“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.” – George Eliot (1819 – 1880). True for you?
15 thoughts on “Reader Friday: It’s Never Too Late”
I’m counting on it.
There are a few things it’s too late for me to be — like an FBI agent or a stunt car driver. And I’m no longer interested in being a lawyer, because while I still find the cerebral challenge appealing, I gave up pantyhose and uncomfortable clothes a long time ago.
But, until my arthritis completely takes over and my eyesight is gone, I can still be a writer, right?
And I’d still like to sing with a jazz band, so I’m not taking that off the list quite yet.
My Goals & Potential Do-Overs by year of desire starting at age 6:
1974-1988: US Marine Officer Career Outcome: busted ankles within 6 months of service Pass/Fail: Fail Do Over probability: Zero…unless USMC Commandant personally asks for me to come back….in other words, ZERO
1986-1989: Mercenary / Legionnaire (yeah, really. I spoke passable French at the time and it was realistic…sorta) Outcome: Broke ankles in USMC…lucky me Foreign Legion was out question Pass/Fail: Fail…and alive because of it Do Over Probability: NOT!! with age comes wisdom…and achy joints
1979-Present: Professional Actor Outcome: Took a while, but finally hit it with Audiobook productions starting in 2006 Do Over Probability: Uh…I am what I am!
1980-1990Stand Up Comic Outcome: Dozen shows before they knew I was under 21 and fired me Pass/Fail:PASS-got call back from Seattle Improv Club agent who may have jetted me to stardom but was already enlisted to USMC Do Over Probability: Not Likely..but Did it & Liked it
1988-1994 Restauranteur Outcome: Did it till I burned out Pass/fail: Pass Do Over Probability: Maybe…but not likely…I’ll just have really well fed get-together dinners with friends & neighbors
1994-1999: Next DELL/GATEWAY Outcome: MKS Computers…almost competed with Dell/Gateway/CompUSA..ran out of Capital Pass/Fail: Fail…but damn it was fun… Do Over Probability: NOT!! All my grey came from this venture…
1996-2000:Macho Tough Guy Outcome: Logger/Carpenter/Guy who could carry 300lb logs on my shoulder without looking like it took any effort Pass/Fail: Pass…but damn that was hard Do Over Probability: NOT!!…really it was hard…hurt me & my joints ache forever kind of hard
2000-Present: Government IT Nerd Outcome: GS12 Senior IT Specialist Pass/Fail: PASS Do Over Probability: huh? Still doin’ it!
2006-Present: Writer Outcome: 4 Novels, 1 Novella, 20 Shorts Pass/Fail: PASS!! Do Over Probability: Love it / Love it / Love it! Plan to write till I die!
2008-Present: Audiobook Narrator Outcome: 20 hired audiobooks, and contracts as far as I can see.. Pass/Fail: PASS!! Do Over Probability: Fully Immersed At This Very Moment! I Love pretending to be other people who completed all the things I failed at completing.
2006-Present:World Famous Radio Talk Show Host Outcome: Did it…well…okay…kinda world famous cuz there’s some folk in New Zealand and UK and even one guy in Sri Lanka who listened to my show a couple times and said “Dude, you are famous!” with a thick accent Pass/Fail: Pass Do Over Probability: If I Ever get a full time contract to write/record books I will fill my spare moments with this dream yet to be completed
2013-Future: World’s Most Famously Lusted After Over 40 Male Stripper Outcome: What? By 2014 membership in Chippendale’s Guys will require a minimum 42 inch waist… Serious…Fat is the new Sexy Pass/Fail: PASS..well, at I’ll think I did if anyone at all were to at least whistle as they pass buy me on the street, rather then leaving me feeling desolate and rejected lying in the gutter…in nothing but my thong…do you even imagine how cold it is to wear a thong in Alaska in January… Do Over Probability: well…I was just checking to see if you would actually read this far or not…and no…the tryouts alone were too traumatizing…for the judges.
I had fun reading this life.
WOW. I feel so…lazy.
Basil, sounds like you hit your stride in the 2000’s. 😎
I certainly hope it’s never too late. There’s more writing to do. I still want to learn to play banjo, draw, and paint.
They are possible. I never dreamed that at 46, as a woman who has never so much as watched a boxing match, that I would take up boxing and kickboxing (can we say greatest stress buster ever????) but I love it and I’m working on getting in really good shape. So if it’s possible to whip these bones into shape, then the other stuff is doable too.
