Environment Has anyone on here actually achieved anything in life

[Gough]

Thanks for the interest.

Asking me my reason for living is like asking the meaning of life in some ways and without getting that deep, I would say that I live for family and friends.

I grew up in Doncaster in Yorkshire, England till I was 8 when the family moved to Australia. 8 kids, aged from 8 to 17 and my parents took the chance to get us out of a town going nowhere. They worked their arses off to give us a better life. They are retired now and go out for dinner every Saturday night, still go on overseas holidays and have just got back from Bali for about the 30th time. It is probably the last time they will go as my mam is now suffering from dementia and it is getting harder to look after her on those trips.

They gave up a lot for us kids to prosper and all of us are in decent jobs, all paying off mortgages but living good lives.

I was married before, but too young and it ended bitterly with 2 kids suffering.

Had 2 years of single life that was hedonistic but ultimately lonely and I remarried 6 years ago to my soul mate. We go to gigs, travel together, go to the footy together, had another boy who has just just turned 4. We have a great life with a big circle of friends and 2 great families for support.

She works hard and so do I.

I left school after year 10 as people did in 82 but have been a foreman, supervisor, manager of every place that I ever worked. I am now general manager of a company that employs 17 guys and will buy into the company next year.

This may seem at odds with my left leaning views, but I can reconcile it by saying that I have been lucky in life and not everybody else has that luck. When my first marriage broke up, I could have very easily gone off the rails and did to a certain extent but had friends and family to help me through it. No doubt, my relaxed personality helped, but not everybody is lucky enough to be surrounded by so many decent, understanding people. To then meet a woman as amazing as my wife now was a stroke of luck too.

So essentially, I reckon, my achievement is to live a full life with people that care about me and I care about them. I reckon I am respected, if not liked by most people that I know or at least anybody whose opinion I care about.

In short, I have travelled to Europe, the US, a bit in Asia. I have seen most live acts that I want to see, I have seen an AFL grand final, rugby test matches, a rugby league test match, test match cricket every year, including a Boxing day test, I have well paying job that I really enjoy and I have family and friends that make my life worth living.

Nice one man, good raison d'etre.

Achieving something in life for mine, is about personal satisfaction, something you consider to be a great achievement, to others may be pointless.
I consider the greatest achievement in my life was to be part of the coalition of people who considered apartheid to be an unjust and intolerable policy that should not be allowed to happen.
My father was a South African emigre, left the country in '68 and came to Australia in '71. I was born in '73 and attended anti-apartheid marches from, the time I was born. As I got older I got more involved and more passionate about it. I remember watching Madiba walk out of Victor Verster in 1990, crying my eyes out with happiness, even typing it now I well up at the memory.
I first visited the Republic in 1992, after a lot of soul searching (I was never going to go there until a government of the people was elected), I was lucky enough to meet Steve Tshwete, Oliver Tambo and various other Liberation Heroes. Real heroes, not sportsmen or media stars, people who had sacrificed their entire life for a cause.
Of course I was there in 1994 for the elections, easily the greatest day of my life, because I felt part of it, not a big part, but I was someone who had stood up and said that what was happening in South Africa was not right.
Nothing I have achieved since can match the feeling of watching old black men and women lining up to vote for the first time and knowing that in some minute way, I had helped them get there.

 

[JimDocker]

Nice work Gough.

My god father was a coalminer that worked with my dad in Doncaster at the mines and he left to go to South Africa for the big money in the 70s. He lasted a few months and went back to Doncaster. He told my dad that he could not live under that regime and that he worked side by side with some great blokes but could not enjoy their company for a pint after work which is what he was used to.

 

[JimDocker]

I would consider it a low point and mark of failure in my life if I ever ended up at something like that.

Brilliant. It is a good idea to limit yourself to as few experiences as possible in life

 

[Gough]

Nice work Gough.

My god father was a coalminer that worked with my dad in Doncaster at the mines and he left to go to South Africa for the big money in the 70s. He lasted a few months and went back to Doncaster. He told my dad that he could not live under that regime and that he worked side by side with some great blokes but could not enjoy their company for a pint after work which is what he was used to.

Just out of interest, did your dad and godfather survive the mid-80's or were they victims of the Thatcherite purges of workers?

 

[JimDocker]

My godfather died before then and my dad moved here with the family in 75. My uncles and cousins were involved. My Uncle Ray (Bird) was a notable figure in the Yorkshire coalminers union at the time.

He is one of the funniest people ever in the world. He came for a visit last year and will hopefully be back soon.

When I was back visiting a few years ago, my cousin who is only a few months older than me commented that he wished his dad had the bollocks to move the family to Australia when my dad did. I felt quite guilty because our life compared to theirs is incomparable.

 

[Hawk88]

Once got a High Five from John So!

John So is my Bro!

 

[fairdinkum]

Thanks for the reply, JimDocker.

 

[psychobrown]

• Uploaded a video to youtube
• Briefly saw up Holly Valance's skirt when she was doing some promotion thing at the mall
• Bumped fists with a black guy from L.A. who called me 'bro' and gave me a copy of some documentary he made for free (I didn't watch it)
• Stayed awake during an episode of Everwood
• ???
• Profit

 

[Dagless]

I'm Garth Marenghi. Author. Dreamweaver. Visionary. Plus actor

 

[rocker_oz33]

kicked a goal from a corner in international soccer deluxe on super nintendo straight in from the corner.

