Things You Are Glad You Did.

[Disgruntled Goat]

Following on from the 'Regrets' thread, are there things you are glad you did, or things that seemed terrible at the time, but have worked out for the best?

The best thing that ever happened to me was being gazumped on a property in Mansfield in 1989. I was absolutely gutted at the time but had I bought it, I would still probably be leading a hum-drum life in Mansfield.

Instead I went to University, left Mansfield and embarked on a life I would never have imagined had I bought that house.

 

[Keith Oates]

Returned to serious cycling about 15years ago.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[walker]

Joined a gym when I was 18, If I hadn't I think I would of been on a rocky road to obesity and possibly on a raod to a shorter life too.

 

[Kirstie]

Sounds bizarre, but I made a phone call to an academic I heard on the radio 4 today programme in 1997 talking about CCTV - to tell him I was researching something similar. The feature was on at 20 past 8 in the morning, when I'd usually be on the bus to work, but I had a lie in that day. It completely changed my life. He invited me along to this seminar series he was putting together, where I met everyone I still work with today, 10 years later. As a result of the series, together a few of us started a journal, got some research money in, and now we're influencing all kinds of public debates and policy. Those people are also now some of my most dear and trusted friends and I wouldn't know where I'd be without them. If it wasn't for the fact that I had a lie in that morning and heard that feature on radio 4, none of this would have happened. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself. If it wasn't for these people, or our journal, or our research, I would have quit this years ago.

I'll hasten to add that out of the 5 of us, 3 of us are rampant and enthusiastic cyclists, one is a triathlete, and the other drinks and smokes for the rest of us! We even go on touring holidays together. Awwww.

 

[wafflycat]

Best thing I ever did: meet the man who was to become Mr Wafflycat. Yes, yes, I know.. pass the sick bag... but it is true!

 

[Creamcrackered]

1) Cycled to Central Asia with Mrs Creamcrackered - best 6 months of my life.

2) Started litter picking. Sounds crazy, but it's suprisingly satisfying and more addictive than crack cocaine (not that I would know).

 

[Twenty Inch]

Chucking my nice, safe, easy job in organisational training, and starting a MSc in Russian and Post-Soviet Studies. Got the MSc, won a scholarship to St. Petersburg, where I met my wife, got a great job in the voluntary sector, and now we have a baby son.

 

[papercorn2000]

Not getting married to *** ****! I was way too young and I would never have travelled and done all the other stuff. (Still I did have a brief affair with her a few years later - she was still superb).

 

[gavintc]

Reading these comments, you realise how relatively small events can have life changing results. Quite interesting, from kirstie with CCTV to a failed property purchase. For me, many many small events have directed the course of my life. Probably the most important was standing up to my father at age 18 and making my own career choice not his. I do not regret that decision.

 

[Kirstie]

Not getting married to *** ****! I was way too young and I would never have travelled and done all the other stuff. (Still I did have a brief affair with her a few years later - she was still superb).

It's never cut and dried is it? Lots of people I know have a 'what could have been' person in their lives. My own view is that it's definitely best not to go there, unless you're sure you can get away with it LOL!

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

I took the red pill, I wish I had taken the green pill...

As an aside, I regret never having tried Ectasy, despite being part of the 'chemical generation' (supposedly). But given my delicate mental state, I'm thankful I never did.

 

[Kirstie]

As an aside, I regret never having tried Ectasy, despite being part of the 'chemical generation' (supposedly)

You're not missing much. It was pretty crap.

 

[stephenb]

leaving Australia to start a new life in London 20 years ago (seriously)

 

[papercorn2000]

I took the red pill, I wish I had taken the green pill...

As an aside, I regret never having tried Ectasy, despite being part of the 'chemical generation' (supposedly). But given my delicate mental state, I'm thankful I never did.

What's that you are alluding to? It sounds familiar but I can't put my finger on it...

 

[longers]

You're not missing much. It was pretty crap.

We had a good time most of the time and stopped at the right time. Probably .