Zone1 Are you now the person you thought you would be?

[Mikeoxenormous]

In the early 80s when I paid the bills I was left with $12.00!

I said fuck that and got a better job. Not a fortune mind you, but at least some breathing room. I really did not care for the job all that much but it paid real good and had excellent bennies.

I also started a side gig buying good "stuff" at yard sales and selling it at the flea market. I made some damn good coin doing that and paid for 2/3rds of my second home that way while the rent on my first home paid the rest. I even had a 25% interest in a Outer Banks vacation rental.

I paid my current home off in 10 years and then bought some hunting/fishing land and paid it off in five years.

I bought more land (mostly crappy town lots for next to nothing from my wife's former boss) and just kept buying/flipping them till I could retire early.

BTW.....Some of those "crappy" lots I sold for a 10-fold profit when housing took off in my AO. I still have a couple decent .75 acre lots I held back that I need to sell, I just haven't felt like messing with it.....I might just will them to the G-Grandson.

I was debt free after that and retired early.

Of course, I took advantage of low finance costs in my wheeling and dealing days and paid off in cash as early as the terms allowed.

All and all not bad for a guy who barely made it out of HS.....Common sense and an eye on how to make money held me in good stead.

Back in 1991 before i went to Saudi Arabia, i was working at Home Depot 25 cents over minimum wage(since i was a veteran) learned about stocks and being a home owner. My first house i bought was and ARM at 10 3/4% interest, with a VA loan. Once i got the nod to go so Saudi sold off the house and learned all i could about economics and how to avoid paying taxes.

 

[1srelluc]

Life was never meant to be easy. That was why we had "Trials and Tribulations" to eventually achieve perfection, that isnt on Earth, but in Heaven. The more we can overcome the hardships which seem to be occurring when ever a Democrat takes the lead, we still can pray that eventually good will come, and then we keep moving on. But i always remember this....

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I'm more of the Endeavor to Persevere type.


When best-laid plans have fallen to waste
and frustration abounds in their former place,
when failure looms with doubts and fears
we must endeavor to persevere!

When dreams are shattered and hopes are dashed,
goals upon the shoals have crashed,
when gladness is but a memory dear
let us endeavor to persevere.

When sons and daughters from God rebel
and the paths they follow lead straight to hell
your fervent prayers God does not hear
pledge to endeavor to persevere.

When wracked with pain, our body worn,
youth is spent, don't be forlorn,
a better day is growing near
while we endeavor to persevere.

When all is lost, life’s' cupboard bear,
and seems like even God don't care,
His grace is sufficient in the trials and tears,
still we endeavor to persevere.

This present life is hard at best
but we must strive to complete the test
for our redemption draweth near
as we endeavor to persevere.

A restful home for us awaits,
we long to enter heaven's gates,
the promise of peace and never a tear
if we endeavor to persevere.

Christ Himself will take our hand
and guide us through this beautiful land,
the saints will tell us they're glad we're here
and that we endeavored to persevere!

George Wootton

 

[Meriweather]

I am not done yet. I have realized that when you set goals for you to achieve, once those goals are reached, you no longer have something to live for. My goal is to live to be one thousand years old, and to watch humanity get back on normalcy. The great awakening is happening, and i think it will last a long time. To the detriment of the Demofascist party.

As an adult, I have been shocked by the turn in society. It's like the generations after WWII never grew up...but then I remember Pelosi and get that it started long before the Baby Boomers. I expect better of adults.

 

[Moonglow]

Wild life I was leading.

What was happening that you thought that

 

[DGS49]

This was a good OP.

I am much better off retired than I expected to be, even during the last years of my working life. But that is superficial.

Growing up, I didn't realize that I was too lazy to accomplish what I should have accomplished. I just breezed through life's little challenges getting by and being satisfied with that. Later, I had thrust upon me the knowledge of what I could accomplish and raised my game a little bit, but I continue to perform "below expectations" in everything I do.

No surprises, really. But my few accomplishments are "nothing to write home about," as the saying goes.

 

[Meriweather]

I am much better off retired than I expected to be, even during the last years of my working life. But that is superficial.

Growing up, I didn't realize that I was too lazy to accomplish what I should have accomplished. I just breezed through life's little challenges getting by and being satisfied with that. Later, I had thrust upon me the knowledge of what I could accomplish and raised my game a little bit, but I continue to perform "below expectations" in everything I do.

No surprises, really. But my few accomplishments are "nothing to write home about," as the saying goes.

These observations are truly thought provoking. It calls to mind the question I just posted in another thread: Are we a stranger to ourselves?

I've lived by the philosophy to accept what God has placed in front of me and serve Him doing my best in whatever comes my way. Still, thinking it over, there is a huge difference between doing one's best and leaping high to the next level. With the 'talent' God gave me, did I bury it or invest it? Now that you have raised the question, I'm thinking while I didn't always bury that talent, the return on what God has invested in me hasn't been all that great. Am I stranger to myself and who that person could be?

