Choices, Choices ?

[nexus6]

Ok, so I'm at one of those life crossroads right now. I'm 35 and having a bit of a early midlife crisis. My current gig with my business is winding down and I need to make some choices. My girlfriend is fine with any of the following. Do I:

- Go back to a high paying but boring cubicle life, keep living in my swanky condo but probably have to limit my recreational time to the weekends.

- Sell the condo, go to work in a surf shop. Pay sucks, but I can get by. Live the ski/surf lifestyle, but have to work.

- Sell everything and just live in my van for a year or until the money runs out wandering in search of powder and wind.

What would you do and why?

[MOHSHSIHd]

Option 3.


Reason: why the fuck not?

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

Option 3.

You can live in your car, but you can't drive your house.

[skibuminwyo]

Take option three. Trust me, you will have no regrets. It is the life!

[Steven S. Dallas]

Option 4: get engaged. Your girlfriend must be pretty cool.

[lionelhutz]

My girl and I are already planning on having this problem when we're 35 in eight years.
Our choice now is option two. So that's my vote
save, then move on to second career that's about your life.
Then again if rec. time on weekends is every weekend and you are close enough to the ....ehhhh fuck that...option two.

[pappag]

Option 2 as option 3 will only leave you with more delayed problems.

[skibuminwyo]

But option three gives alot of fun, for awhile. Until you start to stress about money, as I am.

[pappag]

True, and that's why you make a lot of friends with free empty couches.

[El Chupacabra]

If you choose option 3, will that cause you any problems in a year or so, when you get back in the rat race? (i.e., will a year spent living in a van look bad on a resume, or does it not matter in your line of work)

[snowsprite]

Let's do process of elimination. I strongly recommend you eliminate option #1...and probably many will agree!

Of the remaining 2, I'd go with option #2 and you can easily go to option #3 if you get fed up w/ that. Or at least it buys you more time to come up with other cool/better options.

Good luck to you...

Sprite

[freshie247]

Option 2 , chances of your GF being able to deal with you living in a van for a year with no money is slim.

[stupendous man]

Option 5 (closer to my plan) - conduct option 3 and set up option 1 upon return to fill the coffers while deciding whether option 2 can work out.

sprite- aren't you in option 1?
chupacabra- fuck what it looks like, after all you're a killer goat from hell

[timvwcom]

Ahhh... seems I can't knock the real estate agent out of my head? My two initial simultaneous streams of thought were;

-A) #3... DO IT!!! DOOOOOO ITTTTTT! -AND-
-B) Man, I hope he doesn't get killed by the current downturn in real estate prices in most places if he tries the #2 or #3 option.

Followed later by;

-C) Wonder how old the GF is? Most have a "biological clock" running in their brains at that age. -AND THEN-
-D) Should I tell him wiser older friends would inform him a better term than "a bit of a early midlife crisis" would be simply his "FIRST midlife crisis"???

Finally followed by;

-E) Why the hell would anyone care what all my thoughts are right now? -AND LASTLY-
-F) Ohhh... Look!!! Something shiny!!!

[Woodlandclown]

i'd do number 3 and then number 2. I did number 2, but probably should have done 3 then 2. Me and BF talk about doing number 3 all the time--hence the not buying a house, new car or having kids. We are ready to roll wherever, whenever! We dont even have a lease right now.

[cranked]

-C) Wonder how old the GF is? Most have a "biological clock" running in their brains at that age. -AND THEN-
-D) Should I tell him wiser older friends would inform him a better term than "a bit of a early midlife crisis" would be simply his "FIRST midlife crisis"???

Exactly my thoughts...options change dramatically if you are planning on offspring. If not...do whatever the fack seems more fun. If you are going the kid route...do whatever will set them up best.

[Cliff Huckable]

If your girlfriend is really OK with it, you must choose #3.

[mrw]

If you choose option 3, will that cause you any problems in a year or so, when you get back in the rat race? (i.e., will a year spent living in a van look bad on a resume, or does it not matter in your line of work)

That always amazes me. I have never been a corporate guy. I have been self employed for 30 years. My wife left a job in October to take some time off and is now having to fictitiously fill that hole in her resume to be considered for a new job.

I find that to be utter bullshit. Just because most of corporate America has never had a free thinking thought in their miserable cubicated lives, all employment gaps are forbidden.

So, at 50, wife and I are talking about extending her resume gap to include next winter and ski bumming.

[iscariot]

If your girlfriend is really OK with it, you must choose #3.

Right, and after she ditches you because you live in a van down by the river, send her my way

I think if you have a girl that is really cool you should do option 1 to save for a ring and a honey moon; make option 3 the honey moon (but keep the condo); and do option 2 when the money in option 3 runs out.

[bklyn]

Forget about "options".
What do you want your life to be? Long term? Short term?

[snowsprite]

sprite- aren't you in option 1?

Yes, very grudgingly. But that may change very soon...and I'll know for sure in about 6 weeks!

Sprite

[Jim J]

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The Hood (River)
Posts: 57


Come on now! Is there really a choice?

[bsideindy]

True, and that's why you make a lot of friends with free empty couches.

Couch surfing in your 20s is fun.

Couch surfing in your mid 30s is sad.

[nexus6]

Ok, some further developments and clarifications:

- I now have a job offer as manager of said surf shop, so some urgency to the decision is required. Pay is indeed not so good (1/3 of what I could make in the corporate world), but could pay the bills (without the condo).

- Condo is located in Portland, not Hood River, have been living in Hood River part time. Real estate market hasn't really crashed yet in Portland.

- GF is a very long time thing, just haven't had time to get married. No kids in the plans. She would be along on the van trip (ie. it's not mid thirties bachelor guy wandering in his van, that's just sad). It was her idea to buy the van in the first place. And no, I'm not sending her any of your ways.

- She has French citizenship, so that might be another interesting option, but we both hate the French .

- Due to some past poor financial decisions, money wouldn't last for more than about a year of bumming it. Then, I don't know, go live with my mom? That's sad.

Right now, I'm sort of leaning toward option 1 or 3. Option 2 just seems like I'm just giving away my time. If I choose option three I'd definitely need to get some training or certifications to get back into the job market afterwards. Although I would prefer a career change, so maybe option three and then school, but then I'd be like 40 by the time I get done.

[RootSkier]

Post naked pictures of the frog for clarification.