Yesterday was the sixth birthday of this website, and the day before that was the fifth anniversary of the day that I got fired for this website. I usually celebrate these events by opening up comments to talk about something specific, and I've been thinking about what topic I should choose for a few months now. Typically the topic has something to do with work or the environment around work, but this year I wanted to make it a little bit broader. So I went back to my inbox to see if there were any specific questions that people were frequently asking me about this website, and a few things jumped out at me. One, the email from the guy who asked me if I would like for him to suck my toes. Apparently, he more than anyone else could show me what a good foot sucking feels like. Internet, if you ever needed a reason to start your own website, look no further. You, too, could have some strange man offering to gag himself on your big toe.
Two, I get asked a lot about whether or not I had any idea when I started this thing that it would one day pay my mortgage. I'll be honest here and say that I had no idea when I started this thing that it would last more than a month. I just didn't take it very seriously in the beginning, didn't think I needed to. Which is why there are all of those early entries that have no point whatsoever, entries that are very different than my writing today. Today my writing is very full of points and meaningful meaning. You just can't see that part because it is invisible.
But then month after month I continued to update it, started to write a lot more about the personal side of my life, and then bam, my boss found it, found the many instances that I had referred to her as a giant thorn in my side and that one sentence where I had given her the nickname Her Wretchedness. The thing is, I know that I owe a lot of my success to losing that job, which is why I don't regret anything. A lot of people ask me if I would ever go back and do anything differently, and I definitely wouldn't because I try not to live my life that way. Yes, I have done a lot of stupid things in my life, writing about my boss with those words being one of them, but I try not to dwell on the thought that I should have lived my life differently. I'm too busy trying to get the thought of my foot in someone else's mouth out of my head.
However, I do feel like I have been very wrong for not yet apologizing to that woman publicly, and do I ever owe her a huge apology. I know now that my frustrations had nothing to do with her personally, and that how I wrote about her was incredibly tacky. She had actually been a very gracious boss, had brought me into the company herself when she knew I was looking for a new job, had been an advocate of my design work to other executives in the company. What I wrote about her was just gross and clearly indicative that I had serious issues with myself. I do hope that she will one day forgive me and know that I could not be more sorry for hurting her.
Is there anything in my life that I wish I could go back and do differently? Yes. One thing. I wish had worn more sunscreen.
You?
1. JennJenn said:
Yes...
Before therapy I would have said a resounding, NO! I didn't regret anything, I wouldn't change a thing.
But after, I would say yes.
People make mistakes and learn from them. It doesn't mean they HAD to occur, it just means they did and this is what I learned. I learned that some of those mistakes I could have lived without.
The thing I would have changed? I wouldn't have chosen to be a participant in ruining those relationships that I did. I would have chosen not to cause hurt to those people.
That and FORCED my parents to buy me a pony. Life is so much better with Ponies!
2. AOtis said:
I wish that I had not worked quite so hard in college and allowed myself to have a little bit of fun. If only I'd known the words "cum laude" would be so small on my diploma, and that the only person who would care was me. That could have saved me so much sleep.
3. AmyFrances said:
I wouldn't have dropped out of high school in the 10th grade. Seriously. I mean, turns out it wasn't that big of a deal, because I ended up graduating law school with honors, but imagine what could have been if I just would have sucked it up and stuck it out? Shiiiiiiit...I could be the next President!
Oh, and I wouldn't have believed that Turk when he said he wanted to marry me because he loved me, not for a green card. But whatever.
4. jdkjd said:
I too have looked back and realized that even if what doesn't kill you doesn't necessarily make you stronger - it does make you who you are. And honestly I'm glad to have learned those lessons so that I can help my daughters and hopefully pass on those lessons.
5. karahmarie said:
I wish I hadn't learned to be superstitious. Because mostly I think it's a load of claptrap and snake oil thinking, but I still can't shake it - just in case!
6. AngelaVan said:
I wish I had found dooce six years ago!
No, really - well I do wish that, but that isn't the main thing I would have changed. If I could go back and change any one thing, I would have tried harder to see my mother before she died. Luckily I have come to a point in my life where I only regret not seeing her, instead of feeling sickeningly sad and disappointed in not seeing her. So glad life evolves and matures our point of view so that we can focus on the things that really matter.
7. MostEvilTwin said:
I wish I'd stood up for myself more.
8. kathrynaz said:
Being the fatalist that I am, I would have to say "No." I, and perhaps you too heather?, have found myself repeatedly renewing my subscription to the whole "everything happens for a reason" philosophy of living one's life. Its all just too complex to obsess over, with lots of delightful treasures that seem to pop out of the most shiteous of experiences.
That said, its all about the journey- and man- there are some rough lessons learned, aren't there?
So, I guess the only thing I would regret is all of the self doubt that really plagued me in my early twenties- the type of doubt that causes you to stay in unhealthy situations for way too long instead of taking the invariable risk to just make that big mistake...which may or may not be the best mistake you ever made!
Thanks Heather, and happy sixth!
9. Diesel said:
I wish I would slept around more in college.
10. katy66 said:
I would not have had that last glass of wine last night or the curly fries I wolfed down on the way to work.
11. thisgirlremembers said:
Well, I suppose it's pretty petty in the grand scheme of things, but I REALLY wish I'd taken advantage of the amazing study abroad opportunities when I was in college. It will never be that easy again. I didn't go for several reasons that felt really important at the time but in retrospect were awfully stupid. Man, I could have been in Greece for six months. Instead I hung around campus like an idiot.
12. Abra Cat said:
I wouldn't have gotten married so young (21). Maybe then it wouldn't have taken until my 30s to figure out who I am and what I want to do with my life.
13. divinemissk said:
honestly, i can't think of anything i regret. does that mean i haven't taken enough risks in my life? i don't know.
i do wish that i had chosen another college to attend, or transfered when i decided to change majors- but my relationship with my best friend was formed in the latter years of school, and i wouldn't give that for anything.
so no regrets- at least for now. i'm about to be a parent and i'm sure i'll regret half the decisions i make starting down this new path in life.
14. Amy Mingo said:
I would go back to my high school newspaper days and instead of writing for the paper, I would become a photography. I am almost 40 and just figured out that, duh, photography is what I want to do for a living. I have received more recognition in the past 3 months for my photographs than ever before and I now know that I can make a living at this but is it too late?
15. Jae said:
I wish I had listened more to myself than to others who I thought knew better. I grew to believe that they knew better than me what was best for me.
For example, I wish I had told people to go screw themselves when they pushed me to finish college when I wasn't ready. Now, I have a worthless degree and am in serious debt. I know they meant well but oh, how I wish I could go back and change that.
16. Vaguely Urban said:
I'd have gotten a dog sooner. She may be rather demanding about walks and being fed, but she makes every day several levels happier than it would have been otherwise.
Happy Sixth Birthday, Dooce.com!
17. Ms. Pants said:
I wish I'd learned to love myself as a child. I'm in my 30s now and it's much harder to learn stuff like that now. (If you've figured out the magic secret, please forward it along.)
18. ihearttheastros said:
I wish I wouldn't have majored in Theatre in college.
