After 3 months of self-imposed exile, I have returned to MPSIMS. Why did I leave in the first place?
I had a 28-year-old’s equivalent of a mid-life crisis. All I can say about the experience is that every once in a while, you realize that things aren’t working the way that you want them to. The only way to make this right is to clean out your life in much the same way that you might conduct an extremely thorough cleaning of your bedroom. That is, throw all the junk into plastic bags, move all the furniture into the next room and accept the gargantuan task of deciding what goes back into the room and what gets chucked into the dumpster.
What’s the net effect of all of this? Well, I’ve come to accept some new philosophies, I’ve adopted some new habits (and killed some old ones), and I’ve rededicated myself to making things turn out the way that I want them to. Some things I figured out:
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It has become the exception rather than the rule for people in our society to care about someone else more than they care about themselves. We are in the middle of a “me generation” that cares only about its own happiness.
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I now have the financial, emotional and attitudinal wherewithal to release myself from most of the bullshit associated with people’s attempts to judge me and judge what I’m doing with my life.
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Buying expensive new stuff only makes me happy for about 10 minutes. Buying stuff should never be considered therapy. That said, I’m still buying that new Corvette and I don’t give a shit what anyone says.
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All those bedtime “Frog and Prince” bedtime stories that your parents read to you as a kid are just that - fairy tales. When it comes time for the average American to find someone to commit to, they look for the same qualities that every other American looks for: a nice body and tons of money. If you believe that people out there are looking for companions who are “nice on the inside,” you are kidding yourself.
While exploring some of the above issues, I made some other changes that I’m happy with:
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No more smoking. Ever. (3 weeks and counting since my last Marlboro.)
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No more providing business associates and clients with ways to reach me when I’m on vacation or relaxing on the weekends. I need that stress like I need a hole in the head.
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I’ve resurrected my love for raising and breeding tropical fish. And I will never give up this hobby again as long as I live.
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I’m giving up golf. I suck. I will never be able to play frequently enough to get good at the game again. Why stress myself out? Screw the game, screw its exorbitant greens fees, screw the “instant industry” that’s sprung up around the game, and, most of all, screw Tiger Woods.
While I was taking some time to myself to figure all of this stuff out, I stopped coming to the boards. Bad idea - I miss all the Teeming Millions, I miss reading and posting to MPSIMS, and I miss DopeFests. So now I’m back, hopefully a little less psychotic and a little bit wiser. And I’m looking forward to jumping right back in. When’s the next NYC DopeFest?
Welcome back, THespos. lurkernomore, Tripler and I were mentioning not having seen you on the boards in awhile the other day. Glad you decided we all can come back in the bedroom rather than go out to the dumpster. We’re worth it! 
welcome home.
i believe that nyc has a thursday night thing going on.
wow, fish. what sort of set up do you have? salt water? fresh water?
Welcome back Thespos.
We actually did talk about you. Trip was in town (the Idiot) (the bar, not Trip) and we talked a little hockey. I told TP about the “discussion” Trip was getting into at Chumley’s at the Dopefest. He said he didn’t know why the discussion got nasty a while, then calmed down. Told him you and I stood behind him (TH is a larger gent) and showed he wasn’t alone (just misguided, he’s a Devil worshipper)
He never knew.
Say hi to Kim.
Thanks all.
lurkernomore - I owe you and Tripler several beers. We need to get together soon and hang out. I’ll meet you, TruePisces, Tripler and any of the other NYC DopeFest alumni at the Idiot any time. While I was having my little crisis, KHespos moved into NYC with her boyfriend (2 blocks away from me). We got her computer hooked up, so she remains an occasional lurker on the boards, but we haven’t gotten her hooked up to RoadRunner just yet. I’ll tell her you said hi.
rocking chair - I bought a new tank about a month ago. It’s a 150-gallon fresh water setup, which currently houses 10 juvenile piranha and a red-tailed catfish. I used to have a piranha tank when I lived in Queens, and I loved having them. Two died from disease and the other four died of old age. Since then, I really wanted to get back into the hobby, but my family kept telling me that I should hold off on buying a new tank because I’ll likely be moving in the next year or two. I got the tank anyway. When it’s time to move, I can empty it out and hire someone to move it. Damn thing is really heavy… a gallon of water weighs 8.67 pounds, so the weight of the water alone is over 1300 lbs.
Thanks all.
piranahs, cool. we had one at school. just a bit of a thing, but very nifty.
if you put every purchase off until you move you’ll never get anything. i know a guy who is moving 2 cats, a tank of fish, and what seems to be hundreds of orchids cross country. you’ve got to go with what you love. why deprive yourself of the joy of fish waiting for what may happen?
good choice!
THespos, welcome back bub!!
I do have to admit, while in the Idiot, I was going into a defilade mode and preparing for the oncoming physical offensive from Rangers fans. I had no idea that yourself and lurkernomore loomed behind, keeping a watchful eye on the situation. I don’t think beer could fully express my thanks!
In any case, I am not sure when I will be back in the NYC area, but rest assured that you, lurkernomore and True Pisces will be called!
Tripler
I think maybe a case or two of Bass should start the thanks!
Tripler - We got your back. Fear not. Anyone who messes with you gets fed to the piranhas.
I was so in the mood to go to the Idiot last night, but I couldn’t motivate to get up off my ass. Watched Tea Leoni talk about dinosaurs on the Discovery Channel for a few hours. (Booooooooring!)
Try.
[sub] And if you fail, they also sell vodka. [/sub]
THespos, if you ever feel like going to the idiot around 4:30 or 5, let me know. I work about a half a block from Penn Station and it’s no problem for me to hop the A/C/E down to 14th. If you let us know in enough time, I’ll even convince lurker to hop the train and meet us down there as well…
[sub]Any excuse to go to the Idiot again… I’m going through Country withdrawl!!![/sub]