The Grand Life Do-Over

[DrParasite]

One of my regrets was NOT going with a certain girl and her girlfriend for the weekend 20-ish years ago. Years later she confided in me she was trying to have a threeway with the two of us.

I know it sounds like a "Dear Penthouse..." type of thing...but I swear on my life it is true.

I believe it. We all have stories about opportunities missed. and sometimes opportunities that were capitalized on, even better if you remember your camera that night

lets see what changes I would make to the road that was taken.....

in 2004, I would have applied for a per diem position working for Jersey City EMS, and would have gotten my Paramedic cert by now, a full time spot as well, and been a senior Paramedic or looking at a supervisor position.

Probably would have applied to my current job about 3-5 years sooner too. Or I would have skipped college and applied to my current employer 10 years ago, and moved to the local big city years ago and taken the state civil service test years ago to become a career FF in NJ

in 2000, while I was in college, I would have applied for a per diem EMT position at the local city 911 provider, for $7 an hour, instead of signing up for the college volunteer ambulance squad (which ran out anyone who came in with real, non-college EMS experience).

I would have taken the city service exam while in college, and tried to become a city FF where I went to school.

would have not accumulated so many speeding tickets in my youth.

If I stayed in college, I would have double majored in IS & Nursing, instead of IS and history. And I would have made this decision Freshman year of college, not junior year.

But then I wouldn't have had all the fun and life experiences that led me to where I am today.

 

[ARose]

But then I wouldn't have had all the fun and life experiences that led me to where I am today.

Exactly

 

[R99]

I would have never gotten involved with the ambulance service, I've had some great times but the toll it's, taken is not worth it, even if I count the one or two "saves""

 

[NomadicMedic]

This is funny. I think about this kind of stuff... a alot.

I find my self daydreaming about the roads I traveled to get to where I am now, and while I made some royal F'ups... well, I'm 41 now, and I can say that my biggest regret is not making my marriage work. I still love and miss my ex every day. I also regret not becoming a medic sooner. Like 20 years ago.

I regret that I've spent time trying to escape my past rather than live for the present.

I had some amazing experiences and most of them live fondly in my memory, but I still curse the day I ended my marriage.

 

[ARose]

I had some amazing experiences and most of them live fondly in my memory, but I still curse the day I ended my marriage.

This hit home. My husband and I hit a hard wall this past fall (mostly all my doing) the only thing that kept me from leaving him was my best friend told me that in a month I would regret it and I would never find anyone as amazing as my husband.

I have anxiety attacks over how badly I messed things up, but he stood with me and today he sent me several links (unprompted) to Medic programs to the base I'm about to move to, as well as financial options for the two of us to look into.
He wants me to succeed as much as anyone else in this field, I forget that.

 

[R99]

Somebody said it's a funny old world, he was right despite knowing too much

All I can say is learn from whatever "mistakes" you make and try not to worry about what might have been, I could have done lots of things different and I am glad I didn't do them now

Well there are two exceptions to that, I can honestly say one will probably stay with me until my last day on earth, that may change and it nay not but when all is said and done and darkness comes we and we alone have to live with our decisions and sometimes that makes us very troubled people.

I guess the trick is not letting it consume you .... stupid ambulance service, so what if one or two people walk the earth because of me, like that helps in the wee small hours

 

[Vetitas86]

Honestly? I'm 25, so you people who say living with no regrets is how you do things? Get a damn life.

If you're living worth anything, you
A) end up regretting something
B) will end up regretting something.

For me, its a few things. I had a friend who went to drug rehab three separate times. She never asked for help, but I know now that I should've been there.

I've mostly fallen out of touch with one of my closest friends. Working on getting back together, but its tough. Partially because I'm in Texas, he's in California, and we're both constantly busy.

Biggest one? Wish I'd sucked it up in college more. I was pre-med from day one. Wanted to work in emergency med. I may still do it, but there are issues with it at this point in my life.

Point is, saying you don't have regrets is like saying you don't have a belly button. We may not be able to see if you're lying or oblivious, but we have a good feeling.

Unless of course you're wearing a bikini.

 

[homingmissile]

Point is, saying you don't have regrets is like saying you don't have a belly button. We may not be able to see if you're lying or oblivious, but we have a good feeling.

Well, I consider regrets to be things that plague the mind constantly. Personally, when I say I have no regrets I mean to say I've come to terms with missed opportunities and past mistakes.

 

[Tigger]

I wish I went to college with a better since of direction. I spent my whole first year messing around and taking classes that sounded interesting. Now I am behind the 8 ball trying to get all of the BSN requirements out of the way before I graduate next year.

But if I knew I wanted a nursing degree or something like that, I wouldn't have ended up where I am, I wouldn't have an incredible job in sports medicine, and I would not be in New Zealand now. One way or another I'll get to where I want to be.

 

[Aprz]

I actually know somebody that's a "test tube baby", and they don't have a belly button. It's weird!

Yeh, if I could do it over again, I would have done better in school. I bombed all of elementary school, middle school, and high school. I'm lucky to have even passed; I almost didn't (for all three of them). Though I wonder if I would have gotten into EMS still if I did well in school. When I see people that I knew from high school and before, I'm always embarrassed thinking about my past self. I hope they don't remember me, but they usually do. I also would have gotten haircuts more regularly, shaved more regularly, take a shower in the morning instead of at night, use cologne and deodorant, brush my teeth, not reuse cloths. Wasn't very hygienic either. So embarrassing.