I think I've Become an Old Man.

[AppleQueso]

You guys whine too much.

Life only continues to get more difficult, provide more challenges, and makes you contemplate the decisions you've made that has led to the life you lead. The truth is everyone can usually look back five years and say "it was so much easier then". Everyday can be the best day of your life if you make it... Unless your dog dies, then that day is going to be fucking awful.

I hear a lot of "I can't connect with people my age" on this board, despite the fact they're actually connecting with people their own age. I'm not singling any one out, but enough with this. This is always said by the same kids who won't even try to talk to any of their peers, and are just as guilty of prejudging people the same way jocks may prejudge emo kids (do emo kids still exist?). The "I'm more mature/smart" argument is bullshit. If you were smart enough you'd be in a gifted school with kids with the same intelligence.

Never forget how good you have it. Never forget that perception is reality, and you create your own perception. That, and if you can't live happily by yourself, you'll never be happy unless you make an effort to change.

And if you get one dimensional on missing the past, or can't stop thinking about being depressed, ask yourself this: "What did God do before he created his own existence?". That shit will confuse you for hours upon end.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z5_ZaEO ... 0the%20bus.

That is one great post Luke.

[elmagicochrisg]

Never forget how good you have it. Never forget that perception is reality, and you create your own perception. That, and if you can't live happily by yourself, you'll never be happy unless you make an effort to change.

Not trying to be an asshole Luke, but I think it's easy to say things like that when you have it good. Keep in mind not everyone has the same background, got the same chances, can count on family, etc...

I do agree though that living in the past doesn't help anyone. So we should always look forward. But again, keep in mind not everyone got / gets the same chances. Sometimes things are / have been decided without you having anything to say about them. Like the decisions your parents made for you when you were younger. Or sometimes you fuck things up royally, and no matter how hard you try, there's just no way to undo the things you've done. Sometimes it's hard to look forward when most doors in front of you have been shut permanently...

I should know...

[AppleQueso]

I don't think it's so much looking forward as simply living in the present. I mean, I have tons of regrets and pretty much zero prospects at this point, but I'm cool with it. Not much point in worrying about what could've been, just try to appreciate what you have and where you are now.

[Hateshinai]

"Getting old is unavoidable. Growing up is optional."
I'm 35 and I have 3 kids. I do feel like an old man from time to time. Especially when I see my age or date of birth written down somewhere.
However I tend not to care most of the time. At work I'm surrounded by people who are on average 10 years younger than me and I get along with them better than with people my own age.

[Luke]

Never forget how good you have it. Never forget that perception is reality, and you create your own perception. That, and if you can't live happily by yourself, you'll never be happy unless you make an effort to change.

Not trying to be an asshole Luke, but I think it's easy to say things like that when you have it good.

You always assume so much about me.

I've fought tooth and nail for everything I've achieved and earned. Not to start a pissing contest, but I've dealt with a ton of hurdles in my life and will have to jump many more. Life sucks, a lot, but you can't let things (besides your dog dying) get you down. You can't control things, and it's a life lesson everyone needs to accept. With the right attitude, there is no reason to get down (unless by get down you mean dancing).

My Father would often say "Think". Just "Think". Sometimes he would follow up with "What would YOU like to be doing with your time? Well, then DO IT!" (he did yell, but as his son I know why). And I don't buy the "Well, easy for you to say" shit either. Everyone should have enough ego to be themselves, and to not care if everyone likes the, for who they are.

In short, it is your life. It is what you make of it. Break the rules if you need to, but mak sure you're happy. Again, perception is reality.

[J T]

I knew I was an old man when I heard some Skrillex track and said "this is just noise and it's too loud." I recoiled in horror at my own statement. "Oh my God call 911 now" is right.

Luke's right though, people don't appreciate what they have enough when they have it. We want something and don't feel complete until we get, then when we get it, we just want something else, and we don't really appreciate it until it's gone and we can't get it back. Like there are parts of my life that downright suck right now and I can sink right into a hole if I dwell on them, but then there are amazing things about my life at the moment that I am very fortunate to have: I have an amazing house, amazing wife, amazing game collection, amazing music collection, and an amazing racketboy community. And if you're really old, you'll remember an old song: you have to aaaaccentuate the positive and eeeeliminate the negative.

[D.D.D.]

I knew I was an old man when I heard some Skrillex track and said "this is just noise and it's too loud." I recoiled in horror at my own statement. "Oh my God call 911 now" is right.

And if you're really old, you'll remember an old song: you have to aaaaccentuate the positive and eeeeliminate the negative.

What is it?

[Duane Dibbley]

Welcome to the club! I just turned 30, but I feel like I've had the "old man" mentality for a while now. I don't think you need to worry about it. Sure, there's the occasional "what if" thought, but just be glad that you can focus on the important things in life more than the trivial. Plus, you still have plenty of time to enjoy being an old man.

The other night I was sitting out on my front porch, drinking, wearing overalls and a straw hat, with a hound dog at my feet.

You left out the part about yelling at the damn kids to get off your lawn. Bonus points if you have a pitchfork or shotgun to shake.

[Menegrothx]

I hear a lot of "I can't connect with people my age" on this board, despite the fact they're actually connecting with people their own age.

Connecting with people on a nation/world wide scale is not the same thing as connecting with the people you are forced to deal with in a school or workplace. Of course you are more likely to find people of your age you connect with on the internet. The probability of finding people like that is a lot higher when there are 300 million people (~~ the US population) rather than 30 people (average class room). Even a child can understand that.

This is always said by the same kids who won't even try to talk to any of their peers

And I guess you personally know every one who says stuff like that? I know from personal experience that even when I tried getting along with the other kids in kindergarten and school, I really wasn't intrested in the same things as they were and therefore I could not engage in meaningful conversations with them even if I tried. Many 13-16 year old kids simply aren't intrested in talking about economics, literature or politics. What are you supposed to do? Bug them untill they all stop drinking alcohol and playing sports and expect them to instantly start discussing about the merits of keynesian economics and Milton Friedman's ideas of negative income tax with you?

The "I'm more mature/smart" argument is bullshit. If you were smart enough you'd be in a gifted school with kids with the same intelligence.

There aren't special schools for gifted children in all countries. In countries where such schools exist, they are often private schools and have so high tuition fees that only kids who have rich parents can attend them. That's a stupid argument. Maturity isn't the same thing as intelligence or getting good grades in standardized tests. There are savants who are phenomenally gifted in one particular area of expertise like math who might be mentally on the same level as a 6 year old child. There are many old people who are undoubtedly mature and wise despite the fact that they have no formal education and cant use computers even if their lives depended on it.

We want something and don't feel complete until we get, then when we get it, we just want something else

That's game collecting in a nutshell

[Luke]

In countries where such schools exist, they are often private schools and have so high tuition fees that only kids who have rich parents can attend them. That's a stupid argument.

Yes, saying only rich kids can get into gifted schools is a stupid argument.


It's pretty interesting though that at five years old and in kindergarten you already couldn't
"engage in meaningful conversations". You should have gone to a gifted school for sursies.