The daily grind is bullshit

[seldon]

What the fuck are we doing when we work hard so we'll have time to enjoy our free time...

...except the free time isn't there.

And life goes on... and we keep working hard, and life is a mixture of work, running, and sleep... with the moments of transition, little moments of life, spent dreaming about what life should be, of powder and sun and wind.

Living life from one weekend to the next, in a coma of half-drooped eyelids and crappy work and short conversations on the way to more work and slowly disappearing friendships because there isn't enough fucking time left anymore to running from one thing to the next even though you've set aside time to run.

Where do we go from here? Do we keep working hard, and squeezing our lives into those ever-shortening, ever maddening moments of transition in which we're experiencing what life really is except there isn't enough time to experience it? Life is not something that passes at a desk, or in a classroom, or at a meeting. Life happens outside, life is finding yourself with others in a wide blue sky scuffed with clouds and bright with happiness. Life is enjoying the lap of water against the beach on a cold, foggy day and walking ankle deep with rolled up jeans and cold, numb feet. Life isn't numbers 23, 27, 29, and 43a in Physics Volume 1 and a short reflection on "your reaction" to Hamilton's economic plans and problems 39, 41, 43, 45, and 47b without a calculator in a math book and the Duchess of Malfi comprehension questions. When will we realize that what we pass off as our lives is what we "should be doing" and what looks good on paper when our actual lives occurred in those fleeting, running moments between our "experiences" and "adventures".

[Clack]

I "like" to think that if you work hard enough, get in front of opportunity when you can, and execute on that opportunity, you can make the time and money needed to really enjoy the things that make you feel alive. And to do that for a long long time. Defered pleasure.

That's what I "like" to think. Time will tell. School is good. Cubicles will kill your soul though. Sounds like you need to take some time off. Then get back on the horse.

[Droopy]

Very eloquently put, you encompassed much of what i wrote in my metaphysics paper. You have the right idea, now you have to figure out what to do about it.

"The truth about reality is evident in all of our lives, the times in our life where things are most real are experienced without thought, they are left simply as an experience. Any time that you are overcome with an emotion that cannot be put into words you are partaking in reality. The first time you see snow, you are left speechless, over come by reality. The first time you see your child’s face you are overcome by reality, it is an experience that can never be put into words. These are the most special moments in all of our lives and they are the moments when we are truly alive. We may go back later and destroy the moments with words but for those precious few moments we were alive and we were acting real. Reality does not exist in the past or the future, it is only in the present, only in the moment, that things can ever be real."


thats a little piece of the paper that isnt full of philosophy terms and crap about the actuality of experience being destroyed by words and conceptions.

[Blurred]

Read my signature.

[cumerritt]

What the fuck are we doing when we work hard so we'll have time to enjoy our free time...

...except the free time isn't there.

And life goes on... and we keep working hard, and life is a mixture of work, running, and sleep... with the moments of transition, little moments of life, spent dreaming about what life should be, of powder and sun and wind.

Living life from one weekend to the next, in a coma of half-drooped eyelids and crappy work and short conversations on the way to more work and slowly disappearing friendships because there isn't enough fucking time left anymore to running from one thing to the next even though you've set aside time to run.

Where do we go from here? Do we keep working hard, and squeezing our lives into those ever-shortening, ever maddening moments of transition in which we're experiencing what life really is except there isn't enough time to experience it? Life is not something that passes at a desk, or in a classroom, or at a meeting. Life happens outside, life is finding yourself with others in a wide blue sky scuffed with clouds and bright with happiness. Life is enjoying the lap of water against the beach on a cold, foggy day and walking ankle deep with rolled up jeans and cold, numb feet. Life isn't numbers 23, 27, 29, and 43a in Physics Volume 1 and a short reflection on "your reaction" to Hamilton's economic plans and problems 39, 41, 43, 45, and 47b without a calculator in a math book and the Duchess of Malfi comprehension questions. When will we realize that what we pass off as our lives is what we "should be doing" and what looks good on paper when our actual lives occurred in those fleeting, running moments between our "experiences" and "adventures".

Everyone has challenges in their lives that may not be the best outlets for their energies, but from what I have learned so far, that is life. You just have to buckle down, get your shit done and then get down to the real business.

[Lynx]

hey seldon....if it makes you feel any better, my dad's cousin retired at the age of 42. I mean fully retired. i don't know how old you are, but i think there is still hope for you. i'm not exactly sure how he did it (good business guy i guess), but he gets to live half of his life retired now. his biggest problem is finding friends that can travel as much or for as long as he can. personally, i can't wait till i'm 42, but i'm saying it's never too late to get out there and live life.

[Redskea]

Life is short (cliche I know) You could spend your life working hard for your retirement then get crippled by disease or injury etc (happened to my father)
If being in the mountains is when you are alive and the rest is just an existance, go to the mountains. I don't know your situation but if you want to be there you can make it happen.
My $.02

[snowsprite]

My two cents on this...

If I didn't have kids, I would not be in "the daily grind." I see very few reasons to sacrifice your personal freedom, but children is a very valid one IMO.

I'm here in this cube for my son. Because we have family support in this area, stability, and a great social network built up over years for him. I wouldn't yank that from him for selfish reasons, no matter what. And for the rich and indescribable rewards that being his mom has given me...it's a relatively small price to pay actually.

My time of personal freedom will return again...in about 7 years when he graduates high school. In the meantime, I try to focus on the positive...and make sure to enjoy to the fullest whatever free time/family time/ ski time I do have.

