What Should I Do for my Mid Life Crisis?

[shanendoah]

I realized yesterday that I am probably going through some sort of mid-life crisis. (For details, see my blog post.) 

Mostly I've realized I want something (maybe lots of somethings) NEW. 
I already have
New house
New TV
New headboard


Here's what's already been on the table
2nd kid 
3rd dog 
New car 
Real Estate License 
MS in Real Estate
New furniture


Off the table
New husband
New job


What other things should I consider? Practical or Impractical, give me your suggestions!

[ArchietheDragon]

tattoo.  particularly a tramp stamp.

[shanendoah]

ArchietheDragon - OOH, yes, add that to my list. Though not a tramp stamp. I have, for a very long time, wanted to do an anklet tattoo of ivy, with the leaves having the names of my past pets. And then I would add a pet anytime we lost one...

@sroo4 - That's actually C's suggestion, that I make more time for my writing. Instead of just writing a little bit every couple of weeks before critique group that I actually set aside one night a week and go somewhere and write.

[Wisconsin Beth]

As part of the "is there something you always wanted to do" portion - some place you want to visit?  A car you want to drive?  A particular celeb you want to meet?  Pick whatever and start planning for it.

[milee]

I liked sky diving, motorcycle riding (rocket not a Hog), and desert offroading with the H1 club when I needed a change and a little more adrenaline.  Is there something new and adventurous you'd like to try?

[shanendoah]

Wisconsin Beth - sheilaincali and I are half jokingly planning to go on a Flogging Molly Cruise to the Bahamas this March.

milee - I have been in love with the CanAm Spiders (the reverse trikes) ever since I first saw one, but they are expensive for motorcylces. However, my brother has a Ruckus and Pop Tart really enjoyed riding around with him on that this summer. So yesterday, I did look at Craigslist and found this:

So maybe I'll buy a scooter. It will require me to get a motorcycle license, but that's okay with me

[busymom]

Don't forget a vacation/retirement house. Every mid-life crisis needs one of those.

[simser]

What about an awesome trip that you always wanted to do? Maybe different than the artist cruise, may be the same.

[The Captain]

Wait, holdon!  Is everyone supposed to have one of these?  Do I need to start planning mine now or am I too late?

[The Captain]

Aug 7, 2015 12:09:44 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

ArchietheDragon - OOH, yes, add that to my list. Though not a tramp stamp. I have, for a very long time, wanted to do an anklet tattoo of ivy, with the leaves having the names of my past pets. And then I would add a pet anytime we lost one...

@sroo4 - That's actually C's suggestion, that I make more time for my writing. Instead of just writing a little bit every couple of weeks before critique group that I actually set aside one night a week and go somewhere and write.

Oh no you didn't

[shanendoah]

busymom - We already own timeshare (points based). It's what we used for Disneyland this year. We love the places we go.

simser - That is my Greek Isles small ship cruise, specifically an Odyssey themed cruise, hitting the places Odysseus went. I guess instead of using the proceeds from the sale of old house to do practical things, we could just use it all on that cruise for C and I. We'd go while Pop Tart was with my mom, cause otherwise, all we'd hear from her would be about how bored she was. (Would not happen on a large cruise ship where we could send her off to do kid things with other kids all day, but small ships don't really have that.)

[steph08]

I have a "life crisis" every few years, and I don't turn 30 until tomorrow.

Mainly, for me, it is something to focus on because I don't get enough satisfaction out of my job. At least, I think that is what it is!

So I started working full-time in 2007.

2008 - Got engaged, planned wedding
2009 - Got married
2010 - Started grad school
2011 - Grad school (finished in December)
2012 - Started running. Summer - decided to run a marathon
2013 - Ran a marathon, ran lots of other races too, got pregnant
2014 - Pregnant, had baby
2015 - Baby crap, running again, now contemplating another marathon or another baby or another degree

Perhaps it would be easier to get a more fulfilling job, but then I wouldn't have anything to do after work.

