Well, i've been here a few days and i notice a lot of people ranting (and in some stranger cases foaming at the mouth) about their lives.
and to be honest, i feel i need to sit down and bitch about my life.

in short... my life lacks direction and i seem to have very little positive control over it. im 15 and im going back to school next tuesday, and to be honest all i would rather eat live electric eels. coursework rears its damn ugly head, i just KNOW the girl i (really... really goddamn really...) like hasnt spent one thought on me over the holidays, and its getting towards winter. my family offer support but to be frank they dont really know me very well. probably my fault, but i feel so much better blaming them.
School is officially ****. Iv spent years with the same teachers, and iv begun to realise even the happy smiley ones cant stand me. but these, they are all short term problems. the overall problem is, i dont know how my life will shape up. I, admittantly (sp?), am a terrible worker. i would rather bunk off and do nothing, than try and work my way to the top. I dont know how to 'apply' myself, and i find it far too easy to simpley take the easy option and let my (supposed) genius run off with the milkman.
I want to be a writer. Really, i think i may have what it takes. i have imagination, a gift a lot of people dont seem to have (i realise how unture this is already... but nobody shows it... i suppose i dont either... how hypocrital of me...) i make friends pretty easily and i find it easy to socialise. but i have no idea what to do about it, and im afraid my instinct to go and find an easy, crap, low-pay job and live out my goddamn tiny, insubstantial life will take over.

what aggrevates me is i cant stop any of this. did any of you feel like this? do you feel this way now? i know what i want to do, but from where i stand its an uphill struggle every step of the way and i have no way of preparing myself for it.

*sigh* im done... this took me a while to write... i apologise if it was hard to follow at points (sometimes i dont know where sentances stop and start)

*goes to shiver in a corner*

*hugggz her n00bling for comfort*

Don't feel bad, honest, you're not the only one out there. Wanna hear something f#$*ed up? I'm 10 years older than you and I'm in the same spot right now. Not with the schooling and the person I like not pining for me or any of that (although I had a LOT of that when I was in school too, at least you can be comforted in knowing that's a pretty standard primary education life)...but with my life having a distinct lack of direction.

I guess my biggest problem is that I don't have any goals, y'know? I graduated from HS 3rd in my class, started going to a really good university right off the bat, but I only did that because that's what was expected (and in some ways, forced) of me by my mother. I dropped out of college after one semester because I discovered that I HATE the university system in general (aka paying tens of thousands of dollars to get both an education I want and need, and an education I'd never need in a million frigging years just because the university wants more of my money). Now it's been 6 1/2 years since I dropped out, and you know what? I'm still just floating along in my life, without any major goals or anything to drive me. And I feel totally pathetic. I'm talented in so many different ways, but I'm not working a job that will get me anywhere in life (I work for a sandwich shop for chrissakes), I'm not going to school, I don't have a degree, I'm not starting my own business or even doing anything that would help me promote myself in the fields where I think I'd do the most good. I'm an excellent writer, I'm great with graphic design and I'm pretty darn good at digital artwork, I'm getting better every day at my drawing, I'm friendly, personable, organized, and self-sufficient. But I'm still stuck in a dead-end minimum-wage job and I'm looking at my life going "WTF???"....

So here's a little advice...just friendly advice....

figure out one or two things that you would LOVE to do with your life...become a writer, for example....and then do EVERYTHING you can to fulfill that goal. Even if your goals or desires change down the road, at least you'll have set down a really solid foundation for pursuing your goals and you won't feel later on that you've wasted those years.

ok, before i start with this post, lemme remind everyone that i'm only 14 and have absolutelly no experience whatsoever when it comes to this kind of stuff (well, i have a direction i want to take my life, but i have no experience in it)

that being said, i honestly doubt that being lazy will be too much of a problem. i mean, yes, we all need to apply ourselves much of the time, but all it takes to get the motivation to work your a** off is a 'wake up call' (a.k.a. shitty report card..... i mean, that's not something anyone wants as a wake up call, but if that's what it takes......). and at 15, i doubt your life needs a direction. i mean, it's not like you major in any specific field in high skool. that's college, which's years away. take your time, and pick something that you can enjoy doing. but also you said you want to be a writer. that's a pretty good direction. throw a lot of energy into your writing and ask others what they think. that way you'll know if you have 'the writing gift' and should pursue it.

