Howdy T-Nationers. This will be my first post om this site so a little introduction won’t hurt.
I’m a 23 years old dutch economics student who has been reading this great site for about half a year and has learned so increadibly much.
Right now I’m sitting here at work on one of my jobs, watching over empty offices, keeping scum’s and thiefs outside and in a moment of contemplation I started thinking about what things in life really “inspired me”, made me tast life, enpowered me with new energy etc.
It struck me that life is so broad and multi dimensional and has so manny differt aspects that there must be a lot of things one doesn’t get to do or just doesn’t think of doing witch could add a lot to his or hers life.
So my question to you dear reader, what makes your clock tick/inspires you/really get’s you going. What activity, person, country or whatever.
Looking foreward for your reply’s
Greets
T.O.M.
p.s.
I’ll try to respond as soon as possible on your reply’s but I’m not having constant access to the internet right now.
as a child i thought listening to music was for people who didn’t have anything better to do. then i got into it and spent tons of time listening to it. when i was hospitalized and in excrutiating pain and bedridden for months one of the only consolations i had was my headphones (cuz the pain killers were so little and weak compared to what i wanted).
now i listen to music (not any music) when i do just about anything. i can concentrate better when doing anything to tool or rage or blackalicious or techno. a stressful day is lessened when i get in my car and trance out to tool, or when i get to my PC and trance out to perfect circle while reading and typing.
if my music was taken from me im positive i’d be an entirely different person.
listening to music isn’t really my motivation, it’s just something that keeps me motivated.
Music is a major motivating tool for me as well. As far as what makes me feel alive, some things that come to mind:
Having family and friends that truly love and support me.
Anytime I learn something new or think about how nature or the human body works (truly amazing stuff as all of you would agree).
Seeing a nice female ass walking down the street.
Enjoying a delicious meal.
Accomplishing something I set out to do. Whether it’s graduating from college or painting the house.
Climbing the Bear Tooth mountains and seeing the range that connects Wyoming w/ Montana from one of their highest points (I can only imagine what it’s like to reach the summit of higher peaks).
[quote]wufwugy wrote:
music.
[/quote]
Not to steal his quote,(he just beat me to it), but music has ALWAYS been a big part of my life. My father plays guitar and me and my brother grew up listening to his music and the musicians that inspired him. It is mainly rock and blues from the 60’s to the 80’s that I grew up to, but as I aged I embraced harder rock, like speed/heavy metal. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but the sound of a guitar, either electric or acoustic, is infused in my blood. A jamming song can totally turn a bad day into a managable one. It can put me in a good mind frame. My favorite music is like medicine when I need a pick-me-up or when I’m pissed. My favorite artists range from the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughn, to Megadeth, Metallica, and Iron Maiden. But it’s not just music that makes me feel alive. Working out is my physical outlet what as I see is a negative world. I love the feeling after a hard ass work out when I’m soaked with sweat and breathing hard, and all I can do is smile and catch my breath. I know I gave it my all and I feel I have accomplished something every time I’m done. You just can’t be angry or glum after 20 rep squats. You are too tired to give a shit. Endorphins are a terrific thing, and I thank God I have them.
achievement. whether it be professionally or personally. doing something well or doing something better. hitting PRs goes here.
helping others. yes, that’s right. i love to help people. it’s working in a soup kitchen on Christmas Day, or maybe it’s just holding the door open for a stranger.
“making love.” when it comes to feeling alive, great sex with that special person in your life is the ultimate, albeit a bit selfish.
music. not to rip everyone else off, but when you don’t have any of the above, music totally enables escape from reality. music is to me what heroin must be to the junky. it always has been, and it always will be.
Bastard Nice Guy (can i change my screen-name now?)
achievement. whether it be professionally or personally. doing something well or doing something better. hitting PRs goes here.
helping others. yes, that’s right. i love to help people. it’s working in a soup kitchen on Christmas Day, or maybe it’s just holding the door open for a stranger.