19. HalfwayCrucified said:
I shouldn't have made that left turn at Albuquerque. . .
20. bob said:
I am sure that, with hindsight, there are a ton of things I should have done. But those decisions are the ones that led me to where I am today. While not everything in my life today is perfect, or even good, I have a wife that is the love of my life and two children I love and am proud of. None of which I would give up.
I guess the only thing I truly regret is the pain I have caused others. I would take that back in a heartbeat if given the chance.
21. Jen S said:
I wish I hadn't spent so much time worrying about what other people thought about me. ALthough, I imagine most people spend a good chunk of their adolescence doing just that. I'm 35 now, and I've only in very recent years decided that it just isn't worth worrying about what someone else is thinking.
Happy web anniversary, Heather. You continue to inspire me on a daily basis!
22. Smelly Liz said:
I regret sleeping around so much in college.
23. cmvnapa said:
Used to think I regretted leaving one job 10 years ago. Had I not, I wouldn't be where I am right now, in an area where I've always wanted to live, where my spouse and I relocated less than 6 months ago - just up and quit our jobs and have found comparable, if not better, jobs.
No regrets, have lived more than half a century, looking forward to more.
24. wendy said:
I wish I didn't have way too many pictures of me with giant 80's hair and cheap beer.
25. eden said:
wow, 6 years! congratulations.
right on with the sunscreen. me, too. also: be more patient when my daughter behaves like a maniac.
26. Antonia said:
Well, maybe I should have told Ian I loved him before marrying his best friend and then divorcing him for Ian. But that wedding was a hell of a great party, and everyone's still friends.
So I don't know. Maybe just the sunscreen thing. And taking better care of my teeth. And that time on the A19 when I tried to turn right too fast and wrote off my 1972 VW bus. Never try to do anything fast in one of those.
27. egghead said:
If I could change anything (and there's still time, I know)...
During my teen years, I wish I wouldn't have been so hung up on caring about what others thought of me and my actions. Lived life as I wanted and not how I thought others wanted me to.
I would have traveled a hell of lot more if it weren't for the fear of something REALLY BAD happening to me if I left the 50 mile radius I grew up in.
Fear sucks.
28. katliz said:
I'd have taken more risks. I've taken none of any significance in my life, lead the (supposedly) perscribed path. While I'm happy, I'm also unfulfilled and at 32 have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.
29. TheFeather said:
I wish I had known I would get cancer at 24--I wouldn't have worked so hard in college.
30. PstLyfDiva said:
I wish I would have loved my red hair as a kid.
I wish I could have cut the apron strings earlier.
I wish I cared more about what I thought about doing something, than worrying what my mother would think.
31. Carol said:
There was that one time at band camp...
Just kidding. I've never even been in a band, much less band camp.
I don't know what I regret. I'm certain there are things but they're relatively minor and pretty inconsequential, like I probably shouldn't have taken my top off that time in Mexico (true story).
I've learned some great life lessons so it's hard to regret doing something when you've learned so much from it. You may regret what you wrote about your boss but really, you learned from that experience. Now you (hopefully) know better than to do something like that again.
Happy Birthday, dooce.com!
32. sweatpantsmom said:
I absolutely never would have let our wedding videographer have that fourth martini.
(Happy Birthday!)
33. mena said:
the thing i regret most doing was joining the military. they simply care nothing for the person, the military only cares about the whole group, and its hidden moto is "for the good of the city", and in the end it causes many sensitive, good people to become someone who hates their life. where once i was an optimistic, happy person i am now a cynical skeptical, generally unhappy person. true, the military is appropriate for some people who can stand up under this kind of emotional weight, but i regret not finding that sensitivity of mine to be a deciding factor in NOT joining the military. however, i support the military whole-heartedly and hope that there will one day be no more war... i guess that might be wishful thinking, but we can hope, can't we? what is life without hope?
34. anderson.kristen said:
My regret is having dealt with someone without caring about their hurt and lifelong wounds. I just wanted to run away from them, fearful of the baggage they carried.
If I could go back, I would not run.
35. DeathByChildren said:
I regret not running away from home. My parents were great but they should have fled the rural south like it was on fire and raised their kids in a city where they could learn algebra, the full gamut of Archemedian solids, and possibly take advantage of a halfway decent IB program.
I also regret having children. I mean, they're cute and really come in handy when I need the trash taken out or I make too much soup but honestly, if they had any idea where I could've been by now if it weren't for them, they'd move to an orphanage pronto.
I was going to backpack across Europe then write a multi-million dollar script about the life of Buckminster Fuller becoming a secret Bolivian spy.
But no. First of all, because of my rural education, I couldn't find Bolivia even though I looked on every page of my USA travel atlas. Secondly, those frikkin' kids take up all my time. First diapers, now Magnet school applications. Like all day.
36. minda25 said:
I can't think of anything I really wish I'd have done differently, because my life is still very much a work in progress. In fact, at this moment I'm in the midst of making and am about to make many big decisions and changes that will greatly affect my & my family's future.
I do, however, wish I could fast forward a few years to see how those decisions and changes work out.
37. egghead said:
While it's not a regret, it's more of a wish..
I wish I could write as eloquently as you, Dooce. You're a great writer and storyteller. I love hitting the "refresh" button and watching the number of comments grow exponentially.
I almost forgot: Happy Birthday, Dooce!
38. minda25 said:
Sorry for the double, but I forgot to mention: congrats on the anniversary, and congrats on reaching a point in your life where you wouldn't go back and change things (except sunscreen, but that's different).
39. wisteria said:
Why didn't I go on more road trips while in college? I was poor, but that is no reason not to drive to Mexico or New Orleans or, hell, even Topeka for spring break.
Also, I regret all the perms. Ever.
One thing I don't regret was my boyfriend in high school. I probably should have known that he was gay.
40. christine schrock said:
I would have kept my daughter
41. Fenicle said:
If the only thing you'd differently is wearing more sunscreen...then you've created a pretty damn good life! I agree that you can't live with regrets. Sometimes things happen out of our control and sometimes we create situations that are out of control. Live and learn and be happy along the way.
The fact that you can admit you treated your boss badly, shows that you definitely lived & learned.
Congrats!
42. jes said:
You should know how ecstatic I am today, because normally your site is blocked by my employer's super-duper Internet blocker. Did you know this site is rated as containing "Mature Content"?
It is. Hard to believe, I know, what with all the toe-sucking going on around here lately.
What would I do over again? I'm not sure. Part of me wishes I could redo about a two-year period in my life, only to make smarter choices and to tell myself to stop being so damn insecure. Because that insecurity led to traumatic events, events I wouldn't wish on any other soul.
But then, if those events hadn't taken place, I wouldnt' be the person I am today. And I like me.
43. Jessica Benes said:
I regret that I didn't major in journalism or creative writing and that I went to a school in Nebraska. You wonder why I went to a school in Nebraska? I have no idea. It's flat, and shopping was 1.5 hours away. And it wasn't even on the interesting side where there are real cities. No, it was on the west side in a place called Chadron. Cute town, and hilly, strangely enough, but still Nebraska.
