How would your teenage 'you' view 'you' today?

[hakuna matata]

I guess for some reason I am on a nostalgia mood today--so let's say your teenage self could see 'you' today- would he/she be shocked/disgusted/loathe about how you turned out?

Mine would be shocked at how little hair I have! I had long hair in highschool, down to my shoulders and now I buzz it really super short. I was dating my first wife then, and I thought we would be together forever and thus I think my teenage self would be suprised that I am divorced from her and have a new lovely lady in my life.

I think my teenage self would be surprised at how successful I have been in my career. I remember back then at my first job making $1.79 and hour and I make substantially more now. In my teen years I thought I was rich just because I had cash to take my girl out.

So what would your teenage self say about how you are turning out?

[Sarah in SC]

I had a girl I know (my hoopdance instructor) tell me the other day that she wished she'd known me when I was 20 (she's 30). I told her she wouldn't have--when I was 20, I was so caught up in politics that I couldn't imagine having a reasonable conversation with anyone who didn't share my exact thought processes about the world (such as they were) and I would have dismissed her as some radical hippie.

Funny how 20 years of perspective and learning how cool people can be has helped me be a smarter person. I love the "me" I am now, but I cringe at my "I'm right" persona I had when I was younger.

That 20 year old wouldn't even care what I've learned in the interim, I'm betting.

[IBWino]

My 'teenage' me never thought I'd live this long. I think my teenage self would be shocked at how conservative I've become; I was quite liberal in my youth. Funny how earning a living and paying taxes while watching under-achieving relatives self-destruct can change a person.

[scrabbler1]

When I was a teenager, I couldn't wait to get out on my own and get away from the often lousy childhood I had, mainly getting picked on a lot and not seeing much upside to being the smart, skinny kid in school who was the teacher's pet. Sitting in my room as a teenagers playing with numbers all the time turned into a job which paid nearly $50 an hour by the time I ERed in 2008.

My teenaged self would be elated to see that there was a huge upside to being all those things I was not sure about in my teenaged years. I turned all those things into being able to retire at age 45 and sorta live like a teenager again - nobody to report to, all my bills get paid without working, come and go as I please, all without any of the downsides of being a teenager.

Oh, and I gained some weight so I am not that skinny kid any more!

[bbbamI]

My teenage me would be shocked at how much money I've been able to save and would be saying, "You're too old now to be wearing tight, low-cut sweaters!"

Ahhhh...the heck with her.

[hankster]

My teenage me would say "Dude! What happened to your hair?"

I think he'd be pleased to see that all the things his underacheiver buddies used to rib him about (studying, reading a lot, being detail-oriented) have paid off in my career and finances.

[HFWR]

With suspicion...

[Orchidflower]

My teenage self would be disappointed I became a businesswoman and not the flighty comedienne I wanted to be. I can't please everybody...

[Nords]

Heck, as a teen I spent enough time with my grandparents to know what was going to happen to my cranial hair. It's the rest of it that's been a surprise.

I think my 1970s Pittsburgh version would've been a little skeptical if today's version had announced that I'd be a retired Navy ponytailed surfer dude living in a big Hawaii house with two hot chicks and a playboyful bunny.

Robert Heinlein wrote a lot of timeline-paradox stories, and Farnham's Freehold used the meeting-your-future-self plot point. His main character's older self took one look at his younger self and knew it was hopeless to try to warn him what was going to happen in the next hundred pages. His younger self had no idea who the heck that geezer was...

[Lisa99]

My teenage self would roll her eyes at my 50-year old self telling DH "when you leave the room turn off the light" and "just put on a sweater, the heater doesn't need to be turned up".

And my teenage self would be shocked at our nest egg...back then money was spent as soon as it hit my hot little hands.

[Sue J]

My teenaged self would be relieved to know that despite
-not being popular
-not being pretty
-developing later than EVERYONE
-having curly hair in a 1970's world of straight hair
-being invisible in my sister's shadow (she was pretty, popular and a drama queen)
-never having any guy notice me
-my parents thinking I was "less than" because I wasn't like other girls my age

...that my life turned out just great! I found a great guy who loves me for me. I'm smarter in life than my teenaged self would have understood. Once I stopped caring what other people think I realized that plain old me is just what I need to be.

...came back to add....

Hey you there. Yes, you, Sue. Take some of that cash you are always hoarding and start saving for retirement NOW! You think you have 50 years to save but life happens while you are making other plans and you just might end up retiring earlier than "they" all say.

P.S. You were right about the religion thing.

[JBmadera]

disappointed I would assume

[freebird5825]

My teenage self would say...
"Well done, FB. You did what you wanted on your terms and were very successful in the career you always wanted to be in. You kept your eye right on the ball, girl.
Now it's play time again, just like when you were a much younger child (than 14).
Time to fly kites and build sandcastles and grow flowers and color with crayons and collect seashells again."

And yes, I still do all of those things, without even caring what others think.
Bronx cheer.

[W2R]

My teenaged self would think I was dull, boring, and unadventurous. She'd say that life is for the living, adventure is out there for those who seek it, and I should get out there and take some risks.

She'd have me sailing the Pacific alone, or wandering through the slums of Cairo (even/especially this week), or electronically eavesdropping on politically influential and dangerous people just for the fun of it, and things like that.

I'd tell her that now, I'm happy just living peacefully at home.

[Onward]

My teenage self would be horrified that I abandoned Poetry and Truth and sold out to filthy economic concerns. But my teenage self was blissfully ignorant of economic realities.

[Moemg]

My teenage self would be happy that I am still a readaholic and amazed that despite a slow start I have been married twice and have had several long term relationships and no more acne .

[NW-Bound]

No, I have not changed much. Politically, I was somewhat on the conservative side, and still am. Never religious, and still am not. Always soft-hearted. Always nerdy. Loved math, the truly abstract stuff as well as numerical method, but knew there was more money in engineering. Used to spend allowance money to buy vacuum tubes. Still buying electronic components for hobby as well as for work.

Oh, my BMI has gone from 20 to 25. But I still have lots of hair.

Je n'ai pas changé / I haven't changed
Je n'ai pas changé / I haven't changed
Je suis toujours ce jeune homme étranger / I am still that strange young man
Qui te chantait des romances / Who was singing love songs to you
Qui t'inventait des dimanches / Who was inventing sundays for you
Qui te faisait voyager / Who was making you travel
Je n'ai pas changé / I haven't changed
Je suis toujours ce garçon un peu fou / I am still that guy a bit crazy
Qui te parlait d'Amérique / Who told you about America
Mais n'était pas assez riche / But he wasn't rich enough
Pour t'emmener à Corfou / To take you to Corfu

YouTube - je n'ai pas change - Julio Iglesias.flv

[FreeAtLast]

My teenage self would think that I turned out ok. My teenage years were miserable socially. I thought I was doomed back then.

I met a nice woman got married had children who are now grown. I had a good jobs during most of my career.

I went to my class reunion last summer after 40 years of not seeing anyone as I moved away after college.
Some people changed quite a bit. People recognized me and were happy to see me.

[obgyn65]

My teenage self would be disappointed that I did not make it to the top of my profession in terms of research, publications, etc.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obgyn65 My teenage self would be disappointed that I did not make it to the top of my profession in terms of research, publications, etc.

IMHO you are at the top of your profession. You are a compassionate physician who cares enough to volunteer your time in developing countries. There's more to a medical career than research!