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Froggystyle
08-18-2004, 08:38 AM
During a deep philisophical question with an old freind a couple weeks ago, we got into a discussion about high school, and how awkward it all was, but how we somehow got through it all OK. The question came up...
"What advice would you give your 15 year old self?"
A couple things to keep in mind though. First, your 15 year old self knows it is you. You don't have to authenticate yourself or anything. They are aware that it is THEM giving them worldly advice from the future. Second, you have to understand that this advice is going to be taken in the context and with the attention that you had at 15 years old. Keep that in mind. Third, you only have one sentence. Lastly, there is no rush to come up with what you will say. Take your time, give it some thought.
Now, here is the rub. If you like where you are at today, you may want to think long and hard about what you would say. Anything too life-altering could F up what you have today, good or bad. Keep in mind, this is likely to stay with you for the next 15 years or so until you get to put it all into perspective with age and experience behind you.
Since coming up with this question, I have asked 10 people or so. Inevitably, the first answer is "Live life to the fullest" or "Take chances" or some shit like that. My remark in this case is... "But you already do that, and you figured that out on your own... waste of an opportunity" The second most answered line is "Ding all the chicks you can." Yeah, no shit. We did that anyway too.
So, have fun with this. I will reserve my advice to myself until later. Remember, it wasn't just the good things that built your character. Failures go a long way towards creating a person too.
Give this some thought too. Don't answer right away.

Infomaniac
08-18-2004, 08:50 AM
During a deep philisophical question with an old freind a couple weeks ago, we got into a discussion about high school, and how awkward it all was, but how we somehow got through it all OK. The question came up...
"What advice would you give your 15 year old self?"
A couple things to keep in mind though. First, your 15 year old self knows it is you. You don't have to authenticate yourself or anything. They are aware that it is THEM giving them worldly advice from the future. Second, you have to understand that this advice is going to be taken in the context and with the attention that you had at 15 years old. Keep that in mind. Third, you only have one sentence. Lastly, there is no rush to come up with what you will say. Take your time, give it some thought.
Now, here is the rub. If you like where you are at today, you may want to think long and hard about what you would say. Anything too life-altering could F up what you have today, good or bad. Keep in mind, this is likely to stay with you for the next 15 years or so until you get to put it all into perspective with age and experience behind you.
Since coming up with this question, I have asked 10 people or so. Inevitably, the first answer is "Live life to the fullest" or "Take chances" or some shit like that. My remark in this case is... "But you already do that, and you figured that out on your own... waste of an opportunity" The second most answered line is "Ding all the chicks you can." Yeah, no shit. We did that anyway too.
So, have fun with this. I will reserve my advice to myself until later. Remember, it wasn't just the good things that built your character. Failures go a long way towards creating a person too.
Give this some thought too. Don't answer right away.
That is pretty deep man. But very true.
I probably would not have listened to myself anyway. I did not listen to anyone else.

OGShocker
08-18-2004, 08:53 AM
From the age of 12 to 34, I made some pretty bad life choices. Each has made me what I am today, no not just an Azzhole Republican. I am in a good place in life and would not change much.
Kinda deep this early in the morning Wes :wink:

78Eliminator
08-18-2004, 08:56 AM
Wes, can this sentence be a run-on sentence? ;)

Havasu Hangin'
08-18-2004, 09:00 AM
I probably would not have listened to myself anyway. I did not listen to anyone else.
I think that sums it up for me, too.

Dave C
08-18-2004, 09:04 AM
if its got two holes and a heartbeat... nail it. :smile:

EmpirE231
08-18-2004, 09:05 AM
I would say to my self.. "buy as many homes as you can at 18, and work your ass of to keep them for four years"
since I'm 22 now...if I were able to buy 4-5 houses, rent them out (when I was 18-19) I could sell them all right now...and be chillin w/ a little over 1 million dollars.
but it would probably be more fun to say "nail that "best friend" of yours before she gets too comfortable" :p

Keithb87
08-18-2004, 09:09 AM
:idea: If I told myself anything other than lottery #'s for the future, or to buy a certain car, boat, truck, motorcycle and hold on to it for finicial gain in the future, I would not be who I am today. :idea:
:chi: I have made some good choices in my life, but I feel that the bad choices, or life's lessons, make me who and what I am today. :chi:

Desert Rat
08-18-2004, 09:11 AM
Does this take place today or when I was (the first me was 15?) If it is to go back in time my one sentence would be
BUY MICROSOFT!!