I also regret that time I told my new friend that her baby was ugly. I was making a joke, because we always joked and giggled and she had brought in a photo of the baby she had just gone on maternity leave to have, and new babies are always ugly.
I have a habit of burying my foot down my throat. Because then she said that the baby in the photo was dead. The umbilical cord had wrapped around its neck in birth, and she had come in to the office to let us know, and that she was still taking part of her maternity leave.
So then I went and shot myself. ;)
44. Fenicle said:
YOU
45. Fenicle said:
FUCKIN'
46. Fenicle said:
ROCK
47. Fenicle said:
DOOCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
48. Kataribe said:
Just started reading here recently, I enjoy your writing very much.
Regret anything I've done? Nothing specific, it all taught me what brought me here to this place. I'm 51, a recovering drug addict, no kids, no current relationship-and I don't regret those things at all. I love my work, I'm very lucky, I have a great boss. I have both worked for and have been "Her Wretchedness" ;-)
If I regret anything, it would be to not have loved more. The rest means nothing.
Here's to many more, Heather!
49. Revdonauctioneer said:
I am sorry i didn't take the chances I wanted. If I had i would be worth millions by now. I listen to what others told me not what my heart tld me.
Don
50. chefgirl said:
I should have become a psychologist instead of a lawyer. Too late now because I have $80k in student loans.
51. Leonie said:
First: congratulations on the web anniversary!
I don't think I get to look back with authority and regret yet, as I'm only 20 years old, but I know that in 40 years time I will regret all the worrying I'm doing right now. My brain doesn't stop, though.
Wouldn't it be great if our future selves could send present-day-us a postcard with just five simple words? (it will all be OK)
52. alikatze said:
If there is one regret I do have, it is that I listened to my elders and my peers and, at 21, agreed to end one of the most inspiring, wonderful relationships I have ever had. I fully accepted that "we were too young" to plan a life together or get married, and, at 37, I now truly regret my decision to walk away from that relationship. I have not dated anyone as intelligent, funny, beautiful, and accepting as the person I let go. Today, this person is married, living in the 'burbs, with kids, and I am single, somewhat bitter, and very near the end of my reproductive ability to have my own child(ren). Feh.
53. cagey said:
I'd make all the same mistakes over again, but would do them sooner so that I could get to this delicious part of my life I'm in right now with the Right Guy. I also wish I had worn more sunscreen.
54. carolinerebecca said:
I would have given myself a break sometimes. I'm never going to be perfect. Teenagers are supposed to mess up.
I would never have worked for that Republican. I'm totally going to hell for that one.
I would have put more of that money in savings.
55. girlsomewhere said:
I regret not setting my ex-husband free when a few weeks prior to our 1992 wedding he got very cold feet. He was too young, 23, had deep personal troubles, and no real experience with women or relationships. Ignoring that was the single thing that has shaped my adult years since. 15 yrs later and I am just now becoming a whole person again, free to love honestly.
56. tigerlily said:
I also regret the sunscreen. For working outside as a lifeguard, getting as many burns as I did, I fear that I will be going through what you have.
I sometimes regret not being more agressive with my doctor when it came to treating my rheumatoid arthritis over these first two years. It's taken it's toll on me and I'm slowly becoming bitter - it's also changed friendships. But then I realize that, hey, maybe I'm better off without certain friendships. Because I've gained some wonderful new ones. Ones that I feel are stronger than the previous. Also, I myself have become stronger from having dealt with this horrible disease, and feel I can relate perhaps a bit better with certain people.
I think I have lots of regrets. But if someone where to ever promise me that I could change something in the past, I really don't think I'd be able to pick one. I hesitate to say never being diagnosed with RA, because I would be a completely different person than I am today. And I kind of like that person. My regrets are what have shaped me.
57. Krysstyllanthrox said:
Of course I have regrets: Not telling my grandparents what they really meant to me before they died, being so shy and afraid in high school, the haircuts, etc.
But if I change any of those things, I change who I am now. And I like how I am and who I am becomming. I have a good life, a great husband, and have the promise of more great things to come.
I take out those regrets, every so often, and shine them in the light, turn them over and around, inspect them, acknowledge them, try to not repeat the same mistakes, and then gently put them back where they came from.
58. marysia02 said:
I regret not ripping the bandaid of my college relationship off faster than the 9 months I let myself be tortured. It was a brutal way to finish college.
But like many have said before me, that ugly break up brought me to where I am today. I moved cities to break the cycle. And if I wasn't here, I have met and wouldn't be marrying the most generous and loving man I have ever encountered.
59. bethyboo said:
I'd have used common sense and not believed that man.
I'd have played sports in college.
I'd have majored in English or Fine Arts.
If it were at all possible, I'd have loved and respected myself more despite the circumstances of my family situation.
I am doing just fine now. So I guess it was all ok.
60. Skerri said:
I try to make a conscious effort not to regret anything I've done. It's hard, but for the most part I get away with it. But feeling the train of thought you've got going here, I'd have to say that I wish I had learned at an earlier age that love is something reciprocal, not one-sided and crying-in-your-room-at-night-because-someone-doesn't-love- you-"as much"-as-you-love-them. I wish I had been able to accept change in my life much easier at a younger age. And I wish that none of my friends ever did heroin, because they all seemed to drop like flies, but I guess that's something I really had no control over anyways.
61. novembre said:
I would not have let anyone convince me my birthmark was unattractive. I would have realized that it can be a bad idea to play hard to get with someone so shy. I would not have told my mother the truth when I did the way I did - it was a tough time and neither of us were ready to handle it.
I also would not have bought those god-awful pink courdoroy pants.
62. Spamelot said:
Happy Birthday!
I would never have permed or dyed my hair when I was younger. Wishing for my regular, natural brown hair to grow in nicely has taken longer than I thought!
63. Zak said:
I wish I remembered where I left all the bodies...
Geez, everyone is so serious today.
I wish I had studied more languages.
64. Jenny said:
Um, I was hoping to use a timemachine, so I could then, maybe drop the, then baby the-guy-who-stole-my-place-to-grammer-school so he might have been a little on the 'slow' side.
Then, I was planning; I could go to grammar school, make lots of geeky friends and live a very geeky life.
But I suppose I'll have to suck it up and live with my state schooling with my equally geeky friends who can't be arsed with life. Whereas if I went to grammar school, I suppose I'd have to work to get a good grade..
Therefore, in answer to your question.. I suppose nothing yet. Come 148 days, 3 hours and 14 minutes I will turn fifteen years old. I think by then I might have done something regrettable, and perhaps, when I do. I'll tell you about it. (:
65. schadenfreudette said:
I would tell my dad I loved him the last time I talked to him before he died, instead of being a cool 16-year-old with a chip on my shoulder.
I would give C one less chance and J one more.
I would never ever dye my hair blonde.
And finally, I would punch my step-father in the face instead of being all mature and even-tempered this past spring.
66. Faith said:
I wish I had walked out on "The Butcher's Wife" when I went to see it with my friend all those years ago. But she seemed to be enjoying it! So I stayed. Dammit.
Happy anniversary, Dooce! I'm 3 years behind ya, and if it weren't for the posts you put up, Heather, I don't know that I'd have the balls to share what I share on my blog, you inspiration you.