“making love.” when it comes to feeling alive, great sex with that special person in your life is the ultimate, albeit a bit selfish.
music. not to rip everyone else off, but when you don’t have any of the above, music totally enables escape from reality. music is to me what heroin must be to the junky. it always has been, and it always will be.
Bastard Nice Guy (can i change my screen-name now?)[/quote]
I’m sensing the beginnings of another bestseller!
Making a good shot and clean kill on an animal that was tougher then hell to get. Reeling in a 15 pound fish at two in the morning with my bros that I’ve been bullshitting and joking with all night.
And, to borrow one from the novelist the company of a beautiful women who you click with and can be sitting on the bank fishing with or dancing the night away with!
Oh, one more… the fatigued feeling after you come home from a hard workout and the feeling of strength and satisfaction it gives you that you’re still able and worthy of taking care of yourself and don’t need anyone else to rely on.
Achievement. Setting a goal, especially those I thought was tasks for people other then me, and achieve it.
Music. Funny, I allso thought it was the biggest waste of time for a big time. But I knew this song which I loved so much when I was younger. But it could not be found downloaded nor bought. Untill one day, my parent inherited a piano. I sat down and slowly worked up with playing the melodie out of my head, soon finding out I could create my own versions or entirely new melodies like a touch of magic coming from nowhere. I still don’t know playing from notes, but I can forget time and hunger completly sitting down creating a play of sounds.
Conquering fear. Wether it is talking to a stranger, jumping out of a plane or eating an entire can of tuna, it makes me feel so empowered. Like I could do anything.
Travelling. I can hardly talk to somebody not liking or wanting to travel. Seeing impossible creations of men, marvelous wonders of nature, new flavours of women or the entire social dynamics between sexes in different cultures, new activities… Makes me feel restless just thinking of it. I can’t imagine how sad a life born, lived and died in the same city would be.
Surprising people. Work for many months on a skill in total secrecy, then one day throw it in the face of a close friend who think he has you figure completly figured out. I swear I’m willing to give my left testicle (the right one is my favorite to see the face of my friends when I first showed them a small symphony I made, or threw out some neat breakdance powermoves :).
Surprising people. Work for many months on a skill in total secrecy, then one day throw it in the face of a close friend who think he has you figure completly figured out. I swear I’m willing to give my left testicle (the right one is my favorite to see the face of my friends when I first showed them a small symphony I made, or threw out some neat breakdance powermoves :).[/quote]
LOL story of my life. I spend more time doing that than anything else.
Friend:“I didn’t know you could do that?!?!”
Xen:“I’m spectacular, I told you, jeez haven’t you been listening?”
Which is why I want to learn to tear a deck of cards or something. And thats the only reason I learned “brick breaking” when I was little.
Not to switch off the nice stuff, but just about anything life threatening.
Also, running through the woods with my dog. There is something very primal there that definitely heightens the senses. Especialy when we spot a herd of deer and go ripping after them. They always get away, but the chase is a blast.
[quote]mindeffer01 wrote:
but the chase is a blast.
[/quote]
Hunting, not so much the kill, but the work that goes into it. Setting goals and achieving them. Also,the thought that some day, just maybe some day I’ll get laid.
I live for sprinting, on my bike. Tonight I had a great ride, set personal records for peak power. There is no other feeling in the world when you have total concentration, exploding into the pedals, accelerating like never before.
aaaah, the pleasures of life, with it’s high’s and lows. thank you all for the interesting insights. I’m gonna try the hunting part soon. Get really in touch with my primitive side and this time not useing sex for that.
You feel very alive in the heat of a fight or wrestling match. As the great Tyler Durden said, “you never truly know yourself until you get into a fight”. Other times of feeling alive including being chased, breaking rules, and beingintimate with girlfriend.
to see the face of my friends when I first showed them a small symphony I made, or threw out some neat breakdance powermoves :).