NationStates Jolt Archive

We all go through a lot of changes in our lives at times. Significant ones, ones that might completely alter the person we are, or simply affirm and strengthen our character.

I, for example, will shortly be heading off to Navy boot camp. What this will do for me, I still don't know yet. I hope it'll let my self-confidence fully emerge. The only other alternative is massive shame and failure.

But enough about me. Please, tell us about your experiences. What has changed your life? What have you gone through?

Since the new year I have graduated from college and married. Also, my wife and I are waiting for our official invites from the Peace Corps. We know when we leave, just not where, yet. Somewhere in Africa.

My office is going through an internal transition that has us all tense and snappy. Come January, we don't know what will happen with my division. The worst case scenario is unemployment. The best case scenario is readjustment and a raise. The uncertainty has me suffering from my back. We'll see what happens. *sigh*

I've entered into an abysmal "romantic" relationship about a year ago and am slowly turning into exactly the kind of woman I've always felt a mixture of pity and contempt for.

I was in a passionate relationship but we drifted apart and it has made me wary of commitment.

Well my life has changed in a pretty big way - I left home 3yrs ago (Canada), moved to Germany and have earned a BA degree, I'm still living there now and working on a Masters degree.

Before I left I was working Construction and smokin' and drinking most of my pay - now I actually earn less but hopefully that will change (and I don't smoke ... but I still drink :) ). At least now I'm not working a dead-end job.

I still have some big life choices ahead of me - I have a GF here who I love and pretty good employment prospects ... back home I have my family including a little brother (just 10) and a small piece of land waiting for me If I want it (but no real job prospects there).

I used to be an unmarried immature attention-seeker with little regard for my own physical wellbeing. Now I'm married. :)

-snip-

Sounding good - where in Germany do you live, and what major did you earn your BA in? *is a nosy German who thinks it's exciting to see another person posting from Germany besides the good ol' folks*

Well, as I've mentioned on other threads, I'm a great big tranny. So my change is from being a geeky, socially inept guy, to a geeky, socially inept girl, only with all the old parts still present and incorrect and likely to be so for the near future. Of late I've also had the questionably pleasurable new experience of bashing my head against a brick wall to get psychiatrists to take me seriously.

I probably should be depressed, but I find noisy music, computer games, porn, classic cartoons, and excessive amounts of chocolate keep me on the right mental track and prevent the train of thought being derailed in dark tunnels. That railway metaphor didn't really work, did it? :p

I, for example, will shortly be heading off to Navy boot camp. What this will do for me, I still don't know yet.

you will get a more right wing attitude from my experience and have a sense of humour only rivaled by the ambulance service in darkness

also you will stop being a girl and join a real military branch :p

My office is going through an internal transition that has us all tense and snappy. Come January, we don't know what will happen with my division. The worst case scenario is unemployment. The best case scenario is readjustment and a raise. The uncertainty has me suffering from my back. We'll see what happens. *sigh*

:eek: come work with me!

Well my life has changed in a pretty big way - I left home 3yrs ago (Canada), moved to Germany and have earned a BA degree, I'm still living there now and working on a Masters degree.

oooh tell us lots and lots more (especially stories and how they do everything wrong since I'm considering moving to a country that borders)

Of late I've also had the questionably pleasurable new experience of bashing my head against a brick wall to get psychiatrists to take me seriously.

take up kick boxing :)

I just dropped out of Grad School and now I'm trying to decide what to do next. So far A&P mechanic looks good. I basically get to work on aircrafts all day long, which is right up my ally. :D

The uncertainty has me suffering from my back.As it so turns out, i've got something for your back!
<.<
>.>
On a serious note, ew identical twin boys. Trying to arrange finances so we don't drown. Contempt for local political circumstances in ways that make me ready to move.
Another midlife crisis, perhaps (Zeno's Paradox)
Inability to read through the literature i used to have time, attention span, and brain cells for.
Hate the job. Some family members needing Re-Neducation.
Moving on.

Gettin' diagnosed with cancer at 18 and going through chemotherapy was bit of a life changer.. Had to reassess a few things!

I used to be an unmarried immature attention-seeker with little regard for my own physical wellbeing.

