My Life is Awesome and You Can Too

[Classic]

Happy Early Birthday Joxam!

[pacobird]

Some people will tell you that you shouldn't set modest goals for yourself, because if you attain them relatively early on in your life, you'll end up drifting aimlessly, letting the days float in and out, with no clear idea of what to do next. They'll tell you that what a man really needs to feel fulfilled is struggle and adversity; the pacifist may be mortified to see his child play with toy soldiers, they say, but when he takes them away he has no idea what to replace them with.

As someone who DID set modest goals for himself, achieved them, and lets the days float in and out with no clear idea of what to do next, I just want to chime in and say that's bullshit, the modest life is awesome and the only one worth living, and every day I wake up, stand on my land, and know that not only have I done what I set out to do, I have conquered the hubris of Man that always leaves us wanting more.

[Joxam]

Yeah, the whole AIM FOR THE STARS shit never really worked for me. I don't know, maybe you have to start dirt poor but I'm perfectly fine with 'Can pay my bills and have money left over to put in my savings.' It is, of course, terrible that in our country most people can't even do that.

[pacobird]

It might have been more clear had I phrased it "shouldn't limit oneself to modest goals"

[Mongrel]

I chose somewhat modest goals and have failed completely to reach even those.

I have had the sneaking suspicion for years that at least in my case, I really should have set ridiculous goals, because a mundane life is just not working out at all for me.

That said, I am totally on board with modest material goals.

[Joxam]

pacobird, i think i was agreeing with you.

[pacobird]

I have had the sneaking suspicion for years that at least in my case, I really should have set ridiculous goals, because a mundane life is just not working out at all for me.

part of me wants to go into a big mansplaining tirade (as i have an unfortunate tendency towards that i am trying to correct) but instead i will follow up by saying the only way i have found to not be seized by panic regarding some new spin on the profound and terrible futility of all existence once every few weeks that does not involve an antidepressant cocktail sure to keep my dick from working (thereby robbing me of one of the only sure joys in this abyss we call life) is to take a deep breath and tend my voltairian garden

marriage has helped immensely as a grounding force, of course, and beyond that video games and volunteering with the animal rescue keeps my life rotating on a tight axis of experience points and cat scratches

[Mongrel]

There have actually been quite a few times in the past couple years where I tell myself that I'm going to find or buy a new video game and just happily waste a few weeks playing, but I find that almost no games appeal to me anymore. And most of the few times I did wind up buying or downloading a game, I've quit it after losing interest pretty quickly. I mean, I'm trying! It's just not working.

I think I have always had the feeling that I'm learning and preparing for something, but without having any clue what something is. Or was. Not that I ever plan to stop learning, but the idea being that your childhood is almost entirely spent learning and at some point you will spend more time doing; i.e. acting on all the stuff you learned.

I'm getting to the point where I'm old enough that it's creeping in that whatever something is, it really probably should have started happening by now.

Materially, I'm doing okay, not great, but okay. I need to be making about 50% more than I do now, which is 52k, currently. If I can get it to 70k-75k, I can probably move out of my slum apartment and actually rent a house, which is really the single biggest material quality-of-life goal I have left (and pretty much the only practical goal I have at all right now). But I think 75k is very achieveable and not a ridiculous goal at all.

[Silversong]

Went through the worst breakup of my life last week. But then realized that I have more friends than I thought I did, as I had company keeping me distracted every night for a week. I should bake them all cupcakes.

Also, holy crap Mongrel, where do you live that 52k is a slum apartment? I can't even imagine how many pretty dresses I could buy with that much money, whilst paying off my car and living in a downtown apartment.

[pacobird]

Silversong, do you still live in SE Michigan?

I want to say you did at one point...?

[Mongrel]

Went through the worst breakup of my life last week. But then realized that I have more friends than I thought I did, as I had company keeping me distracted every night for a week. I should bake them all cupcakes.

Also, holy crap Mongrel, where do you live that 52k is a slum apartment? I can't even imagine how many pretty dresses I could buy with that much money, whilst paying off my car and living in a downtown apartment.

Toronto.

It doesn't quite cost as much to live here as say Vancouver, or New York, but even at 52k/year I'm paying about 50% of my income in rent/basic utilities. Or, I would be if Buge didn't pay rent too. To buy a house I'd need to be making at least around 100k-125k (probably closer to 125k), but I ought to be able to afford to rent one if I can get up 70k.

[Silversong]

Right. Major cities. I'll stick with medium-small ones.

pacobird, I did live in SE Michigan, and then I lived in SW Michigan for a few years, and now I'm back in SE Michigan as of October. Ann Arbor, to be precise.

[François]

I live on 12k a year and about 55% of that goes to rent/power. If I was in Toronto I have to assume I would be literally homeless.

I never think about moving out of this town and that isn't likely to change anytime soon.

[Mongrel]

You could probably get a bedroom in a shared space with some students or something for about $500-$600 a month here. But obviously that gets you a whole apartment where you are.

[pacobird]

pacobird, I did live in SE Michigan, and then I lived in SW Michigan for a few years, and now I'm back in SE Michigan as of October. Ann Arbor, to be precise.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I'm in Royal Oak.

There should totally be a Great Lakes Avengers brontocon.

[Mothra]

Whoa whoa, are you guys changing the thread title as you go, or is it being changed by the swear filter every time someone with it active makes a post?

Because that's awesome.

[Classic]

Having the swear filter on has been the most surprinsingly bawsome element of the boards.
I mean, obviously dinosaurs are going to be a delight, but a swear filter?

[Healy]

I don't use the filter, but I try to make things more awesome for people who do, by e.g. splitting compound swears like "fuck wit".

[Silversong]

I can't figure out what words the filter is supposed to be replacing. That's probably an issue with me, though?
Also, awesome pacobird!

[Mongrel]

I would go to a Great lakes Brontocon fo' shoo'