Have you ever had to give up something you loved to do? / LJWorld.com

Previous Next

Asked at Massachusetts Street on October 22, 2007

Browse the archives

“Yes. I love to drink wine, but I had to give it up for a whole year to have a baby.”

— Ann Lopez, therapist, Lawrence

“Yeah. I gave up making artwork for a while for financial reasons. I’m just now starting to draw and sculpt again.”

— Shannon Blakey, University of Missouri-Columbia senior, Columbia, Mo.

“Ballet. I wasn’t going to make enough money to make a decent living, so I decided to work with computers instead.”

— Tenley Metcalf, sustaining support engineering specialist, Wichita

“Yeah. A long time ago I gave up bicycle racing to go to graduate school. I’d like to think it paid off, but I guess you never know.”

— Bryan Foster, professor, Lawrence

Discussion

LJWorld.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Read our full policy. Also, read about banned accounts and harassing comments.

22 October 2007
at 6:38 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Freedom - I was single once.
22 October 2007
at 7:17 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

sleeping in.
22 October 2007
at 7:18 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

inmate (Anonymous) says…

That first word Harley mentioned and everything that came with it.
22 October 2007
at 7:25 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

inatux (Anonymous) says…

It used to be that LJW would link to the story if it was related. I have a feeling this is the case with this POTS, but I don't feel like hunting down the story right now.

I wish they'd go back to linking to related stories if there is one.

Bringing back the old design wouldn't hurt either.
22 October 2007
at 7:47 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

farmersdaughter (Anonymous) says…

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/oct…

Here's the story inatux.

Beautiful work Debra!
22 October 2007
at 7:56 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Godot (Anonymous) says…

Many times, it is called dealing with what life throws at you.
22 October 2007
at 8:27 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

“Life'll kill ya!

That's what I said!

Life'll kill ya!

And then you'll be dead!”

In the meantime, enjoy every snadwich.

22 October 2007
at 8:50 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

The_Original_Bob (Anonymous) says…

I gave up quoting Warren Zevon songs.
22 October 2007
at 9:28 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

snap_pop_no_crackle (Anonymous) says…

I thought about trying to run a thinly-veiled blackmail scam by threatening to release the personal information of some users on bulkerbiz. I gave it up as a really stupid idea. Somebody that goes by outingbulkerbiz gave it a whirl.
22 October 2007
at 10:17 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sgtwolverine (Anonymous) says…

I gave up getting a regular paycheck. I loved that.
22 October 2007
at 10:33 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Azure_Attitude (Anonymous) says…

I gave up gettin' it regular.
22 October 2007
at 10:38 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…

When my kids came along, I never had enough time to do what I loved and one of those was as simple as reading. Now, I am back in college, and enjoy every minute of it. I have an excuse to read.
I used to ride in horseshows as a kid, and I loved it. But when we moved, I had to give it up. I don't yet have the financial stability for the upkeep on horses. But my dad still has a few, so I am able to ride when I visit.
Luckily, I only had to give things up to due to time and financial resources. I am luckier than some.
22 October 2007
at 10:40 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

jonas (Anonymous) says…

I apparently can't play basketball anymore. Tried over the summer for an hour or two and limped for three days afterwards. Curse that herniated disc!
22 October 2007
at 11:20 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

trinity (Anonymous) says…

i had to give up my '86 sportster due to really bad behaviour, back in '94; but happy to say, i got a different scoot this past summer! *sigh*, i am so very very lucky, fortunate, blessed…sometimes if you're willing to give *stuff* up, you wind up getting *stuff* back or even better STUFF!!! :)
22 October 2007
at 11:56 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

ms_canada (Anonymous) says…

I loved nursing. Really loved it. But then when my kiddies came into my life, I could no longer do what I loved. Working evening shift was out of the question as my husband would not take on the kids in the evening after a long day in construction and daycare was not available.
Raising three kids was much harder than nursing, that is for sure.
I never did get back to nursing. Alas, alac and woe to me!!

22 October 2007
at 11:59 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

ms_canada (Anonymous) says…

pywacket, dear lady - did you catch Will Shortz on PBS last night? A whole hour on crossword puzzles and the addicts who can't get away from them. One thing I noticed was the many left handed people who solve the puzzles or try to. Like me. Are you a lefty, py????
22 October 2007
at 1:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

dminear60 (Anonymous) says…

I had to give up eating whatever I want whenever I want…old age and high cholesterole have a way of doing that to you
22 October 2007
at 2:03 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Pywacket (Anonymous) says…

Ms C~ Rats! I missed that. I'll look it up and see if it will be on again. I love Will Shortz. And yes—of course i'm left-handed. Good with math & art—you, too? I'm glad to learn that you're another of the chosen people. Not surprised. Now here's a good one: only one of my grandparents was left-handed, neither parent was, but four out of five of us sibs are southpaws. (We disown the righty!) How's that for bucking odds? Of my own chillun, only one is so gifted. My lefty son doesn't do crossword puzzles (yet) but is a whiz at sudoku.