Maybe today is the day we raise our game that bit more?

 

[ding]

No. Much better.

 

[Mashmont]

What did you think would be different?

I didn't accomplish as much as I thought I would in life. I thought I would do something really great, career-wise. Instead, it was pretty good, but not what I thought. Life intervened.

 

[Unkotare]

Nobody is.

 

[Meriweather]

Nobody is.

Just the opposite for me. For some reason I had the idea that on my tenth birthday, my life would be different, I would be different simply because I had reached double digits. Nothing changed, I was the same person I had been the day before, and my life was, too.

 

[Unkotare]

Just the opposite for me. For some reason I had the idea that on my tenth birthday, my life would be different, I would be different simply because I had reached double digits. Nothing changed, I was the same person I had been the day before, and my life was, too.

You haven't changed since you were ten?

????????????????????

 

[Meriweather]

You haven't changed since you were ten?

Do you have any children? Do you have any brothers and sisters? You never noticed that newborns are already presenting their personality? Study and experiences expand who we already are and what we know. I was not teaching as a newborn, and not doing much teaching at age 10. While I've learned skills, I'm still the same as I always was.

 

[onefour1]

I was raised Catholic, went to Church every Sunday and Catechism.... so I had been a believer, as a child I had no idea what that all really meant....but it was seeded, even if it didn't show up for a ten year period....

I didn't pick up a Bible, (only a missal in church) until I met my husband, a non denominational Christian, not Catholic... In fact, he gave it to me when his dad died, before we were wed....I was so distraught by his death, sobbing, could not stop...he was the first person I knew, that died. Matthew's family were all calm, cool, and collected....they were so certain he moved onward to be in heaven, with God, and was no longer in pain... He had terminal cancer that had metastasized. I wanted that blind faith.

I had married a Catholic, when very young and divorced less than 3 years later.... I expected to stay single and never remarry...as the Catholic rules dictate...went 6 years being single and planned to continue.... But then, Cupids arrow... and Matt came in to my life...almost as though God plopped him there...which I know is probably wrong for me to be so presumptuous of what God was doing...I was excommunicated by the church when I married Matt.

But here we are, 35 years later, both still repenting and learning and growing in faith....together.

Wow! The Catholic church actually tried to keep you from having a happy marriage with Matt and actually excommunicated you? You poor dear! I am happy that you found your own happiness in marriage! I am sure that God approves of your decision!!!

 

[onefour1]

I regret losing both arms and legs in a terrible accident .
Writing these stupid posts with a pencil in my mouth is so degrading .

Dear Luiza, when I hear stories like yours, I thank God for the resurrection and only wish I could be there to see you with your new arms and legs!! God bless you!!!

 

[Anathema]

No. Not even close. I’ve done things I never expected to do (get married, buy a house, etc…). Unfortunately that just makes all the things I wouldn’t, couldn’t or didn’t do in my youth hurt even more.

 

[Meriweather]

Wow! The Catholic church actually tried to keep you from having a happy marriage with Matt and actually excommunicated you? You poor dear!

The Catholic Church does not excommunicate over a divorce and remarriage. Ages ago, one of my classmate's mom divorced and remarried. She faithfully continued to attend Mass and was involved in the Church; she raised her children Catholic. What she was prohibited from doing was receiving the sacraments until her situation was resolved either by the death of one of her spouses, by chastity in her present marriage, or if in her first marriage there was valid reason to have it annulled. Catholics take what Jesus said about marriage seriously.

 

[Unkotare]

Do you have any children? Do you have any brothers and sisters? ...

Yes and yes. Nobody is the same as they were at age 10.

 

[onefour1]

The Catholic Church does not excommunicate over a divorce and remarriage. Ages ago, one of my classmate's mom divorced and remarried. She faithfully continued to attend Mass and was involved in the Church; she raised her children Catholic. What she was prohibited from doing was receiving the sacraments until her situation was resolved either by the death of one of her spouses, by chastity in her present marriage, or if in her first marriage there was valid reason to have it annulled. Catholics take what Jesus said about marriage seriously.

Maybe I am mistaken but according to what Care4All wrote, it made it seem as if she was excommunicated because she remarried.

 

[Meriweather]

Maybe I am mistaken but according to what Care4All wrote, it made it seem as if she was excommunicated because she remarried.

I did see what she wrote, and she may have felt she may as well have been excommunicated if she couldn't receive the sacraments. She didn't say whether or not she had pursued an annulment with her Pastor. It's a personal matter. My classmate's mother made no secret of her status, and it was well known in the parish. Most admired her for her faith and good heart.

 

[onefour1]

I did see what she wrote, and she may have felt she may as well have been excommunicated if she couldn't receive the sacraments. She didn't say whether or not she had pursued an annulment with her Pastor. It's a personal matter. My classmate's mother made no secret of her status, and it was well known in the parish. Most admired her for her faith and good heart.

So are you saying you have personal knowledge of the situation with Care4All?