Live Long and Prosper, And Here's Why

[gerryp]

You'll have to figure out the prosperity part yourself, but it is my contention that living long (as long as you can manage) is useful because it takes about forty years to figure out what happened in the first thirty years, even if you paid close attention. Longer if not. This is a philosophical question, or a psychological question, or perhaps a gerontological question. It occurs to me that I can figure out things about my life and life at large that once mystified me, even as events in the present may mystify me. Agree, disagree, or elaborate as you will.

I think it's going to take me about 40 years to figure out where the last 20 years went. Maybe I shouldn't dwell on it....

 

[BROBS]

Being an arty person doesn't help much either. I put everything I have into my work to a fault, and sometimes it still puts me on my ass. I'm now learning that is simply just how it's going to go sometimes, and that I shouldn't tie up my self worth to my occupation or my art. It's hard to separate those two things when my work is my art, and my art comes from within my self. Truly trying to stay in the mindset of the present is really all we can do. I still require a lot of practice with this. Thanks for the thread @mso489 and to all who have responded, I've truly enjoyed reading.

you're placing too much value on the end result.
art is a process. the art is the process.
the end result is a product.
all products will one day be garbage.

try making a piece of art.. then don't get any validation for it.. don't show it to anyone.
throw it in a the dumpster. let it go.
the art was making it.. not the product.

 

[ChickenT00th]

you're placing too much value on the end result.
art is a process. the art is the process.
the end result is a product.
all products will one day be garbage.

try making a piece of art.. then don't get any validation for it.. don't show it to anyone.
throw it in a the dumpster. let it go.
the art was making it.. not the product.

This is a great reminder and just what I needed to hear today! So easy to lose sight of this. Thanks @BROBS

 

[Chasing Embers]

Gaining years in life is like taking off in an airplane while looking down from a window seat. The runway is a blur, but every year the point of view gets a little bit higher. More comes into view the higher you go. You can see the victories and the mistakes, you can see how everything connects and where the water flows. At age 30, I have a whole lot to learn. But this is the first time I can look back on the first decade of my life that I was largely calling the shots for. I get myself into trouble when I start to analyze it instead of accepting it, practicing gratitude, and continuing on.

Being an arty person doesn't help much either. I put everything I have into my work to a fault, and sometimes it still puts me on my ass. I'm now learning that is simply just how it's going to go sometimes, and that I shouldn't tie up my self worth to my occupation or my art. It's hard to separate those two things when my work is my art, and my art comes from within my self. Truly trying to stay in the mindset of the present is really all we can do. I still require a lot of practice with this. Thanks for the thread @mso489 and to all who have responded, I've truly enjoyed reading.

Have you tried automatic drawing? It really helped to defrag my brain and separate my art from my work in my architecture days.

 

[condorlover1]

If I got a second go around I think it would be interesting to try it without alcohol! I have a few bucket list items I want to try like seeing if you can photograph a fart with an infrared camera but outside of that I feel I have led a pretty full and interesting life!

 

[BROBS]

If I got a second go around I think it would be interesting to try it without alcohol! I have a few bucket list items I want to try like seeing if you can photograph a fart with an infrared camera but outside of that I feel I have led a pretty full and interesting life!

Be honest you've lived a "fruitful" and interesting life.. especially with your studies as far as the fruit of the GI tract and its interaction with flame.

 

[condorlover1]

@BROBS Remember I also have a company with my colleague called Air Biscuit Industries!

 

[Chasing Embers]

@BROBS Remember I also have a company with my colleague called Air Biscuit Industries!

The Standard Tobacco Company of Pennsylvania changed its name? That would explain War Horse though.

 

[Casual]

I shouldn't tie up my self worth to my occupation or my art.

If you do it too much, you’re tortured. If you do it too little, you’re a hack. Aristotle’s Golden Mean applies here.

 

[Casual]

like seeing if you can photograph a fart with an infrared camera

 

[danimalia]

I hope you're right, Mso. I feel pretty lucky to have made it this far (38). I hope I'm a lot smarter in the second half of my life than I was in the first. One of the joys I've discovered in the past few years is that my own dismal history of decision-making has relieved a lot of the pressure I had to feel superior to others. That's a privilege I no longer have, and I'm grateful for it, as I feel a lot more compassion and love for my fellow humans.