RiverToysJas
08-18-2004, 09:21 AM
I'd say to my 15yo self.....
"Beverly Hills 90210" will change your life someday. God did not tell Jim Baker that I needed to send him my money. Tech stocks are not the way to unlimited wealth and financial freedom. There really isn't a spaceship following the Hale-Bopp comet. People will actually want to live Las Vegas. Huntington Beach will have more to offer than run-aways and crack hoes. Don't vote for Ross Perot! Aviod the mullet craze. And finally, buy lots of sand in the desert, because it will be worth a fortune someday!!! ;)
And my 15yo self would have said......."Phuck-off old man, I got everything figured out already! Now give me my Wine Cooler back, so I party some more"
RTJas :D

lardog_hb
08-18-2004, 09:23 AM
:idea: The world does not know you exist nor does it care.
Your family and friends do. Take good care of them
and they will do the same. Oh, and one more thing.
Men rule the world for a very good reason. You'll
find out why later.
Lardog

Froggystyle
08-18-2004, 09:41 AM
My brother, skeepwerkzaz on the forums here, had a good one. I phoned him after exploring this for a couple of minutes myself and asked him the same question, with the same ground rules. Less than two seconds later, he came back with...
"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming... " Pretty good advice overall. But, it did bring one thing into sharp relief. How pissed would you be at yourself to go through 15 or so years of life, trying to prescribe to that philosophy of "Just keep swimming", hunting high and low for meaning and principle only to turn 30 and find out it is a line spoken by a blue fish with a severe short term memory loss ailment in a kids movie?
"Man, I am a dick!"

RiverToysJas
08-18-2004, 09:49 AM
Joe Dirt had some good advice......"keep on, keepin' on."
RTJas :D

Froggystyle
08-18-2004, 09:54 AM
Joe Dirt had some good advice......"keep on, keepin' on."
RTJas :D
"Life's a garden... dig it!"

roostwear
08-18-2004, 09:57 AM
Do it today, 'cuz nobody guaranteed you a tomorrow.

cdog
08-18-2004, 10:09 AM
Does this take place today or when I was (the first me was 15?) If it is to go back in time my one sentence would be
BUY MICROSOFT!!
With exception to the lottery #'s, That's exactly what I was thinking!

prop check
08-18-2004, 10:18 AM
:idea: avoid that girl over there she is a crazy biatch and will cost you some cash!!!!!!

Danhercules
08-18-2004, 10:24 AM
Keep up your credit score, make your payments on time.

Froggystyle
08-18-2004, 11:53 AM
Does this take place today or when I was (the first me was 15?) If it is to go back in time my one sentence would be
BUY MICROSOFT!!
My 15 year old self would have neither the money, nor ability to "Buy Microsoft" when it paid to. What year did it blow up? 1992?
Yeah, I was trying to finance a tattoo right about then...

Captain Dan
08-18-2004, 12:00 PM
Buy low....get high.... :rollside:

topless
08-18-2004, 12:04 PM
15 year old self, don't ever go to ***boat forums or you will be addicted! :crossx: :cool:

Froggystyle
08-18-2004, 12:51 PM
I take it back. Thinking about it, Microsoft went public in 1986 with it's IPO. That would make my 15 year old self about one year behind the power curve...
Oh, and in 1987-88 (Me at 15) I had bleached hair, a Cadillac with a terrible image problem and no paint yet and bad grades.

Desert Rat
08-18-2004, 01:04 PM
My 15 year old self would have neither the money, nor ability to "Buy Microsoft" when it paid to. What year did it blow up? 1992?
Yeah, I was trying to finance a tattoo right about then...
Wes your "a little" younger then me.
Hell in 92 my tat was already faded!

mbrown2
08-18-2004, 02:05 PM
From a old school type that has taught me alot in my business life...
"Keep the main thing, the main thing"

Flyinbowtie
08-18-2004, 02:29 PM
"Thank your father for the way he is raising you, and spend more time with him now, for he is going to be gone before you know it."

welk2party
08-18-2004, 02:30 PM
I would tell myself to be honest with myself in the choices that I am faced with.