This. Then I broke my neck and realized life can be pretty damn short if we don't work our shit out. So now I am an unmarried immature attention-seeker with little regard for my own physical wellbeing. ;)

Gettin' diagnosed with cancer at 18 and going through chemotherapy was bit of a life changer.. Had to reassess a few things!

:( How are you doing now?

:( How are you doing now?

Not bad. One more shot and I'm done. But I've had all the hard stuff already!

Not bad. One more shot and I'm done. But I've had all the hard stuff already!

Well that's good.

After 61 years of life-changing events, I can say that, while I'm not exactly the person I wanted to be, I'm content with the person I am. I'm self-sufficient, independent and hugely commitment-phobic.

I graduated college. Still waiting to see that one pay off.

Gettin' diagnosed with cancer at 18 and going through chemotherapy was bit of a life changer.. Had to reassess a few things!

My friend called his chemo sessions "day camp".

My friend called his chemo sessions "day camp".

Mine were week-long bastards in hospital!! I called them shit, heh. :tongue:

Gettin' diagnosed with cancer at 18 and going through chemotherapy was bit of a life changer.. Had to reassess a few things!
Glad you're doing ok now, though. :)

There's been so many. The most recent was probably failing my make-up finals (I had taken an incomplete in a class, after missing two weeks of it with strep throat and falling too far behind to catch up) because of getting so rusty over the summer. This basically precluded me from continuing as a music major, which was what I've been striving for since freshman year in high school really.

It's not fun to realize your dreams are dead and you have to plan a very different life for yourself. That's the way it goes, though.

There's been so many. The most recent was probably failing my make-up finals (I had taken an incomplete in a class, after missing two weeks of it with strep throat and falling too far behind to catch up) because of getting so rusty over the summer. This basically precluded me from continuing as a music major, which was what I've been striving for since freshman year in high school really.

It's not fun to realize your dreams are dead and you have to plan a very different life for yourself. That's the way it goes, though.

Can't you just take the class again (Forgive my ignorance in regards to other nations educational systems)? Although I didn't fail classes while in high school I did go back for an extra semester to upgrade a few because I wasn't happy with my marks. And I'm fairly certain, when it comes to post-secondary, if you just pump enough money their way any school will let you take classes again and again.

Mine were week-long bastards in hospital!! I called them shit, heh. :tongue:

haha...his first few were the week long ones. The later stages, he got to come home and wear his SARS mask (which he usually decorated during treatment. Hence the day camp thing, since he did arts and crafts)

Can't you just take the class again (Forgive my ignorance in regards to other nations educational systems)? Although I didn't fail classes while in high school I did go back for an extra semester to upgrade a few because I wasn't happy with my marks. And I'm fairly certain, when it comes to post-secondary, if you just pump enough money their way any school will let you take classes again and again.

I'm a senior. Meaning, 4th year. They kick you out after 5 years. In the music department, you have to take all the classes in a certain order, meaning that I couldn't make any progress in that major until this spring. I could conceivably still do it, if everything went exactly right.

Also, it's a public university. And I don't have any money to pump their way.

I'm a senior. Meaning, 4th year. They kick you out after 5 years. In the music department, you have to take all the classes in a certain order, meaning that I couldn't make any progress in that major until this spring. I could conceivably still do it, if everything went exactly right.

Also, it's a public university. And I don't have any money to pump their way.

I find crap like that rather stupid. Is not in their best interest to have you complete your courses and get the little piece of paper at the end saying "yay, you passed!" regardless if it takes 4 or 5 years? It certainly doesn't make a school look good to have students not completing their courses or failing.

But you do have an extra year there so if it your dream I'd say capitalize on that opportunity. ;)

I find crap like that rather stupid. Is not in their best interest to have you complete your courses and get the little piece of paper at the end saying "yay, you passed!" regardless if it takes 4 or 5 years? It certainly doesn't make a school look good to have students not completing their courses or failing.

But you do have an extra year there so if it your dream I'd say capitalize on that opportunity. ;)

There's no way to do it really. I would have to make no mistakes at all in the course of 2 years.

And it's part of the University of California. The reason they kick you out after 5 years is because they have to make room for new people, who they don't have nearly enough spaces for.

We all go through a lot of changes in our lives at times. Significant ones, ones that might completely alter the person we are, or simply affirm and strengthen our character.

