U2dem's breaktime

[U2democrat]

OK I've got a question for y'all.


If you saw yourself when you were half your age, and your "half your age self" saw you, what would you think of each other?

i.e.-If you happen to be 40 and you saw your 20 year old self, what would you think of each other?

I'm 20. If I saw my 10 year old self I'd tell me to take school a little more seriously and other people less. I cared a little too much about what other people thought of me, and didn't care enough about my schoolwork, and that often got me in trouble. But generally, I'd probably like what I saw in my 10 year old self.

Now, if 10 year old me saw 20 year old me, she/I'd probably be surprised how involved in politics I am. She/I'd also be surprised that I was able to get over my shyness, and now I can approach almost anyone.

Overall I'd say I think my 10 and 20 year old selves would like each other.

Your turn!

[phillyfan26]

I'm 16, so I'm seeing my 8 year old self.

Me at 16 says: Dude, chill out man. None of this matters till you get to high school. Loosen up and hang out with your friends more. Especially in middle school. Those guys who you think will bug you in middle school are actually gonna be your best friends. And practice basketball more.

Me at 8 says: Why the heck aren't you taller? Everyone keeps saying I'm going to be tall when I get older, but you're not taller! Darn.

[Diemen]

Hm. To my 14 year old self I'd say: relax. Girls aren't worth the trouble this early.

To my 28 year old self: you need to exercise more.

[U2democrat]

Originally posted by phillyfan26


Me at 8 says: Why the heck aren't you taller? Everyone keeps saying I'm going to be tall when I get older, but you're not taller! Darn.

My 10 year old self would say the same thing...I'm always short!

[phillyfan26]

My 8 year old self would also be very conservative politically because he didn't like Al Gore, so the natural choice in 1999 was to like the opposite, George Bush.

My 16 year old self would warn strongly against this.

[coemgen]

Wow. This is a great question for me to ask myself because I turn 30 next month. It's been haunting me, and challenging me.

[BonosSaint]

My half-lifed counterpart would be disappointed that I wasted her potential and in seeing the fear I developed. She would have been pleased at the sense of mischief I have that she didn't see and to know I still don't compromise much. I would have told her to not be so serious and run off and join the circus, become a gypsy or a pirate and that time goes very quickly. I liked much of her. Don't know what she would have thought of me.

[MsPurrl]

My half-aged self would say, "Damn, you're old--but you've still got that spark, and you're one cool old broad who knows how to have fun."

My present self would say, "Take more risks. Do more of what you want and don't worry so much about what people think."

Great question, u2dem!

[lynnok]

It's strange because this is the year that my life changed dramatically. My half age me spent this year being tested, I changed schools, started College classes and took the classes I'd need to finish school. Luckily I was 5'6" and really tall for my age.

Mini me would look at me now and probably say "when do you ever have fun" and Yay for getting out of the lab mini me would like us I guess.

[phanan]

I would tell my half-aged self to get your ass to a show on the Joshua Tree tour before it ends.

I regret not going.

[yolland]

I'm 36, so I'd be looking at my 18-year-old, college-freshman self. *cringes at thought that I'm more than twice as old as some in here*


Me at 36: First of all, stop wallowing in resentment and self-pity about how shitty the last two years were and start calling or writing your mother twice a month. You won't know this until your little brother writes you about it 2 years from now (although you should), but she cries all the time because you're keeping everyone at arm's length, and sending some of your paycheck home now and then does not make up for it. Hold on to the mostly-for-fun attitude towards dating you had in high school, because your academic goals are the most important ones right now and, frankly, you're still way too confused and reactive about too many things to be ready for a serious relationship--there's a lot more to knowing who you are than knowing who you don't want to be, and no one but you can provide that knowledge, however appealing dreams of love providing it all might be. And don't expect to have what you'll wind up doing with your degree exhaustively mapped out and academically prepared for by the time you graduate--a solid grounding in a field you enjoy is a good goal worth devoting yourself to now, but unforeseen grad school opportunities and quirks of your future marketplace will exert their own influences on the equation later; that's not 'failure,' it's becoming a Responsible Adult who rises to the occasion.

(p.s. Trust me, though, you're doing some very impressive work academically--much, much better than you think--and the effort you're making to come out of your shell socially, which I know is very tough and often seems right now like it's yielding nothing, is going to pay off in all kinds of ways later. I know how sick you are of teenage cliqueishness, and I'll grant all that's not totally behind you yet, but that sense you have that it's beginning to fade away is real, and it will continue to do so.)


Me at 18: You live where?! Well, that's pretty damn deflating...Can I see your publications list?...that's it? that's all?! Lol, look how confident and experienced you sound talking to your students...how do you ever keep a straight face? The home life, though... now, there I'm impressed. Much better than I expected, to be honest. Wow, that's cool how much hiking and traveling you do. I see you never did develop much fashion sense, but I guess I can live with that. Overall it's not as...impressive as I'd hoped for, but you actually seem pretty content and even kinda...happy about it. Guess I need to ponder that one awhile...