 

[raskolnikov]

Back in the 80s there was an arcade game called 1942. I used to go to my local arcade and play it every day. After a year or so one day I actually got to the end of the game where the Japanese surrender. It took me about an hour and a half to finish and by the time I had finished about twenty people were standing around watching and cheering me on. There was a big round of applause when I got to the end. I felt pretty good.

Since then, not much.

 

[fairdinkum]

Back in the 80s there was an arcade game called 1942. I used to go to my local arcade and play it every day. After a year or so one day I actually got to the end of the game where the Japanese surrender. It took me about an hour and a half to finish and by the time I had finished about twenty people were standing around watching and cheering me on. There was a big round of applause when I got to the end. I felt pretty good.

Since then, not much.

That is one of the best posts in the thread.

 

[Rod Stroker]

Back in the 80s there was an arcade game called 1942. I used to go to my local arcade and play it every day. After a year or so one day I actually got to the end of the game where the Japanese surrender. It took me about an hour and a half to finish and by the time I had finished about twenty people were standing around watching and cheering me on. There was a big round of applause when I got to the end. I felt pretty good.

Since then, not much.

Pfftt. 1942 was for amateurs. 1943 sorted the men out from the boys

http://www.arcade-gameover.com/

Funnily enough, I was just playing those recently.

 

[HolyRioli]

Which team/year?


On the topic, I have achieved many very important things, however security prohibits me from revealing them.

This year (about a month ago). Westside Wolves, Men's Prov 1

 

[cats2rise]

That is one of the best posts in the thread.

Post of the thread for me

 

[Illinois Nazi]

This year (about a month ago). Westside Wolves, Men's Prov 1

Cool. I used to play that grade (YM) a long long time ago, when it was called something else but still the same grade (that is assuming that Prov 1 is the grade I think it is - I have never really got the hang of the way they renamed them all a few years back). Played a few games of 2A's as well but never got a game in the 1's. These days I'm in semi-retirement a few grades further down.

Did win a Geraldton Hockey League A Grade Premiership once, too.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

 

[ltdamn]

I was interviewed on national TV 3 times last year. And one was by Simon Hill at the MCG before a Socceroos friendly. Definite career highlight.

Also got to interview Steve Waugh earlier this year, after which everything else has seemed a bit underwhelming.

 

[Cynic]

Back in the 80s there was an arcade game called 1942. I used to go to my local arcade and play it every day. After a year or so one day I actually got to the end of the game where the Japanese surrender. It took me about an hour and a half to finish and by the time I had finished about twenty people were standing around watching and cheering me on. There was a big round of applause when I got to the end. I felt pretty good.

Since then, not much.

Haha! I've played 1942, was on the Amiga as opposed to the arcade. Sucked at it though so no achievement there

 

[Hodgepodge]

I have performed surgery on a consenting human being and I have recently been elected leader of the Australian Asparagus Council.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Steam says I've achieved something.

 

[Showbag]

I was named as the possible next captain of the West Indies by Viv Richards on his captaincy debut (I was 10 at the time!). Also was an around the grounds reporter for the NBL grand final for Triple J.

Back in the 80s there was an arcade game called 1942. I used to go to my local arcade and play it every day. After a year or so one day I actually got to the end of the game where the Japanese surrender. It took me about an hour and a half to finish and by the time I had finished about twenty people were standing around watching and cheering me on. There was a big round of applause when I got to the end. I felt pretty good.

Since then, not much.

Yep, did the same, I worked in the local milk bar and spent too much of my pay playing that game. You know you've played it too much when you can anticipate everything coming at you for the first half hour!

 

[HolyRioli]

Cool. I used to play that grade (YM) a long long time ago, when it was called something else but still the same grade (that is assuming that Prov 1 is the grade I think it is - I have never really got the hang of the way they renamed them all a few years back). Played a few games of 2A's as well but never got a game in the 1's. These days I'm in semi-retirement a few grades further down.

Did win a Geraldton Hockey League A Grade Premiership once, too.

My understanding is that it's the old 4a's. I played a half dozen Premier Alliance games (3a's?) as well - but in the end, the 4's team is a team of mates who I've been playing with some since juniors and high school. Since there are discrepancies in ability, we found a middle ground / grade which we could play at, an didn't interfere with the clubs development.

Truth be told, we probably would be competitive in the Prem. Alliance (the club did offer it to us), but that would interfere with development of players into the 1s and 2s.

 

[JPA_L 27]

I was on Rumpus Room

I was made a prefect at High School

So far not much but more to come

 

[Illinois Nazi]

My understanding is that it's the old 4a's. I played a half dozen Premier Alliance games (3a's?) as well - but in the end, the 4's team is a team of mates who I've been playing with some since juniors and high school. Since there are discrepancies in ability, we found a middle ground / grade which we could play at, an didn't interfere with the clubs development.

Truth be told, we probably would be competitive in the Prem. Alliance (the club did offer it to us), but that would interfere with development of players into the 1s and 2s.

OK, I used to play 3A's back in the day. My team now sounds a bit like yours - guys I played juniors with 25 years ago! We're in one of the Prov 2 grades now but seriously considering retiring to Vets next year, or one of the grass grades. We're still competitive in Prov 2 but it is starting to get harder to keep up with those young whippersnappers.