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Moments that have shaped your "current self" (pg. 4)
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| Subey |
Sounds like a fun way to get you around the country. I really the look of the skyline in the St. Louis stadium, will have to see a game there. |
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| verndogs |
| quote: | Originally posted by Subey
Sounds like a fun way to get you around the country. I really the look of the skyline in the St. Louis stadium, will have to see a game there. |
the views were great, the fans are religious about the redbirds, but honestly, the ballpark was a disappointment.
they half assed designing and building their stadium. the extra attention to detail that you find in parks such as PNC Park in pittsburgh and Citizens Bank Park in Philly is missing in St. Louis
i do have a couple of crazy stories regarding some of my journeys to visit these parks |
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| Omega_Blue |
lots of little here and there that needn't be mentioned.. obviously moving from korea.. who knows what i'd be doing if i were still there. would i be on ta? lol
three major events musically helped me become who i am today (as a musician)- picking up the guitar when i was 13, playing the drums in high school, and deciding to buy decks when i was.. 19? 20? without the guitar and drums, i wouldn't have the ear i have today for DJing..
and the reason i bought decks- first time seeing ferry corsten + pills. sounds absolutely immature and ridiculous that it took drugs to motivate me, but uhhh.. whatev i guess. PLUR!
but i'd have to say moving out of the small city i grew up in and going to a big four year school was a huge milestone for my life. i went to a 2 year school directly after high school and worked fulltime.. then at the last minute, decided to transfer after my associate's to UW-milwaukee. Not so much because of the school, but because of the social contacts and events that have happened in my life since moving. I met a whole slew of great new friends (though i had to give up my old ones back home), good paying job, school, and started to finally get gigs. i'm also in the most debt i've ever been in before in my life too, sooo.. it goes both ways.
on a sidenote, it's kinda funny- living back in the quiet, tiny city was... comfortable. no debt, easy living, just drugs, work, occasional school.. but no growth. no risks either. i knew i wasn't going to amount to staying home. the friends i had- best friends ever, but they weren't doing a damn thing either. i've learned and grown so much as a person literally within the last 11 months (almost a year!) it's all been pretty unreal to me. insignificant i guess, but... i dunno.
also, meeting the MWTA's has been great, though once again i probably would've never met them had i not moved. some of the best friends i have since moving to milwaukee are TAs.. ing internet dorks <3 |
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| tubularbills |
Lira, what an awesome thread - and i love reading everyones responses. mine may be a re-hash - maybe not; we'll see.
1. Growing up poor
Nothing really teaches you the value of dollar than growing up w/out all the newest and hippest things. having to see your parents make a decision: "do we eat dinner tonight? or fix the furnace again?" the house i grew up in had so many problems with it, it made me realize that life ISN'T easy - no matter where you live. but when you don't have money, it makes you realize how much harder it really is. ever since i've been a kid, i've always appreciated the value of a dollar - and have let money not ruin my life. and has made me make the conscience decision to make sure that i'm fully set in life before i even think to have offspring.
2. Going to Germany [2001] (and back again 2003
Graduated from high school and participated in an exchange program where i lived in germany for the summer before i went to college. it was THE single best vacation i've ever taken in my life. i had the most fun i've ever had, learned so much about another culture, and gave me total international perspective - and the perspective of what its like to come into a country and not really know the language all that well (i took german in high school, but nothing prepares you for being full immersed into it).
3. Moving out on my own [2004].
The summer of 2004 was an extremely crazy one. my best friends' mom died, my parents moved to wisconsin and sold that hole house we lived in for 17 years. i moved out (when they went to wisco, i took all my to iowa). i went to field training (boot camp for officers). Upon graduation of field training, i flew from florida to chicago - drove up to wisconsin, then the next night drove back to illinois to pick up my stuff from a storage unit, then drove to iowa, moved in, and classes started the next day. But i had all my stuff (what little i had); and was FINALLY out on my own (living w/ one of my best friends from college too). Finally had the responsibility of paying rent and other bills.
4. Commissioning into the Air Force and moving to Louisiana
as you all may know, the first year of my AF career was pretty crazy. i lived in 3 different states, drove over 2000 miles to get there; and moved in and bought my very own house. But while in that first year, i was living in biloxi, ms which was completely removed from the face of the planet by hurricane katrina. it was a horrible 3 months seeing death and destruction by the force of nature all around me. it reminded me of hurricane andrew, and seeing family members affected by that. i've never cried so much in my life, than i did when i was down there.