*hugs Furry* im sorry sweetie... i wish i knew how u felt, but i have other things going on... about the gurl sitaution, im sorry she hasnt thought about you, but i know people that i hang out with at skewl havent thought of me either. Its a normal thing to happen, but for the part about you really really likeing her, just cal her! *if uhave her #* be like hey, whats up, start talking about anything... make her wnt to thnk about you... it shows you have the guts to make her notice you....
lazyness...hum... the only thing you can do about that is try harder... you want to be a writer, so stary writing and showing your storys to poeple, make a website, premote it, get your storys out there. dont sit around and waist your life away.... start out small, with little goals, then work your way up... *hugs* hope you get your life together, untill then, just ask for help... im sure everyone would be willing to help

if you find urself stuck in life, the best direction to take is forward, as slowly as possible. dont hope that all of your worries and problems will disappear in a heartbeat. i did that for years, and it got me nowhere. so this week do something you feel like doing. then maybe next month or next week, do something else u fell like doing. in your case, try writing some prose or even a short story or (dare i say it) make a hopeless and doomed attempt at poetry. it doesnt matter if it sucks. its done. u did it. keep doing it if it makes u happy, or if what u get is good and makes u feel good for doing it. if u hated it with a passion, dont do it again. trying new things, no matter how small, can help u decide what kind of slant u want your life to go in. but always keep it moving forward at some pace - even if its a slow one. i love reading other peoples stories and poetry, ad so do a lot of people on this forum. send it or post it and ask people what they think of it.

and when in doubt, smile

I know poetry always helps me to cope with things. That's why I write it. Why don't you try it? I don't have many other ideas other than that. I've never really felt purposeless, just a little lost.

if you end up liking poetry, try writing lyrics... i would love to sing a song that you wrote.... *giggles* if you need to talk , im always here.. Just IM me on yahoo or AIM and i would love to talk to you.... o yah, and to anyone who writes poetry... if you write something you would like made into a song, email/IM me! i would love new material! thankx.. and i hope it gets better Furry

I think there's been some good advice there... so I guess it's pointless me sayin anythin. But I'm gonna do so anyway, cos I don't know when to shut up!

Thing is, life isn't easy, an to get anywhere with it does require some effort on your part. First off is to figure out what ya wanna do with yer life. But as taran says, dun rush that. At 15, I had no idea what to do wi my life, an I was almost 22 before I decided to do what I do fer a livin now. An sometimes I wish I'd chosen a different path...

Don't squander yer abilities. If yer smart enough, go to University. Trust me, although it's another 3/4/5 years schoolin, it's not like school at all, and as well as gettin ya more qualified, it buys ya more time to figure out what ya wanna do and also to find out who YOU are. Not everyone susses themselves out straight away - I'm still findin things out about me, and I'm 32!!

Ya wanna be a writer? That's a good thing! Go do it! Ya can still do the crappy, low-paid job, an you'll prolly find that gives ya more free time than a highly paid executive type thing. Most people have imaginations, but not many are vivid, an even fewer are mated to the ability to express it in words... if ya can do that, then ya really should try!

Basically you have just decribed me to the very last detail, we're even the same age

I'll tell you what I did? And what you should do. Write a novel, problem solved

I've done pretty much nothing in the last few years. It's blooming depressing and I really can't see myself ever getting out of this hole I've dug myself. People try to help me all the time and I feel really guilty for not getting any better but I know that the only way I'm ever going to sort myself out is if I do all the work and people leave me alone to do it. I know it's different for everyone though. You might find that you need friends to help you through the bad times and guide you to where you want to be or that you can cope better when people give you the space you need.

I thought I had direction. You tell anyone you're training to become an architect and its all 'ooh's and aah's' where in reality is sucks. It is not good money unless you actually own the practice.

anyway...I'm handing in my notice very soon and then I'm back to square one....so I can sympathise with you to a degree. The 'real world' bites

Oh yeah...I'm at work right now and as you can tell..I'm SO busy
That's me being sarcastic btw.

wow....*hugs and snuggles* stop shivering lol..makes you hard to hug...

*grins* ok just being silly for a moment...

I know just how you feel I'm 13 and just started school as well...the teachers here hate me...even the one's who have never spoken a word to me and I have the new Vice princibles breathing down my neck trying to arreste me for Shit I dont/didn't do... so all I can say is grin and bear..and always rant and vant when you have to...I have IM friends I confide in and they help me ALOT....if you want you can IM or PM me when you need to vent or rant...I'll listen and see if I can help or hurt lol....any way...allways know...we be here for ya when you need to spill I mean words...Not blood or guts...You can only spill that when cirtain ppl are around

Welcome to the world.

I think you'll find very few people who actually know where their life is going, and feel as if there's some direction to it. I'm certainly not one of them. I haven't a clue where I'll be in 10 years, or what I'll be doing. The important thing is that I know full well that I'm going to have a blast getting there, wherever there is. And therein lies the crux of the matter. It's not important where you end up, as long as you enjoy getting there.

