Alifelongme’s random journaling

Where are you and where are you going?
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Alifelongme
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 5:12 pm

Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by Alifelongme »

Hello all.

I guess it’s time for me to create a journal so that I don’t default to posting in Miscellaneous every time a random thought get stuck in my head and the only way to get rid of it is to write a post about it.

About me:

Read the ERE book in 2011 and was lurking on this forum ever since.

Retired in 2017. It was more of a burnout really. Reaching ER seemed as a sensible goal and prudent strategy when I learned about it. Besides, I needed a new goal after getting a tenure and knowing that with that achievement comes with golden handcuffs ;)

I tend to be a serial goal seeker to keep my sanity. I like starting things that I have never done before and are very low on my natural capabilities list. For example, I was overweight (220 lb) post menopausal 55 yo gal with bad joints and beginning thyroid problem when I first signed up for Ti Chi, then Muay Thai, and finally BJJ. I still like the cardio aspect of Muay Thai on occasion, but BJJ became my passion about 2.5 year ago. I lost 70 lb and was training for the tournament before COVID got me :( However, I am back and even tested for the Blue belt today.

But guess what? I need another goal now :lol: I’m still in love with BJJ and will continue to train as long as my body can take it, but I need to add something that would be completely new to me and very difficult in the beginning, though achievable in principle.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

7Wannabe5
Posts: 9372
Joined: Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:03 am

Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Welcome!

It’s kind of hard to make recommendations for something totally new for you without more details about stuff like your relationship history and the field in which you gained tenure. That said, based on what you have outlined, I would suggest goals with more qualitative than quantitative measures of success, perhaps in realms such as spirituality, social relationships, art, altruism, and sexuality. OR you could maybe go for something more concrete like building a boat from scratch than sailing it. I prefer many small projects at the same time and tend to bail at good enough, so caveat would be that the listed below are MUCH bigger than I would take on myself.

1) Explore 5 different spiritual traditions in depth. Do something like enter a monastery for a year.
2) Rescue 3 foster kids from system and strive to help them improve their overall functioning.
3) Learn to paint. Achieve a gallery showing or other measure of success.
4) Experience ecstatic sexual union without use of mind altering substances.
5) Invent something that could make difference in climate change.

Alifelongme
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 5:12 pm

Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by Alifelongme »

Thank you 7W5. Your posts and suggestions are always so very insightful! Before ER I was tenured prof at the business school. I totally burned out because of the ever increasing pressure to “edutate” as Jacob eloquently put it :) So, teaching kind of lost meaning for me. At least in that setting.

After ER, however, I taught my grandkids math, reading, writing, crafts, music (I play piano), jiu-jitsu of course, took them to dancing classes, soccer, gymnastics, and the like. It came handy during schools shutdown. I still do it, though to a lesser degree as kids are getting older and figure out their preferences. When it comes to children I’m totally libertarian and believe that, once they are taught the basics and have been exposed to a variety of options, they are pretty capable of choosing their own path.

I did try painting. However, several years ago I found out that I have macular degeneration in both eyes. Then I had retinal tear in one eye. It was kind of fixed with laser, but my vision is pretty messed up now :(

Social/sexual path is closed for me due to ASD. Not that I haven’t tried ;) Can’t fight neurology. At least not in a straightforward way.

Spirituality is an interesting one. As the long time reader/listener of John Michael Greer (JMG) I always kind of glossed over his occult/magic posts. Maybe THAT is the thing I’m most uncomfortable with. 🤔 But it is certainly doable.

Thank you 7W5!

Alifelongme
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 5:12 pm

Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by Alifelongme »

Since being diagnosed with macular degeneration I switched from reading to listening (podcasts and books on Audible.)

Last month I listened to The Unabomer Manifesto by Ted Kaczinski. Fascinating!

Alifelongme
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 5:12 pm

Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by Alifelongme »

I thought more about goals and I think I need to write them down.

1. Purple belt in BJJ by the age of 60. It took me 2.5 years to get from white to blue, so 2 years to purple might be reasonable.
2. Get metabolically healthy AND flexible. So far I’m not winning this battle wrt cholesterol :(
3. Start learning brail. The probability of losing my eyesight is increasing fast, so I better hurry up with that one.
4. Learn more about occultism and magic history (thank you 7W5!).

I think I need at least 10 on my list. Not all will be reached, but one needs to diversify right?

jacob
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Location: USA, Zone 5b, Koppen Dfa, Elev. 620ft, Walkscore 77
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Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by jacob »

Alifelongme wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 2:40 pm
Spirituality is an interesting one. As the long time reader/listener of John Michael Greer (JMG) I always kind of glossed over his occult/magic posts. Maybe THAT is the thing I’m most uncomfortable with. 🤔 But it is certainly doable.
Spirituality is tricky from the orange/green perspective (comprising most here) because such beliefs sit at purple/red/blue and don't reappear until turquoise. Thus their expression is often confused not only by seeing them objectively but also by the subjects themselves. (The pre/trans-fallacy.) I'd suggest https://www.amazon.com/dp/0553374923/ followed by https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HEN3JRM/ or https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005G4W0I0/ ... and if then colors make no sense, go here https://www.thenextevolution.com/spiral-dynamics/

Hristo Botev
Posts: 1734
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:42 am

Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by Hristo Botev »

Welcome!
Alifelongme wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:17 pm
Last month I listened to The Unabomer Manifesto by Ted Kaczinski. Fascinating!
That guy is REALLY good at diagnosing problems. Solutions? Not so much.

Given BJJ, any interest in barbell strength training as a possible next goal?

Alifelongme
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 5:12 pm

Re: Alifelongme’s random journaling

Post by Alifelongme »

@Jacob thank you. SDi sounds interesting although strangely similar to or maybe a modified contemporary application of Hegelian dialectics. It combines the arrow of time and infinite progress hypothesis with cyclical properties of nature/history wrt consciousness. Will definitely explore further along with Ken Wilber.

@Hristo, probably only deadlifts would be feasible at my age. But it’s definitely something to think about since I do need to work on my posterior chain muscles. Thanks!

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