As for today's question: I gave up believing wholeheartedly in Santa a long time ago and I bet some of the rest of you did, too. What wouldn't you give to go back to being that innocent and full of hope and delicious suspense? Even if only for one night out of every year? Didn't you love believing?
22 October 2007
at 2:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

A little over 10 years ago I had to give up running. I usually ran a couple of miles a day, either outside or in the field house. After a battle with pneumonia I developed adult onset asthma, the pneu won :{
22 October 2007
at 2:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

We should conduct an official OTS poll … everyone in their right mind, say YEA!

YEA!
22 October 2007
at 2:27 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sunflower_sue (Anonymous) says…

Nay!…but oddly, art seems to be my thing. (I also loooove crossword puzzles.)
My sis is a lefty so I'll say yea for her, but add that her art gene is not as dominate. :P
22 October 2007
at 2:32 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Ceallach (Anonymous) says…

sue, three of the six girls in my family are either left-handed or ambidextrous, of my four granddaughters, 1 in a solid lefty, another is ambi (as am I).
22 October 2007
at 2:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sourpuss (Anonymous) says…

Hey, harley (and everyone else who likes to make snide comments about marriage), you can always get a divorce if you are so miserable. Otherwise, stop bad-mouthing your relationship to the public.

22 October 2007
at 2:58 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

sourpuss - ya ever heard of the country song “It's Cheaper To Keep Her”?

Sounds like you are just a tiny wee bit too sensitive about the subject to me. Carrying some baggage, are ya?

Let me know when your next marriage is and I will make sure and send a sympathy card.
22 October 2007
at 3:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Centrist (Anonymous) says…

Ms Canada said .. “” my husband would not take on the kids in the evening after a long day in construction ”“

You mean he didn't want to spend time with his kids after a long day at work not seeing them?
22 October 2007
at 5:42 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

ms_canada (Anonymous) says…

centrist - when we got married my husband was just starting his construction business and put in loooong hours. And in the evenings he would spend much time down in his office on the phone and doing things in books. If I had to work 3-11pm shift, there was no way he could feed the kids, bathe them and get them into bed. That was just the facts, m'am. Day care was almost non existant back in those days. How far back? My eldest daughter will be celebrating 50 years this Friday and I will be driving for 3 1/2 hours south to spend it with her.
22 October 2007
at 5:44 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

GretchenJP (Anonymous) says…

Yeah, I gave up on my promise to stop participating in LJW discussion groups.
22 October 2007
at 5:57 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

tangential_reasoners_anonymous (Anonymous) says…

I had to give up free falling. It always ended badly.
22 October 2007
at 6:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

srj (Anonymous) says…

“Hey what's the point on waiting you gotta live life while you can and live it hard”
“Ah the Chris Farley method, that's good”

Family Guy, always good for a quote.
22 October 2007
at 6:19 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Anonymous) says…

Yes.
22 October 2007
at 8:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

livingstone (Anonymous) says…

Staying home…..

23 October 2007
at 6:19 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

peachesncream (Anonymous) says…

sourpuss seems a bit … um shall we say ANGRY…..guess the name fits rather nicely huh….
23 October 2007
at 2:59 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sigerson (Anonymous) says…

I can understand sourpuss's reaction. I imagine sourpuss didn't mean it this way, but having just been booted out of a 13-year relationship, I bristle a bit when others who are in a secure, happy relationship drag out the old “ball-and-chain” metaphor. It's like a hungry person standing at the window, watching someone glower at a table full of food and say, “What? Leftovers again?” I realize joshing and teasing about a life partner are part of a healthy relationship, but it still stings a bit when you're on the outside looking in and someone's even jokingly denigrating what you so desperately want.

Yeah, I'm carrying a wee bit of baggage, but hoping to lighten the load a bit every day.
23 October 2007
at 10:48 p.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

Crossfire (Anonymous) says…

Never give up.
Never give in.
24 October 2007
at 12:53 a.m.

Suggest removal

Permalink

sigerson (Anonymous) says…

Is that line from “Galaxy Quest”? Love that film.