Have any of your dreams changed? Something you thought you really wanted, didn't get, now settle for other.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

If I was to think on material things... since I was a teenager I had wanted a place on a couple of acres with a nice barn/shop where I could build and restore antique cars...

Came darn close in 2012 and my offer came in within an hour of a lower offer being accepted... all I did was keep the buyer from making demands as I was ready and waiting in the wings...

Sounds silly but not a day goes by without wondering about it... what is worse... everything I see is compared to that place... and now property here has more than doubled since 2012... which also means double property tax...

I feel for those around me because they all "Know" about it.

Restored many cars back in the day and I still have 50 vehicles... in various states scattered around... some I have not seen for years because they are tucked away a commercial property I own... kind of show horned in... the goal was to make this hobby a business and have a rotating collection and a home...

Have you watched the TV show “American Pickers”? They travel around to various parts of the country looking fir items to restore/sell from old signs to motorcycles to old cars and everything else. They have found one of a kind items that are in various stages of restiration. Fascinating.

[Ultrarunner]

I confess to never living in a home with Cable or Satellite TV...

The show Pickers has been mentioned to me several times...

I bet with my 50 vehicle collection (In assorted states of repair or disrepair) would make at least one worthy segment...

This last round of Real Estate Appreciation kind of quashed my dream... if I sold most of the vehicles I wouldin't need the barn... kind of where I am at now... but hard to give up on a dream since being a teen.

It gets complicated because to insure a collection like this certain requirements have to be met... distance from a fire hydrant is a new wrinkle... maybe because of all the spectacular Western States wildfires?

[sombrueil]

Originally Posted by BellaDL

NYgal1542,
It appears that this post is directed to my earlier post so I should reply.

I always apologize when I offend someone but not this time. I made efforts to not unintentionally do so when I wrote the post. It just simply unfortunate that you took my post the wrong way.

I had clearly stated in my post that this is my personal definition of dreams. My goals are what other people like you consider dreams. Instead of telling the numerous situations when I changed my goals (some of which are unique and not relatable to the majority of retirees), I used your situation to illustrate the way that I would adjust my goals.

You asked a question in a public forum which invariably leads to discussions and exchanges of thoughts, experience. It is unrealistic to define the boundary of the discussion such as only people who thinks like you can participate. Yes, this is your thread but it does not mean you own the thread and can moderate the discussion. There are moderators to address posts not conforming to the forum rules.

Nowhere in my post that I stated or implied that you used the incorrect word. I simply explained that my definition of dreams is different from your. It is also never my intention to criticize or lecture anyone (see the bolded blue words).

This is just semantics to a large degree. I can easily see how your post could be taken as direct criticism, and I can also see that you probably didn't mean it that way.

Some people would say, "I have a dream of planting that flower box with zinnias". Other people would say that's a goal. That's just defining a word differently.

I myself tend to divide the two words as

dream: an image of me doing something pleasurable in the future that I don't have now. It may be realistic or unrealistic, that's not part of the definition.

goal: something I am aiming for, via a plan, usually with sub-goals and a time frame. Also may be realistic or unrealistic.

My husband and I are moving across the country. I have had a DREAM of relocating to a place that had room for a horse, and in a far more peaceful less congested location, for about 12 years, but only now is it coming to fruition.

It couldn't be a very defined GOAL because I didn't even know what part of the country would be right for us. Then our daughter settled in a place that seemed practically ideal for what I wanted, so I could start making moving there a GOAL.

In short, for me dreams are future images, necessarily a little vague, goals are more concrete. But I'm not a dictionary, those are just definitions that I use for myself.

I've fulfilled many dreams and goals in my life, and have observed that the reality is never particularly close to the dreamed-of image. Not saying it is always worse, but it is always more complicated, and always contains things you never would have thought of.

[funisart]

Originally Posted by NYgal1542

^^^^^ coschristi: I really like your post. Yes, you are so right, people don't always "get" how strong the inclination can be to do something (like live near the ocean). There are several lakes near me here in central NY state, the largest being Lake Ontario. When I was married we camped many times up there and the water was wonderful. Nice sandy beach, waves rolling in sometimes. Was there some other times with other people. So I don't go there anymore.... too many "ghosts".

Yes, a mysterious benefactor would be nice. But I don't seem to meet any one like that.

Please keep me informed!! Let me know if you meet yours and where you end up.

For the past week the temperatures have been hideously cold, below zero at times, getting up to maybe 10 or 15 degrees F. And plenty of snow to go with it. And wind. Fortunately for me, my area (Syracuse) has gotten snow but nothing compared to the north country and in western NY state bordering Lake Erie.

I'm desperately in need of warm, sunny weather.

Was always the mountains. Lived most of my life near different bodies of water- now home on my mountain.

[cebuan]

I stopped overseas traveling when I was 60, when my vision declined to where it was annoying and dangerous. Then stage two, it got so bad at 73, I started using a white cane. I found it suddenly liberating, and I thought, I can go anywhere. Since then, Ive been to 30 countries on six continents, low-budget backpacking all the way..

Dont give up on your dreams. Keep them alive, and watch more carefully for opportunities to fulfill them.

[sombrueil]

Possibly pertinent to this thread -- while sorting and packing the attic for our big move, I came upon a ten years' past letter from a friend who is now deceased. At that time she was a widow living alone on her sheep farm in Nova Scotia. She wrote me, "never stop doing what you enjoy, because you might find that you can't start it back up again."

[scgali]

Sort of. Since being very young I wanted to live on a tropical island and have land and be self sufficient. So I gave myself a goal age of 30 to get there - wherever it was. Fast forward and I had visited Kauai in my early 20's and decided that was the place. This became more of an obsession I think since it was a prerequisite for every person I dated. I told them I'm moving to Kauai at 30 and they have to be on board with that and figure out their own career path that would work there (probably not surprisingly but nobody objected). So I used CD and researched jobs, house prices and land prices, etc. Decided nursing was the most useful career so went to nursing school. Had honed in on a location I like but couldn't afford so kept watching the area for several years and the real estate prices. After the crash was able to buy a foreclosed piece of land that was 3 acres with a nice stream and well for water source. Hubby and I built a very modest home that was solar and mostly self sufficient. We moved when I was 30, everything was on track.

Had first baby also when I was 30. At 14 months he was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and had lost the ability to walk and his left hand was swollen so he couldn't use it. We went to several specialists and had to constantly fly to the mainland since his vision was also affected and he had psoriasis among other things. We were told the climate was too humid in Kauai and was exacerbating his condition. So after about 2 years we had to sell the property and move back to the mainland to a drier are which actually did wonders for him. We moved to San Diego and within a month or two his swelling had resolved. After a few months you would never even know he had arthritis. So it was bitter sweet for us and we, like it here but miss it there at times.

Since leaving Kauai I haven't really had another goal or dream aside from the basic retirement saving, college funds, etc. It sounds kind of depressing but I just haven't felt that passionate spark for anything else since then and wonder if I ever will.