67. slouching mom said:
Happy Sixth. I love how you describe Leta's comings and goings and everything in between. You are unbelievably sensitive to what it feels like to be a child. And no, that's not because you're childish.
There were two guys in college who were clearly going to be very, very important to me. Unfortunately, I met them at the same time. I had to choose, and what I regret is that not only did I choose the wrong guy, but I then spent six unhappy years with him.
And I can't take it back.
68. Zoot said:
There are many things I wish I hadn't done, but given the option I wouldn't do them any differently because I, like you, know those things made me who I am today. But - there are a few minor things I would have done differently, and am continuing to try to do differently. Like shower more often. Worry less about vacuuming and more about planting flowers. Eat more vegetables. But mainly? I would just not have stressed out so much over such mundane things.
69. LabLover said:
The number one thing I would change? I wish I knew what I know now about money and how to save it.
When I was in my early 20s (back in the Stone Age), all I wanted to do was hang out with my friends and partay). I never looked ahead to the future, never socked any money away for a rainy day.
Fast forward to 2007. I am 49-going-on-50, make a decent salary, have a wonderful boyfriend, a great family, but I STILL LIVE IN A FREAKING APARTMENT! No, I don't have any debt but I also don't have enough $$$ for a down payment on a house. So, it looks like I'll be a renter until my bones turn to dust or I win the lottery. Yes, it sucks, thanks for asking.
Word to the wise: Save something for your old age, which isn't that old any more.
70. jon deal said:
I'd do it ALL the same.
NO REGRETS. The past is dead and there is little to be gained from navel gazing.
Except that part about not buying Microsoft stock back in 1990. Kind of wish I'd done that differently. And getting married so young. We were far too young and immature. And having kids so soon after getting married. And not finishing college, kind of wish I'd gotten my degree. And maybe my life would be better if I'd chosen a career instead of falling into one. And we should have bought a larger house.
So basically, yeah... I should have lived my life completely differently.
(going into the corner to weep now)
71. wordnerd said:
I would have:
- done more drugs while I was young (why not?)
- followed my gut instinct with respect to risk
- been less judgmental
- started jogging in university
- had more fun, worked less hours, told my mother I loved her more frequently.
72. lori said:
I regret that I didn't spend more of my college years exploring other areas of study. When I think now of all I could have learned about art, sciences, computers, etc. then I think my career path may have been much different.
73. schmutzie said:
Wow, what a huge question.
I would have told the rest of the world to go screw itself and gotten down to serious writing sooner. I love it, and I spent years too afraid to tackle it.
74. chelle said:
I'd have taken a chance and kept the baby that my husband and I made only weeks after we met.
I'd have not allowed my mother's opinion and treatment of me to break my self esteem apart as a teen and young adult. Or at least I'd have found a way to let all that go much sooner.
I'd have found my real voice as a much younger woman and used it to take a stand for myself instead of living to please others.
75. Jackie said:
I wish I had finished college. Not that I necessarily want to be doing anything different with my life, but the fact that my degree sits 1/2 finished bothers me. And now I'm not in a position financially to finish it just for the sake of finishing it. But no regrets - my life wouldn't be what it is today if I had taken that path.
One thing I do regret is taking my parents for granted. I wish I had appreciated them more. I can never fix that.
76. Jason said:
Actually there is nothing...I consider my biggest mistakes, my greats lessons
77. Joe said:
Where to start? I'd choose not to have hurt my wife. I'd have pursued a writing career much earlier in life. I'd have delayed marriage. I'd have lived with less fear of everything, failure in particular. I'd have realized sooner that we take life far to seriously. I could go on but who really cares, right?
Happy 6 Dooce
78. Yolanda said:
I have made many mistakes, but most of them I have come to accept as an essential part of getting me exactly where I am now, which is ecstatically 21-weeks pregnant and married to my incredible best friend for ten years.
But if I do have one huge regret: that although most people consider me to be one of the smartest people they know, I didn't apply to a single college when I graduated high school. My self-esteem was so bad, and my fear of being told I wasn't "good enough" was so great, that I preferred to not even try, than to risk the potential of receiving a single rejection letter.
I really wanted to go to Sarah Lawrence. I will never know if I actually could have gone.
79. gradstudent said:
I wish I didnt have to seak approval from everyone around me, it is exhausting.
81. Katie said:
I'm very much about no regret, but I wish I would've been a little more active in my college search 10 years ago. I went to a mediocre state university 15 minutes away from where I grew up because I had no guidance to encourage me to do otherwise. I lived with my parents and therefore never had the experience of living in a dorm. I know now that I could've gotten into a much better school, away from home, and I would most likely be more educated and connected. However, I made some of my best friends going to that mediocre state university, and I'm decently successful as is, 2500 miles away from home, so I guess everything happens for a reason.
Still, when I send those student loan checks every month, I can't help but wish I was paying for a better education.
80. Buttercup said:
Instead of waiting tables and bartending for two years between colleage and law school, I would have travelled for one year around the world.
82. Zee said:
AbraCat - I've never married and at 31 I'm still figuring out who I am and what I want to do/be/have. I know several others who are single and are going through the same thing... so no guarantees there! :)
I regret not being more self-aware in my younger years and having hurt the people I did. I don't know if I'd change anything given the opportunity, however.
83. Thoughtfloss said:
Oh, so very, very much.... But there are things that I can't change because the good things that came from them would be lost as well, and I just can't trade that stuff.
If I could erase a few of the memories of those stupid, painful choices, though... Yeah, I'd sign up for all that. (Don't mention Eternal Sunshine, I get it!)
84. rivervision said:
i regret i didn't go on that NOLS semester i was poised to go on during my junior year of college, and that i went to OU instead of WCU.
i regret i didn't start thinking about finding a husband until now, at 34, living in a small, very mormon city, in Utah (i'm a liberal from oregon).
i regret that i chickened out of my trip to turkey 3 years ago. but i don't regret that because i did that i got to spend 2 full days in paris, just loosing myself as a tourist.
i will say this, though, i have a chronic illness that makes my life a bit more difficult, but i don't regret it. i've learned more about myself through it than i would have without it.
85. kal55128 said:
I have always and will always regret that I didn't go off to college right after high school. I feel like I missed out on such a big part of life, living the college life. I will be 30 this year. About 2 years ago I gave up on going to school for a degree. After graduating from high school I attended multiple colleges. I have student loans with no degree to show for them. I don't have the motivation to complete a degree and I am finally able to admit that I am just not cut out for college classes. It's just who I am.
86. Ingrid said:
Well, I have definitely made some dumb mistakes in my life, however, the decisions I've made in the past, for better or worse, have put me in the situation I'm in today, which I couldn't be happier with. I guess if I could change anything, it would be that I wasn't such an ass to my wonderful parents when I was a teenager.
87. Chloe said:
I wish I'd been more open to people when I was younger.
Though I'll admit I'm probably more closed now.
I wish I would have embraced my wildness a little bit more, instead of hiding it for all those years.
On the other hand, that might have ended with a teenage pregnancy, so I take it all back.