Ziggy
08-18-2004, 02:34 PM
I would bring back a Sports Almanac and give it to myself--Kinda like Back to the Future 2... :D :D But with success.

Infomaniac
08-18-2004, 04:16 PM
"Thank your father for the way he is raising you, and spend more time with him now, for he is going to be gone before you know it."
WOW :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea:

Keith E. Sayre
08-18-2004, 05:44 PM
At risk of sounding weird on Froggystyles thread, I would tell him (me) to
do the Navy Seal thing to become a better disciplined and better all around
person, stay off the ski slopes which will save you 7 knee surgeries and go to
graduate school instead of going to work after college and the Navy. Stay
single till you're 35! Live at home when in town with your parents because
while at 15 you think they're nuts, you'll be surprised how fast THEY grow
up by the time you're 25 or 30! I like the investment ideas in homes and
property too. Can't lose there if you buy in Havasu in the past!
Keith Sayre

Sleek-Jet
08-18-2004, 05:50 PM
You're going to meet someone pretty special when you're about 21, hang on to her this time, don't go running away when things don't go just as you planned.
Write more letters to friends, it's hard to find people after a couple years.
DO NOT REGISTER ON ***boat.COM FORUMS, you'll end up doing silly things like posting on the internet all the time, and yeah this internet things is not a fad.

clownpuncher
08-18-2004, 07:06 PM
I read Wes' first post this morning. DAMMIT Wes, you got me thinking long and hard about this all day :D . I've now come to this conclusion...............
Honestly, I wouldn't say a thing.
I wouldn't warn myself of any imminent dangers to myself or others. Even when it means the injury or loss of loved ones. Facing those dangers/injuries/death has helped me learn to cherish everyone and everything I have. Without those incidents in my life, I wouldn't be who I am today, and I happen to like who/where I am.
I wouldn't tell myself about that "bitch" that's gonna break my heart when I turn 21, because that bitch has helped me love the right person later in life.
I wouldn't tell myself to invest in Starbucks, or Microsoft, because if I were rich too young and too easy, I wouldn't know the value of honest/smart/consistent work ethics.
I wouldn't tell myself to bet on the Steelers in the 1980 Super Bowl ( I was 18 then) with all my money ( all $212.57) because I'd rather have the thrill of watching it with my friends with the beer we stole from our parents.
I wouldn't tell myself to go to graduate school and become a succesful lawyer/Doctor/investment borker etc, because I've become who I am with the influence of 20+ years as a fireman...........Like I said at the beginning, I like who/where I am.
I have a beatiful wife, beautiful kids and two beatiful grandkids. To say something to myself at the age of 15 would surely alter my life. I'm glad that isn't possible.
I guess I'd just look at myself, smile and shrug my shoulders because I know that this kid is in for the ride of his life. What are ya gonna do?

Kilrtoy
08-18-2004, 07:15 PM
In 1994 when your dad tries to help you buy your first house, BUY IT and sell the new sports car

Froggystyle
08-19-2004, 09:13 AM
Clownpuncher...
You nailed my thoughts exactly. That's why I didn't want to post them right away. I thought of all of the advice you could give, but take each piece of advice and run it to the possible conclusions, and I wouldn't be where I am today just with more money... I would be something else.
After long and hard thought, I decided I would just smile, and tell myself "You are going to have a GREAT time, enjoy!"
Then after further consideration... I decided to throw in the piece of advice that would sway my decision the correct way instead of what undoubtedly goes down as the worst modification I have ever made to any vehicle for any reason...
"Oh, and don't put the hood scoop on the Caddy ;) ..."

clownpuncher
08-19-2004, 01:29 PM
Clownpuncher...
You nailed my thoughts exactly. That's why I didn't want to post them right away. I thought of all of the advice you could give, but take each piece of advice and run it to the possible conclusions, and I wouldn't be where I am today just with more money... I would be something else.
After long and hard thought, I decided I would just smile, and tell myself "You are going to have a GREAT time, enjoy!"
Then after further consideration... I decided to throw in the piece of advice that would sway my decision the correct way instead of what undoubtedly goes down as the worst modification I have ever made to any vehicle for any reason...
"Oh, and don't put the hood scoop on the Caddy ;) ..."
Such a simple philosophy. Makes sense to me ;)

clownpuncher
08-19-2004, 01:31 PM
Thinking back again, I'd have to tell myself
"Look up this kid named Wes Inskeep. Find out where he lives and take a look at the scoop on his Caddy before his "older" self comes back and tell him to take it off. And take pictures" :D

