The times of your life

[darin3]

Darin I assume you have your pants on now. Otherwise too much information.

 

[Puddy]

I voted good most of the time for the three decades I qualify for.

 

13-19 - A time when a lot of people meet the best friends they'll ever have. Something about the bond of growing up together that creates a bond that can't be broken. Break dancing, rap music, skipping school, then taking school serious, paper route, Burger King, meeting my future wife, watching my younger brothers, dealing with recently divorced parents, living with extended family, gaining stepbrother and step sisters. Many good memories, some tough times as well.

 

20-29 - This is the decade where many great things happened. I married at 20, started college at 21, bought my first new car, first house and had my daughter all within a nine month period. Discovered this little hobby called fantasy football, went to the 'clubs' just about every weekend early in the decade, became a 'responsible' person.

 

30-present - Worked at the same company making my way through the ranks, lost child #2 (stillborn son, easily the toughest thing we've had to deal with and what took this from a great decade to good), had another healthy son who will start kindergarten in the fall, Mrs. able to work parttime and finally quit to care for the kids and go back to school, more stress at work as responsibilities grow. Still a very good decade and I can't complain too much.

 

Looking forward to the next decade. My daughter will grow into a beautiful young woman, I'll get to see the interests my son has, and I plan on becoming an even better husband and dad.

 

Oh and I think I'll win my HAG league multiple times and predict my Norris leaguemates will wish they weren't in a league with me

[Retrograde assault]

At the age of 54, long story short, I'm headed back up after about a 15 year stormy period. Man, I'm my own worst enemy for sure!

[Thews40]

Case in point. Last week I find out my brother has brain cancer. I find out in the very same phone conversation that my uncle has cancer that is in his lungs and liver. This week I find out my aunt may not make it to the end of the week. Both are on my Mom's side. She's battle tested.

 

That's hard core and a lot to deal with, I wish you all the best. My daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer at 14. She lost her knee, but kept her leg. The doctor told me if I had been diagnosed when I was her age, he would have cut my leg off and told me I had a 20% chance to live. She'll be 19 in December, has made a full recovery, and is leaving home soon. If I never get another wish granted as long as I live, I will have already been blessed beyond any expectation I could have in life. I went through it all with her, and very aggressive chemo is no fun. I spent months in Children's Hospital in the cancer ward, and have seen things most people don't see. Just stay tough and keep positive... it's all you can do.

 

On nights where I was home, I would be awake late a lot. Somehow I stumbled onto these boards. It was a re-directed thread that sent me in here. Right about the time of the start of Irag war II, Ursa and I got into it. ...then skins... like 2.348 seconds later. I also found I could vent about whatever I wanted to. I like to write (just in case you hadn't noticed), and this place has been really cool.

 

I hear stories like Robin's and sky's wives, and I'm so jealous. That gift in your life (especially later), is such a rare thing. All that cool time spent everyday with a woman you consider to be not just your wife, but someone really cool to hang out with is really awesome. I'm trying to actually change right now and it's really hard. The older you get, the more set in your ways you get. Anyway, good luck with everything.

[montster]

i think my responses were mostly opposite of the norm. i put "not so good at times" for teen years, then better for 20s, then better still for 30s so far. i mean, don't get me wrong, i had some great f'n times in high school, stuff i'll never forget. i guess i think more in terms of the process of self-actualization, gaining comfort in one's own skin, being more at peace with the world around you, etc.

 

 

this pretty much describes me. i was painfully shy in grade school, really only gaining any confidence my junior year of high school. met my wife in college at 21, engaged at 22 and married at 24, so my 20s have been great. (we just celebrated our ninth anniversary yesterday.) and our daughter was born when i was 31, so my 30s (so far) have been great. i definitely got more comfortable as i got older. i wouldn't go back to high school for anything, and my high school really wasn't that bad.

[Sugar Magnolia]

My teens: I was a straight A student, but didn't fit in with the geeks. Tried being a hippie and doing the drug scene but didn't fit in there. I was a jock but being a girl and "out jocking" the boys didn't really make you popular. I lacked confidence and self esteem and was pretty lonely. They were really tough years for me.

 

My 20's: Started out bad-dated a guy in his 30's so hung out with him and his friends instead of experiencing the college scene. Three weeks after I graduated, I left Ohio for Berkeley to get away from the BF, who I kept trying to break up with, but he kept luring me back. Met my, now husband, 9 months after moving and he changed my life. He didn't put up with my attitude of feeling sorry for myself, but kept building my self esteem. I started my own business and it took off, and I started to believe in myself. I owe so much to him.

 

My 30's: It was all about working hard and building the business. Worked too hard, but was happy and still had the energy to work hard and play hard.

 

My 40's: Hated working so hard and didn't have the energy to work hard and play hard anymore-so just worked hard. What drove me was the hard work was coming to an end, and now retired. I am now in the best stage of my life-I work part time because it's fun and rewarding, not because I have to, have time to make friends and have met the most incredible people. I have time to do charity work and give back, and my blood pressure has never been lower.

[T_bone65]

13-19 Great years for partying, bangin chicks and being carefree.

 

20-29 Good mostly, got married at 24 and had a son at 25 and started my Government career at the same time. Life was mostly good but found out later I was too young to get married.

 

30-39 Mostly good but had a divorce and lost my Grand Mother, Mother and a brother to suicide within 2 years of each other. My father also died at the tail end of my 30's. I did get remarried at 39 and that is the 2nd best thing to have happened since my 20's.

 

40-49 Mostly good as well with the birth of my daughter almost 2 years ago after many complications she turned out healthy and beautiful. The only bad thing was the loss of my brother/best friend last summer which has really brought me down. I met a couple of really great friends from the Huddle, (Whomper, Swiss Cheezehead, LosG, HardRocker and Skins) and kept some great friendships out of it.

Also, as many of you know I am recovering from knee replacement surgery myself and life will be great when I am fully recovered from that.

 

Looking forward to 50-59, never thought I would see those days when I was younger.

 

Great thread

 

Edit to add: My dad's b-day is this Saturday and he would of been 80 this year. RIP Dad, see you someday again.

Edited May 3, 2007 by T_bone65

[Kid Cid]

That's hard core and a lot to deal with, I wish you all the best. My daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer at 14. She lost her knee, but kept her leg. The doctor told me if I had been diagnosed when I was her age, he would have cut my leg off and told me I had a 20% chance to live. She'll be 19 in December, has made a full recovery, and is leaving home soon. If I never get another wish granted as long as I live, I will have already been blessed beyond any expectation I could have in life. I went through it all with her, and very aggressive chemo is no fun. I spent months in Children's Hospital in the cancer ward, and have seen things most people don't see. Just stay tough and keep positive... it's all you can do.

 

On nights where I was home, I would be awake late a lot. Somehow I stumbled onto these boards. It was a re-directed thread that sent me in here. Right about the time of the start of Irag war II, Ursa and I got into it. ...then skins... like 2.348 seconds later. I also found I could vent about whatever I wanted to. I like to write (just in case you hadn't noticed), and this place has been really cool.

 

I hear stories like Robin's and sky's wives, and I'm so jealous. That gift in your life (especially later), is such a rare thing. All that cool time spent everyday with a woman you consider to be not just your wife, but someone really cool to hang out with is really awesome. I'm trying to actually change right now and it's really hard. The older you get, the more set in your ways you get. Anyway, good luck with everything.

 

 

This is no easy road you went down either. Thankfully both you and your daughter have come out at the end. Many props man.

[alexgaddis]

I voted good most of the time for the three decades I qualify for.

 

13-19 - A time when a lot of people meet the best friends they'll ever have. Something about the bond of growing up together that creates a bond that can't be broken. Break dancing, rap music, skipping school, then taking school serious, paper route, Burger King, meeting my future wife, watching my younger brothers, dealing with recently divorced parents, living with extended family, gaining stepbrother and step sisters. Many good memories, some tough times as well.

 

20-29 - This is the decade where many great things happened. I married at 20, started college at 21, bought my first new car, first house and had my daughter all within a nine month period. Discovered this little hobby called fantasy football, went to the 'clubs' just about every weekend early in the decade, became a 'responsible' person.

 

30-present - Worked at the same company making my way through the ranks, lost child #2 (stillborn son, easily the toughest thing we've had to deal with and what took this from a great decade to good), had another healthy son who will start kindergarten in the fall, Mrs. able to work parttime and finally quit to care for the kids and go back to school, more stress at work as responsibilities grow. Still a very good decade and I can't complain too much.

 

Looking forward to the next decade. My daughter will grow into a beautiful young woman, I'll get to see the interests my son has, and I plan on becoming an even better husband and dad.

 

Oh and I think I'll win my HAG league multiple times and predict my Norris leaguemates will wish they weren't in a league with me

 

 

[SeductiveNun]

13-19 Started out bad as I lost my dad when I was 13, but over the broad span of those years I have to admit they were turned out pretty darn good overall. My mom was a rock and did her damndest to try and keep the business going (which my dad's partner eventually ran into the ground, but that's another story), and of all the friends I made in high school, I'm still close with a few of them. Not to mention the aforementioned parties, sports, and other escapades that take place in that time period.

 

20-29 Totally awesome era for me. College, then grad school took up most of that time, but man what good times they were. Finally landing what I then thought was the dream job (which I still have now, but am souring on somewhat). Met a girl I though was "the one" while in grad school, and pretty much thought I had the world at my feet.

 

30-39 Broke up with the girlfriend after dating for about 8 years (another long story in itself), and getting burned out on the job, but I still have to say things have been pretty good. Made a new bunch of friends through some new fantasy football leagues I joined, not to mention the Huddlers I've met over this time. I have an amazing niece and nephew that are an absolute joy to be around, and I've really learned how to value friendships and family on a whole new level at this age. Regrets? Nah. Maybe a few "What Ifs", but there's no sense in trying to live in the past.

 

Great thread!

[Yukon Cornelius]

i have to add that im very surprised i lived threw my 20's... like DK i put myself is some situations that were not good and, now that i can look back, really stupid.

 

no regrets just looking to the future with the wife and kids

[Coffeeman]

'Not yet 20'?? Who let the kid in? Can't even share a brew with him/her legally.....

[Coffeeman]

As I suspected, 20-29 pretty sweet for most people, me included. Carry on...