Regrets.I've had a few.and you?

[rushchairman]

Perhaps I'm regressing, but lately I've not been able to shake the sweet memory of my very first boyhood "Dream Job". Somehow as a five or six year old, I found out about the place that would become the most widely ridiculed and mocked academic institution in all the land - commonly referred to as, "Clown College".

I even found some vintage, captured student footage online of aspiring clown-students with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus. There they were, plying their trade, honing their craft, earning their stripes...all in the hope of winning a contract with the circus and touring the country as professional clowns. Young, hungry, clowns-to-be!! Emmett Kelly would be proud!!

Suffice it to say, I did not attend Clown College. I did however attend the single oldest acting school in the English speaking world. I love my career and my life - but still, I can't help but feel like I let the six year old inside me down. Maybe in his honor I'll trip myself on my way to bed tonight.

What about you? What did you want to be? Are you being it? If not, do you wish you could?

 

[Graybeard57]

A few. But then again, too few to mention...

A few years back, friends and I gathered to celebrate turning 50. One summed it up perfectly, "Look at us! We're all still alive, and none of us are in jail. Amazing!" I could regret some decisions I made along the way, but every one of them was necessary to lead me to where I am today.

Life is good.

 

[Hunter]

Well when I was a kid I wanted to be a logging truck driver, just like my dad, I didn't become a truck driver and I'm pretty happy about that. To be honest I don't have much for regrets... except for being oblivious when a few girls liked me in highschool and I had no idea until they told me after.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

Perhaps I'm regressing, but lately I've not been able to shake the sweet memory of my very first boyhood "Dream Job". Somehow as a five or six year old, I found out about the place that would become the most widely ridiculed and mocked academic institution in all the land - commonly referred to as, "Clown College".

I even found some vintage, captured student footage online of aspiring clown-students with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus. There they were, plying their trade, honing their craft, earning their stripes...all in the hope of winning a contract with the circus and touring the country as professional clowns. Young, hungry, clowns-to-be!! Emmett Kelly would be proud!!

Suffice it to say, I did not attend Clown College. I did however attend the single oldest acting school in the English speaking world. I love my career and my life - but still, I can't help but feel like I let the six year old inside me down. Maybe in his honor I'll trip myself on my way to bed tonight.

What about you? What did you want to be? Are you being it? If not, do you wish you could?

This is really unbelievable, because you just summed up how I've felt for the past week.

I moved here seven years ago and one of the things I most wanted to do was try to be an actor. I took some classes and did well in them and was praised, but I never really tried.

The truth is, I was scared to fail. I always have been. I was precocious as a child and my whole life I've been told how much talent I have, but because of that, I have built up tremendous expectations for myself. And rather than try and fail, I didn't try at all to keep myself from being hurt.

When I was 24, I was scared out of my wits of everything and so I quit on my dream and went back to college. It sounds weird, but it's the biggest regret I have in my life. I did very well in school, but I wasn't doing it for me and it wasn't what I wanted to do. I just did it, because that's what you're supposed to do and it made my parents happy.

Now, I am 29 and I feel as though I have a brontosaurus sitting on my back. I'm distraught with how my life has turned out. I am happy that you are happy with how things turned out. I am not. Not at all.

(I needed to say this to someone, I guess. I generally don't open up much on the Internet.)

 

[Robert45]

Not really....anything I've ever done seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

[Nick Danger]

One of my oddest regrets is missing a chance to do the nude scene in a production of "HAIR" in Chicago, along with the original Broadway producer, on closing night. I was his webmaster at the time. It wasn't until intermission that I went backstage and the actors wondered why I hadn't joined them. I don't think I'll have that opportunity again.

Nick

 

[mdevine]

This is really unbelievable, because you just summed up how I've felt for the past week.

I moved here seven years ago and one of the things I most wanted to do was try to be an actor. I took some classes and did well in them and was praised, but I never really tried.

The truth is, I was scared to fail. I always have been. I was precocious as a child and my whole life I've been told how much talent I have, but because of that, I have built up tremendous expectations for myself. And rather than try and fail, I didn't try at all to keep myself from being hurt.

When I was 24, I was scared out of my wits of everything and so I quit on my dream and went back to college. It sounds weird, but it's the biggest regret I have in my life. I did very well in school, but I wasn't doing it for me and it wasn't what I wanted to do. I just did it, because that's what you're supposed to do and it made my parents happy.

Now, I am 29 and I feel as though I have a brontosaurus sitting on my back. I'm distraught with how my life has turned out. I am happy that you are happy with how things turned out. I am not. Not at all.

(I needed to say this to someone, I guess. I generally don't open up much on the Internet.)

At 29, you're much too young to be distraught over how your life has turned out, as it hasn't, in fact, turned out yet at all. I'm 52, and still try to focus on improvement moving forward. Don't let yourself feel "stuck" with where you are. You owe yourself much more than that during this one journey through life you've been blessed to have. I hope you have the chance to watch this video and that you find it useful. It is Adam Carolla on changing your life. Good luck.

http://www.prageruniversity.com/Life-Studies/Adam-Carolla-Change-Your-Life.html

Mike

 

[Big_John]

I can honestly say that I do not regret not going to clown college.

 

[rushchairman]

I can honestly say that I do not regret not going to clown college.

One does not "go" to Clown College. He becomes one with it.

Ommmm shanti

 

[Gary H]

I regret not having more children than the 3 I have.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I've had my share of sand kicked in my face, but I've come through.

 

[MrLara]

Definitely had a few regrets. Most of those i can say i have added to my wisdom/experience. But a few others, i have no idea wth i was thinking.

 

[chilliman64]

having overthought every single major event (and many minor events) in my life my only regrets are that I did not act with a bit more spontaneity and that I did not marry my wife sooner!

oh, I also wish I had experimented with different shaving methods a bit sooner rather than waiting until my late 40's.

 

[DC_MPA]

Yeah I do as well. I have an amazing job with an amazon company. I got really lucky that the angels on my shoulders found a way to salvage everything and still find a way to make me happy. My regret (and it might not be over yet) is living in the city of my dreams with a career I love in public service. My lifelong goal is to hold public office in DC.

 

[Haggises]

I kinda regret not becoming either a pilot or a geologist. One for physical, one for lack of trying.
I may still regret having kids a little late in life as I may not get to know my grandchildren very well, at least 10 years before there's even one.
But overriding those regrets is the life I have now. Good job, lovely wife and the two best damn kids on the planet.
Doing not too badly for a wee boy fae Glesga.

So on the whole.....Edith Piaf.

 

[Haggises]

oh, I also wish I had experimented with different shaving methods a bit sooner rather than waiting until my late 40's.

that too!

 

[Mick]

Nope.....

Done what I've always enjoyed doing

Retired when I was 35, been chasing the seasons ever since

Now on another (not job) regret. Had the opportunity to buy a 1965 Shelby R type GT-350-R (one of the 37 factory racing models made for the 65 Le Mans /Sebring racing season) but passed on it. Now I could not touch one with a solid racing history for 7 figures

http://www.supercars.net/cars/2872.html

AND.. I do regret selling a lot of my razors on BST yesterday

 

[COHunter]

I regret being risk averse. The only regrets I have in life are the chances I didn't take, unfortunately there are more than a few. I'm in the process of currently re-evaluating my stance on that and am throwing caution to the wind in a sense. I have a job that I absolutely loathe. So I'm in the process of striking out and exploring some options.

 

[gaseousclay]

Retired when I was 35, been chasing the seasons ever since

how does one retire at 35? did a giant bag of money fall out of the sky and land on you?

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

A few. But then again, too few to mention...

I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption...