Have kids - Was part of the plan once before the divorce. Then life took a different path and I had more important/meaningful things to do than commit the effort to finding a mother for them. Still technically possible but no way I am going there now.
Remarry - Defintely possible. I’ve spent most of my life living alone and along the way realized it was at best a nice to have not a must have for a full life. Strangely sharing that opinion tends to drive women my age off reducing the odds of getting to that point. :smack:
Command a tank company or regimental cavalry troop - Thanks Al-queada and transformation to a lighter force.
I always wanted to run for political office but I don’t have the time, money or clean slate. Even the local school board around here would probably be out of reach given my open pro-non-Christianization of the schools stance.
I wanted to be an astronaut sooooo bad. I took 4 years of Russian in high school because Russia had female astronauts. Got a degree in Aerospace Engineering at age 20, but no astronauts with bad eyesight allowed:mad: Married, had kids, got a PHD in engineering and low and behold you could be an astronaut with bad eyesight by then. Unfortunately my eyesight was still well below the thresh hold for being an astronaut.
All in all life has been good. I say this as I sit in my camper on a beach in SoCal with my 5 year old grand-daughter awaiting the birth of her brother. I hear the ocean. Life is good.
Well, even before I finished reading her biography, I had already noticed it would be difficult for me to be Marie Curie. Figured it wouldn’t be bad to aim for a life like hers, in hopes of reaching a little lower
Life is still good for many of us even without all of our dreams. I, too, read all the science fiction novels I could get my hands on as a child. I knew the stars would probably never be mine but I had a small secret hope. Perhaps the next generation will get there?
Owning an A-20 Havoc.
Not buying that Owl Observer I found.
Not doing more acrobatics.
Not getting to be Michelle Jenneke’s friend, lover, husband.*
Sailing on the Yankee when I had the chance.
Sailing in the OSTAR
Riding in Rodeo’s longer than I did.
Getting rid of my Catholic conscious.
Many other things. But if other than *, I don’t really regret much because I would not be who & what I am now & that is more than likely a bad thing as I could be so much worse.
I flew small planes a couple of times, when I was in the Air Force Cadets. It wasn’t all that remarkable, and I wouldn’t pay to do it. As a teen I imbibed various ‘soft’ substances, and some I think would be okay to try (physically, maybe not psychologically) after you’ve burned off the elixir of youth.
I played the guitar and painted all through my youth. I don’t think either are hobbies where age is a detriment (if anything a more mature mind would help).
When I was a kid I wanted to be a mad scientist™ of which I’m probably half way to achieving. I also wanted to be a milkman.
I really should have asked that girl out in 1984… But at the time I did not know of clinical depression and how it continually undercut my thoughts. If they’d had Cipralex then…
I also know that, barring sudden unexpected success, I’ll never get married, own a house, or buy a new car.
I spent quite a lot of time wanting to be a comics artist before I realized that, while I’m not bad at drawing, I’m not that good either. I’ll just have to do my own stuff, while concentrating on story design.
Gymnastics. The ONLY thing I liked doing in gym in grade eight was gymnastics. I even remember doing moves on the uneven bars. But phys ed was otherwise an unrelieved shamefest for me (ref: team sports, bullying and clinical depression) and I ran from it as far and fast as I could when it was no longer mandatory… to my physical detriment. I could have picked up a voluntary gymnastics-oriented fitness program in university, sure, but it never even occurred to me.
You hardly have to be Daddy Warbucks to visit other countries- it’s not nearly as expensive as you might think. I imagine for less than 5000 bucks, you could relatively easily make a trip for two to Europe for two weeks. And $5000 is not a colossal amount of money to save up for what might be a once-in-a-lifetime trip- that’s only saving $45/month for 10 years, more or less.
I think that’s in the ballpark of what my wife and I spent on our trips, and we could have done a lot of things cheaper had we wanted to, like got food from grocery stores and only eaten one meal a day out, or stayed in cheaper hotels.
The two things that are going to eat the vast majority of the cost of a trip are the flights to and from, and your hotels once you’re there. The rest of it, while not incidental, is MUCH less than those two costs.
I appreciate the advice, bump. It sounds really good. But unfortunately, with my massively sick husband who now has mobility issues because of it, every “savings” of $50 we have each month (and there are several) are reserved for much less fun things than travel. Like right now, it’s for medical costs that rise at the end of the year when his coverage changes, a generator and renovation of the bathtub to fit a shower chair to accommodate him. Just is what it is. And I can always watch the Travel Channel.
Bungee Jumping/Sky Diving. I was in line to Bungee Jump from a bridge (over the New River?) when I was forty something. Police came and shut down the part due to lack of permit/improper permit. I can’t imagine doing it today.
Those of you bemoaning not getting to use/abuse drugs in your youth; don’t give up!! My first experience with mushrooms was in my late forties and I’m glad I partook.
People that want to try skydiving shouldn’t give up either. IIRC, the group rates at some of those tandem dive places are under $200. And the risk is pretty marginal.
If you’re anywhere near San Diego North County you should check Cruisin’ Grand in Escondido, any Friday night. Among the whole spectrum of lovingly restored pre-'70s automobiles, there are numerous ones much like what you describe, and the owners aren’t exactly high school kids, let me tell you.
Here are some pictures I took a few months ago, though FTR I didn’t personally photograph any of the owners.
It sounds really good. But unfortunately, with my massively sick husband who now has mobility issues because of it, every “savings” of $50 we have each month (and there are several) are reserved for much less fun things than travel. Like right now, it’s for medical costs that rise at the end of the year when his coverage changes, a generator and renovation of the bathtub to fit a shower chair to accommodate him. Just is what it is. And I can always watch the Travel Channel.