I do wish I'd worn more sunscreen.
88. skippy delight said:
I wish I had never used a credit card, run up all that debt, and started a 401K at 21.
And become fluent in Spanish... but I can still do that.
89. la_florecita said:
I've typed and erased things things that I think I regret (long distance relationships during college, and another one after college, getting engaged too young, waiting too long to learn I'm not too good to work at the mall if I LOVE my job), but they helped me learn what I really do and don't want. So I think I needed to make those choices.
Mostly I regret the stupid stuff, like using my debit card ignorantly a few times only to find out that I those $5 purchases were costing me like $100 in overdraft fees. Last week.
Sigh.
90. HappyMamatoThree said:
Now Now, if you had worn more sunscreen think of the blog fodder that would have been lost. The lovely photos, the waiting for your biopsies, oh what you would have taken from the internets... shame on you.
Me. Oh there are lots of decisions I can look back and kick myself for. But, I wouldn't change them now. I have a beautiful family, a comfortable home and lifestyle, friends, and though not everything you could ask of, certainly enough to keep me happy for a very long time.
Thanks for the commentability.
C
91. frifri said:
I wish I hadn't mouthed off as many times as I have, saying the things I've said which were very insensitive and knee jerk reactions. Some of these things haven't come back to bite me in the ass, some of them will and I'm just waiting for the guillotine to drop.
But on the other hand, maybe it's a good thing that I've let my mouth go ballistic. Or else I wouldn't have learned the hard way when it's time to speak up, and when it's time to shut my trap.
92. Coelecanth said:
If we're going to play make-believe, might as well go all the way:
My father stood in my bedroom doorway, drunk as usual. He looked down at my 10 year old self and said, "You don't love me." I wish I had replied, "I do. But only when you're sober." instead of sitting there paralized. Woudn't have changed anything of course, but we're dreaming here right?
93. The Bold Soul said:
I regret listening to all the people who told me I could never make a living by working for myself. And all those who doubted I would be able to support myself through my writing. I regret not being brave enough to have moved to Paris 20 years ago instead of waiting until now to do it. I regret all the times I let my fears prevent me from doing things I really wanted to do, including finding real love.
But I AM making a living as a writer. Not a big one, yet, but it's a start. And I DID move to Paris, finally, four months ago. Best thing I ever did. I'm still working on the finding real love part, but in the meantime I'm much better at loving MYSELF so I think it's only a matter of time. And now my goal in life is not to let my fear stand in the way, ever again. It's a good way to live.
Class act, by the way, apologizing to your former boss. Even if she never reads it and never knows about, it's about YOU being complete and forgiving yourself. Yay, you. And happy 6th... my blog just past it's 2nd!
94. MotherBumper said:
I wish I hadn't dated 95% of the guys I did date because they were jerks (that's the polite term). I try to tell myself that I learned what a made a good partner by dating so many toads but seriously now, did I have to subject myself to so much crap just to appreciate the great husband I have now? I'm pretty sure I could have learned what I know now by reading more shmarmy advice columns.
95. paula said:
Wow! That's great that you apologized to her, but at the same time it's not as if you wrote it with the intention of her reading it. I'm sure she's said things about people behind their backs, too. It's Human nature.
I wish I could take back a lot of things I've said without thinking. I wish I'd taken more chances when I was younger, and when I look back in 20 years I'll probably wish I'd taken more chances now. That thought depresses me a little.
96. curlyhairday said:
I am a redhead and I have worn copious amounts of sunscreen for my entire life and I will still get wrinkles. Meh! What can you do.
I am not a regretter either, since past is prologue and I'm very happy with my life, but also since I couldn't have forseen some of the consequences (positive and negative) of my actions, and even if the experiences were difficult, they were often still valuable.
That said, I would really like to know which thank you notes I have forgotten over the years so that I could remedy that, because I think it is so nice to get a thoughtful little handwritten piece of mail.
Happy Birthday, Dooce!
97. The Bold Soul said:
I regret listening to all the people who told me I could never make a living by working for myself. And all those who doubted I would be able to support myself through my writing. I regret not being brave enough to have moved to Paris 20 years ago instead of waiting until now to do it. I regret all the times I let my fears prevent me from doing things I really wanted to do, including finding real love.
But I AM making a living as a writer. Not a big one, yet, but it's a start. And I DID move to Paris, finally, four months ago. Best thing I ever did. I'm still working on the finding real love part, but in the meantime I'm much better at loving MYSELF so I think it's only a matter of time. And now my goal in life is not to let my fear stand in the way, ever again. It's a good way to live.
Class act, by the way, apologizing to your former boss. Even if she never reads it and never knows about, it's about YOU being complete and forgiving yourself. Yay, you. And happy 6th... my blog just past it's 2nd!
98. noodlestein said:
I think what I regret the most is taking life so friggin' seriously for so long. Every mean comment slid right through my ribs and into my heart. Every problem was a disaster, and every obstacle insurmountable. My insecurity led me to a lot of pain, and I wish I could have seen my strengths a lot sooner. I wouldn't have really done anything differently, per se, but I wish somebody had given me a smack in the mouth and told me to quit being so whiny! Heh.
Happy Anniversary, Dooce; your posts brighten my everyday life.
99. paula said:
i reread my comment. when I said 'it's not as if you wrote it with the intention of her reading it', by 'it', i meant the original post that got you in trouble.
I regret not having better grammar and puntuation skills.
100. miss kendra said:
i wish i had saved more money from my waitressing days. i was rich back then- and it was all cash, untaxed.
le sigh.
101. MaggieMacLeod said:
I would have gone to a state school and been kinder to my mother, who died when I was 20 and she was 52.
I would have studied abroad in college.
I would have punched that one guy in the neck when he asked the morning after I lost my virginity to him if I "didn't think two people were able to do IT with no strings attached and without loving each other?" Not that I didn't like the sex part. I just wanted to do it with someone who actually cared about me and not just himself.
102. KnitMongrel said:
I wish I had never picked up that first cigarette. It is now 18 days since I quit, and they have been the hardest 18 days of my life. I feel like I just kicked out my best friend, and it makes me sad that my best friend was a smoke. I don't regret a single other thing about my life (even being a mistress - what a wonderful rush), but I'd take back every cigarette if I could.
103. Julia said:
I wish I had gone to law school. I was very close but put it off to marry my husband. I think we would have married anyway. And I wish I'd had a third child. I had my tubes tied 10 minutes after delivering my second child. A nine month pregnant woman should not make that decision. And I regretted it the moment they started but I was "too polite" to interupt. I was stupid.
104. Cindy said:
I got married too young to a man who eventually wanted to "spice up" the marriage by allowing others in, and I was too compliant to say "no". It messed up my head and led to a marriage-ending affair and divorce after 15 years and 3 kids.
BUT, I've been happily married to #2 for 10 years, so maybe it wasn't so bad. And he doesn't share.
105. Nikki Jeske said:
There's nothing I really regret and I don't know if I would change anything because I really like where I'm at now.
But I wish my girlfriend and I had been honest from the beginning. And I wish we didn't have to keep secrets from each other.
I also wish that I had NOT bit that teacher in third grade. That still haunts me.