Here’s to everyone checking off all the things on their bucket list! 😎
BK Jackson
The best is yet to come. I’m really glad in many ways that I’m no longer 20 something. Although I wish I had the young, strong body back. At 58 I’m happy pursuing my writing career, love my counseling job, and have come to enjoy working out on the elliptical at the gym. George was a wise woman.
I have carried this stupid little poem in my wallet for 30 years:
I’d rather be a could be If I couldn’t be an are for a could be is a maybe with a chance of reaching par. I’d rather be a has been than a might have been, by far for a might have been has never been but a has was once an are.
Love this. I’m going to put this in my wallet. Right next to:
Listen to the mustn’t, child, Listen to the don’ts Listen to the shouldn’ts The impossibles, the won’ts Listen to the Never Haves Then listen close to me– Anything can happen, child Anything can be.
Good old Shel.
I love it!
I love both of these, PJ and Amanda. I think they both belong on my bulletin board!
I’m going to say yes and no.
When I first read the quote, I took it to mean your personality. I don’t know if any one else thinks about this as much as I do, but I consciously try to be a better person. Get less stressed out about things that I can’t control; less angry with the people who have hurt me, and move on; more understanding of people who are different from me.
My answer to this is yes, I’ve made excellent progress in this area of my life.
As for the other stuff, that’s a slow work in progress, but I am very close. I am ever striving towards the person I want to be.
Absolutely. In many ways, I feel as if I am in my 20s. I’ll just keep plugging away until I can’t anymore. The last thing I want to do is sit on a bus that’s going on a leaf tour or anywhere else, actually.
My mind tells me I’m still twenty-something sometimes. But then my body tells me otherwise sometimes. Things that shouldn’t usually be stiff all to often are, and things that should…uh, never mind.
Mrs. points out that Dr. Oz declares us finally average…but, but, but…
Yep. Just self-published my debut novel, BABY GRAND, an idea I’ve had for about 20 years. It’s never too late. 🙂
Oh yes, since my 20s, I have reinvented myself every 7 years or so. I just did it again by going back and picking up a new career. And then there’s that writing thing . . . Also, in my 30s I decided that I wanted to be eccentric when I grow up. Duh! Winning!
I’m counting on it.
There are a few things it’s too late for me to be — like an FBI agent or a stunt car driver. And I’m no longer interested in being a lawyer, because while I still find the cerebral challenge appealing, I gave up pantyhose and uncomfortable clothes a long time ago.
But, until my arthritis completely takes over and my eyesight is gone, I can still be a writer, right?
And I’d still like to sing with a jazz band, so I’m not taking that off the list quite yet.
My Goals & Potential Do-Overs by year of desire starting at age 6:
1974-1988: US Marine Officer
Career Outcome: busted ankles within 6 months of service
Pass/Fail: Fail
Do Over probability: Zero…unless USMC Commandant personally asks for me to come back….in other words, ZERO
1986-1989: Mercenary / Legionnaire (yeah, really. I spoke passable French at the time and it was realistic…sorta)
Outcome: Broke ankles in USMC…lucky me Foreign Legion was out question
Pass/Fail: Fail…and alive because of it
Do Over Probability: NOT!! with age comes wisdom…and achy joints
1979-Present: Professional Actor
Outcome: Took a while, but finally hit it with Audiobook productions starting in 2006
Do Over Probability: Uh…I am what I am!
1980-1990Stand Up Comic
Outcome: Dozen shows before they knew I was under 21 and fired me
Pass/Fail:PASS-got call back from Seattle Improv Club agent who may have jetted me to stardom but was already enlisted to USMC
Do Over Probability: Not Likely..but Did it & Liked it
1988-1994 Restauranteur
Outcome: Did it till I burned out
Pass/fail: Pass
Do Over Probability: Maybe…but not likely…I’ll just have really well fed get-together dinners with friends & neighbors
1994-1999: Next DELL/GATEWAY
Outcome: MKS Computers…almost competed with Dell/Gateway/CompUSA..ran out of Capital
Pass/Fail: Fail…but damn it was fun…
Do Over Probability: NOT!! All my grey came from this venture…
1996-2000:Macho Tough Guy
Outcome: Logger/Carpenter/Guy who could carry 300lb logs on my shoulder without looking like it took any effort
Pass/Fail: Pass…but damn that was hard
Do Over Probability: NOT!!…really it was hard…hurt me & my joints ache forever kind of hard
2000-Present: Government IT Nerd
Outcome: GS12 Senior IT Specialist
Pass/Fail: PASS
Do Over Probability: huh? Still doin’ it!
2006-Present: Writer
Outcome: 4 Novels, 1 Novella, 20 Shorts
Pass/Fail: PASS!!
Do Over Probability: Love it / Love it / Love it! Plan to write till I die!
2008-Present: Audiobook Narrator
Outcome: 20 hired audiobooks, and contracts as far as I can see..
Pass/Fail: PASS!!
Do Over Probability: Fully Immersed At This Very Moment! I Love pretending to be other people who completed all the things I failed at completing.
2006-Present:World Famous Radio Talk Show Host
Outcome: Did it…well…okay…kinda world famous cuz there’s some folk in New Zealand and UK and even one guy in Sri Lanka who listened to my show a couple times and said “Dude, you are famous!” with a thick accent
Pass/Fail: Pass
Do Over Probability: If I Ever get a full time contract to write/record books I will fill my spare moments with this dream yet to be completed
2013-Future: World’s Most Famously Lusted After Over 40 Male Stripper
Outcome: What? By 2014 membership in Chippendale’s Guys will require a minimum 42 inch waist… Serious…Fat is the new Sexy
Pass/Fail: PASS..well, at I’ll think I did if anyone at all were to at least whistle as they pass buy me on the street, rather then leaving me feeling desolate and rejected lying in the gutter…in nothing but my thong…do you even imagine how cold it is to wear a thong in Alaska in January…
Do Over Probability: well…I was just checking to see if you would actually read this far or not…and no…the tryouts alone were too traumatizing…for the judges.
I had fun reading this life.
WOW. I feel so…lazy.
Basil, sounds like you hit your stride in the 2000’s. 😎
I certainly hope it’s never too late. There’s more writing to do. I still want to learn to play banjo, draw, and paint.
They are possible. I never dreamed that at 46, as a woman who has never so much as watched a boxing match, that I would take up boxing and kickboxing (can we say greatest stress buster ever????) but I love it and I’m working on getting in really good shape. So if it’s possible to whip these bones into shape, then the other stuff is doable too.
Here’s to everyone checking off all the things on their bucket list! 😎
BK Jackson
The best is yet to come. I’m really glad in many ways that I’m no longer 20 something. Although I wish I had the young, strong body back. At 58 I’m happy pursuing my writing career, love my counseling job, and have come to enjoy working out on the elliptical at the gym. George was a wise woman.
I have carried this stupid little poem in my wallet for 30 years:
I’d rather be a could be
If I couldn’t be an are
for a could be is a maybe
with a chance of reaching par.
I’d rather be a has been
than a might have been, by far
for a might have been has never been
but a has was once an are.
Love this. I’m going to put this in my wallet. Right next to:
Listen to the mustn’t, child,
Listen to the don’ts
Listen to the shouldn’ts
The impossibles, the won’ts
Listen to the Never Haves
Then listen close to me–
Anything can happen, child
Anything can be.
Good old Shel.
I love it!
I love both of these, PJ and Amanda. I think they both belong on my bulletin board!
I’m going to say yes and no.
When I first read the quote, I took it to mean your personality. I don’t know if any one else thinks about this as much as I do, but I consciously try to be a better person. Get less stressed out about things that I can’t control; less angry with the people who have hurt me, and move on; more understanding of people who are different from me.
My answer to this is yes, I’ve made excellent progress in this area of my life.
As for the other stuff, that’s a slow work in progress, but I am very close. I am ever striving towards the person I want to be.
Absolutely. In many ways, I feel as if I am in my 20s. I’ll just keep plugging away until I can’t anymore. The last thing I want to do is sit on a bus that’s going on a leaf tour or anywhere else, actually.
My mind tells me I’m still twenty-something sometimes. But then my body tells me otherwise sometimes. Things that shouldn’t usually be stiff all to often are, and things that should…uh, never mind.
Mrs. points out that Dr. Oz declares us finally average…but, but, but…
Yep. Just self-published my debut novel, BABY GRAND, an idea I’ve had for about 20 years. It’s never too late. 🙂
Oh yes, since my 20s, I have reinvented myself every 7 years or so. I just did it again by going back and picking up a new career. And then there’s that writing thing . . . Also, in my 30s I decided that I wanted to be eccentric when I grow up. Duh! Winning!
Terri