# Tell me about your big but...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 4, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623 "2003-02-04T01:09:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/1 "2003-02-04T01:09:50Z")
Yeah, big but, not butt.
All of us have had dreams, ideas, wishes, opportunities… that we didn’t fulfill. Chances we should’ve taken. Girls (or boys) we wanted to ask out. Letters we meant to write. _ **BUT** _ we didn’t, for some reason or another.
It goes like this:
" I always wanted to backpack across Europe, _ **BUT** _ I got married and just fell into suburban life…"
One of mine was:
“I thought I could be a _National Geographic_ photographer, _ **BUT** _ I went to college planning on a business degree instead of trying for a fine arts degree or just going out there and interning for an existing _N G_ photog. Then, I dropped out when a good business opp opened up for me, and I’ve been building or remodeling houses ever since (among other things). Shucks, I even had the near opportunity to make my own movie, _ **BUT** _ the producer got busted in his home country and we had no more money to work with. (Damn the Phillipines.) Instead of looking for another source, we just went back to our regular jobs. I still think of ‘What if?’ everytime I see Galen Rowell photos, or a new _Nat Geo_ shows up, or someone’s indie film wins an award. Oh well… I’m still pretty happy…”
So…
_ **Tell me about your big but.** _
(Yes, I am a PeeWee Herman fan. Why do you ask?)
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### Author:  [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/2 "2003-02-04T01:24:33Z")
I’d like to go back to college to finish my degree in Cultural Anthropology **BUT** after 18 months of culinary school, my debts are too high for me to cut back working. I hope I can get things back to a low roar within the next two years so I can work part time and go back to school. The main motivation for me to go back is that I can’t do what I really want to eventually do without that degree.
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### Author:  [@Slainte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slainte)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/3 "2003-02-04T01:25:57Z")
I wanted to go into the medical field (probably nursing) _ **BUT** _ I went into the Air Force instead and ending up in Aircraft Maintenance(!?) _ **BUT** _ I am a Civilian again and I am thinking of going to Nursing school anyway.
[sub]And yeah, I did thing the title was misspelled - and I was all ready to tell you about my luscious derriere:D[/sub]
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### Author:  [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/4 "2003-02-04T01:34:51Z")
I always wanted to write a book \*\* \* BUT \* \*\* the book I wanted to write has already been written, and much better than I could have possibly done.
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### Author:  [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/5 "2003-02-04T01:38:43Z")
I always wanted to have sex in an F-16…
☹
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### Author:  [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/6 "2003-02-04T01:42:15Z")
**BUT** I ended up having it in a 747 instead…
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### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/7 "2003-02-04T01:43:01Z")
No one’s ever put it to me like that . . . 😃
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### Author:  [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/8 "2003-02-04T01:45:34Z")
I want very desperately to quit my job and be a personal chef and caterer \*\* but\*\* I live in Chicago where to maintain my living standard, my husband and I cannot afford to take that sort of paycut that comes with starting a new business, particularly if we’re trying to get pregnant.
So I just have to cook for friends when I have time, and it’s not nearly as fulfilling.
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/9 "2003-02-04T01:50:04Z")
I would like to lead a normal, social event filled life _ **BUT** _ ever since my wife left I haven’t been able to leave the house except for work, the meds haven’t been helping, and its going to be a year in April.
[sub]Sorry, I’ve been very depressed lately. On the upside my posting here has gone up dramatically (always look for the silver lining).[/sub]
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### Author:  [@leechbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leechbabe)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/10 "2003-02-04T02:12:01Z")
I had a job lined up as a live-in dormitory supervisor at a Christian girls school in India after I finished uni **BUT** , I got diagnosed with Crohns disease and wasn’t well enough to go.
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### Author:  [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/11 "2003-02-04T03:36:54Z")
I had the background, job assignments, fitness reports, and combat experience to be up for LtCol in the Marines right now. **BUT** I got out when I was a 1stLt.
**BUT** I’m glad I did.
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### Author:  [@consolid8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/consolid8)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/12 "2003-02-04T03:45:08Z")
I was going to post to this thread BUT I read the thread about saving time so now I won’t.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/13 "2003-02-04T04:03:41Z")
I never thought I’d accomplish my dream of being a science fiction writer **BUT** when I began working at it, it eventually came true.
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### Author:  [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/14 "2003-02-04T06:24:01Z")
I thought I would have been full time by now **BUT** they’d rather have cheap labor, so I’m not.
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/15 "2003-02-04T06:40:33Z")
For years now, I’ve wanted to build an ultralight aircraft out of trash: bike frames for a body, old jeans for a canopy, etc.
**But**
I have no knowledge of engineering, welding, or piloting.
AND
I’d still need a two-stroke engine
AND
For the past 7 years or so my depression has been so severe I can neither work nor attend school.
Still,
someday I will build and fly the Moth(after Thurber’s tale The Moth And The Star). One of my friends is confident that the plane won’t come to pieces until after I’m in the air.
It’s good to know yer pals believe in ya.
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### Author:  [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/16 "2003-02-04T06:43:58Z")
Reading this I realized how mundane and pointless and unhappy everyone’s life is. Depressing.
I wanted to go to college **but** screwed up transcripts, and bad communication have made that difficult. So stuck at a restraunt making barely minimum wage for right now.
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### Author:  [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/17 "2003-02-04T06:45:05Z")
If IFS and BUTS were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas.
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/18 "2003-02-04T07:07:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by xgxlx \*
> \*\*Reading this I realized how mundane and pointless and unhappy everyone’s life is. Depressing.
>
> I wanted to go to college **but** screwed up transcripts, and bad communication have made that difficult. So stuck at a restraunt making barely minimum wage for right now. \*\*
This thread is about listing our unfulfilled dreams. I’m sure that many other Dopers have another list of dreams they have achieved.
Besides an ultralight, I want to build- a lock for my front door that requires the right number to be entered using a rotary phone dial, a theremin(a musical instrument played by moving your hands near 2 antennae but without touching them), a remote control blimp from scratch.
These projects are very nearly within my grasp. I have wanted a theremin since I was five years old. I have the tools. I have a case. I have almost all the components I need. More than a few Dopers have degrees in electrical engineering. Even if my depression makes it harder to study and understand my electronics books, it can only slow down my progress. Some day, some day soon, my neighbors will knock on the door and demand to know what that strange noise is. I will tell them it is the sound of a dream made real.
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/19 "2003-02-04T12:01:11Z")
I wanted to be a ballerina, **BUT** my parents couldn’t afford dance lessons for me when I was a kid and once I had the resources, I was too old and past my limber prime. This isn’t something I dwell upon, but there are times when I ache to move to the music, but I don’t know how. Oh well, I did get accordion lessons…
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-big-but/152623/20 "2003-02-04T12:24:03Z")
My \*\*but \*\* is too big to list here. However, I have \*no regrets \*.
As Lennon said, " Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.’
And who says that I won’t do a few of the things I really wanted to do before the joys of Suburbia Mundania set in later on in life, when I will most certainly either enjoy it more or go, " Well, I tried it and …ffffft…glad I didn’t do 5 years and $35k in college loans to discover it ain’t for me."
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