tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post3118108069275515789..comments2024-02-07T00:26:07.597-08:00Comments on Along The Way: IF ONLY OR WHAT IF -- FISHY -- EAGLET DIETJoaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-67695263902976811552019-05-25T13:03:16.601-07:002019-05-25T13:03:16.601-07:00Does sound like using what iffing for real time l...Does sound like using what iffing for real time living was creating undue complications. Considering pros and cons of situations is one thing, but sounds like what your mother did was quite different. Glad you got perspective so you could sleep. Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-43181515553322890862019-05-25T09:07:49.392-07:002019-05-25T09:07:49.392-07:00My mother was a great what-iffer, and it paralyzed...My mother was a great what-iffer, and it paralyzed her. She not only what-iffed the past, she what-iffed the future. The past kept her awake at night, and the future kept her paralyzed with fear in the day, since she never could visualize a positive outcome to any "what if?" It took me many years to realize I'd picked up her habit, but once I tossed it out with the trash, life got ashoreacreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16284698314697628805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-57975028745946867432019-05-24T11:17:06.375-07:002019-05-24T11:17:06.375-07:00That does sound like a lot of profound differences...That does sound like a lot of profound differences.Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-43872178085760249632019-05-24T07:34:38.516-07:002019-05-24T07:34:38.516-07:00I can easily say my life would have been different...I can easily say my life would have been different had my grandfather not passed away when I was 3 - he was a business owner and an avid outdoorsman. There would have been many hunting/fishing trips in my future and I may well have entered his contracting business. I likely never would have moved to California and definitely would not have met my wife. Life would have been radically different - Shackman https://www.blogger.com/profile/01690901432037614409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-15211788061388262872019-05-20T10:27:04.328-07:002019-05-20T10:27:04.328-07:00That’s probably a healthy attitude as I don’t thin...That’s probably a healthy attitude as I don’t think it’s productive to consider what ifs or if onlys seriously, maybe brooding or chastising oneself, other than considering what we might learn from some. Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-28050845373203520742019-05-20T05:15:32.835-07:002019-05-20T05:15:32.835-07:00I can honestly say that I don't do the whole W...I can honestly say that I don't do the whole What If thing. It's not that I've always made the right decisions; it's that I feel comfortable knowing that I've made the best decisions I could at the time that I made them. Besides, as a commenter above said, it's all in the past, and there's nothing I can do about it now.Nancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17627214346956206283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-89561785509771011282019-05-19T19:44:32.296-07:002019-05-19T19:44:32.296-07:00Interesting to wonder, I agree. Interesting to wonder, I agree. Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-13526751475405729812019-05-19T19:01:16.584-07:002019-05-19T19:01:16.584-07:00Those what-ifs are truly intriguing. I've wond...Those what-ifs are truly intriguing. I've wondered about a lot of choices I've made, roads I might have taken too. I guess I'm content with how things turned out, but I do wonder.Kayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461569436322815787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-81976429639719676222019-05-19T18:08:06.649-07:002019-05-19T18:08:06.649-07:00Can imagine you might have a number of scenarios y...Can imagine you might have a number of scenarios you could conjure about what might have been had you remained in Germany — unknown, they are likely positive outcomes ..... but, might not have been. ... but we likely approach most unknowns with positive expectations, I think.Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-62279168478205979602019-05-19T16:08:35.925-07:002019-05-19T16:08:35.925-07:00I try not to dwell, but a big 'what if...?'...I try not to dwell, but a big 'what if...?' for me would be deciding to return to Cal. after a year abroad studying in Germany. I had had a waitress job lined up, but felt the pull of home (mostly from my mother, to be honest). I regretted my decision to return home pretty much immediately. Beahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07886227825064266814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-25947452030020768552019-05-19T14:23:50.614-07:002019-05-19T14:23:50.614-07:00Interesting paths you did not take. Who knows, ma...Interesting paths you did not take. Who knows, maybe we would be referring to you as an oft quoted marine biologist — or maybe, god forbid, you would have accidentally drowned in one of your deep underwater expeditions and all would be saying, “What a loss — she had such promise.” Or, you would be a person remembered only by family, a few friends and unknown to the rest of the world. <br /><Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-13404681234897627392019-05-19T14:03:41.024-07:002019-05-19T14:03:41.024-07:00That’s an interesting view of personality. I think...That’s an interesting view of