... but I can draw quite a bit out of simple things. I went out for ride today on my bike, it was fuckin awesome, and I was pretty well completely happy to be there the whole time. I hit the river trail, and I was silently buzzing pedestrians and laughnig my ass off as they jumped halfway across the trial when I flew by them at 25 mph. It was a mixture of pissing people off, doing good things for my body, and enjoying the sunshine and the amenities my city offers. I was good. I stayed in a good mood until I went to funeral today (the cancer girl I told you guys about a few weeks ago died this week). I actually got a little choked up at the funeral, and then felt really happy to be alive when I saw my kids when I got home. I am lucky. Some people might look at my life and be depressed- fat suburban dad living in the same town he went to HS in, having occasional sex with the same girl for 12 years (and for life), 9-5 job, screaming kids when he gets home... but I just embrace it, I love it. I would be equally happy in the opposite life though i think. I think it is just a good sense of perspective... it could be a hella lot worse. I am a curmudgeonly prick, who has almost no friends and everyone thinks I am a dick... but I don't care. I feel fine.

[MMA_scientist]

I gotta say, for Me, this is the worst part of having to be a parent. Its the first time you really can't protect your child. You feel helpless and it makes you sick. I had to pull my Son out of his first school because of that shit.
...

As much as my neighbors hate Her and are always complaining about her, given the choice between the two, Ill take the Bully. LOL

I am going to see how it plays out with the threat. I am going to let him deal with it himself. But I can't stand bullies, never could. I was something of a bully slayer when I was a kid and still see myself this way somewhat (taking up for the little guy, except, now instead of whupping bully ass on the playground, I am taking up for people who can't fight their own battles in the legal system). It is cheesy, but I really don't like people who abuse other people just because they can. My life's work is to whup these people's asses in one way or another.