What is something that you'll never get to do that bums you out?

[Dion]

I have an eye condition called "Nystagmus" that was diagnosed when I was a baby. Is a term to describe fast, uncontrollable movements of the eyes. Further explanation in link below:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003037.htm

I am one of the lucky few that can control the eye movements to a certain extent. By tilting my head to the right allows my eyes to focus. The more nervous I am the more pronounced the tilt. I can't stare at any object for any period of time as my eyes will move away. It won me many staring contests in school when my eyes would start to wander back and forth with the other person breaking concentration and laughing. I was told at an early age that most people with my condition are considered blind due to the fact they have no control over their eye movements.

It creates problems for my eye doctor and specialist when they try to test my peripheral vision. Keeping you head still and getting your eyes to focus on all the small flashing lights.

The bummer for me is that it has prevented me from playing team sports. Someone hits a fly ball to left feild and there's no gaurnetee my eyes will follow the ball to the glove. In basketball you are constantly looking in all directions and for me it often came down to busted eye glasses when my eyes couldn't focus on a pass coming my way. With hockey it's much the same except it's the puck i need to focus on. I was stubborn in my youth and "can't do" wasn't something I believed in. Reality did eventualy kick in and lets just say I gave up team sports all together and foxused on sports I could achieve in.

I will leave it at that and let others post bummers they'd like to share

OK, flameswin..... You have that thread you were looking for

[missdpuck]

Good thread idea, Dion.

I won't post my main regret , though, as I can only imagine the eye-rolling that would go on.

Odd to be so bothered by the imagined reactions of virtual strangers, isn't it?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

Good thread idea, Dion.

I won't post my main regret , though, as I can only imagine the eye-rolling that would go on.

Odd to be so bothered by the imagined reactions of virtual strangers, isn't it?

I'm sorry but after readin Dion's condition and then that I lmao. Not sure if intentional but well done.

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I'm sorry but after readin Dion's condition and then that I lmao. Not sure if intentional but well done.

Wow not intentional at all, but thanks I guess

[pylon]

Every job I wanted to do as a kid, was destroyed by my combination of poor vision, and most importantly, colour blindness.

In order of what I wanted to be:

Commercial Pilot - Nope
Police Officer - Nope
Firefighter - Nope
Paramedic - Nope

I would have been incredibly happy doing any of the four.

All four of them have a zero exception rule for colour blindness, even if I correct my near sightedness with surgery.

When I found out when I was 15, and everything I dreamt of doing was never going to happen because of my vision I literally gave up on school, ended up dropping out about 6 months later. I wish my parents would have told me when I was a little kid my vision would have had this impact, as they knew how badly the Police Officer/Pilot thing was all I wanted to do. I think their fear was I would give up on school.... which is exactly what I did. Even to this day I am envious of the people that work in those fields, and wish I could be them.

But in my older years, and how I grew to have an absolute fascination with astronomy and astrophysics..... if I would have been pointed that direction instead, I would be working in some field of science related to it. I am not dumb, and that is why I feel like I wasted my life. Getting a degree in astrophysics at 38 with a GED would take me a decade.

So now, 20 something years later am what amounts to a glorified, overpaid cashier in in the auto industry. "Hey, you want the warranty?..... everyone needs the warranty." And I have nobody to blame but myself. FML

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

Wow not intentional at all, but thanks I guess

Whenever I deal with a situation that upsets me or I sympathize for that person or many other things I just find the humour in it somehow. My way of coping I guess. Dion is a good guy with a good sense of humour.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by pylon

And I have nobody to blame but myself. FML

Things don't always work out exactly as we want, but it is always possible to change things if you don't like what is going on in your life.

You should look for things that make you happy and that you enjoy and incorporate them into your life. Whether that's as a hobby outside of work or something else instead of what you do.

At the end of the day, happiness is the most important thing.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by pylon

Getting a degree in astrophysics at 38 with a GED would take me a decade.

Do it!!!
Grad at 50, work for ten years doing something you love.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

Do it!!!
Grad at 50, work for ten years doing something you love.

If only there wasn't any bills to pay.

[metallicat]

I knew a guy who became a firefighter in Calgary with color blindness. Couldn't make it in edmonton for that reason, but Calgary took him.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by pylon

If only there wasn't any bills to pay.

stupid reality

[pylon]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

I knew a guy who became a firefighter in Calgary with color blindness. Couldn't make it in edmonton for that reason, but Calgary took him.

Mine is so bad I can't pass any of the alternative tests they have. The one silver lining is I passed my medical to get a recreational pilots license, I just can't get an instrument rating to fly at night. So I am starting that this spring, and will hopefully buy a beater airplane in the next couple years.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by pylon

buy a beater airplane in the next couple years.

That is both hilarious and terrifying.

[JohnnyB]

There are so very many things to add on this kind of list. How many lives is enough? Time is cruel like that.

[NBC]

Originally Posted by pylon

Mine is so bad I can't pass any of the alternative tests they have. The one silver lining is I passed my medical to get a recreational pilots license, I just can't get an instrument rating to fly at night. So I am starting that this spring, and will hopefully buy a beater airplane in the next couple years.

That's too bad pylon. Glad you were able to get your Cat III medical in the end.

Where are you starting your training if I may ask?

[Bmuzyka]

I think a thread of "Things you regret doing" would be even more entertaining.

But for this thread. I totally get bummed out that I never went to University. I chose the SAIT method instead. But because I switched fields, I spent 3 years there. Had I followed my original dream and path, it would have only been an extra year for my Engineering Degree instead of a Technology Diploma

[Caged Great]

One thing that I cannot do that I always wished that I could do is to play the piano, my favourite instrument. I have very low dexterity in my wrists as well as low mobility. My hands can only go up or down at a 45 degree angle from my forearm where most people can go up to 90 degrees either way. It limits other things like my typing speed as well as I can only type at about 50 words per minute at most.

[DuffMan]

A cheerleader, a nurse, and a female athlete at the same time

[zukes]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

One thing that I cannot do that I always wished that I could do is to play the piano, my favourite instrument. I have very low dexterity in my wrists as well as low mobility. My wrists can only go up or down at a 45 degree angle from my forearm where most people can go up to 90 degrees either way. It limits other things like my typing speed as well as I can only type at about 50 words per minute at most.

Must....resist....masterbation joke....

[Nage Waza]

I can't wear shorts.