Posted on 07/13/2007 7:40:11 AM PDT by qam1
LOL
I’m 35. . married 15 years (16 in Sept), have 12 year old twins, hubby has a serious career (since I was home being a mommy), we own a home . . . and well NOW we have student loans because I’m graduating in August! *laugh*
But yeah, you can do it. I turned 35 in May, hubby turned 36. We got our house right at 30, had the twins at 22/23 . . . hubby is published actually (one book just published today! *dances*)
There are a lot of us — there are just as many if not more though that are just as described.
” I don’t remember much after that.”
It’s probably better that way :)
It was shocking how many people acted like I did in college well into their 30’s. It felt weird being out with a group of people older than me who kept acting like they did in high school.
Many today don’t want to grow up, and have unrealistic expectations.
“I did finally come to the realization that I’ll never be a rock star.”
That’s a great first step. Now you have to get to where you realize that, if you had become a rock star, you would have hated it.
Third and final step: play your instrument anyway.
Funny you should mention that...
Now that I have a real job and a somewhat disposable income, I have purchased the dream gear I always wanted when I was younger --a Gibson Les Paul and a Marshall tube amplifier. Now, I know these two pieces of gear will never see a lighted stage, nonetheless, they are what I've already wanted.
For me, playing my guitar is stress relief. Believe me, when my wife grabs her purse and heads to the mall, I look at my watch and count off five minutes. Then the Marshall gets turned on (gotta let those tubes warm up) and the Les Paul gets plugged in. I tap my wah pedal and wail away in thundering bliss.
And in those moments, in my solitude, I am a rock star! :-)
Sweet.
What Ms. Twenge doesn't seem to understand is that those parents knew what delayed gratification meant. They didn't go out and buy a hugh house using BOTH incomes, if both were even working. They got by on what they made without getting too far over their heads in debt. Nowadays, young people expect to immediately have the lifestyle to which their parents have gotten them accustomed.
I wonder how many of the young adults surveyed actually paid for their own college, or took out loans to do so. It seems to me that those who are more directly responsible for their education, are more responsible and less likely to fool around after getting out of college. They also make more responsible choices in their education plans in order to provide for themselves when they begin a career.
This is one reason I’m so sick of young people bitching that they have no health insurance. Stay home one or 2 nights a month and you’ll be able to afford it! A couple of nights (one night for many) away from dining out and partying can pay for 1 month of insurance. Being irresponsible is a choice, and unfortunately, you and I end up paying for it.
Geez, I must be the odd man out regarding the something generation.
Had the same job for the last 11 years... and worked my way up the promotion ladder.
(Of course, there are some drawbacks, like frequent moves overseas, but hey. Nothings perfect.)
“Not many thirty-somethings have an income sufficient to buy a house like that near the place they grew up.”
Not many thirty-somethings have an income remotely corresponding to their parents’ back in the day, or a taxation level as low as their parents’ level of taxation, when you get right down to it. Young Americans are poorer compared to the prior generation, and our labor is worth far less with a global market to compete with.
But that’s all whining, of course, because none of it is true. /sarc
On the plus side, at least consumer goods like food and electronic crap and cars are significantly cheaper.
Perhaps you would care to elaborate on your views in a way that is more linear and clear than merely saying that this lady is clueless? Let me draw your attention to my post 16 in which I believe I make it clear that I could not afford to buy my childhood home today, even though Mr. Fairview is pretty successful.
I wrote something about this the other day, but when I was in my mid-20s, I met a mentally challenged young man while we were working for Wal-Mart. I knew at the time that once my certifications came through (tied up in the bureaucracy at the time), I would be moving on to bigger and better things, though I was feeling pretty sorry for myself with a new college degree and working at Wal-Mart in the meantime.
He, on the other hand, knew that he was working to the fullest of his potential and that he would never be able to handle a job any more challenging than janitor. And yet, he was determined to be the best janitor that Wal-Mart had. He had an enthusiasm for performing his job to the very best of his abilities.
He was and still is an inspiration to me. When I get discouraged about how my life might have turned out differently and possibly better, I remember how he took what life had handed him and through sheer force of will decided to make the best of it.
I didn't really think "they" were referring to a Rolls Royce Silver Phantom.
I’m there with you except for the school loans and the kids. As soon as I paid off my college loans my wife went to grad school. Man, grad School is expensive.
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