It's all for somebody else.

[Jimbo]

Any body else feel this way? What I mean is, with the exception of going to church, I have always felt like all other extracurricular activities were for other people. Things like watching sports, concerts, car shows, basically anything where people seem to go for enjoyment. I have just always felt like I sit on the sidelines in life because anything fun just isn't for me to partake in unless it involves watching my daughter play baseball. I'm not sure if it's just that I'm not interested in anything or that I don't feel worthy. This also goes for the newest and latest stuff. I have no interest in owning the latest gadgets. My cell phone is an old fashioned flip phone. Both TVs in my house are the old tube type. I drive a 14 year old Jeep and run my business from a 10 year old van. I'm not dirt poor, I just don't want new stuff. Anybody else feel this way?

 

[Cali Cat]

Yup, I do. My one close friend, my mother-in-law and my SO always want to go "do" something. When I do go, I don't really enjoy myself because I'm just not that interested. I do it to appease them. Many activities bore me. I think that's why I drank alcohol a lot when I was younger. It made things (and some people) more interesting.

Of course, there are things I am interested in, and I enjoy those activities, but it's usually something like a lecture on a subject I want to learn about. I do enjoy going out to dinner, so that's an activity I can participate in happily with others. For the most part, though, I don't like crowds, noise, annoying smells or being physically uncomfortable. Naturally, most "events" take place in crowded, noisy, smelly places with little or no temperature control. On the other hand, though, I wouldn't have experienced nearly as much if I wouldn't have went along for the ride with others, so I guess it's worth doing once in awhile.

I also have no interest in new gadgets or fancy cars. This is a little saying I like: "Fix it up or wear it out, make it do or do without." If it ain't broken beyond repair, don't replace it. That attitude is probably what's saved me the money I have now.

 

[AsheSkyler]

If it's something outdoors like hiking, cloud-gazing, the zoo, a garden, or other such things, I love to go. If it's a football game or something equally boring, I'd rather find somewhere else to be.

Most of my resistance to new toys is that they're too digital. I need a hard, physical control like an off switch or button should it malfunction. If it's all digital, it's up to the OS to resolve itself. I don't like that. I also don't like how everything is online. I only upgrade when the manual versions are banned.

Church was where I felt it was most for other people. A lot of people think since I was homeschooled I was never subjected to social cliques, bullying, or the other lovely pleasures of high school. I went to church every week, multiple times, and not exactly by choice. I did indeed get to go through the hazing, bullying, assault, name-calling, lectures, and everything else. I missed nothing except for getting naked in front of everybody on a regular basis for gym class.

 

[Judge]

There's nothing wrong with being practical and cost-conscious about things.