Its a little more complex then just doing my time though. Knowing maybe I could have done something to save one of them and I was at Francies eating a Grinder and drinking Busch Lights and they were in the mix. I know I did my time and did my thing in the infantry. It's just kind of hard to explain.
What is your ONE regret in life (so far)?
- Thread starter Flynn4Heisman
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Its a little more complex then just doing my time though. Knowing maybe I could have done something to save one of them and I was at Francies eating a Grinder and drinking Busch Lights and they were in the mix. I know I did my time and did my thing in the infantry. It's just kind of hard to explain.
Yeah, going to the time-travel thread, I wish I could go back to 1982 and convince dad to put $1,000 into Apple stock as well as buying that $1,000 Apple IIe...
When in elementary school we would occasionally get a substitute teacher. One that was fairly regular I'll call "Mrs. V". She had a son the same age but they lived in the neighboring town so we didn't see him often. She was nice but something about pre-teen kids in a group... We were absolutely horrible to her. And I was one the worst (if not THEE worst) ones. I have often thought about that.
Somehow I saw a comment on FB from the son several years ago. I asked if his mother was still alive and asked him repeated to let her know I regret how awful I was.
Somehow I saw a comment on FB from the son several years ago. I asked if his mother was still alive and asked him repeated to let her know I regret how awful I was.
I'd be yelling at some poor butler about how my coffee wasn't the right temperature right now if Grandma got her way.
I get what you are trying to explain, while I can’t fully understand, I can get the general idea.
I was just saying that you can what if it too much and drive yourself crazy. I was saying that you did the best you could with the info at the time and didn’t shirk or be the cause that may have caused them to be in that situation. Knowing we did the best we could at the time with the info we had is the best we can ask of ourselves.
A girl moved into our small town when I was in the middle of fifth grade. She was smart and sweet and we lived on the same end of town, so we walked home together a lot and spent time together riding bikes or shooting hoops or just watching tv. She got sick at school maybe her second day, and kids gave her an unfortunate nickname. Fifth grade me told them off.
We drifted apart in high school, taking different classes and in different activities. She was a brilliant, gifted artist and state track and cross country star. However, the kids who were all that were still taunting her at every turn, unbeknownst to me.
I did find out about a horrid incident they were bragging about where they saw her in the park near her house and basically kidnapped her, driving her around for hours and then tying her to the bridge in the park. They left her there for half an hour, came back, and let her go. Then bragged about it like it was the funniest thing ever.
My regret is that high school me never told them off like fifth grade me did. We reconnected at ISU where she again excelled with her artistic abilities. I told her my regrets and she was understanding. She met a great guy there who came from old money, and was incredibly successful and happy. One of the few classmates I kept in contact with. She died in her early 30’s from leukemia.
We drifted apart in high school, taking different classes and in different activities. She was a brilliant, gifted artist and state track and cross country star. However, the kids who were all that were still taunting her at every turn, unbeknownst to me.
I did find out about a horrid incident they were bragging about where they saw her in the park near her house and basically kidnapped her, driving her around for hours and then tying her to the bridge in the park. They left her there for half an hour, came back, and let her go. Then bragged about it like it was the funniest thing ever.
My regret is that high school me never told them off like fifth grade me did. We reconnected at ISU where she again excelled with her artistic abilities. I told her my regrets and she was understanding. She met a great guy there who came from old money, and was incredibly successful and happy. One of the few classmates I kept in contact with. She died in her early 30’s from leukemia.
My grandparents both passed away the last 5-ish years or so. They were both in their later 70s, so on one hand I did enjoy plenty of time on earth with them, but maybe a bit sad that I could've had more potentially. I moved away from them in 2011 or so, after having lived within a 5 mile radius of them my whole life prior. Little did I understand in 2011 that every year thereafter I would only see them a handful of times per year until their passing. I would've definitely made more of an effort to see them or at least call them more often. I have never really enjoyed talking on the phone so I rarely called. Maybe once per year if that even, and only to share exciting news, never just to chit chat.
In a similar vein, my Grandpa was an extremely handy person. Could fix anything, built every house he lived in, never let anyone else work on his cars, planted 2 very large gardens every spring and harvested and/or canned everything that it produced etc. I spent the first 3 decades of my life knowing him and feel like I gleaned very little unfortunately. I am not at all handy. Growing up, he'd ask me to help on various projects including 2 of the houses he built. Sometimes I said yes, but more often I'd say no. Looking back I should have and would have said yes every time. There is so much I didn't learn from him that I could have.
In a similar vein, my Grandpa was an extremely handy person. Could fix anything, built every house he lived in, never let anyone else work on his cars, planted 2 very large gardens every spring and harvested and/or canned everything that it produced etc. I spent the first 3 decades of my life knowing him and feel like I gleaned very little unfortunately. I am not at all handy. Growing up, he'd ask me to help on various projects including 2 of the houses he built. Sometimes I said yes, but more often I'd say no. Looking back I should have and would have said yes every time. There is so much I didn't learn from him that I could have.
That one car of mine that I didn't take to 88 mph...cuz you never know what might have happened 
I was there! Watched the tornado from the top of the NW hill. Was a great game!
Another regret is pissing away some money my Grandmother left for me in a Trust fund. It wasn't life changing money by any means, but it paid for me to party it up and half-ass 4 years of college, all but maybe the last semester. The end result is a degree I don't use and wouldn't even know how to. I never really knew what I wanted out of college, didn't really have a dream job etc. Just went because I was told I needed a degree to do pretty much anything or make any kind of decent living. In hindsight, I would have pocketed that money and done something else with it once able to at age 25 (stipulation of the trust fund). Down payment on a house, paid for my wedding etc. something, anything more productive than what I used it for.
On the other hand, I did meet my wife at college. So hopefully my Grandma isn't rolling in her grave too badly.
On the other hand, I did meet my wife at college. So hopefully my Grandma isn't rolling in her grave too badly.
I chose to not join the swim team for my senior year because I "didn't spend enough time" with my girlfriend. My freshmen year, I could barely make it 25 yards, couldn't even dive, yet gritting through practices and meets and made some high school friends.
Dumb a$$ me listened to my gf rather than swimming. Ugh.
Lesson learned: don't give up something important to you for someone else. I tell this story often in interviews or to my students. It really lands for them.
Dumb a$$ me listened to my gf rather than swimming. Ugh.
Lesson learned: don't give up something important to you for someone else. I tell this story often in interviews or to my students. It really lands for them.
I definitely regret never working a bartending gig in Ames because I didn't want to work weekend nights. I didn't realize that being a bartender in Ames essentially meant you were still part of the party but making pretty decent money in the process and meeting a lot of chicks too.
Oversharing information regarding child school pick up logistics.
At least you stood up for her in 5th grade.
I had a friend a couple houses down growing up, nerdy kid like me. Played with our Star Wars stuff and legos etc. His dad used to hit him I think, mean SOB, but luckily he wasn't around much. Wasn't really allowed to go over there to play when his dad was around. His mom was nice but a flake, kind of a hippie. Today he would certainly be understood to be on the spectrum.
Well, he was the bottom of the pissing post because he was not real smart, nerdy, weird, poor, etc. Got picked on something fierce at school, and then he would erupt and get in fights. I never stood up for him, because I was pretty close to the bottom of that same pissing post and afraid. I teased him too sometimes. Feel terrible about it now. He moved away maybe after 4th grade or so. Doubt if I had stood up for him if it would have done any good at all, this was early 80s and there was no "anti-bullying". But still should have done.
Looked him up once and he is out in CO doing whatever. Never reached out to him, not sure if an apology would be helpful or just bring up old bad memories.
There are, in hindsight, the actions you might have taken, but did not, and the actions you took, but in retrospect should not have.