I, for example, will shortly be heading off to Navy boot camp. What this will do for me, I still don't know yet. I hope it'll let my self-confidence fully emerge. The only other alternative is massive shame and failure.

But enough about me. Please, tell us about your experiences. What has changed your life? What have you gone through?

By the way, Best wishes in the Navy. Accentuate the positives, there are quite a few and they aren't hard to find. :)

There's no way to do it really. I would have to make no mistakes at all in the course of 2 years.

And it's part of the University of California. The reason they kick you out after 5 years is because they have to make room for new people, who they don't have nearly enough spaces for.

Arrghhh! Now it's shit like this that really gets me. It's a school, it's there to provide an education. Is it more concerned about firing people through the system as fast as it can and as many of them as it can than providing a decent education? Okay, get some supplies, we're gonna go burn this motherfucker down.

Arrghhh! Now it's shit like this that really gets me. It's a school, it's there to provide an education. Is it more concerned about firing people through the system as fast as it can and as many of them as it can than providing a decent education? Okay, get some supplies, we're gonna go burn this motherfucker down.

Um, no thanks. It's a great university. But, it is public, and to serve the people of the state. That means trying to serve as many qualified people as possible.

Because our state's education budget has been gutted (partly from having Reagan as governor and partly from Prop 13), the state's population has doubled since the 60's, yet only one more UC campus has been built (bringing the total up to 10 UC campuses, including UCSF). Already, there aren't enough spaces to let every qualified applicant in. Thus, there is an extreme problem in it being impacted.

The reason you're only allowed 5 years as a full time student is because if you're taking up space floundering, you're denying that space to someone else who could possibly do better.

After a mere seventeen years, I find that I have not changed over much. Sure, I've refined ideas, hanged positions, and changed physically some, but I have not had a completely life-altering experience. Not one that I would think of as one, anyway.
Yeah, I know, I totally screwed myself by saying that. :p

I've had a number of them, graduating with my BA and then my MS. Getting married and the birth of my son rate up there of course, but I've found that sometimes it's the little things that lead to the most change. Like going to a meeting for the candy just to get involved with two groups that changed my life.

I think the one life change event that has had the most impact on me happened the winter of my second grade year in elementary school when a friend of my teacher who had just returned from teaching English at a junior high school in rural Japan (In what became the JET Programme) came and spent the day telling us about Japan, life in it, and the children there. We learned how to count to 10 in Japanese, fold some origami, and looked at pictures. But that was the day that I became cognitively aware that there were nations outside of the United States and that the lives of the children in them were different from mine. It started an interest in exploring the world, and even more, gave me a life long interest in Japan and a burning desire to go there and see for myself. A LOT of things, from my interests in college, to my career choice, to where I am now, and maybe even my wife, were all due to that one day.

This thread's starter actually has something close to mine. Seven months ago (I think... 8? 7?) I was 255 lbs. I now weigh 195. It was in the hopes of attending the USNA (I decided it wasn't for me, but I'm glad that I'm skinnier now).

This thread's starter actually has something close to mine. Seven months ago (I think... 8? 7?) I was 255 lbs. I now weigh 195. It was in the hopes of attending the USNA (I decided it wasn't for me, but I'm glad that I'm skinnier now).

Care to share your exercise schedule? It sounds effective.

Actually, I was a fat-ass who would eat 3 Hot Pockets or a whole box of Mac & Cheese and think that was a normal serving size.

Exercise really didn't figure into it, so much as portion control. However, I did get maybe an hour total of jogging in, along with body-weight exercises in the form of push-ups and sit-ups (I'd pretty much do as many as I could, break, come back a few hours later and repeat). Diet/Portion Control, more specifically, was my secret, TBH.

Actually, I was a fat-ass who would eat 3 Hot Pockets or a whole box of Mac & Cheese and think that was a normal serving size.

Exercise really didn't figure into it, so much as portion control. However, I did get maybe an hour total of jogging in, along with body-weight exercises in the form of push-ups and sit-ups (I'd pretty much do as many as I could, break, come back a few hours later and repeat). Diet/Portion Control, more specifically, was my secret, TBH.

