A plan for a mid life Crisis. What was yours?

[dogboy]

>Yosemite
That is my favorite NP, hands down, and is equal in magnitude to the Grand Canyon, imo.  And to get a ranger position out of it?! People would kill for that job.  I couldn't even get a volunteer job there, back in the day.

Crisis SOLVED:)


>See dogboy's picture
If that picture doesn't just ooze mid-life crisis, I don't know what would:)

[ergophobe]

>>Crisis SOLVED:)

Not much of a crisis, but for such a long time, what I really wanted to do was get paid to be a historian. But after 23 years at it in one form or another, the excitement was sort of gone. When my doctoral advisor, dear friend, mentor and boss died in December, I had a little bit of a crisis since he was a lot of the reason I had stayed as a historian.

At the time inbound asked "What would you do if there were no barriers?" and I was a bit at a loss as to how to answer that, but it did make me ask seriously whether I wanted to continue doing what I was doing.

A couple days later someone I like and admire called and would love to have the chance to work wth and learn from, asked me to apply for the ranger job and I was just surprised at how appealing it seemed (given that it means giving up 20 years of working when, where and how I want for an actual job with a schedule and everything, so a big change in lifestyle).

So yeah... I'll report back in six month about how the summer season went, but at the least, it's a big shakeup.

>>That is my favorite NP, hands down,

I would have guessed Denali ;-)

[eurotrash]

Rupert: Didn't have a family then - well, parents and siblings but they lived in Edinburgh and I had lived in Amsterdam for the previous 11 years and was in the Army before that - so they don't really count.

My girlfriend was a bit shocked when I called her from Heathrow to tell her I was on my way to Seattle and wouldn't be coming back for at least a year.  Actually about 4 weeks later I found Heidi in Seattle.  I was a bit of a bugger back then.

[Rupert]

I think that if you are planning for your mid-life crisis you aren't really having one.

Mmmm, from the sounds of things I am not really taking it seriously. More of an excuse for a trip I need.

[Peter]

Why don't you just buy the bike of your dreams and just set off?

[dogboy]

...I'm on the edge of my seat:) He's already got the bike, the greenlight, the cash, know how, etc.  He's looking for the plan.

Why?

What a fabulous and diametrically opposed stance on the subject.  To leave without a plan, only a vague direction. I've done it for a few days at time (and ended up in Yosemite, funny enough). I went to Jamaica, alone, with no place to stay for 2 weeks once.  I lived out of my Jeep for 4 months and drove all over the SW.  

It's quite a feeling.

Maybe if you want a proper crisis, you should leave with no plan.  I like that idea profoundly.  So much more interesting than the reasons why you need one.  We all know what they are.  But leaving without one... well, no one will know about that until you login one day and tell us what happened.

You want an adventure?  You want a crisis?  Are you really up for one?  Or do you want a carefully planned vacation?  I mean there is value in those too.  But it's not a proper adventure, at least in my book.

If you really need a plan, then plan to leave and plan on coming back.  That's a plan.

[Rupert]

Dogboy, You sound like my sister.   She like to leave and then plan "to where". Her husband likes to have everything as a detailed itinerary. Its always a compromise.

Its a good point, perhaps I should go walkabout again. Last time was as a student, and I got myself to Nepal and base camp.  It was always the plan, I just never knew how I was going to get there.

I don't want to take 4 months though, and so if I have a bit of a plan, then at least...  well, I know of folks who have gone off, drifted a bit, come back, so what? And if it was a big one, that's planned for when Lucy is about 13, and then we will take a couple of months to go places. (Insurance matures at just the right time)

Your use of the word "Adventure" ties it down I think. Yes, an adventure, not a mid life crises.  Perhaps I should save the Crisis for a bit later (Not too much later, my neighbour died of a heart attack on Monday, at 66. )     ...at work....

Peter, not sure I don't have the bike of my dreams. 150bhp, and will cruise all day? Sometimes tempted with a Duccati, but I like the reliability too much. Might be 10 years old, but it offers more than I can handle...   just keep your eyes to where you want to go, and it goes!  ....

So on my own, or with a mate? mmm, have I got any mates... 

[nffc]

>planned for when Lucy is about 13

Prepare yourself for the almost certain outcome that she won't want to go away with you from that age onwards. Then the "crisis" will really kick in

[Gurtie]

(Not too much later, my neighbour died of a heart attack on Monday, at 66. )     ...at work....

That's very sad

So many people I know have worked hard and saved and then not been able to enjoy what they've been planning for later years. I've had a bit of a shift in my outlook over the past few years. Once there's no mortgage to pay and with no kids to worry about helping out its definately time to live for the day imho, sod saving for your old age, you might never see it and even if you do the quality of the nursing home care doesn't seem in any way related to how much you pay per week to sit in your own wee and watch too-loud TV.

[Peter]

For a real adventure I'd say go on your own - just stick a pin in a map and set off.

[Rupert]

Yes but be nice to your Kids,  they choose your Nursing home. 

NFFC... that is bribe No 1 to keep her coming.  Still working on Bribe No 2

[ergophobe]

My best adventures involve dogboy's plan minus the part about planning for coming back (granted, this was pre-marriage)  and plus one more element: seriously limited funds.

Remember the definition of an adventure: a disaster that didn't happen.

[grnidone]

OK Rupert.  I agree with DB.  You need a "proper" adventure.  But, you're a little shy to go 4 months in a jeep with no idea what the hell you're doing.

So, start small.

Take 4 days.  4 little days.  Get someone to take the dog, cat whatever so you don't have to worry.  Send child and wife to the inlaws with your blessing and plenty of cash to do whatever they want.

Now, your plan is to come back on day 4 no matter what.  Get a triple A (AAA) membership so if something happens -- flat tire, dead bike, whatever -- , you'll be ok.

Now, get on your bike, armed with only $50 a day and ride.  (The shortage of money will force you to be creative in where you stay and what you do.)  Turn your cell phone off, but have it with you in case you need to call for help.

Have no plan, no idea where you will stay.  Just ride.  The only thing you know is that in 4 days, you'll go home.

Know you'll be ok because it's just 4 days and you can't screw yourself up TOO badly in just 4 days.

DogBoy would snort at such a pussy vacation, but it's a way to dip your toe in the water.  And, when that turns out wonderfully, you'll be more inspired to do something bigger and better. 

Just start with 4 days.

[grnidone]

One more thing:  you need to do this by yourself FIRST...so you kind of get the hang of it of this free dogboy-like thinking.  It's difficult to do when you are worried about people with you.

When you have nobody to take care of but yourself, you'll be creative and do things you never thought you'd do.

[dogboy]

<snort>
I'd leave the phone, take a knife, a small flashlight, 2 lighters, a candle, a leatherman, a crescent wrench, a roll of duct tape, bailing wire, a synthetic sleeping bag, synthetic clothing and foul weather gear, basic first aid kit minus the little tiny band-aids, a pocket full of cash, and your head and your balls:)
</snort>