Mid-life crisis early?

[WildCard]

Well... some of you already know what I've been up to, but for the others, I will quickly bring you up to speed on what this old cat has been up to. It certainly makes me think I've lost my good sense.

In the past month or so, if I'm not at work stocking shelves, I have been running the streets, playing gigs, or hanging out with my boyfriend. I've gotten a tattoo, made my ear piercings gauge to a fourteen mm, and cut my hair. I've also gotten shit-faced drunk and experimented with pot. I lost my virginity and done other things best left unmentioned.

I live alone in my apartment and I keep my bills paid off and enough money in the bank to cover gas. Of course, the man I'm dating my mother hates and is worried that I'm going to be making a huge mistake.

Typical crap, yes?

I think a lot of this is due to the fact that I have had my life controlled ever since I was a child. I was told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it as long as I can remember. I went straight from high school to the military and only left due to a medical condition.

I wonder if I'm doing the normal crap twenty-somethings do in their spare time or just acting out because I can. I'm shocked at the physical changes as well as my mental outlook. I've actually gotten to where I could care less what people think so long as I can get my job done and take care of those who matter to me, the world be damned.

 

[FDG]

You're acting out.

 

[tinker683]

You're acting out.

This. You're exercising you're new found freedom.

/ISFJ mother hen on

Just do try to be careful or you may do something you really regret

/mother hen off

On the other hand, you could be acting this way because you feel lost? Do you think you have a grasp on your life, that you know where it's going and is it the direction you want it to go in?

 

[chachamaru]

Quaterlife crisis.

You'll grow out of it.

 

[Arclight]

Life is a series of crisis.. In China, crisis and opportunity are the same word.

 

[chachamaru]

In China, crisis and opportunity are the same word.

I love it. It's absurd, but I love it. Like I love stinky cheese.

 

[Haight]

Life is a series of crisis.. In China, crisis and opportunity are the same word.

So it's something similar to the Chinese word for "Restructuring"?

 

[Arclight]

So it's something similar to the Chinese word for "Restructuring"?

Maybe?? I am not Chinese.. My boss used it on me once when I considered myself to be in crisis.
Come to think of it.. some "restructuring" did follow this crisis..
So yeah.. I guess that works.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Life is a series of crisis.. In China, crisis and opportunity are the same word.

Unfortunately, this is, as far as I know, a urban myth.

 

[Arclight]

Unfortunately, this is, as far as I know, a urban myth.

Does it change the point either way? Wisdom is wisdom.

 

[Haight]

Does it change the point either way? Wisdom is wisdom.

Right, but wisdom and ignorance aren't the same thing.

 

[Giggly]

Hmm. I'm inclined to think you'll grow out of this. Be careful with the tattoos and 14 mm gauge piercings though. Those are permanent.

 

[Arclight]

Right, but wisdom and ignorance aren't the same thing.

I am not sure where I said they were. If someone who speaks Chinese , or if someone simply knows that this is an urban myth, even, would like to correct me. I am always open to learning to new things.
So far a few people have offered that what I am saying might be a non fact.. But no one has offered me an alternative.

Nor does it really matter in regard to the thread or the central message I am giving to the OP.. I will then restate my response and we can all get on with our lives.. How does that sound??

Dear OP .. Any crisis can looked at as an opportunity. It's all in how you choose to perceive things.
It's possible this is a Chinese proverb, but it might not be. I might have seen it on a fortune cookie one time.. either way..
I belive it's pertinent advice to your queries.

 

[burymecloser]

Hmm. I'm inclined to think you'll grow out of this. Be careful with the tattoos and 14 mm gauge piercings though. Those are permanent.

So are the other things. I didn't modify my body or do (very many) things I regret, but I did not handle entering my mid-20s very well.

As long as you're comfortable with it and it's really what you want to do, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with the behaviour you've described. But tinker's advice is very good: try, really hard, not to do anything you're going to regret later. Part of being an adult is having the freedom to make bad decisions. Just try to make sure they aren't too frequent or too extreme -- don't lose control of your own life's direction. And have fun. If it stops being fun, do something else.

 

[WildCard]

Thank you everyone for the responses. I took in everyone's advice and let it bounce around in my thick skull for a few days. I don't think it's open rebellion, just that I'm finally doing things I enjoy doing. I still have a direction in my life, especially since I'm going back to school to finish getting my BA in Graphic Design at the Memphis College of Art.

Most of the things I've done, I've actually thought about it long and hard before I actually took the leap. A lot of it was experimentation, but with the piercings and tattoos, I've made sure that they are easily hidden or removed. The tattoo is actually of something that I really care about and has a lot of meaning to me.

For a few weeks I was lost, but I found my direction once I got a job working for Freds. I'm still looking for a better job, but at work I'm a demon driven. I was originally a temporary employee, but my ability to get things done quickly and well (that and the fact I could lift well over eighty-five pounds) nailed me a permanent spot as a stocker.

I may not have a job concerning my degree, but hell, at least I'm living life and enjoying it as much as I can. Yes I'm careful, and protect myself because no one else will. I enjoy the fact that I can stand on my own two feet and not have to lean on my parents for support. I want them to be proud that their "baby" has flown the coop. All the other things are a plus.

Do I work my ass off? Oh, you bet I do. But like Arclight pointed out, there is opportunity in chaos. I grabbed it. It just took some hard thinking for me to realize that. You can't live your entire life letting someone tell you what to do and use you like a puppet. You've got to obey some of the time and use your head for the rest.

 

[Giggly]

Wildcard,

I didn't mention that I actually commend you for stepping out and exploring what you really want/like. Si-Fe loop can be hard to break out of, and I encourage you to explore your Fi more. Fi is waaaaay more personally fulfilling than Fe (and incidentally, more admired by others, which is not the same as being appreciated) despite the fact that you may feel more naturally inclined to use Fe. So go ahead and focus on yourself, wildcard. Explore your Fi. Be selfish. Just don't do too many things you'll regret.

 

[syndatha]

Life is a series of crisis.. In China, crisis and opportunity are the same word.

I have a friend that speaks chinese, and I can confirm this is true. No idea if reconstruction is related, though.

As for the OP, this sounds like a late teenage rebellion to me

 

[Arclight]

All righty then.

So I ask; Can a Billion Chinese people be wrong??

 

[GZA]

Huh, seems like I'm bound to have one of those sometime... although for me it will manifest much differently. Sounds like what you are doing is cool, have fun! I have no advice to offer

I must say that although I am a huge fan of the wisdom of that proverb, a billion Chinese people can, in fact, be wrong

 

[miss fortune]

as long as your birthday thread doesn't start in the drunk thread with a post like:

I'm fuckig drunk- it's my birthday and I was stuck working overtime because my replacement didnt' show up, but some nice red bull reps brought me some drinks at the front desk because I was stil lstuck working and the most beautiful thing I;ve ever seen is a 99 cet gas station hot dog.

is this time to decide that my life officially sucks?//

I think you're doing better than I was