I think my natural weight is probably a little over 200, but I'm overweight now. Unfortunately, it sounds like it'll be quite a bit harder for me to cut that down, since I already eat fairly healthy.

Yeah, sorry bud. Afraid I can't really help you. I'm not a nutritionist, and I plan on going to college come this fall for an undergrad's in philosophy, leading to law.

I've entered into an abysmal "romantic" relationship about a year ago and am slowly turning into exactly the kind of woman I've always felt a mixture of pity and contempt for.

I'm gonna do a magic trick here... replace woman with man and... you have me.

I think my natural weight is probably a little over 200, but I'm overweight now. Unfortunately, it sounds like it'll be quite a bit harder for me to cut that down, since I already eat fairly healthy.I go to the gym three days a week. One day for upper body/shoulder workouts, the second for mid body/back workouts, and the final day for lower body workouts. In between those three days, I jog three to five miles. I've lost sixty pounds so far.

And on weekends, I usually go to the local bike trails and ride them. Up to ten miles a day.

I go to the gym three days a week. One day for upper body/shoulder workouts, the second for mid body/back workouts, and the final day for lower body workouts. In between those three days, I jog three to five miles. I've lost sixty pounds so far.

And on weekends, I usually go to the local bike trails and ride them. Up to ten miles a day.

I'm not of a long distance runner, due to ridiculously flat feet (I have no arches at all), but biking is fun, I should do more of that.

My daughter's birth was the biggest life-changer so far. Nothing makes you reassess things like being responsible for, and an unwitting role model to, another human being.

What else....I ended my career as a chef and finished my BA. I ended my marriage. I rediscovered politics. The sum of those events changed me from an excessively comfortable, apathetic suburban middle class statistic to an educated but hungry social activist (hopefully) on the road to enlightenment.

I'm not of a long distance runner, due to ridiculously flat feet (I have no arches at all), but biking is fun, I should do more of that.Definitely, biking is a way to work both your lower body, and improve cardio. :p

Kyro, I hope you maintain some sort of contact. Finding out how it's going with you could be very enlightening for us here. Plus, personally, I'd miss you a bit. I'm man enough to admit it.

We all go through a lot of changes in our lives at times. Significant ones, ones that might completely alter the person we are, or simply affirm and strengthen our character.

I, for example, will shortly be heading off to Navy boot camp. What this will do for me, I still don't know yet. I hope it'll let my self-confidence fully emerge. The only other alternative is massive shame and failure.

But enough about me. Please, tell us about your experiences. What has changed your life? What have you gone through?

Good luck in the Navy Kyro!

Looking back I think the military might have been a good idea for me too, at about your age (and yeah, that sounds insane given what a peacenik I am.)

Dropping out of Uni after 2 years of a Science degree was my big leave-the-nest act. A "life change" certainly but I drifted pretty badly for a long time, really had no clue what I wanted to do and didn't experiment enough. In retrospect, I should have made a drastic commitment of some kind.

You seem to keep calm when you have to. You'll be fine mate.

I've entered into an abysmal "romantic" relationship about a year ago and am slowly turning into exactly the kind of woman I've always felt a mixture of pity and contempt for.

Ah, the abyss of love! :p

I'd also call my first romantic relationship a life change, except that when it was over the only things that had changed much were (a)I wasn't a virgin any more, and (b)I had a much better idea of what I wanted from people in general, and that it definitely involved intellectual engagement.

==========

Well, as I've mentioned on other threads, I'm a great big tranny. So my change is from being a geeky, socially inept guy, to a geeky, socially inept girl, only with all the old parts still present and incorrect and likely to be so for the near future. Of late I've also had the questionably pleasurable new experience of bashing my head against a brick wall to get psychiatrists to take me seriously.

I probably should be depressed, but I find noisy music, computer games, porn, classic cartoons, and excessive amounts of chocolate keep me on the right mental track and prevent the train of thought being derailed in dark tunnels. That railway metaphor didn't really work, did it? :p

Changing gender is definitely a contender for "thread win." :D

And MY biggest life change? It's coming up! I've realized I want to be a parent, and it's getting late and I need all the things I thought I could do without. Big big changes coming up!

I've been sitting at home for the past 2 and a half months.

I've been sitting at home for the past 2 and a half months.