JustMVG
08-19-2004, 03:12 PM
The way my life has turned out i don't think i'd change anything from 15 on , i had a great time did all the things i wanted to do , got in trouble, we all did, learned a little from that, drank my fair share as well as other related items, kinda wish i had remained friends with certain folks, but then i might not have met the friends i have now who are near and dear to my soul and very exsistence, for them i am grateful, I live in a nice home have a beautiful wife, three great stepkids and all the toys my wife says are ok to buy ;) :D , so life has it's ups and downs, mine right now is just right , so i wouldn't have changed much, but i do have to thank my dad for all the wonderful investments he made for me as a kid, Thanks DAD i love them dividend checks.!!!!

HighRoller
08-19-2004, 03:48 PM
I have to agree with Roland 95%...it's the journey, not the destination that matters. Kind of like climbing a mountain. You don't appreciate standing on top as much as the dedication it took to keep yourself going every step along the way. I wouldn't do anything different because you never know how it would turn out. Advice about making a "good" decision might turn out to be bad advice.
Now, about the other 5%...well, since I've practiced such restraint to not hand my 15yo self the world on a platter, I have to reward myself a little bit. So this is how my visit with myself would go:
"Hey, D."
"Yeah?"
"One last thing."
"Okay"
"On your 18th B-day, that 22 year old girl from down the block will come to see you. I mean on the exact day of your B-day right after you get home."
"Kelly?"
"Yeah, her. The sexy one with the short hair."
"Okay."
"Little clue; she's not dressed up in a short summer dress and wearing perfume because she just got home from work."
"What do you mean?"
"She's wearing exactly nothing underneath that get up and she's planning on giving you a "special" present. Get my drift?"
"Special present?"
"HERSELF, dumbass!"
"Oh. Ummm...."(I was kinda shy back then sometimes)
"All you have to do is one thing."
"What's that?"
"Your best friend will knock on the door exactly one minute after she gets there. Tell him to beat it. If she sees him, she leaves. Get the picture?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Good. After he leaves, she'll take it from there."
This is a true story. She moved away a year or so later but made sure to let me know what she planned to do to me that afternoon before she said goodbye. Destiny or not, how could you deny yourself the chance to unwrap a gift like that and get deflowered on your B-day?

FMluvswater
09-03-2004, 01:50 AM
During a deep philisophical question with an old freind a couple weeks ago, we got into a discussion about high school, and how awkward it all was, but how we somehow got through it all OK. The question came up...
"What advice would you give your 15 year old self?"
A couple things to keep in mind though. First, your 15 year old self knows it is you. You don't have to authenticate yourself or anything. They are aware that it is THEM giving them worldly advice from the future. Second, you have to understand that this advice is going to be taken in the context and with the attention that you had at 15 years old. Keep that in mind. Third, you only have one sentence. Lastly, there is no rush to come up with what you will say. Take your time, give it some thought.
Now, here is the rub. If you like where you are at today, you may want to think long and hard about what you would say. Anything too life-altering could F up what you have today, good or bad. Keep in mind, this is likely to stay with you for the next 15 years or so until you get to put it all into perspective with age and experience behind you.
Since coming up with this question, I have asked 10 people or so. Inevitably, the first answer is "Live life to the fullest" or "Take chances" or some shit like that. My remark in this case is... "But you already do that, and you figured that out on your own... waste of an opportunity" The second most answered line is "Ding all the chicks you can." Yeah, no shit. We did that anyway too.
So, have fun with this. I will reserve my advice to myself until later. Remember, it wasn't just the good things that built your character. Failures go a long way towards creating a person too.
Give this some thought too. Don't answer right away.
Wow. Brain food. Cool post. I'd probably tell my 15 year old self something like, "You're not as alone as you feel and your family actually does love you but they are human beings; they aren't perfect - neither are you." :idea: