So what are you going to do with the rest of your life?

Me? Well I have a few ideas, but only time will tell whether or not I'm crazy. I've always believed one should aim for the stars because if you only get half way there then at least you have got a lot farther than if you had not tried at all.

I hope to spend the majority of it in prison!

Well Wicksy that begs the question . Why?

Work hard. Relax when I can. Try to get enough exercise. Love my family. Pray unceasingly.

miykal: I hear they do great Christmas dinners!!

work - sing - love - live

Live it.

I know what you're saying, but I don't feel like a victim. I also don't think we're "given" a chance... but we do have the opportunity.

I'll probably do much the same with the rest of my life as I have with it so far.

This is the question that plagues me. Bleh.

Do what comes naturally.

coast

miykal, if you aim for the stars but only make it half way, you'll likely end up in outer space where you'll be very cold and very alone.

Grow old and die.

Answer silly survey questions.

I plan to continue raising my child and loving my SO and working hard and enjoying my good fortune. Once my child is grown and independent and I am no longer in charge of another human's needs, I am going to write more, sing more, mebbe go back to school, do more theatre, take some vacations to places I want to go, sleep late more, worry less and make love to my SO more. We will buy a house, take in stray cats, eat naughty foods, dance in our underwear more, retire.....laugh...die
The end

I do think for myself. Sometimes I feel like a failure for not having achieved greatness, but mostly I think what really matters is spending time with my loved ones. What could be more important?

pandora - At the risk of sounding condescending, I felt the same way at your age. I ended up dropping out of college and rushing into a marriage because I was so confused about what I wanted to do with my life. Luckily I have no major regrets, even though some of my choices weren't the smartest. After all, I think we're just here to have a variety of experiences and we must take the bad with the good. I think we just have to jump in with both feet and go for it. Just try to do what YOU want to do, and not what you think other people want you to do. Whatever choices you make, good luck, sweetie!

I'm going to be a mommy, and see where that leads me.

they....It will lead you to such happiness....more than you ever could believe or imagine. ;)

SueBee - what you said (which I thought was really cool), reminds me of a feeling I often get. I often wish someone would tell me what I'm suppose to be doing, or how I'm suppose to do something. I'm not talking about things like baking a cake, but other, subtler things like how to act in a social setting.
Being yourself while also trying to fit in is a tricky business.

simple bill...you just have to stop caring about fitting in.
Being yourself comes naturally. :)
You worry too much about what others think and you spend your entire life second guessing all your choices. That can be very painful.

trust bill.

Why do you use the word "victim," rather than, for instance, "beneficiary," or some such word?

It occurs to me now and again that if I have the wonderful, successful life that I imagine for myself- sharing my love, talent, vision, and abilities, hopes and fears with people who care to share them and who can, themselves benefit from them; or if I have a total failure of a life, squandering my talent, potential, strength and love by dwelling in the house of doubt and inaction- in either case, the planet spins around the sun, the galaxy spins around its hub, and the entire universe hums and chortles along without so much as a blip in its existence. Therefor, I sometimes shine and strive and sing, and other times I nap and snore, and always I simply try to uphold my own values at each moment of my life, so that I can always want to live within my own life.

The rest of the time, by the way, I live a more neurotic existence, wondering and calculating what the *best* thing to do in a given situation would be.

bill - I was talking about things like school and career choices...those major decisions at the fork in the road that take us off in one direction rather than the other in life. Those are the things that people really need to do for themselves. With the social stuff, it's good to think for ourselves, but I feel that we do have to do certain things to fit into society. Personally, I don't have the guts to be too different. It's a fine line between how badly I want something, and how much of an outcast it will make me! I care what other people think, whether I want to or not.

Read "Moby Dick"

wait to die

Live! Have a baby in May and hopefully do some writing. Go to the beach...

I'm going to have a lot of fun!

I strongly recommend going to see _American Beauty_, it's a great flick on this subject.

Bill: if you are yourself strongly enough, the world will mold itself around you.

Black Hole Bill

black hole bill...won't you come...and wash away the raaaaaain...black hole bill..won't you come ...won't you come

I'm saving all I can so I can leave for a long journey. The idea is to stay away for at least 12 to 18 months. Depending on what happens and who I meet I'll make plans for the future. Maybe I end up having a bar on a beach in Thailand.
(Your all invited for free Heineken beer in that case!)

topper you are the tops (sorry about that (not really)) I identified with your comment. You are truly partly a philosopher, whatever that means. I will now use the 'label' beneficiary rather than 'victim' its so much more positive and optimistic............michael

vos: I'd recommed Koh Samui, Thailand although Phuket is also pleasant.

vos - I don't think I could afford the trip for one free beer (even a really GOOD beer) but thanks for the offer and good luck!

Stay alive.

drdt - I can't be strongly myself because being strongly anything just isn't me. I'm very good at being myself in a quiet way...

bill: I think you are confusing 'strongly' with 'forcefully'. A rock is rarely forceful, but it sure is a rock, and trees mold themselves around it.

*bows to master*

bill: no, silly, rocks don't bow. You're supposed to stand up to me... :D

Piss off, I'll do what I like!
I'm a rock that bows now, so get over it.

:D:):(:D

the only goal I have for the rest of my life is to be happy...I just haven't worked out the details of how I'm going to make that happen yet :)

live

Just being as happy as I can be. Be a good parent. Be a good grandparent. Be a good, alert, law abiding citizen.

go to Australia for a year and shag around the East coast

Grow progressively older.

Crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and hear the lamentation of the women. Oh wait, that was Conan, never mind. I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and then die. Works for me.

Live, work, play, grow older.

I wanna rock!

Wing it.