personality. I think that may be more true of some people than others as I’ve seen very definite personality changes in a few I’ve known from their early adulthood years to subsequent ones for no medical or mental health reasons. I think of one couple in particular who mutual friends told me had disappointedly changed so much. Our letters didn’t reveal that Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-30977472984280134682019-05-19T13:56:51.142-07:002019-05-19T13:56:51.142-07:00I have played the "what if" game before ...I have played the "what if" game before and wish I could see how my life would have been different. What if I hadn't married my rebound guy? What if I had stayed in college and was now a marine biologist? Would be interesting to see where those choices not taken would have led us. But we didn't take them and here we are--warts and all. Arkansas Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14156004753267665579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-28431519522018646702019-05-19T13:47:49.778-07:002019-05-19T13:47:49.778-07:00Perhaps some people do explore viewpoints contrary...Perhaps some people do explore viewpoints contrary to their own. I think some people do observe what is known to be a legitimate video of a speaker and attempt to objectively analyze the ideas and information presented for accuracy. Likewise, I think some people do assess journalists, media enterprises for their authenticity and consider possible biases. Certainly there are those who don’t, Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-14217529539470081282019-05-19T12:47:05.727-07:002019-05-19T12:47:05.727-07:00 I agree that nature’s other creatures and life fo... I agree that nature’s other creatures and life forms are fascinating. Lots of other choices we make, or others we’re with make, that affect us that can alter our path. Who we marry and who we don’t could have major impacts. Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-37103487334527338972019-05-19T12:39:47.480-07:002019-05-19T12:39:47.480-07:00It can be interesting to speculate about but mostl...It can be interesting to speculate about but mostly just for passing entertainment. Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-50745767803320655482019-05-19T12:37:18.470-07:002019-05-19T12:37:18.470-07:00I spent only a few months in the first and only sc...I spent only a few months in the first and only school I ever attended that I really disliked,. Miight have been tempted to leave school if it hadn’t been for a couple of students in one class — the only ones who befriended me as I entered mid-term. Was in four different schools in three different states that eighth grade year. Can only imagine how miserable five years at a school you hated Joaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155775053108104385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-59111670081502020892019-05-19T07:43:00.854-07:002019-05-19T07:43:00.854-07:00It is the nature vs. nurture theory. I personally...It is the nature vs. nurture theory. I personally believe that you are born with a personality that will never change over time despite your various experiences. And that personality will also lead to various experiences in your life over time.gigihawaiihttp://gigihawaii.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-17017012723455147472019-05-19T06:05:12.555-07:002019-05-19T06:05:12.555-07:00On the news media, if they are more looking for ne...On the news media, if they are more looking for news and not an agenda, I think it will not matter what a president said. It's not like Obama liked Fox and made it clear that listening to Rush Limbaugh was terrible for good governing, but it didn't change anything for who listened or watched. Same today with Trump putting down CNN or NYTimes. Those, who like hearing what they say, keep Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-7637636226211438292019-05-19T05:50:59.353-07:002019-05-19T05:50:59.353-07:00The eagles sure are growing! Nature sure is someth...The eagles sure are growing! Nature sure is something, isn't it, that all species know instinctively to care for their young. <br /><br />I try not to play the 'what if' game. But I do think it's part of growing older that we look back and evaluate our choices and those made for us by accident or circumstances we had no control over. <br /><br />The times when I have played the &#Misadventures of Widowhoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17262709452281226620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-1232657967347719792019-05-19T05:30:51.485-07:002019-05-19T05:30:51.485-07:00You have given me food for thought. I haven't...You have given me food for thought. I haven't done any what if exercises in decades and perhaps a revisit might just be the cure!Rummuserhttp://www.rummuser.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36527891.post-18415129290014343502019-05-19T04:30:25.368-07:002019-05-19T04:30:25.368-07:00I must say I very seldom indulge in the "What...I must say I very seldom indulge in the "What If" game. I'm sure a hundred different possibilities would have opened up, but I've always been happy enough in the present and not inclined to look over my shoulder at what might have been. But I do wonder how I would have fared if I hadn't spent five years at a boarding school I hated but had gone to a school more suited to my nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10472673041193755894noreply@blogger.com