Buying a Fiat

Staying with my ex-husband after the first time he cheated (that I found out about).

I thought I was too old to "start over" but I actually had so much time ahead of me. Instead I wasted another decade on a serial cheater.

Accidentally shook the sugar jar onto a pizza instead of the parmesan cheese jar

Leaving my ex-husband

Trying to please someone who (after much introspection) I didn't really care for/mesh with. I did it for years to keep the peace. When I finally had enough and quit agreeing to change what they wanted, adhere to their requests, etc. they went OFF THE RAILS. It's been almost 5 years and this person is still ranting and raving over the fact that I no longer comply with their every whim. Lesson learned but wow.

Anonymous wrote:Not one mistake, but a long series of only ever doing “enough” to get by. By all accounts I’m decently successful - own a house, make six figures, college degree, relative financial stability. In reality I do just enough to coast in every aspect of life.

Most people who meet me think I am very smart - and I am, but I never ever put it to use. I spend a lot of time thinking and scheming about how to do the bare minimum (because, lazy) and still look like the brilliant one in any situation. I have a government job in which I work maybe 2 hours a day and run circles around my coworkers.

Bottom line: if I actually tried, who knows where I would be.

Yup, sounds familiar. If you find a solution to this, chime back in, will you?

Anonymous wrote:Oh probably my whole life, right now I'm going to go with the firt guy I dated, that unleashed a whole can of worms in my life. Always trust you intial instincts ladies.

Ugh, I am sorry. A friend recently shared a similar experience - I was so saddened by it. It followed her emotionally into future relationships and in the internet age continues to haunt.
Why must the lessons be so hard sometimes??

So many- but a recent reddit thread reminded me of a time that my two kids 2 and 4 were playing in park with water in FL. Some guy stared taking pictures of them.. like a professional camera. I asked him to stop taking pictures and he said it was a public park and then would nonstop take pictures of our kids playing in water - all wet- jumping around happy. His behavior was not normal. My husband didn't fight it (he's non confrontational) so I grabbed the kids and got them out of there. I wish I called the police and somehow instilled into my husband how this was NOT a normal behavior and to protect our kids. The other was in Vienna VA- my eldest was practicing soccer with her VYI team. My son was like 3 I think then. The parents/families are all there only for this soccer practice - not huge but not a small group. I realize my son isn't near and start searching for him. Well, we see a woman walking with our son holding his hand AWAY from the soccer fields (and was almost on the street) and families there My mom friends and I ran to her and grabbed him. She told us he told her he lived in a house nearby and she was trying to help him find it.. WTF? he was closer to the families on the field in the park than any house nearby. Any real mom would have called out asking rather than take the child away. I really wish I had called the police then too, So- yea- they are all about a late protection of my kids,

I took a job once that required a cross country relo and the job turned into a shit show. But, six months later an amazing opportunity came up and off we went.

I started a stove fire once. Almost burnt the apartment building down.

That drunk sex sometime around 9/11.

Unfortunately, (1) marrying my husband and (2) staying with him (for various reasons). We're not a good match in many ways and I would have been much happier with someone else. I took time off to stay home with our kids until the youngest started first grade. I've done well, but could have advanced much further in my career.

Everything I do lately!

Quitting my job to be a SAHM.

Staying too long...

with an abusive man
in a relationship with a guy I wasn't attracted to
in a relationship with a guy in love with someone else

at a job that isn't going to offer me growth