106. megan Carty said:
I regret not standing up for myself and kicking ass back when I got picked on in Junior High. I always wanted to be the "good girl" and not get into trouble. NO, I'm not happy I was the bigger person. I am NOT happy I remained the "nice one" and well liked later on. I would like to go back in a cool-looking time machine, wind up, and punch the queen bitch right in the face with the best right hook I could muster. I would then call her a few choice names and walk away with a deep satisfaction that justice was done. Then I would dream about puppies and cotton candy all night long. And I would NEVER regret that. Congrats on your bloggiversary. It's neverending entertainment!
107. Meredia said:
Augh! I am buried beneath so many other entries!
One thing I wish I had done was get help for my depression much sooner. I realized something was wrong, but I kept putting off the help I needed for such a long time that it ruined many aspects of my life as well as the relationships in it. If I had done something about it sooner, I might also have spared myself a lot of pain as well.
Part of why I love this web site so very much is because I read about your own struggles with depression, and I felt a sense of deep empathy with the struggles you went through. The humor as well has helped me through a lot of hard times. I have also cried for you out of sheer understanding of that sort of pain you suffered through.
Six years ago you started on a path that would change your life, and it's also changed mine.
108. MsGonzo42 said:
I regret screwing over most of the people that I have screwed over.
I regret bitching until my mom agreed not to chaperone our high school trip to Germany - I robbed her of a fantastic opportunity.
I regret not spending more time with my dad before he died. He loved me so much & didn't know how to show it. I loved him, too, and didn't realize just how much I would miss him after he was gone.
The one thing that is my biggest non-regret? Being the weird, geeky, bookworm girl in high school aka the "tarantula" girl because I had a giant spider as a pet.
Thanks for letting me vent those - first time I've ever done so.
And happy 6th b-day! Just recently discovered your blog & have been an avid reader ever since. May there be many, many more!
109. SciFi Dad said:
Long time reader, first time commenter (I don't know why it took me so long).
I would never have signed up for the "enriched" program my parents put me in when I was ten. It alienated me from my peers and made life socially awkward until I left town for university.
110. lurker said:
I would have paid attention when my college friend-with-benefits told me that he loved me. And I sure as hell would have acted on that.
Isn't it interesting that so many of the comments are about stupid stuff that we did (or didn't do) in college? I'd love to go back and do the last two years over again just so that I could appreciate the time.
111. Mauzy said:
I would have saved 60K and not gone to law school, pursued my writing interests, and marry rich.
112. jugendstil said:
Happy anniversary on the site. It's great and one of the few sites I check obsessively at my boring office job.
I regret all the poor decisions I made when I was coming to terms with my sexuality, the worst being the four years I spent in an unhealthy and damaging relationship. I sold myself short in a lot of ways, and it's been hard to come to terms with that fact.
That said, I don't dwell on the regret. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is filled with possibilities. I have learned so much about myself and gained so much confidence in myself, if I could back in time and "fix" things, I don't know if I would. I'd rather be older and wiser than have a chance to be young and stupid again.
113. Esmter said:
haha - I wouldn't have majored in theatre in college either.
I wish i'd taken more time to decide what i wanted to study. I knew for sure at the time that it wasn't going to be one of the standard subjects covered in high school, but i didn't have a clue what options were available.
i regret that I didn't take my Dad's old Yashica when he offered it and major in photography.
114. fachingnuts said:
I wish I'd worried about what people thought of me less, and threw caution to the wind more. Meaning, I wish I did stuff 110% balls to the wall all the time. No shortcuts, no easy way out. Just live.
115. Spacecasie said:
I wish I would have worked out alot more when I was pregnant. I am quite the fatass now, and it seems the weight is harder to get off than when I was 19......although recreational cocaine use may have had something to do with it!
117. Spacecasie said:
Oh yeah and Happy 6th Birfday dooce.com !
116. srah said:
*I’m too busy trying to get the thought of my foot in someone else’s mouth out of my head.*
As opposed to your own mouth? :D
118. Lolajb said:
I regret:
- dating and staying with and wasting my 20s with an abusive man because he was the first man to be interested in me and tell me he loved me
- snapping at my parents who are so kind and giving
- not telling AK that I loved him
- feathering my hair ... who cares that it was the 80s and it was "in"!?!?
119. Sarah said:
Yes, I wish I never started smoking.
Happy birthday.
120. AmyB said:
Ugh. I wish I could take back every ugly and mean thing I've said about other people, particularly about their parenting. You know? You reach a certain age and realize you actually don't know everything, and that sometimes you're actually wrong, and that we're all doing the best we can.
121. kristenk said:
I wish I wouldn't have wasted 5 years on my high school boyfriend during college. I missed out on a lot of fun because I tied myself to that cancerous relationship.
I also regret that I was mean to the mentally disabled boy in my neighborhood as a child. It is at the top of my list of regrets. He did not deserve what I did to him and I will forever be ashamed that I had evil in my heart at such a young age.
Thanks for the 6 years dooce.
122. karamia134 said:
I regret saving myself for so long, for the guy I was going to marry, only to have him end up falling head-first into his church, and then telling me that he doesn't have enough room in his heart for both God AND a woman. (I mean WTF, really!?) I should have slept around when I was younger, so that now sex wouldn't be such a big issue now.
I love your site, doll, and I only wish I had found it years ago. Happy 6th! Keep up the awesome work!
~Kara
123. Erica said:
I wish I would have listened to more of my pepere's stories. I miss him.
I wish I would have relaxed (partied) a bit more in college. I didn't need to take on that kind of responsibility.
124. grammarqueen said:
Wow, this comment thread already has the heartfelt quality of Post Secret!
Seriously, happy birthday, dooce.com!
What would I have done differently? Followed my dream and studied medicine instead of music (which my family forced me to do); I always wanted to be an ophthalmologist. Had a kid, with or without father. Loved myself more. Discovered Prozac earlier to blank out the existential misery while studying music and Sylvia Plath. Sheesh ... enough, already!
125. kri said:
of course,
i would have said no to *BOTH* of the assholes i married, thank god for divorce.
126. VVK said:
I should have admitted my depression earlier and asked for help... instead of waiting until after my suicide attempts had failed.
Who knows, I might have had my college degree and an awesome job by now, instead of no degree and a painfully long job search.
Oh well... at least I have my meds now.
127. Pete Dunn said:
I would not have married at 19, gone to the Salt Lake Temple at 20, and had babies at 21.
128. Author Mom Dog.Nut said:
If I had changed anything in the past, I probably wouldn't have met my husband, and then I wouldn't have had my daughter. No change would be worth losing my daughter--the light and love of my life.
Though I think perhaps it would have been safe to heavily invest in Microsoft or Google back at the beginning... :)
129. quirky said:
I wouldn't have worried so much what my parents were going to think.
Happy Anniversary!
130. hopefulloser said:
I wish I had never let myself get so fat in the first place.
131. Beachgal said:
Woah. I don't know how much I would change, because, yeah, didn't those mistakes/choices/whatever make me who I am. Problem is? I don't really like WHO I AM!