5. Losing half of my family and paying for my mother's divorce.
My mother has the worst luck in the world (now i know where i get it from). after having a botched hysterectomy, she could no longer work and in pain 24/7. moved back to illinois after my father's job got shat on. then after moving into a smaller place, and in a worse and more poor neighborhood, my father decided to leave her. so here she is, applying for social security/disability, can't work, and going through a divorce. and my father left her the day after i did when i up and moved to the south w/ the military. after 25 years of marriage, he did this to her right before her 50th bday too. ass. so without any means of making money, i've been paying for her lawyer and random bills that my father has decided not to pay. when the divorce is finalized, we have talked about her moving down here to live with me, simply because she's got no where else to go. and as far as my father is concerned, i haven't spoken w/ him in about 4 months now.
so now, do i realize the value of a dollar and culture; these moments have definitely made me realize that 1) i'm not having kids until i can afford them; and 2) when i get married, i will obey the "in sickness and in health" statement. |
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| inconspicuous |
reading this thread.
meh, more like the internet, in general, over the past hour. |
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| Omega_M |
Oh ya, one more incident deserves a mention.
My grandfather who had lived in our house for all my 22 years, died the night before one of my engineering semester finals. I knew I couldn't handle the exam if I stayed home. So I left my house and went to the school that very night. Somehow I managed to clear my head of all the emo thoughts, studied for the exam, wrote the paper and returned home to a mourning family. Thankfully that was my last paper. Later when the results came in, I found out that I had done pretty well in that paper. That day I realized that if I could handle like this, I could handle pretty much anything life throws at me. |
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| VAR |
i will spare you the details of my life (TMI), just some lessons learned:
on the cover of the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy it says "don't panic"- no matter what happens, remain calm
allowing your emotions to control you almost always ends in regret.
life has some trully wonderful and precious things in it- remember this, look for and nurture them or you will drown in the swamp of all the bad.
meditate, reflect, and improve yourself.
don't get caught up in regret- that goes nowhere but down. the big things haunt you, just accept them and forgive yourself.
you can never run away from yourself, no matter how hard you try.
be prepared and always have a backup- getting caught short sucks and can usually be prevented.
sleep the night over big decisions- you'll give your brain time to think about it and have a much better perspective in the morning.
plan for the future- both financially and emotionally. money pays the bills and family & friends (and pets) make it worth it.
be independent and rely on yourself, there will be times that is all you have.
be patient, all great things take time.
you only have this body for the rest of your life- take care of it.
be here now- plan for the future, remember the past, and live in the now.
ok, i'm starting to write a book here, so i'll stop. |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by tubularbills
i love reading everyones responses. |
So do I. I actually tried to quote and comment on what people said, but I was overwhelmed by the depth (and amount :p) of the replies. I have actually read this thread thoroughly, and I'm quite moved... |
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| dj tek |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lira
So do I. I actually tried to quote and comment on what people said, but I was overwhelmed by the depth (and amount :p) of the replies. I have actually read this thread thoroughly, and I'm quite moved... |
thought provoking thread deserves thought provoking replies. :) |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by dj tek
thought provoking thread deserves thought provoking replies. :) |
I'm glad you guys found it inspiring :) |
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| Arbiter |
I found this thread rather fascinating, too. I suppose to be fair I should contribute a few as well...
1. Starting public school in the U.S. (1989)
This is the point at which I truly realized how different I am than ordinary people. Before going to school, I hadn't associated with many people outside my immediate family and their closest acquaintences, almost all of whom were vastly more intelligent than the average person. So it was quite a shock when I started going to school and realized the actual standard of what was "average." This experience instilled me with a tremendous amount of confidence in my own abilities.
2. My time with my ex-girlfriend, and her death (2001-2003)
It's still difficult for me to even write about this. She was my whole world. Before I met her, I was without purpose. She gave me that purpose, she was the justification for each one of my dreams and ambitions. And then, suddenly, she was dead. Killed in an automobile accident. Time stopped for me that day. Since then I haven't had another relationship. And even now, I haven't the slightest desire to pursue one. My dreams died with her, and for a long time I could not imagine any purpose for myself which would not seem a disgraceful substitute. But eventually, I realized that to do honor to her memory was purpose enough itself.
3. Visiting Africa (2005)
The one thing which stuck me most profoundly during my brief stint of volunteer work in Africa was the people: particularly, that they seemed generally happier than people in America. Any sort of materialistic attitude I might have had was utterly destroyed by the experience, and I believe it's given me great insight into the larger picture of the human condition, which has allowed me to move forward with some of my plans. |
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| klingklang77 |
1. Breaking up with a b/f that I had been dating for about 4 years. I thought that he was it and I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. THANK GOD I didn't. Made me realise that I am a strong person and I deserve to be treated right (he didnt treat me very good).
2. Backpacking in Europe in 2000 and Going to Germany to study abroad for one year (2003-4). Best times of my life.
3. Getting over someone that you love, that doesn't feel the same about you. It took me a really long time to get over that relationship (different one from above).
4. Getting married. |
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