There goes one positive bloke. I've thought Jonman has a good view on life for a while now.
Work hard, party hard, play hard and all that jazz

Mmmm, jazz.

yeah, life's too short to mope. I say balls to it, move on and have fun.

yeah ive ranted on here.... alot.... i think everyone knows about all my probles... but it best thing youll ever hear is be happy not everyday something bad will happen... and all those people that piss you off well theyll die one day so itll be ok

I know but that can be really editing hard to do, I'm not going to give up trying though. I've got a lot going for me if I can sort myself out, I've had a lot more chances than most people.

You know what? It's actually really really easy to do. All you have to do is realise that it's simply a case of shrugging your shoulders and saying to yourself "balls to it".

It occurred to me a few years ago during a personal epiphany that it really is that easy to be happy.

I should write a book.

I think there's actually a form of therapy about that. The shrink gets you to realise that and sort yourself out after the sessions over without you realising that they influenced you into thinking it.

Bah. Balls to it.


See?

Bah! Most likely has something to do with me being 16 anyway...
*stabs teenageryness*

Furrymammal...before (IF) you read this, I want you to ask yourself if you can entertain an idea without accepting it...I hope so, cos i don't wanna be the one to blame for encouraging the next UNA Bomber...


last chance to scroll up.....



missed it...



Lets get the facts straight first. (I am NOT being condecending)

> You're a human being.
> Human beings are animals (ultra religious fundamentalists will disagree)
> Animal life focuses around a few basic goals:
Obtaining food and other necessities
Socialising (includes mating)

In our modern times, these basic goals can be easily met without much effort (assuming you live in an average household in the "1st world")

Im not that good at explaining complex matter in writing, so I'll let Mr. Kaczynski take over for a while.


In the eyes of our ancestors, we are all "leisured aristocrats". Hence we are all prone to boredom and demoralisation.




In your case, literature is a surrogate activity...

Ill just cut out one last excerpt since I don'ty want to flood this whole post...if for any reason you're interested in learning more, check out Industrial Society and its Future

I know what you are feeling, to an extent. I have lots of job opportunities open for me, because I grew up in a very musical family. People say I have talent, and I do... but it's in music and writing. My main career choices (singer, actress, composer/arranger, musical theatre person) all end up with me living in a box on the curbside, because they're just so hard to make money from. I'm going to an arts-oriented high school, for goodness sakes, how am I supposed to get a job? Not to mention, I'm naturally a pessimist, and since those fields are so hard to get into, I say that there is no way on earth I'll be able to survive.

But the thing is, I'll really apply myself to those areas. I practice insanely for Show Choir, because I love to do it. And that's the key for a career: to get something you really enjoy, and do it.

You say you want to be a writer. I'm assuming that's because you like writing? Yes? Good. Writer is my most viable job option because I've been writing for a long time and there isn't a limit to writers, like there are a certain number of actors in a play. This is what I've done (because I really want to have a future):

1. I've learned to accept constructive critcism. This is incredibly important, because you cannot learn without it.
2. I've learned my strength and weaknesses. For example, my prose is eternally better than my poetry. My poetry, while not bad compared with my age, is crappy compared to people above my age, and if something gets published, people won't care about my age.
3. I've getting involved in poetry groups at an art site (deviantART, if you care) in hopes that I'll improve.
4. I wrote a novel.

Seriously. Writing a novel is a huge learning experience, and I learned a lot of self discipline. I participated in NaNoWriMo 2002 ( http://www.nanowrimo.org ), which is in November when people try to write a 50000 word novel in a month, and I failed. Horribly, reaching around 3000 words (roughly two full days work). I did it again in May, and I succeeded! And it feels good, and taught me a lot.

all i can say is thank you everyone, its good to know im not alone. also, a lot of the advice has given me strange, bizarre new persectives

but hey, balls to it.

thanks again *hugz for all*

also, i have decided to start writing a novel, it seems a good idea and i have more than enough ideas.

Cool!

If ya want to post some of it here sometime, I'm sure there'd be plenty of interest.

Creativity gives you something to focus on. I think focus is the key to direction, what ever direction that may be.
I'd like to be more creative and take up some sort of hobby but I find I don't have the time of energy. I'd like to take up gymnastics again but I can't until I can flex my ankle properly again

Sounds like me when I was at school, do you get teachers saying "Look, You're a bright lad(or lass, didn't look)" and then going into a whine about do your work blah blah blah?

I got a lot of that, and it annoyed me no end, the whole "you're bright" thing especially, because they had no proof as i was bone idle.

And now? I have a low paying job where I ge to sit on my arse all day and get paid for it, doing technical support and programming at a small software company. Admittedly, after a few years of experience, i'll be able to ask for more money, or get it elsewhere, so that's how i look at the money situation.

This bit caught my eye. It may be true, I'm not going to refute it, but to me creativity is also a road to madness, and one of the worst focus enhancers in the histroy of pab-kind. I just thaught that it was curious that its possible that both outlooks are right ...