I/O - Is it Shallow or Good for M?

[doctorwho]

So... for the past 2.5 years I've lived in CA. During this time I've:

1. Received more and more trendy haircuts - the latest is the most trendy I've ever been (for a person my age);
2. Bought nicer looking clothes (more button down shirts, more vibrant colors, etc.);
3. Bought a Ford Escape Hybrid (love it!);
4. Was a "Big Brother" but found my "Little Brother" not only had a lot of family here but was rather well off financially - so I stopped interactions with him (mostly because I never saw him). Now I do almost no volunteer work!
5. Most of my friends are people much younger - meaning I do a lot more socializing (and drinking and partying and...);
6. Pay more in rent for my home here than I do for mortgage for my house in MA;
7. Had enough dental work done to make me a frickin' tooth model - in fact, my dentist even has pictures of my teeth in her waiting room!
8. While still fighting the bulge that leapt on me in my 30's (what the?), found myself being far more active and getting in better shape;
9. After having avoided the sun most of my adult life, I've been outside enough lately to actually have some - gasp - color to me!

I can't help but wonder if this is normal, if this is my version of a "mid-life crisis" (although I'd hardly say I was in any crisis mode), or if it was just time I finally spent some time on me in the right way (i.e., dealt a lot with education and strengthening the inside, but not enough with the outside and more extended friendships).

So have I got caught up in the more "shallow" nature of CA or am I finally giving myself some much deserved attention? Hmmm...

Either way, I am having fun (but I have to get back to charity work - I miss it - I've just been too busy to donate time right now!).

 

[Carek1230]

I wouldn't say it's mid life, it sounds far from crisis. I also wouldn't consider any of it shallow. I feel it's just plain normal for California, and being a native Californian I see nothing wrong with any of it. Nothing wrong with giving yourself attention, in fact, more people should do so much more often!

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Was a "Big Brother" but found my "Little Brother" not only had a lot of family here but was rather well off financially - so I stopped interactions with him (mostly because I never saw him). Now I do almost no volunteer work!

I'll take him! Do you have him in Blonde?

 

[Sicy]

Too many words for IO

 

[Bonochick]

Is your little brother's name Joey? Did you take him to Paris?

 

[LemonMelon]

Too many words for IO

The AOLer will solve this problem.

SO.!!1!111!111!!!!1 FOR TEH PAST 25!!1111 LOL Y3ARS IVA LIEVD IN CA!1!!11! OMG LOL DURNG THES TIEM IV3

1. R3CEIEVD MORE AND MOR3 TR3NDY HARECUTS - DA LAETST SI TEH MOST TR3NDY IV3 EV3R BEN (FOR A PERSON MAH AEG)
2. BOUGHT NIECR LOKNG CLOTHAS (MOR3 BUTON DOWN SHIRTS MOR3 VIBRANT COLORS 3TC)!1!1!11!! OMG WTF
3. BOUGHT A FORD 3SCAEP HYBRID (LOV3 IT)!111!11!!
4. WAS A BIG BROTHER BUT FOUND MAH LITLE BROTHER NOT ONLEY HAD A LOT OF FMILEY H3R3 BUT WAS RATHER W3L OF FINANCIALY - SO I S2PED INTARACTIONS WIT HIM (MOSTLEY B/C I NAVER SAW HIM)!!!111!! OMG WTF NOW I DO ALMOST NO VOLUNTER WORK!!1!!!1!1 WTF
5. MOST OF MAH FREINDS R PEOPLE MUCH U - M3ANNG I DO A LOT MOR3 SOCIALIZNG (AND DRINKNG AND PARTYNG AND.)!111!1!!!!!!11!!1!1!!!!1 LOL
6. PAY MORE IN RENT FOR MAH HOME HERE THAN I DO FOR MORTGAEG FOR MAH HOUES IN MA
7. HAD 3NOUGH D3NTAL WORK DONE 2 MAEK ME A FRIKIN 2TH MODEL - IN FACT MAH DENTIST 3VEN HAS PICTURES OF MAH TETH IN H3R WATENG ROM!!111! OMG WTF
8. WHIEL STIL FIGHTNG TEH BULGE TAHT L3APT ON ME IN MAH 30S WT??!?? FOUND MYS3LF BNG FAR MORA ACTIEV AND GETNG IN BT3R SHAEP
9. AFT3R HAVNG AVOIEDD DA SUN MOST OF MAH ADULT LIEF IVA BEN OUTSIED ENOUGH LAETLEY 2 ACTUALY HAEV SOME - GASP - COLOR 2 ME!1!!1 OMG WTF LOL

I CANT HELP BUT WOND3R IF THES SI NORMAL IF THES SI MAH VERSION OF A MID-LIEF CRISIS (ALTHOUGH ID HARDLEY SAY I WAS IN ANY CRISIS MODE) OR IF IT WAS JUST TIEM I FINALY SP3NT SOME TIEM ON ME IN DA RIGHT WAY (IE.!1!1! WTF DEALT A LOT WIT ADUCATION AND STRANGTHENNG DA INSIED BUT NOT ANOUGH WIT TEH OUTSIED AND MORA EXT3NDAD FREINDSHIPS)
SO!!11!1!! WTF HAEV I GOT CAUGHT UP IN DA MORE SHALOW NATURE OF CA OR M I FINALY GIVNG MYSELF SOM3 MUCH DESARVED AT3NTION????? WTF LOL HMM.!!!1!111!111!11111!!1! WTF LOL HM
EITHER WAY IM HAVNG FUN (BUT I HAEV 2 GAT BAK 2 CHARITY WORK - I MIS IT - IV3 JUST BEN 2 BUSY 2 DONAET TIEM RIGHT NOW)!!1!11!!1 LOL

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

enough talk! when do we get to eat brainz?

 

[Sicy]

Well seeing as doctorwho has been here pretty much since the forum opened, it wouldn't be rite to eat his brainz.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

BOOOO!

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Too many words for IO

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Bonochick]

Co-STAN-za!