[shanendoah]

The Captain - I don't know if everyone is supposed to have these or not. In pop culture, they are more common among men - dumping the wife, buying the sports car and the bimbo. But my mom had one, led to my parents' divorce. But this constant desire for new and different is NOT normal for me, especially since we just go the new house.

I have not gotten that tattoo, but that is the tattoo I want, a permanent marker of my furbabies, a lasting mark on my skin representing the lasting marks on my heart.

[Waffle]

 A new, preferably shocking hair style or color. I feel sure you would look good with dark purple hair.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

1) Write a book
2)Buy my MFH
3) Hire a housekeeper
4) Take cooking classes
5) Scuba diving


You can decide which are practical and which aren't. 

[shanendoah]

steph08 - I love my new job, so that's not it. For me, I know it's more than usual because we have just had big changes - I've had my new job for less than a year, we just bought the new house in June, etc. It's the fact that I am not able to "settle", even with the new, and am craving more "new" that causes me to think this is a slightly larger issue than normal for me.

[zibazinski]

Take foreign language class?

[shanendoah]

Waffle - I started going blonde again (from the mouse color my hair had become) a year or two ago. I could see getting fun color highlights. Purple would be perfect because I could claim school spirit....

Knee Deep in Water Chloe -
1) That's back to C's suggestion, as in, I get back to my writing, finish up my novella (and is where I will probably focus)
2) No
3) Once a month to come in and do the bathrooms - very likely once we get the old house sold
4) But then I couldn't make C cook for me
5) The Puget Sound is awfully cold, but that would probably be fun

[Deleted]

I henna'd my hair last summer  


ETA when I started I used deep red, which has those purplish hues

[shanendoah]

zibazinski - I wonder if Duolingo has Basque....

[shanendoah]

oped - Can't do henna. Would give C sinus infection and migraines.

[Robert not Bobby]

Aug 7, 2015 12:04:47 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

tattoo.  particularly a tramp stamp.

Yeah, that always makes the mid life crisis go away. A tramp stamp defines you in a way she may not want to be defined.

I would recommend a lover and some traveling. Maybe a new hair color, etc. Fun and frivolous stuff that you have never done before.

[lexxy703]

My ex had the most epic midlife crisis ever.  At 50 he quit his corporate job moved cross country to LA to begin his acting career.  He is now unemployed & sharing an apartment with 5 other out of work actors.

[shanendoah]

Robert not Bobby - Tramp stamp more likely than lover. Love life is one area where I'm *good*.

lexxy703 -that is epic. that is also not me. I keep looking at ways to turn this thing productive, hence looking at second Master's degrees.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I don't feel like you've fully considered the glorious benefits of owning a MFH eight hours drive away  from your current location. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Aug 7, 2015 13:43:23 GMT -5 lexxy703 said:

My ex had the most epic midlife crisis ever.  At 50 he quit his corporate job moved cross country to LA to begin his acting career.  He is now unemployed & sharing an apartment with 5 other out of work actors.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

shanendoah, do you get free tuition? So, this potential Master's wouldn't cost you much financially?

[shanendoah]

Knee Deep in Water Chloe - If I still had the MIL, trust me, I'd consider it as a place to stick her.

[shanendoah]

Knee Deep in Water Chloe - I get 6 credits worth of free tuition, but I can't sign up for any class in advance. I have to wait until it starts, and then if there's room, I can take it using my tuition benefit. Kind of creates a problem in using it for actual degree programs. But if I could make that work, then yes, I could do the MS in Real Estate over 3 years for a total cost of somewhere between $5k-8k, depending on how the tuition benefit works with the random fees. The thing is, I don't really want an MSRE. I do kind of want my broker's license, which would cost about $1000, and take 3-6 months (depending on how long I studied for the test) to get.
I can't use my tuition benefit for a Master's in Museum Studies (which was my original grad school goal) because that program only allows you to do it as a full time student, which I couldn't do and keep the job that gives me the tuition benefit.

[lexxy703]

I like your ivy leaf tattoo idea. 

Is a second Masters really worth the effort since you like your new job?  I would think it would be worth it if you were trying to move into a better position.