The Moment I realized I lost 25 years of my Life

[Neil K Walk]

I turn 50 this summer. The midlife crisis is in full bloom, but I wouldn't want to be the person I was 25 years ago. I like to think I've learned some things, even though I'm becoming an old fool.

BTW, I met my wife 25 years ago and our 20th anniversary is in June. Though our marriage is in a cool period, she has been the best thing that ever happened to me and has been supportive where I've needed to be the most. The rest is still up to me, but that's how it should be.

As for the cost of things, I'm actually glad. Home prices in particular. When we bought our house it was valued at $120 less than it would appraise for today. IME "value" is a very ambiguous thing but that the most precious commodity we have is time and experience.

My only hope is that the generations coming up figure that out so that they don't make the same mistakes that were made in the last century. To illustrate, my wife and I were driving and notices cameras above the traffic signals and how ubiquitous cameras and GPS are now on personal devices. Our 11yo son asked why we thought that was a bad thing, and I tried to convey the gist of George Orwell's novel 1984 - but even my wife's eyes started to gloss over, so I'll shaddup now. You guys know what I mean.

Maybe if I tweeted my thoughts or put it on Instagram?

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by CASD57

As time has gone on this last year I notice how much the world has changed, How much it's got out of control...
How much Cars/SUV/Truck prices have got out of control...Avg. payment $550??? what the heck..
Rent....??
Home prices..??
My oldest is 43
My youngest 10
The last time I played out as a Band...1998
When was the last time I saw band members 2001

Where have I been??? when did it change? It's like I've been locked up in a cell, cut off from the world...

And then I did the numbers, 25 years I've lost but How? where did I lose them?

It took me several days to come up with the reason...............

I started my computer up for the first time 25 years ago...

Where to you get the feeling things are so out of control? Do you take in or do news outside of the emotive popular stuff, read or study of the world beyond your home area and travel?

We always have problems but we solve problems too. More and more are getting out of poverty, having clean water, sewage treatment and access to information. We trade all over where even the US and China has competition from others to help keep improving things. We have great education opportunities. That started with WWII GI bill in my family but generations later public schools and universities are helping this once bunch of peasants be professionals, educators and scientists.

Home prices? That's same as always. Matters such as convenience, safety and aesthetics make the nicest places more valuable. Sure that can hurt. People from the coasts have bought homes around us and it's expensive but dollars are nicer than conquest or birthright for working out where we're living.

Automobiles? They've become amazing including the value. It's absurd to think that's not improvement and value. Go look at what sticker prices for mainstream cars decades past. When you do that add up the features, reliability, safety and longevity of a new mainstream car.

Your average car payment point reminds me of college the stats professor who said "today I'm going to show you how being average doesn't mean you're 1/2 way smart". A lot of people make poor decisions and the car payment can reflect that.

Not seeing old band members or carry that out to old friends, acquaintances and family is probably about personal issues, motivation and economics. Maybe it's about community and where or how you live too. In my life I see some people have drifted away. Some still make efforts to be in touch and do things. Some people get lazy and less disciplined with age while some really work at those. You can also poke at people connections too. That can be very rewarding but on occasion no.

I brought up the about where and how you live because it does seem like the inner ring neighborhoods and suburbs where I live are more social in a physical sense. It seems that way when I travel too. For small towns that can depend on how many residents are traveling a lot just to get to work.

Read or take in good behavioral economics stuff or the fairly popular book Gregg Easterbrook wrote recently. Add Steven Pinker. You might see things are not that bad with evidence to support it.

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by imwjl

Where to you get the feeling things are so out of control? Do you take in or do news outside of the emotive popular stuff, read or study of the world beyond your home area and travel?

We always have problems but we solve problems too. More and more are getting out of poverty, having clean water, sewage treatment and access to information. We trade all over where even the US and China has competition from others to help keep improving things. We have great education opportunities. That started with WWII GI bill in my family but generations later public schools and universities are helping this once bunch of peasants be professionals, educators and scientists.

Home prices? That's same as always. Matters such as convenience, safety and aesthetics make the nicest places more valuable. Sure that can hurt. People from the coasts have bought homes around us and it's expensive but dollars are nicer than conquest or birthright for working out where we're living.

Automobiles? They've become amazing including the value. It's absurd to think that's not improvement and value. Go look at what sticker prices for mainstream cars decades past. When you do that add up the features, reliability, safety and longevity of a new mainstream car.

Your average car payment point reminds me of college the stats professor who said "today I'm going to show you how being average doesn't mean you're 1/2 way smart". A lot of people make poor decisions and the car payment can reflect that.

Not seeing old band members or carry that out to old friends, acquaintances and family is probably about personal issues, motivation and economics. Maybe it's about community and where or how you live too. In my life I see some people have drifted away. Some still make efforts to be in touch and do things. Some people get lazy and less disciplined with age while some really work at those. You can also poke at people connections too. That can be very rewarding but on occasion no.

I brought up the about where and how you live because it does seem like the inner ring neighborhoods and suburbs where I live are more social in a physical sense. It seems that way when I travel too. For small towns that can depend on how many residents are traveling a lot just to get to work.

Read or take in good behavioral economics stuff or the fairly popular book Gregg Easterbrook wrote recently. Add Steven Pinker. You might see things are not that bad with evidence to support it.

Basically, it's a personal feeling more than math or logic, It's a feeling that somewhere along the way, I wasn't paying attention..

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by CASD57

As time has gone on this last year I notice how much the world has changed, How much it's got out of control...
How much Cars/SUV/Truck prices have got out of control...Avg. payment $550??? what the heck..
Rent....??
Home prices..??
My oldest is 43
My youngest 10
The last time I played out as a Band...1998
When was the last time I saw band members 2001

Where have I been??? when did it change? It's like I've been locked up in a cell, cut off from the world...

And then I did the numbers, 25 years I've lost but How? where did I lose them?

It took me several days to come up with the reason...............

I started my computer up for the first time 25 years ago...

As soon as you opened the computer screen you got sucked into the Matrix

Welcome my son ....Welcome to the Machine

[seannx]

Reading through this thread brought me back to my 50th birthday. There were a lot of candles on the cake, and the heat was really intense. My youngest son was 2, the oldest was almost 25. They turn 21 and 44 this year, my other two kids will be 35 and 38, and I’ll be 69.
When I consider how much happened in those 19 years, the time doesn’t feel at all lost. But I do want to make the most in the (hopefully) coming years with my kids, grandkids, girlfriend, music, travel, continuing my relaxed work schedule, and getting in lots of exercise and outdoors time.

[Mary]

In that same time frame my poundage went up!

[offkey]

I wrote a poem half in jest half serious on this subject.

There was a time
In days gone by
I loved the wind
I loved the sky
I lived my life upon the land
I lived my life in natures hand...

And then I got an iPhone

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

Cars in particular have gone down in price when adjusted to inflation. Especially when considering the technology (safety and entertainment) they have nowadays.

I sent my first electronic mail in 1995.

I used to get on the internet before there was a WorldWideWeb. Started email in the late '80s.

[GHS]

I think if we use these new tools to enhance our life and not make it our life we will be okay. But too many people with addictive personalities get caught up in it and like any addict, ( drugs, gambling, etc), it takes control. It becomes an obsession. I use the net to get some lessons from one site, check out different songs on another that may look like fun, come here to ask or answer questions or get ideas, then back to practice or other activities. For the rest they are simply out of control. Texting while driving, walking, on line at the supermarket, heck I've seen them swiping at their screen while being wheeled into the room for a colonoscopy. Its just nuts...you cant save them, they've gone too far. The younger generation brought up with these from age 4 will have ruined their eyes by 18. Its really no good, you dont blink, or much less than with other activities, eyes get dry and ...welll...trouble on the way. Oh well...

[Murphy Slaw]

You just got old.

We all do it.

Even before the internet.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Basically, it's a personal feeling more than math or logic, It's a feeling that somewhere along the way, I wasn't paying attention..

Ah, I get that. Sunday I saw another late age parent friend with his 8 month old girl with him. I realized I was same age as he is when my daughter was born, then we had two more but Sunday was also when my oldest decided where she'll go to college.

Originally Posted by Mary

In that same time frame my poundage went up!

Maybe switch businesses? If you were a food maker you could impress others and your CPA by pointing out increased yield!

Another funny part to the years gap. In the grocery store or at our neighborhood biergarten I've run into people I remember from college or past jobs. I think wow have they aged and then same here if I happen to look in the mirror.

[Big Band Guitar]

It's not the computers fault, just like it is not pot's fault, or coke, or iphones, or guitars, or women, or men, or anything else. ITS YOUR FAULT.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar

It's not the computers fault, just like it is not pot's fault, or coke, or iphones, or guitars, or women, or men, or anything else. ITS YOUR FAULT.

But it seemed like such a good idea at the time...

[tbeltrans]

The moment I realized I lost 25 years of my Life...

...I forgot what I was thinking about!

Tony

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by Big Band Guitar

It's not the computers fault, just like it is not pot's fault, or coke, or iphones, or guitars, or women, or men, or anything else. ITS YOUR FAULT.

Well of course it's not a inanimate objects fault, its more about how sometimes we let things distract us from what is important in our lives, in a way we become what distracted us, a inanimate object.