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Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

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Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#141

Post by silisili »

biagidp wrote: post #130

We were riding go karts as part of a friend's bachelor party. I had a hard time fitting in the kart and mine was noticeably slower than the rest. My nerves were on edge and my heart was palpitating the whole time we were driving. I had always been overweight, but up until then I was able to tell myself that it had never kept me from doing anything I wanted to do. That was the kick in the pants I needed to see how my…

Congrats. To me, it's one of those weird things that sneaks up on you. Or maybe it doesn't and you just don't care. Then one day you realize 'damn, what happened.'

What's interesting to me is how much better you feel once losing weight. Half of what I assumed were 'just getting older' problems vanished, energy way up, etc. Wish there were VR or a pill or something so that everyone could know/remember what it's like, as motivation.

But in any event, kudos to you - changing the lifestyle and sticking to it isn't easy.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#142

Post by sowbug »

Three.

1. Saw an ad in 1980 for a Radio Shack TRS-80 for $499. Suddenly understood that computers were more real than the spinning tape reels shown in movies. Started learning BASIC at the local Radio Shack while my mom was grocery shopping next door. Got offered programming jobs at least twice during those sessions (or maybe they were child predators). I've been exchanging code for money for the 40+ years since.

2. Around the same time, age 10 or so, I was in a situation where I should have been killed or badly injured. Instead, a car suddenly appeared and instantly killed the thing that was trying to kill me. The car didn't stop; it kept driving, leaving me alone on a country road with bloody flesh (not mine) sprayed 20 feet around me. Since then, though I'm not religious or very spiritual, I've felt special, as if my life is meant to achieve some purpose on Earth. That memory motivates me when I'm feeling aimless or down.

3. The first time I attended Burning Man. The first time I experienced the kindness of strangers as the rule rather than the exception. That inversion in my default assumptions about other people has made an enormous difference (and undoubtedly has helped shrink the giant chip I have on my own shoulder).

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#143

Post by usgroup »

bbkane wrote: post #122
jiggywiggy wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait till you get them ;). Sort of joking. I know the feeling, also had that. Getting them is very different from this high, but probably even more worth it. Although you will be more tired and busy then ever before.

I just finished feeding my first baby, and I'm not sure when I'll have time for anything else again.

Oh that’s easy: never!

:-)

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#144

Post by acomjean »

v-erne wrote: post #101
exDM69 wrote: post #19

I visited (trespassed) in an underground bomb shelter with accomodations for 11000 (eleven thousand) people. It was mothballed and parts of it were used as storage, but most of what would be needed for housing people there if war or nuclear fallout would hit was there. Dry toilets with no privacy, toilet paper, some dry rations, mattresses, blankets, air filters, first aid kits etc. For 11k people. It was two giant v…

>> Made me stop playing war games and watching war movies. Thats really interesting reaction - probably totally opposite of mine. I honestly believe that war is one of mankind's stupidest invention and suspect that there are no heroes on any battlefield - only naive, stupid and unlucky ones that mostly use pieces of metal with high kinetic energy to pierce through flesh of others. I would never agree to take active p…

My Mom was very anti-war. No toy guns in our house. (We could play war games like diplomacy and risk when older). It turns out one of her first memory was fleeing her home being bombed in WWII.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#146

Post by avgDev »

gernb wrote: post #49
zoover2020 wrote: post #2

Applied to FANG for an internship and 5 years later I'm still there. I'd call it life-changing as I can FIRE around 40 now (current trajectory). Planning to care for my siblings however, so realistically it's more like 45-50.

it's surprising to me how many people I know that have been at FAAMG for 15+ yrs and are still there.

Life style creep or just like the work?

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#147

Post by p0d »

paulryanrogers wrote: post #94

Finally admitted to myself and others I no longer believed in the religion of my family. After that it was like a huge weight was lifted and I could more clearly rethink all my conclusions about the world and people. No more need for magical thinking, confirmation bias, or hoop jumping to justify inconsistent rules made up by centuries of grifters.

I found it difficult when my best friend came to the same conclusion as yourself as we have journeyed together for nearly 40 years. I am still a magical thinker as you put it.

It helped me the day the penny dropped and I realised he had become a Humanist. He has not discovered anything new. He has chosen to believe something different. My views on religion are as robust as your not-views on religion. We all make a choice.

He is a little more subdued about his change of direction these days which means that we argue less. He is less "know it all" about how the world works and I talk less about things that are important to me which are not relevant to him. We will be friends until we die, I am sure.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#148

Post by golly_ned »

sowbug wrote: post #142

Three. 1. Saw an ad in 1980 for a Radio Shack TRS-80 for $499. Suddenly understood that computers were more real than the spinning tape reels shown in movies. Started learning BASIC at the local Radio Shack while my mom was grocery shopping next door. Got offered programming jobs at least twice during those sessions (or maybe they were child predators). I've been exchanging code for money for the 40+ years since. 2.…

What was the thing that was trying to kill you?

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#149

Post by AnimalMuppet »

Balgair wrote: post #128

Kinda having one right now. Would like advice. My FIL died very recently. We were close. It was expected, though quicker somehow. I'm to fill the big shoes. My first was born ~ 3 months ago. They're a joy I didn't know I could have and fill a hole in me that I didn't know was there. I'm so confused right now. The grief, the joy, so close together. My life has changed, totally, but it's all just getting through the sl…

In five years (or maybe 20) you will regret not being with people. You won't so much regret the things you didn't get done; you'll regret the time you didn't spend just playing with them, listening to them.

But that's more for a year from now. Now you're just trying to survive. Sleepless nights are hard.

One thing you should consider: If you can afford it, hire someone to do your housecleaning. You've got bigger things to do with your time.

> They're a joy I didn't know I could have and fill a hole in me that I didn't know was there.

> I'm so confused right now.

People grieve differently. There's no particular way that you're supposed to feel.

My father died recently. I'm his executor. I think I'm doing OK, but I have been so busy with his affairs that I haven't really had time to feel. That may show up later, and I may be surprised at what I feel then.

Maybe, with the birth, you haven't had time to feel either - or at least, haven't had time to sort out your feelings. That's OK. It will come. Until then, there's nothing wrong with having these mixed feelings.

Re: Ask HN: Have you ever had a changed-your-life moment?

#150

Post by avgDev »

Oh man there has been many things.

1. I loved someone so much that being scared of losing her really caused issues in our relationship. I later realized I wasn't actually a good boyfriend but a controlling asshole. We dated many years. In the end she cheated on me and that is when I completely cut off communication.

2. Having a child was also life changing. So little time but also so little care for anything but him. Also, if I could stop working I would do it now. It is such an interesting time full of love, frustration and sometimes a bit of anger. Child are great but also extremely difficult.

3. Taking an antibiotic (cipro) and not being able to walk for weeks due to severe pain. On top of that 40+ physicians telling me, it's impossible or all in my head. Then, the warnings were updated multiple times, to include tendon damage, damage to heart, nerve damage. Some of it has improved but still have some annoying nerve issues years later. I am hoping to start my masters in CS and develop software to help patients not have to deal with denying physicians. For example, on average it takes 10 years to diagnose a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and MANY MANY physicians. Anyone on this forum could do it, provided with simple steps to follow. Something ain't right.

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