You know, I love the Olive Garden soup, salad, and breadstick thing. The soup is so yummy, and the whole thing fills me up. I do not need the "double pasta" to fill me up. This is my approach to life. I hope to achieve 7 things in my life: 1.) Get some sort of job with a livable paycheck. 2.) Get and reasonably maintain a dwelling. 3.) Visit Japan at least once. (Maybe live there.) 4.) Finish at least 2 novels. 5.) Hopefully, fall in love and get married. Key word: Hopefully. 6.) Sing along to a lot of songs and just be happy. (Singing along to "Unconditionally" as I type this.) 7.) Help people That's it. Why am I posting this? Because of this little gem: So, does it make me some sort of an oddball because I don't want a high power job with over an hour to commute? That I don't want 3 small children, no help, and a heap of chores? That I don't want to have to be fit as all-get-out? (If I'm at a healthy weight, I'm fine.) That I don't want to have to get up at 4:30 in the morning? Yes, maybe I'm more laid-back and a touch lazy, but I want to be happy, not having it all.
That person's just showing off, to be honest. I think it's great for them and I admire them, but no, I certainly do not envy them. Don't get worked up by these people. We're all different and there's no shame in that.
Duchess, you are wise. My only advice would be to make sure you leave room for the unexpected. As the song says, "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". Even plans as reasonable as yours are.
Hi, Duchess. No, you're not weird. If you are, then I am too! The only things I would change for myself on that list is: 1.) Have a job as an author with a livable paycheque. I want to write for a living, and I truly to aspire to reach that goal. I don't have to have lots of money and fame; I would be content to live on about 15-20k and write for the rest of my life. 3.) Ditto this, but I'd change the place to America. 4.) I'm hoping I'll complete between 8-10 novels, and more would be great. I haven't actually sat down and thought about it, but for me, your list is a good start. Just remember that your plans and opinions can change over the course of just a couple of years when you're young; my opinions when I was 16 are far different to now, when I'm almost 20, and I've barely started living yet! Otherwise, aspire and enjoy.
Are you studying Japanese in school? My son took three years of Japanese and in the last year we went to Japan with the class. Then he and I stayed an extra week and traveled to more places there.
I unfortunately do want it all or at least the three Fs: Fame, fortune, franchise. These three would ensure I'll not have to worry about money anymore and can focus on the continued development of my story world and other scripts.
I know a guy who dropped out of school - after a straight run of A* grades - to become a postman. His reason was that he couldn't be bothered with the rat-race. Have you heard of Frank Turner, duchess? His lifestyle and lyrics would resonate with you, I think. He was from a multi-million pound background and abandoned it all to become an (originally unsuccessful) singer-songwriter. He's earned it all back, of course, but the sentiment still stands. Personally I'm far too ambitious to do that. I'm of the 'let's leave a mark on the world' temperament. Way I see it, we're all going to die, right? None of us like it. So we might as well show biology why that's a mistake. I've toyed lately with the idea of becoming a mercenary, so I can do great things the original way, as to be honest the rat-race isn't for me, either.
There were four things I said to my son as he was growing up: 1. Ten years from now, who will care? (ie, don't sweat the small stuff) 2. Get your drop dead money (so when you find yourself in a job you hate, you can tell your boss to drop dead). 3. Find a job you like doing. I don't care if it's being a ditch digger or a rocket scientist. 4. Make enough money to support your mother. Seriously, I wish I'd learned earlier what the important things in life were. Having "things" is worthless if you're unhappy. Having money isn't important as long as you have a roof of some kind over your head. It's who is under that roof, not what.
My greatest ambition is to work in a bookshop and/or library. I toyed with the idea of becoming a university lecturer, but that seems very stressful. And a lot of work as well - the lecturers at my university all have at least a Masters. Some have several. I would also like a small tortoise.
I can I just tell you that I needed this thread this morning. Especially with @shadowwalker 's reply. I'm in my late 20s now, and have an AA, but am working towards a BA or BS (in what I still don't know). My boyfriend just lost his job, and things are tight. Real tight. But its not all about the money. It's about the face that we love each other, we have each other, and for the most part, are pretty happy in general. So, random, but... Thanks Duchess, and thanks Shadowwalker. What I'd ultimately like... To work from home, as a part time web designer/full-time writer. To work from home, as a wife and a mom (of no more than two). To be a wizard... in the kitchen. To be a magician...with my words. I want to be that strong backbone for my family, while still fulfilling my dreams and goals. Of course I'd like to travel as well, but on my scale of 'importance', its not very far up there. I see nothing wrong with what you want, Duchess. Just do your best to never 'settle' and always strive to do your best, even if its in a job that you don't necessarily like. Sometimes the end is more important than the means.
Hey, chin up, Garball, I laughed. Mostly out of the awkwardness as a couple cringey stories came back to me, but still.
A life without happiness isn't even half-lived. If there was ever a sentence to sum up my life then that is it.
Hi Duchess, I hope you get the chance to visit Japan sometime. It's a wonderful place, and the two weeks I spent there were nothing but wonderful. Good luck on your dreams!
Alrighty guys. I'm fine. Let's get back to the original topic at hand, which I think is quite an important one.
Ok First off, the person quoted in your OP sounds very average. She/he never sever says his/her job is high power. Commuting is away of life these days.When you break it down, essentially this person is just a modern american, with a job and kids and a house. Nothing highball about that. In fact, that's essentially exactly what you said you want. A decent house, decent job, a marriage. And, like most middle class Americans, I'll wager you'll get that eventually, so no worries there. I think what turned you off in the person's life description is something of a fad in modern American culture. Everyone wants to look and feel like an achiever, like they're busy. So what does your poster do? Well, she/he mentions all the mundane tasks of homecare and child rearing, evening going as far as mentioning reading the kids stories, which is just ridiculous. This person is TRYING to look swamped. The work out thing has become embedded in American culture, as of late. Saying they wake up at 4 in the morning to hit the gym makes them feel special. Unless you're really going to go far it- I'm talking rock star status, owning wall street, or becoming a scuba diver by day, astro phycistst by night- breaking your back just to fit in the trend is a little silly, considering you're basically doing the average just to say "Look at me, I'm not average."
I'm 33 and my life didn't turn out like I had planned. Of course, I didn't really have a plan, either. But here I am, beautiful wife, amazing kids, job I enjoy and a roof over my head. What else can I ask for? Sure, my car is a clunker and we don't have cable television, but we're happy. Family, friends, faith and God. All I need.