[phillyfan26]

Originally posted by yolland
I'm 36, so I'd be looking at my 18-year-old, college-freshman self. *cringes at thought that I'm more than twice as old as some in here*

Or maybe just me.

Sorry to everyone I make feel old here.

[RedRocksU2]

Ditto.

[U2isthebest]

Originally posted by phillyfan26


Or maybe just me.

Sorry to everyone I make feel old here.

19 *represent*


I would tell my 9 year old self (I just turned 19 in August, so I'm going with 9 instead of 10) to stop being so shy, to let people see who I really am. I was always hiding behind books and homework, and I missed out on some great friendships I could've had in elementary school. I would also tell me to loosen up and quit being so judgemental to things I don't understand.

9 year old me would say, Wow, you turned out completely different at 19 than I thought you would be. She probably would be uncomfortable with how tolerant I am now, but I think overall she would be happy with who I/we are.

[MrsSpringsteen]

Originally posted by BonosSaint
My half-lifed counterpart would be disappointed that I wasted her potential and in seeing the fear I developed

Actually I would say the same exact thing. I'd like to think that my half aged self looking at my older self would be proud of how I have survived emotionally and what I have learned about myself. And of the fact that I have stayed true to myself in spite of others.

[Moonlit_Angel]

I'm 23, so my half's gonna be a bit of an awkward number, I'm looking at myself when I was 11 and a half here.

Let's see...my 11 1/2 year old self would be really surprised at how I've changed. They'd probably find it refreshing to see that I've become a lot more comfortable around people in recent years, that I'm not as reserved about expressing things, and that I have a much better idea of what I want out of life now. They would also be relieved to see that my writing abilities have considerably improved since then. Nowhere near perfect, but there's definite improvement . They'd also want to know how the hell I wound up going from living in Iowa to living in Colorado. But they'd also probably tell me that I need to work harder at achieving everything I want to achieve-they hear me talk about all these dreams I have, all these things I want, and would say, "So what are you waiting for? Go do it!"

My 23 year old self would tell the 11 1/2 self to enjoy that time of their life more, 'cause they're never getting it back, and appreciate everything they have in live, because that can (and will) be lost or come close to being lost in the blink of an eye. I would also tell them that as far as the personal issues regarding being made fun of and stuff go, things do improve-I, too, would tell my younger self to not be so shy and reserved, and to hell with what people think. And I'd tell them to not give up on schoolwork, or anything else, that they find too hard and frustrating (I unfortunately did that sometimes in high school, and that is something I definitely regret). Keep trying, it's better than nothing.

Think that about sums it up.

Angela

[kafrun]

I'm 26, so I'd tell my 13 year old self it's going to be ok..

My 13 year old self wouldn't recognize the person I am today.

[Bono's shades]

My 40-year-old self would reassure my 20-year-old self that her recent decision to change her major was the right thing to do after all, and that journalism would be a richly rewarding, although very stressful, career path.

I would hope that my 20-year-old self would think I'm pretty cool for a 40-year-old.

[Dreadsox]

My 19 year old self would look at me and say WOW what the fuck happened to you dude?

Where is the earring? Where is your anti-establishment? Wow, you are the principal of the elementary school you attended as a child, you geek! And what the hell happened to you hair? And how the hell could you have been a registered Republican after working in Gerry Studds office?

My 19 year old self would say..... You survived your parents divorce! Your fears of marriage have been overcome. You have beautiful kids. You finished college!!!! You are not a classical musician? How did that happen? You no longer speak to your mother? Why the hell didn't I have the courage to protect myself?

To my younger self..... You will not go blind!!!! When two chicks want a threesome, and you turn it down because u loved your girlfriend, you did the right thing, she married you and you have a beautiful family. You have the power to get through the shitstorm that breaks in your way at twenty. Stop looking for women who create drama, there is something to be said for stability. Your sister and you will become friends again, and it is good. All the pressure that being a musical prodigy brings can be pushed away by playing your music for fun. You will not pick a winning presidential candidate in the next twenty years.

When you break up woth your girlfriend, and she still wants to go see Rattle and Hum with you.....do it! Damn it, that movie got you back together man, and you will marry her on August 21, 1993. That movie changes your life. And one more piece of advice, do not give up on U2 so quickly after Achtung Baby.


hehe

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I'd tell my 14.5 ( ) year old self to take school a bit more seriously, take more of an interest in the world around me than just what's outside my door. Take more risks, have more fun and live a little. (I was way too serious back then.)

I'd look at myself now and be proud of how far I've come, what I've accomplished and will accomplish in the future, that I want so much for myself now than I did back then and that I have no regrets (the few I have aren't really even worth regretting, really). Basically, I'd be happy I got out of my shell.