A big regret: I wouldn't have been so irresponsible with money for so long when we were first married, because ten years later, and we're still digging out.
The biggest thing I would change, if possible, would be my husband's back injury which has pretty much ruined our lives for the past two plus years. Our lives went to hell the second he got hurt, and there isn't much end in sight.
Happy Blogoversary, Dooce. Love your site, here's to many many more.
132. thejoyof said:
I would look at depression with much more merit - like a cancer that spreads so rapidly. I had no idea.
133. Kate said:
No regrets, although there are few things I really wish I had done differently earlier in my life. Specifically, not taking myself so g-d seriously, not racking up so much credit card debt, and not sleeping around so much in high school (that part was fun, but not so easy on the reputation).
134. gretchen said:
I would have hired a photographer for my wedding 10 years ago. At the time I thought it was excessive and a waste of money- "lots of people will be there and they can just take pictures." Now I'm left with some fading photos and no negatives.
And the sunscreen thing too- my coloring is similar to yours- I had some skin cancer removed at age 26!!
135. starchitect said:
I wish I had worked a bit harder in college and not partied quite so hard some of the time. Though, I am very thankful that I came out of it pretty much unscathed. And I regret not pushing to do study abroad for a semester, even if I would have had a bit more debt.
Also, I regret not doing more of the activities in HS that I kind of laughed at at the time (sports, clubs, etc). Now that I look back on it, they seem fun, and I'm sad I missed out. Oh well! Guess I can pass that on to my kids one day!
And of course; I regret being so bad with money in my college years and the few right after college, instead of actually saving some of it. Blah.
136. coraspartan said:
My main regret is my current job. When I graduated law school almost six years ago I took this job because it was easy and the hours were great. However, this job is not at all challenging and I have gained virtually zero experience while working here. Now I am forced to look for a new job because I think my job will be eliminated soon and I have no experience, therefore, no one will interview or hire me. Six years wasted!
I also regret having gone to law school in the first place. Those of you who say you regret not having done it, TRUST ME, you may think you regret it, but you shouldn't. It forces you into debt for years upon years. And 95% of the attorneys I know hate their jobs.
I regret the massive amount of credit card debt I have. It is a weight upon my soul.
One thing I DO NOT regret is having gotten pregnant at age 19. Although having a child at such a young age is not ideal, I wouldn't trade my son for anything in the world, and just think, when he graduates from high school I will only be 37 years old!
On a lighter note, I also regret chopping off my long beautiful hair in the 8th grade and then perming it so that I looked like a poodle!
137. groneg said:
-Wish I threw away my TV 10 years ago. Imagine the quality time I could have spent in far more interesting places or with now dead (and still living) friends and family if I didn't HAVE to watch Doogie Howser MD (what a life changer that show was)?
-Wish I had been less selfish in the past and started donating/giving back more earlier in my life.
-wish I was a few inches taller, had a better backhand, and a better second serve
138. TSM-terrificallysuperiorilymediocre said:
Regrets? Definately.
That I never went to college, and pissed away so much of my youth on stupidity. I could have a degree today in something I love, and be independently wealthy. Or really poor but blissfully happy.
Also? That I never pursued the singing career when I was still young enough. But hey, there's always room for an overweight (read O-b-e-s-e) 30-something non-lady-bits-flashing conservative pop star, right? RIGHT?
139. Liv said:
I wish I would've taken a photography class. Otherwise my mistakes have made me who I am, and I don't really know what I would be like without them. But I still wish I would've started on a photography path, because now I feel like it's too hard to start it now seriously. But I still may.
140. rbiggs said:
I would have listened to my family more - They knew me better than I could have known myself. C'est la vie - We can't take it back, but we can learn from our "mistakes." I can say that there are few that I would never make again. Most of them have to do with hurting others in order to make myself happy.
141. Tita said:
I regret not starting a blog sooner. I feel more alive when writing and creating and I let my fear of not being a good enough (oh, as say a very well known blogger) writer, designer, daughter, you name it keep me from even trying sometimes. I finally got over myself and even though it might just be brain farting, at least I'm trying. Hopfully without sounding like an ass-kisser, I'd like to offer you 1. a heartfelt happy sixth birthday and 2. a thank you for inspiring me with your honest and hilarious writing. Salud!
142. Christy said:
In line with Pete Dunn's comments, I also wouldn't have married so young, and in the temple. I also woulda had (safe) sex with a lot more people.
143. glass said:
Along the lines of wearing more sunscreen, but not really: I wish I didn't know I had cancer (unlike melanoma, this particular Non-Hodgkins Lymphona is very slow growing)
Yes doctor, please disregard those lumps.
I wish I didn't think about it, even occasionally. And I most certainly wish my health care provider didn't think about it _entirely_too_much_.
I feel trapped, drained, and smothered by insurance — and there's nothing I can do about it, nothing but wish that I didn't know.
144. Liz said:
I wish I'd appreciated my good health...while it lasted.
I wish I'd played more sports, run around more, as a child because I can't any longer.
I wish I'd begged for braces.
145. babbling said:
If I could go back and change anything, I would be stronger. Strong enough to get up from that table with the stirrups, where I joined the doctor in becoming a murderer, when I let him suck my 11 week old baby out of my body. Tearing it apart until it's heart stopped beating. I would have told my father who drove me there, and my mother who decided it was best, that the man I loved and I would be fine without them. That it didn't matter if they stopped paying for college, kicked me out of the house, and took away my car. That 17 years of marriage later, and three beautiful children later, we would be fine. That our love was real. I would have been strong enough to get up off that table, out of that room. Instead I just stayed there while it happened, telling my baby how sorry I was and how much I loved him or her. Sometimes I'm sure I don't deserve the three children I have, because I didn't protect my first baby. Sometimes I hate myself for what I did. Sometimes I hate my parents. I just wish so much I could undo it all.
146. Becky said:
I wish I'd listened to my roommates and friends in college and skipped a couple more classes to just run around and hang out. I was so serious about school then, but when I look back I remember the people and the parties rather than the endless classes.
147. Zookins said:
I would have pressed charges.
149. A.J. Axline said:
I wish I had done a graceful exit from university, rather than the catastrophic crash-and-burn that led to ten years of working a series of mind-numbing, soul-sucking retail jobs because I wasn't qualified for anything else.
And, I wish I'd ordered those X-ray glasses. Because, you never know.
148. TrickyNicky said:
Well, I was the first person in the world to start using sunscreen when I was in my teens (and I'm 47 now!), so that is definitely not one of my regrets. I look fabulous!!!
But regrets - oh, I have a few. Here goes:
1. Thinking I was fat when I wasn't.
2. Picking my college because it was close to where my boyfriend lived. He was history 3 months into college, but I stayed at that crappy school for 4 freakin' years.
3. Never growing my hair long until I was in my 30's.
4. Waiting until I got married to have kids. I should have had kids on my own, when I was young and didn't have to use veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery expensive donor eggs to get pregnant.
All in all, I love my life!!! And my awesome donor egg son!!!
Happy Birthday Dooce!
150. laura r. said:
...never getting pregnant & having a baby...
151. Heather Edwards said:
Perhaps more therapy starting at a younger age?
