Welp, I am officially old now. RIP JWW's youth.

"J. Walter Weatherman" (J-WalterWeatherman)
12/27/2013 at 17:30 • Filed to: None

Jalops, I am failing you. Big time. I was just informed that I am receiving a very generous raise for next year, and instead of thinking of a project car to buy, my mind immediately went to thinking about how I could use the extra money to increase my 401k contributions and pay down some debt a bit quicker. I guess that officially puts the last nail in the coffin on my youth. I'M ONLY 30! IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS YET!!!!

In all honesty, I absolutely love my life, and wouldn't trade any of it for cars (well, except maybe the student loan debt - if any of you know someone willing to trade some cars for my student loan debt, please let me know), but sometimes I just want to say "fuck it all" and blow a whole paycheck on the first interesting looking project car to pop up on my local Craigslist like the good old days before I was married and had a mortgage and whatnot.

Oh, and it really doesn't help that I currently have to use a walker. Fucking broken leg. Walkers really aren't good for your self esteem when you are already felling a bit down about getting old.

DISCUSSION (24)

EL_ULY > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:33

Welcome to the club, and i'm fucking 27 for shit's sake. I guess turning wrenches for 10+ years will do that, must be the chemicals.

oh and, get off my lawn !

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:34

Smart financial decisions now just mean you can make more awesome financial decisions later. Like new fast cars.

But yeah, the walker isn't a great look.

The Real Dacia Sandero > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:34

Kinja'd!!!

Why not pimp out your walker. Gives you something to spend money on(at a much more reasonable level) and may make you feel a little better about having to use it.

Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:35

Next step?

Kinja'd!!!

:) Get well soon man. And yes, getting old sometimes sucks. Priorities schmiorities.

Lets Just Drive > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:39

You could be truly mature and compromise. Split the difference?

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:44

I know that feels.

I turned 31 this summer. For the last few years I've been constantly thinking "WTF happened?!" "Where the fuck did all this gut come from!?" "Why can't I stay up past 9:00 pm without feeling tired in the morning?!" "WTF happened to all the good music!?" "Why are all these damn kids always on my lawn!?"

leicester > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:46

There-there (condescending head pat)

45 and counting. No walker yet, though...

(condolences on the injury - getting older also means learning how to heal)

Chairman Kaga > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:48

Right there with you. I got a 20% raise with my promotion, and my first thought was which variety of investments would be best for the new surplus income.

I did spend $50 on new door seals for my Alfa, though.

CAR_IS_MI > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:50

Fuck I got 3 more years to 30. Thanks for letting me know about all the oatmeal and walking sticks that come with age. Bastard...

Spaceball-Two > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 17:53

I'm right there with you fella. I have the fortune (misfortune?) of having Xmas, my birthday (34), year end bonuses, and raises all land at the same time. My brain says $$$$ for Audi upgrades. My wife says plan for the future. She's much smarter than I am.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > CAR_IS_MI
12/27/2013 at 17:58

Hey now oatmeal is delicious. Don't be raggin on oatmeal.

J. Walter Weatherman > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
12/27/2013 at 18:04

Yeah, I know. I will be in pretty good financial shape for a project car soon. Just not yet. And the waiting sucks.

CAR_IS_MI > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
12/27/2013 at 18:04

and shredded wheat too.

J. Walter Weatherman > The Real Dacia Sandero
12/27/2013 at 18:05

I did! Well, not really "pimped", but I did add a beer holder. That is all that is really important :)

J. Walter Weatherman > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
12/27/2013 at 18:08

Pro tip on that gut: break a leg. The pounds just fall right off of you!

I've dropped almost 20 pounds in a month and a half... and I probably only had about 15 pounds to lose to begin with...

J. Walter Weatherman > Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents
12/27/2013 at 18:10

Ha. I am actually looking forward to the "cane" stage of my recovery. It is way less depressing than the walker because I will be able to use it to hit people :P

J. Walter Weatherman > Spaceball-Two
12/27/2013 at 18:17

Yeah, that is pretty much the same boat I am in. All except for the wife part. If it were up to my wife, we would have next to nothing saved for the future and a MUCH larger closet...

J. Walter Weatherman > Chairman Kaga
12/27/2013 at 18:20

Yeah, that is pretty much how it is going to go for me. Make a few token improvements to the Land Cruiser and the rest goes towards "responsible" things.

J. Walter Weatherman > Lets Just Drive
12/27/2013 at 18:30

Yeah, I actually am stashing some money away for a project car. It is just a ways off still. If I am being mature and responsible about it, I am going to save up a bit more, and buy something a bit more expensive, that I really want and will keep for a long time and is worth investing time and money into. Its just that every once in a while I get impulsive and want to just go buy something - anything, even if it is not a car that I really want long term, just so that I have something to tinker with.

Spaceball-Two > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 18:43

I hope you heal quickly kind sir.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > J. Walter Weatherman
12/27/2013 at 20:59

Eh...I think I'll pass on breaking a leg.

I really just need to eat less. Much, much less.

Hang in there. Hope you heal quickly.

journeymanbaiter > J. Walter Weatherman
12/28/2013 at 09:02

Trust me on this. I am the very voice of experience. You have absolutely nothing to look forward to with the possible exception of a bleak future.

Ad_absurdum_per_aspera > J. Walter Weatherman
12/28/2013 at 12:10

Hairshirt lifestyle + home equity + tax-deferred investments at 30 may = [Porsche | travel | encore career | place in the mountains | whatever does it for you] later.

Thisnewformatisrubbish > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
12/30/2013 at 19:42

I can't have 2 beers without feeling wrecked come 6am. But I did lose 30 lbs just by eating a paleo diet for 3 months.