Gets rather boring dunnit? I was about to tear my hair out till I went hunting this weekend.

haha...his first few were the week long ones. The later stages, he got to come home and wear his SARS mask (which he usually decorated during treatment. Hence the day camp thing, since he did arts and crafts)

Yeah I'm at home now too. But that's cool.. I didn't get no SARS mask, lol. Just a sore hand from crappy nurses fucking up IV lines.

Yeah I'm at home now too. But that's cool.. I didn't get no SARS mask, lol. Just a sore hand from crappy nurses fucking up IV lines.

haha...he would wear his SARS mask out to the bar, just to scare people. Didn't hurt that it kept him a little safer given the shit immune system.

He also convinced quite a few people that he was a heroin addict, thanks to one awful nurse.

Glad to hear you're home though, bud.

I graduated with honors this year in English. I finally got over someone. And....most of the time I just sit around procrastinating, when I'm not working.

I'm gonna do a magic trick here... replace woman with man and... you have me.

Yeah, see I replaced women with that one man too and see what it got me.
(Yes, I know what you meant, but you set me up for this)

As it so turns out, i've got something for your back!
<.<
>.>
On a serious note, ew identical twin boys. Trying to arrange finances so we don't drown. Contempt for local political circumstances in ways that make me ready to move.
Another midlife crisis, perhaps (Zeno's Paradox)
Inability to read through the literature i used to have time, attention span, and brain cells for.
Hate the job. Some family members needing Re-Neducation.
Moving on.

Life's a bitch, then you die. Who said that, understated it all.

But life also has such good things. I guess life changes always happen for a good reason, even if we can't see it right away...

Well... I'm about to move to a bigger store in my job, and i'm in my first relationship. :)

My dad died few years back. I'd say that's a lifechanger

Yeah, see I replaced women with that one man too and see what it got me.
(Yes, I know what you meant, but you set me up for this)

Not all of us are bad, give the male gender a chance.

Where do I start...

I was adopted when I was 1 year old. That's definitely a life changer.

From about 3 to 11 years old my family fell on hard times and my dad had to go work at McDonald's for many years before getting back into school and obtaining a degree, which drastically changed my life for the better. From disastrous poverty to a comfortable upper-middle-class lifestyle, it definitely shows you how hard work and determination yields great results.

At 12 I was gang raped in a park by, what I suspect were drunk(?) teenage boys, but I don't really like to remember it... that ruined my trust of people (and men in general) for a long time, and I'm still in therapy 8 years later.

The birth of my son at 14 years old. Wow, I had to grow up fast! How can a child raise a child? I dunno how, but for six years I managed it. I got a job the moment I found out she was with child, and I raised him almost entirely on my own (his mom did not even acknowledge his existence after the birth).

At 16 my best friend since I can remember came out to me, right around the same time I started to realize my own sexuality, and we began to date. About 11 months afterward he was shot to death at a convenience store. I was thoroughly convinced if he had not died we'd spend the rest of our lives together. I really do.

At 18 right when I entered college I met the (seemingly) perfect guy, and after only two or so weeks we began dating, and it all seemed perfect, until around six months into the two year relationship. We had gotten engaged, and it was around then that his attitude changed from one of the nicest guys to pure evil. He became really aggressive and abusive, repeatedly beating me for no reason, trying to burn me multiple times with a lighter, and sexually assaulted me several times. I put up with this for so long because my son really grew to love him and I didn't want to take that away from him (at the expense of my own dignity and safety). My ex fiance never did any of this in front of my son, so he never saw anything that happened.

When I was 19 my son was hit by a car and died soon afterward, just a couple of weeks before my 20th birthday. My fiance was watching him (and I do believe he was actually watching him and did not intend for it to happen) while I was away at class. I had to find out from my mother because my fiance ditched town and went to Massachusetts (for only god knows what) and spent a week there before confronting me and asking for my forgiveness. I never did. I gathered the courage to dump him a few days after my son died.

Fast forward 7 months later, and I'm still about $75,000 in the hole from the hospital bills and such, but I have a really good management job at a hotel, and I'm slowly rebuilding what is left of my life.

Gets rather boring dunnit? I was about to tear my hair out till I went hunting this weekend.

Absolutely, I need to find a job or something to do...