There's plenty of shit that's awful about the world, but there is plenty that is good, too, and I hope to spend a lot more time surrounding myself with the latter as I grow older. Of course, that's a choice I will have to work at, in addition to hoping for continued good fortune.

 

[condorlover1]

The Standard Tobacco Company of Pennsylvania changed its name? That would explain War Horse though.

No. That one still exists as a subsidiary of Standard Vape Corporation. The Air Biscuit one was created to handle inter-office expenses and always causes people in the know to smile.

 

[condorlover1]

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@Casual : Well if I die in my sleep tonight at least I can mark that one of my list. Thank you very much +100

 

[Chasing Embers]

No. That one still exists as a subsidiary of Standard Vape Corporation. The Air Biscuit one was created to handle inter-office expenses and always causes people in the know to smile.

Everyone needs a good cheese cutter.?

 

[karam]

Nice thread, I am approaching middle age, and having two young children has definitely made me more introspective over time.

I think hell, for me, would be a place where I would see constant replays of the moments in life that I believe I made bad decisions, and how they could have turned out. That's why I am working to minimize regret, in fact a few days ago I read an interview from Jeff Bezos where he describes exactly the same thing, minimizing regret as a driver for life.
I don't think what I consider as my "bad decisions" have hurt anyone, they haven't hurt me either, I am living enviably by most of humanity's standards - I think a lot of us are in the western world, but I have nagging regrets of missed opportunities. My dad once told me "a punch not thrown hurts more than a punch received", there's great wisdom in this sentence, and I think those who can firmly say "I wouldn't change anything" are those who actually manage to be happy with their choices.

 

[sumusfumus]

I'm 70 yrs old. My motto: "95% of everything ...is bull- *&@* "!!

 

[Ctbill]

May I ask what, now, is the important 5% to you? Serious inquiry from a younger guy...

 

[jttnk]

I’ll just tell you what my daddy told me... “Son, life is a shit sandwich and every day you take another bite!” I was about 5 years old when he told me that. At least I get to enjoy a pipe between those bites.

Anyone have any nice shit sammie/tobacco pairings?

That was my dads saying too! As I got older I thought what a terrible way to look at life. He is almost retired, a successful doctor, 65 year marriage, 4 healthy kids, 10 grand kids, life wasn’t that shitty for him.

 

[sumusfumus]

May I ask what, now, is the important 5% to you? Serious inquiry from a younger guy...

Since you asked...you deserve an answer.

In short, my 5% involves: family, friends, creating peace-of-mind, and, my faith. But there's a lot of BS involved within these priorities, too. Part of getting older is learning how to edit your life. Stick to the basic essentials, and forget everything else that gives you stress. It's really hard to do. Never let work, or others, define who and what you are. That's the 95% part.

When I was much younger, I'd fret and be troubled with trying to get things that I though I needed, and tried to get people to "like" me. As you gain some age, what was once so important, becomes trivial. Your priorities shift, they morph, are eventually forgotten. People and friends, come and go. We all change. Everything passes. I used to think that I'd like to be young again. But now! ....(my comments, self-deleted).

At some point you realize that having and keeping your good health is everything, your family relationships , your friends, and living a more stress-free life are the goals. Much of what the world offers is confusing, and transient. I take nothing for granted. I live mindful of my mortality. The bible allots us, three score and ten. I have arrived. That 5%, matters....dump the rest.

I'm a simple, conservative-minded, guy. It doesn't take much to please me. I turn off the TV, (it's less stressful, less infuriating, and less disturbing not to watch), and instead, relax by doing creative things with my hands. While I enjoy getting together with friends and family...I also love doing things, and being alone. Now, I edit...when, where, with who, and for how long. I'm no longer "always available".

Thanks for the respectful inquiry, really. Others, no doubt, will have differing views. To each, his own.

 

[sumusfumus]

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Truly disgusting, vulgar, low life. I love it!