152. jdillisch said:
I would have kissed a guy named Alex in high school. My best friend had a huge crush on him, so I didn't get involved to spare her feelings. Now she's a lesiban.
153. MelanieinOrygun said:
First, happy anniversary! Six years is awesome.
And second, my current big regret? Having heard my potential employer smarmily smarm at me re: my starting wage, "It's a buyer's market. You'll start at [tiny amount of money] per hour." and I STILL TOOK THE JOB. Which I still have. Ugh.
I'm a wuss.
154. chiquita said:
happy 6 years Dooce!
Ms. Pants,
I also wish I'd learned to love myself as a child and that I'd tried harded to trust my inner voice and not be so driven by insecurity.
155. M to the D O Double G said:
Oy, I know I'm not supposed to regret things...live and learn, and such, but having said that, I would have done the following things:
1. Dumped the loser I was dating in grad school for the guy I was in love with (but couldn't admit it)
2. Had more fun in college. Phi Beta Kappa, with university and college honors, these are things that nobody cares about.
3. Make that had more fun in general. I still have trouble letting go of this uber motivated ultra serious persona.
Happy Birthday, Dooce!
Thanks for helping me in my process of ditching the aforementioned ultra serious persona
156. Six Until Me said:
Happy 6th Blog-Birthday to you!
The regret? That I told her I hated her. Man, I wish I never did that. She took such good care of me.
157. gingermog said:
If I had known that the conversation I had on my birthday would be the last I would ever had with my father, I don't think I ever would ever have let that phone call finish.
Thank you Dooce and Blurb for sharing your lives with us.
158. kneuroknut said:
I wish I had gone to medical school. I wish I hadn't partied so hard when I was in university.
159. duchessjane said:
I wish I had managed money better when I first started making it.
160. smallstatic said:
I really, truly wish I could go back to my younger self and just do ANYTHING to make her stop hating herself so much. I wish I could tell her that spending your 20s in different degrees of hating yourself and wishing you were someone or someplace different is no way to spend your life. And that ultimately, when you're 30 and still you, you'll realize that you're just fine, just you, alone, and that you always have been. And that when you're 30 you'll really wish then that you could go back and live your 20s again, being happy in your skin, with who you are. Because a lot gets decided and fixed up when you're in your 20s. People find their mates, get married, start their careers. And you can't really do any of those things properly when you hate yourself so much. You can't make proper decisions. And you won't progress. You'll just end up at 30, truly content with who you are, but still with a lot of work to do.
161. RunningVixen said:
Do one thing different?
I would like to have found a different way to deal with my stress and pain than that whole not eating thing I did. I should have learned to play the drums instead.
162. andie said:
I should have gotten Sam a valentine's day present three years ago.
163. Lori MacBlogger said:
I regret being a "quitter" when I was younger. I remember quitting gymnastics right before a meet because I was nervous, quitting ski lessons after the first one because I didn't know anyone else in the club, quitting JV Soccer because I was lazy, and quitting Varsity Cheerleading because I didn't like the girls on the squad. And because I was lazy. None of those things have hinderded who I am today, and I had been cheering for 3 years already so I really was ready to quit that one; but everything else I think would have provided some really rich experiences that might have given me more confidence as a kid.
Since then, not only would I not change a thing about my life, I would do everything exactly the same. College, post-college, post-post college, etc. Either I make very intelligent decisions now or am just extremely lucky. :)
Happy 6th!
164. An Iowa Mom said:
I am a firm believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason ... therefore, I would not want to change anything from my past. Ahem, except for maybe that one time I drank way too many beers and did cartwheels in the neighbors garage and fell on my ass. Yeah, that would be it though!
:)
Happy Anniversary!
165. MulattaPreta said:
more sit ups.
more butterscotch b4 the sit ups mattered.
and yeah, i would have kissed more boys b4 i learned they were poisonous!
oh & actually studied in college instead of concentrating on just being away from my parents.
i've made up 4 most of them now, i just wish i didnt have 2.
166. Marisa said:
I would've been a lot nicer to my Mom when I was in high school. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I imagine her speaking to me the way I spoke to my Mom sometimes, and it's the most indescribable feeling. Actually it's a horrible, sinking sadness.
167. mamaphunk said:
I can't believe I've wasted 7 years of my life sitting behind a desk and selling telecom. I have a great job and bosses, it's just not the one for me. I can almost hear the clocking ticking away at my life.
It's going to be ok though, after I get married and we stash some cash I get to explore some options.
168. KevinCharnas said:
Yes, unfortunately. I wrote a post last year about how I called a nun a dumb bitch in front of a monk and his soap and candle stand. I didn't realize that he could hear me (a whole 6 feet away) and it didn't help matters that I had been consumming vast amounts of Retsina and Ouzo for 3 hours in the hot sun (*Helpful Hint: Besides integrity, Retsina and Ouzo also helps in the removal of varnish and skin*). THEN, I walked around checking our the poor monk's wares. He probably thought that I was Satan's spawn. Satan's drunk spawn.
Anyway, I wrote about it and embellished my opinion. And the nun who wasn't present for the swearing in, happens to be a relative. And she found out about my foul mouth (actually, she already knew about that), but found out what I said about her. AND that I published it.
It was mean of me. Extremely mean. I have a problem with the Catholic and Orthodox churches and took it out on her. I was so far out of line and in a desperate attempt to get a laugh out of my readers I hurt someone who didn't deserve it in the least.
I have since apologized and removed the post, but I will never forgive myself.
And yes, I wish that I had used more sunscreen and been drunk less frequently.
And I wish that I hadn't thrown that dog shit at our asshole neighbor's cat. Actually, wait a minute, no...I don't regret that one.
169. emabee said:
I regret telling my ex husband that I was pregnant. I should have lied to him after I got the results and then broken up with him a few weeks later (we weren't married when I got pregnant....gasp!!!!).
170. Shelli said:
I wish that when I quit smoking, that I had stuck to a better exercise regime. The older I get, the harder it is to lose weight, and honestly, the less I want to. Except for all of those stupid health reasons.
171. SarahRod said:
I regret not reading the books I was assigned in college. I passed my classes okay, mostly through inhuman feats of B.S., but often I was way too busy with the student theater troupe and my dramatic personal life to do all my work. Now, I feel like I could have learned more. I don't think it would relaly have changed who I am now in any way, but all knowledge is worth having. Also, I regret taking Italian and not German, but then, how was I to know I'd end up with In-Laws from Deutschland.
Thanks Dooce for writing every day. Cheers!
172. Isabel Kallman said:
You are very classy.
173. elizabeth said:
I wish that in high school, when i was running 40 miles a week for track practice and cross-country, I had appreciated a) the awesome shape i was in and b) the sexy body I had. Instead I was a self-conscious adolescent who thought i was overweight at 117 pounds. nuts.
174. Brad Martin said:
Now that I actually sti and think about it I can't think of anything that I would go back and change. I like where I am and the things I've done, good and bad alike, are what got me here. I'm still young though. I've plenty of time to do something that I will regret forever. If I ever buy a Mini Cooper, for instance.
175. Nifle said:
I wish that I would've sa