Sprite

[MacDaddy]

23, 27, 29, and 43a

Cool thanks for the lottery numbers

I think I will add two more and go out and win.

If I do win I'll send you 1% might help you get out of your funk

Thanks

[Droopy]

very true sprite, kids are the great equalizer.

its all fun and games until your responsible for another life

[yogachik]

it all comes down to:

[72Twenty]

Nail on the head, Seldon.

You remember the big spring storm in Colorado two winters ago? I called in sick that Thursday when I found out I could get to Winter Park, and the whole way down there I was feeling guilty for ducking out.

You have to find that balance - for me, it was returning to this small town where life is slower paced and even though I have a daily grind job, at least I like it here and like the people I work with. I still only get to ski on week-ends, for the most part.

Sometimes you just wanna say fuck it, and pack the car up and head out without a plan other than to head in what ever direction is positive elevation from where you are now.

[Tippster]

At first I thought this was going to be a bitch session about Vail's oldest Coffee bar...

On Topic:
I don't get people that will spend 8+ hours a day doing something they don't like to do. That's 1/3 of your day, half of your waking day if you sleep like I do. Should I win tonight's Powerball ($177M!!) I would probably say "Fuck It" and quit tomorrow, to eventually come back and do freelance work. I need structure in my life, and having a job provides that. Also, dreaming aside, reality dictates that an income is necessary to maintain my family's lifestyle, which I thoroughly enjoy. I love what I do for work, but then again I never have to file a goddamn TPS report, either.

[pointedem]

macdaddy:

those sound like good numbers to me.

i dont play the lotto very often, but whenever i see the numbers they all make sense to me.. it sounds stupid, but say the numbers are like 10, 8, 18, 35 or some random shit... 10+8=18 add em together -1 and you get 35... just an example, but I'm usually like "of course!! why didnt i pick those numbers!"

I like 23,27, 29 43 need two more to win powerball though.

33 and 17

my vote.


oh, and amen to no grind. there are plenty of ways to make a fortune w/o rocking the cubicle imo. Remember, this is America, the land of oppurtunity.

[cmor]

School is the easiest job I have ever had. Work is not inherentlly evil. There is nothing wrong with trying to give something back through your career.

[Dromond]

At first I thought this was going to be a bitch session about Vail's oldest Coffee bar...

On Topic:
I don't get people that will spend 8+ hours a day doing something they don't like to do. That's 1/3 of your day, half of your waking day if you sleep like I do. Should I win tonight's Powerball ($177M!!) I would probably say "Fuck It" and quit tomorrow, to eventually come back and do freelance work. I need structure in my life, and having a job provides that. Also, dreaming aside, reality dictates that an income is necessary to maintain my family's lifestyle, which I thoroughly enjoy. I love what I do for work, but then again I never have to file a goddamn TPS report, either.

Ditto, pretty much. I like balance. I like structure. I don't like wasting my existence in a slog to some fuzzy future that won'te materialize. Balance, my friends.

[MacDaddy]

macdaddy:

those sound like good numbers to me.

i dont play the lotto very often, but whenever i see the numbers they all make sense to me.. it sounds stupid, but say the numbers are like 10, 8, 18, 35 or some random shit... 10+8=18 add em together -1 and you get 35... just an example, but I'm usually like "of course!! why didnt i pick those numbers!"

I like 23,27, 29 43 need two more to win powerball though.

33 and 17

my vote.


.

those last two are pretty close to my two. I think we got something here

now all I have to do is drive to Idaho and buy beer and a lotto ticket

[13]

In a hypercompetitive society such as ours, the only way to get ahead is to put in that extra effort, which includes time.

Unfortunately, in many places of employment, if you're content where you are and not trying to get ahead, you are viewed as a slacker or an underachiever, thereby at risk of losing the job you are happy with.

Interesting quandary, no?

Funny how so many people are going into business for themselves.

[slim]

Am I the only one that finds it a little silly that a high school kid is leading the gripe charge against the toils of the daily grind. Kid, you don't know how good you have it. Quiet your complaints and enjoy what little time you have left in adolescence.

[PlayHarder]

Am I the only one that finds it a little silly that a high school kid is leading the gripe charge against the toils of the daily grind. Kid, you don't know how good you have it. Quiet your complaints and enjoy what little time you have left in adolescence.

That's what I was thinking, I'd kill to back to the "grind" of HS, and I love my job.

[EPSkis]

it all comes down to:

http://tetongravity.com/forums/attac...tid=2653&stc=1


....and who the fu(k STOLE it!

[phUnk]

Am I the only one that finds it a little silly that a high school kid is leading the gripe charge against the toils of the daily grind. Kid, you don't know how good you have it. Quiet your complaints and enjoy what little time you have left in adolescence.

Agreed: School ain't "real life."

[homerjay]

Agreed with phunky and slim. While seldon's post is very insightful and well written, a high school kid hasn't experienced 'the grind.' Gimme a break and go back to bitching about your parents not buying you bro models.

- grumpy old man

[seldon]

I clearly can't speak for what happens after school - I just know I can't live when the only time I'm living in reality is between the various "occupiers" of my time. When nothing you're doing is being done for the simple sake of doing it, somethings wrong... I don't know what I'll do when I get to where most of you are, but if its like this forever somethings gotta change...

edit to satisfy homerjay's request: I'm a little high school bitch whos parents aren't actually going to buy me any skis and ...

[descender]

https://files.xythos.com/users/amorg...fficeSpace.bmp