I learned welding and auto mechanics, used the auto part a lot, still do.

I would like to learn Spanish, still not to late

Regerts? Psshh. I have a job and a life I love

I do have a couple of regrets that I won’t speak to. I do wish I had pursued certain things, but who knows how that would have altered my life. I regret not joining and serving in the military, but if I had, I never would have met my wife who I have been with for 32 years now. I would never change that.

The only other career path I would have really like to have done was be a forensic lab technician. I wouldn’t want to be a crime scene tech as I have seen enough ugly crap as it is, but I feel I would have made a great forensic person with how I do in investigations. It is tough though because I absolutely love being an investigator and solving crimes. So in the end, I am happy with what is.

I'm surprised at how many have said welding. it's really never too late, buy yourself a quality machine and just spend some time with it. if you think you can just use a cheap harbor freight welder your truly going to be frustrated. wire welding is the easiest, tig is by far the most precise and rewarding. I love to tig weld aluminum and stainless. now stick pipe welding is a whole new game in itself and nothing I have done just never had a need too.

NOT signing to join the Military in 1983 during my Senior Year in HS. I don't recall my ASVAB score, but it was VERY High! Paperwork was prepared and I was NAVY Nuclear Power bound for an eight year commitment! Ultimately, I let my Mom talk me out of it, and I didn't sign. She was a worrier, and I couldn't put her through that....I'm sure she would have been proud, but I didn't want to break heart if something went south.

Shouda' Woulda' Coulda'!

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
I'm surprised at how many have said welding. it's really never too late, buy yourself a quality machine and just spend some time with it. if you think you can just use a cheap harbor freight welder your truly going to be frustrated. wire welding is the easiest, tig is by far the most precise and rewarding. I love to tig weld aluminum and stainless. now stick pipe welding is a whole new game in itself and nothing I have done just never had a need too.

Funny that I never did welding other than in high school AG class. I did it so well that I got to do it once and then just sat in the classroom alone doing whatever I wanted while all of the other students continued to learn how to weld with the teacher and pass. Welding is cool. The only welding stuff I have access to now is oxyacetylene, but I haven’t touched it since back in the day and now I would really only use as a cutting torch.

Not learning how to type with more than 2 fingers.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sig operator,

Two regrets, both USAF related:
My squadron commander liked me and offered to send me to Boot Strap for a commission as a Lieutenant.
I declined.
In Security Police Academy, a MSGT interrupted the class and asked for volunteers for EOD School.
I declined.
Now I wonder about these roads not taken.

Electrical engineering is something I wish I had studied. Getting a degree in history and education is my biggest regret in life.

quote:

I regret not joining and serving in the military, but if I had, I never would have met my wife who I have been with for 32 years now. I would never change that.

That's one of mine as well. The circumstances were a bit different but similar. I was already engaged, junior year of college. A recruiter tried to get me to sign up and I seriously considered it, but I had an internship and was focused on finishing school and getting married. This was early 2005, so if I'd gone in then and stayed in I'd be past my 20 right now. On the other hand, my life, marriage, and kids would all be very different, and I wouldn't trade any of that for the world.

As a teenager I really wanted to be a commercial pilot. I was looking at colleges with flight schools, but they were all in places where I had no connections and were really expensive. 9/11 also happened my senior year and the airline industry went into the toilet. I chickened out and went to a school where I knew people and got a lot of scholarships. It was probably a wise move financially, and resulted in me getting married to my wife and graduating almost debt-free, but it started me down a career path in IT that I didn't really love. I still wish I'd learned to fly, but at 36 I got type 1 diabetes, which would have probably cost me my medical anyway, so it worked out in the end.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
Two regrets, both USAF related:
In Security Police Academy, a MSGT interrupted the class and asked for volunteers for EOD School.
I declined.
Now I wonder about these roads not taken.

When I talked with the AF recruiter, I told him to get me in as fast as possible. My ASVAB scores were high and I told him I did not care what it was. He offered crypto linguistic which I turned down. Thinking about this thread, I do regret that in that I would have learned another language. But, I can learn it now if I really want to.

EOD came up, he had no idea what it was but read me the print out with the description. I accepted it not even knowing what it was. It was an interesting job that really translated into nothing once I got out. It was fun though and I got to play with a lot of neat equipment and also got to participate in Secret Service support before I got out.

^^^^^ this clip was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

Originally posted by 400m:
What do wish you would have learned but didn’t?
For me it would be computers. I know as much about computers as I do speaking Mandarin.

You and I both, my friend.

Be careful what you wish for. I work in the computer field, been doing something with a computer since the mid-80's. At times it can be a curse, especially when everyone wants to be your new best friend because they have a computer question/problem.

Two small regrets. I wish I would have learned guitar or piano when I was a kid. Secondly, I spent a lot of time learning to cook with my Nannie. I wish I would have spent an equal amount of time with my Pop who was a machinist and welder.

Automotive computerized control systems diagnosis and programming.

quote:

Originally posted by cmparrish:
I wish I would have spent an equal amount of time with my Pop who was a machinist and welder.

You and me both. My dad and I had no relationship to speak of. I hated the man and he put little time into me in my formative years. Looking back, it's a real bummer as he was a gifted man. As a master electrician, master plumber, one helluva carpenter and welder, there wasn't anything that he couldn't build or fix. And if he built it, you could bet that it would survive a nuclear strike. I wish that I had, or would have learned, those skills back then.

Not baptizing my first two kids while they were babies.

Not having attended church for most of their lives.

Not having started to read more earlier in life.

Tolerating more abuse than I should from spouse #1.

I regret waiting until I had grandchildren before I learned how to be a giver instead of a taker. That doesn't mean that I was a totally selfish person before them. It does mean that I am a more complete person and derive a lot of happiness that I could have better shared earlier in life.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Flying lessons.

Not finishing. I was a dumb HS student, had a free airplane and a cheap instructor, and AvGas was about $2.35/gal.

Have thought about getting back to it, but it's significantly more expensive, and I'm getting to be past the age of doing much past recreational flying, I think.

Debbie H.
Vickie R.

I have been lucky enough to have had two Loves of my life, the second one is truly my other half. And for some crazy circumstances, neither will grow old with me...

But I can weld, I am a Pilot, I studied guitar, retired IT/computer guy so I guess all is not lost...LOL...Trade it all for one of those two...
60

CW aka Morse Code.