Join Early Retirement Today
View Poll Results: Are you a parent and/or step-parent?
I am female, and a mother or step-mother or both 20 17.24%
I am female, and not a mother or step-mother 22 18.97%
I am male, and a father or step-father or both 41 35.34%
I am male and not a father or step-father 33 28.45%
Voters: 116. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-27-2010, 12:28 PM   #41
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 886
Two girls. Both are intelligent and athletic. Older one captained the university figure skating team before starting on a Ph. D in Molecular biology. Younger one captained the University ice Hockey team before studying law. Each has an SO who is an engineer.
Emeritus is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-27-2010, 01:44 PM   #42
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
Quote:
Originally Posted by Khan View Post
Kindergarten report card: "Does not work and play well with others."
+1

I have a son, 29yo. If marriage #1 had been much better, might have even had another kiddo.

Wouldn't give him back, but am glad he is on his own. Love dogs and cats, too, but don't have any.

I get sensory overload when I don't have enough alone time...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire

...not doing anything of true substance...
HFWR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-27-2010, 01:52 PM   #43
Full time employment: Posting here.
MikeD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Leesburg, VA
Posts: 904
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah in SC View Post
+1. I endure children and love dogs. We run our lives around our animals. And our lives are good indeed. Another dog, perhaps, for you?
I immediately wanted another but my wife said no as it was too much pain when they leave. After a year of waiting, I am agreeing now. I still *really* miss Emily Ann.

Mike D.
__________________
I just want to celebrate another day of livin'
I just want to celebrate another day of life

- R. Earth
MikeD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 07:12 AM   #44
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Sarah in SC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 13,566
Mike, all our relationships are like that, though. You just hope the pleasure of their company was worth it.
On a major thread hijack (my specialty), I was thinking about your feelings and those of many I've spoken to over the years who can't bear to replace a beloved animal. I was thinking that the older we get, the narrower our worldview and social circle can become, through distance or inattention. It just becomes too much trouble, somehow.

My parents used to have tons of friends, threw wonderful parties, and went out all the time. In the past year, their world has narrowed to just the two of them. They are bitter and angry much of the time and no one really wants to be around them. I just wonder which came first, the bitterness or the lack of close relationships.

This isn't any sort of relationship to what you were saying, except that they said rather bitterly that they don't want to go through the sadness of losing animals any more, either. I think they would benefit greatly from even that interaction with another sentient being, but don't see it happening.

Hmmm....okay, that is all the musing I can manage for Monday morning. But, please consider another pet--there is one out there that needs you, I promise! Maybe even two!
__________________
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching.”
Gerard Arthur Way

Sarah in SC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 07:33 AM   #45
Full time employment: Posting here.
Lakedog's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 982
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah in SC View Post
Hmmm....okay, that is all the musing I can manage for Monday morning. But, please consider another pet--there is one out there that needs you, I promise! Maybe even two!
I felt quite similar to Mike after losing my previous lab but eventually changed my mind -- I decided to adopt an adult lab that needed a good home. I went almost two years without but so glad I found another that is a great fit for my lifestyle.
Lakedog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 07:41 AM   #46
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah in SC View Post
My parents used to have tons of friends, threw wonderful parties, and went out all the time. In the past year, their world has narrowed to just the two of them. They are bitter and angry much of the time and no one really wants to be around them. I just wonder which came first, the bitterness or the lack of close relationships.
I've been through several spells of this over the past 30 years. When I started a Megaconglomocorp, I made lots of new friends, many of them single guys just out of school. As time went on, some got married, some moved to other companies, and stuff happened. Or, I'd have a girlfriend, and get to know her group, then the relationship would end, and a block of "friends" would disappear. Of course, being INTJ, I'm pretty good at keeping myself entertained, but it's still nice to have a gang to hang with, have dinner with, go to movies and concerts with, and it does take an effort to keep old friendships going, and even more effort to find new friends.
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire

...not doing anything of true substance...
HFWR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 02:59 PM   #47
Moderator Emeritus
Nords's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarah in SC View Post
In the past year, their world has narrowed to just the two of them. They are bitter and angry much of the time and no one really wants to be around them. I just wonder which came first, the bitterness or the lack of close relationships.
This isn't any sort of relationship to what you were saying, except that they said rather bitterly that they don't want to go through the sadness of losing animals any more, either. I think they would benefit greatly from even that interaction with another sentient being, but don't see it happening.
Hunh, I thought you were talking about my parents-in-law. Perhaps we should get together and throw the foursome a party...
__________________
*

Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."

I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
Nords is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 03:14 PM   #48
Recycles dryer sheets
JonnyM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Modesto
Posts: 334
Send a message via AIM to JonnyM Send a message via Yahoo to JonnyM
We would also count ourselves as living around and for our Dogs. Children in general should be seen (rarely) and not heard. However we were really looking forward to growing old being able to commiserate with our one and only Son. He was turning out to be a truly first class human being as an adult. Tragically he was killed exactly a year ago at age 26. We will never get over it. We think about him every day. There is a permanent hole in the fabric of the space time continuum without Christopher in this world. If I could go back and make the choice to have or have not now? Have! The memories also make us smile inside and out everyday along with the hurt. I have in this paragraph spoke/wrote about this more than I have ever since he died. Time does not heel everything. Chris liked to play golf, a game I don't understand, he learned it from his Grandfather who also recently died. They both laughingly taught me the term "Mulligan". I could really use one right now.
__________________
It's about the music
JonnyM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 03:18 PM   #49
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
REWahoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,004
JonnyM, posts like yours leave me wishing I could think of something meaningful to say. Wish I had a Mulligan to give you...
__________________
Numbers is hard
REWahoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 03:25 PM   #50
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,679
JonnyM,

I'm so sorry for your loss.
__________________
Married, both 69. DH retired June, 2010. I have a pleasant little part time job.
Sue J is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2010, 03:48 PM   #51
Full time employment: Posting here.
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 886
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee
John Donne


All we can do as human beings is accept and share the pain of our fellows
Emeritus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hi Kids Ponks Hi, I am... 54 12-23-2006 01:55 PM
Well, kids brewer12345 Young Dreamers 11 02-16-2006 12:06 PM
ER WITH KIDS?? billystu Life after FIRE 30 12-13-2004 02:33 PM
What do you tell your kids? Familywu Life after FIRE 10 10-11-2004 07:42 PM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:04 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.