What do you want out of life?

In two sentences or less.

Me?

Love, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness and a clear conscience. A little salmon sushi and hot chocolate wouldn't hurt, either.

Too reductive. No idea what I want, but love is certainly one of the main needs, if not the need.
I just want to get out of life all I can before it's gone.

What I want out of life in a nutshell: Intelligence, courage, willpower, writing ability, a small apartment, a great bookshelf, and a decently stocked kitchen. :nod:

You guys are so cool!

Hey you left out world domination from the list *sighs* I know.....someday I will have to let go of that dream :D

Just love, I don't ask for much.:ladysman::ladysman::ladysman::ladysman:

To do my own share of good for the world and have a blast doing it. Also, a house that contains both a pantry and a library.

I voted love.

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I voted "love". I'd like to have a family of my own some day, a husband and maybe four children.

I suppose... to be happy is all any of us really want from life.

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Originally Posted by Lokasenna

I suppose... to be happy is all any of us really want from life.

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well said.
Good to see you online Loka! been a while. :)

I believe one should always be in pursuit of happiness in life; otherwise, we would neither feel satisfied nor happy despite having found "love", "liberty", "fame" or whatnot.

Oh, but don't you feel somehow unhappy or "unwhole" as long as you are hunting for happiness. I believe, you can't reach a state of happiness while pursuing it.

Not really. I find that "happiness" is not a thing to be obtained and kept, unlike one's Ipod or diploma. We cannot reach a state of "satisfaction" and then expect it to remain there forever. If I don't work at nourishing and cultivating it, I lose it.

A cheesy simile... Happiness is, in my eyes, like a garden one keeps. If you don't work at it round the year, it is bound to go wild and lose its beauty.

I am not sure why working towards making one's self happy would make them "unwhole" either... Working towards a certain goal always makes me feel excited and alive.

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Originally Posted by Scheherazade

(...) A cheesy simile... Happiness is, in my eyes, like a garden one keeps. If you don't work at it round the year, it is bound to go wild and lose its beauty. (...)

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That is quite a nice picture :)

Of course, happiness cannot be a constant state. Anyway, I believe I misinterpreted "pursue".

Without liberty the others cannot occur. Well, I suppose you can have life as a slave, if you consider that life.

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Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

Too reductive. No idea what I want, but love is certainly one of the main needs, if not the need.
I just want to get out of life all I can before it's gone.

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Well said, Dan :thumbs_up

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Originally Posted by Maryd.

Just love, I don't ask for much.:ladysman::ladysman::ladysman::ladysman:

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I love you Mary :nod: I LOVE ALL OF YOU! :nod:

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

I voted "love". I'd like to have a family of my own some day, a husband and maybe four children.

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:nod: Me too.
I want a wife, a daughter and a son. I picture wife and myself training our offspring in the ancient arts of warfare, music and poetry, like legendary heroes under mom's and dad's tutelage, and when they grow enough they would save the world, making mom and dad really proud... :lol:

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Originally Posted by Lokasenna

I suppose... to be happy is all any of us really want from life.

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:nod:

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Originally Posted by Scheherazade

Not really. I find that "happiness" is a thing to be obtained and kept, unlike one's Ipod or diploma. We cannot reach a state of "satisfaction" and then expect it to remain there forever. If I don't work at nourishing and cultivating it, I lose it.

A cheesy simile... Happiness is, in my eyes, like a garden one keeps. If you don't work at it round the year, it is bound to go wild and lose its beauty.

I am not sure why working towards making one's self happy would make them "unwhole" either... Working towards a certain goal always makes me feel excited and alive.

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What a profound thought Scher, you really touched me!! Can I be your fan? :D

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Originally Posted by Virgil

Without liberty the others cannot occur. Well, I suppose you can have life as a slave, if you consider that life.

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Great point Virgil :nod:

But both happiness and love are subjective. Jeffrey Dahmer claimed to love the victims he ate. He loved them so much that he wanted them to become a part of him. What is love in the end, but a deadly, beautiful game? Technically I have liberty but I'm still in a cage. This forum was an episode of my life that should have passed but I'm still here because I'm a sexually frustrated degenerate with no hope in life. Why can't I love to hate? Don't I have the liberty to do that? If I have the liberty to be a locked up animal I should have the liberty to love death. Why do I love death? Why do I think this way? Why don't I open up? Why am I on a forum with strangers who type behind a screen ten million miles away and are as cold as this cage I'm trapped in? Why care? Why liberty? Why life when love gives us so much more. Oh yes, I'm in love. I'm definitely falling in love. But my love will keep me in this cage forever. What point is there with that kind of love in the end?

Yea, Max loves me... Actually he loves all of us... Gosh... there's so much love on the thread today...:ladysman::ladysman::ladysman::ladysman::a ngel::angel::angel::angel::angel::ladysman::ladysm an::ladysman::ladysman::ladysman::angel::angel::an gel::angel::angel::ladysman::ladysman::ladysman::l adysman:

:blush: Now I feel so loved! :D :angel:

I think I just walked into a lovefest.

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Originally Posted by DanielBenoit

I think I just walked into a lovefest.

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:lol: :lol:

I voted for love, because I can have liberty and life, but without love in my heart, I am truly unhappy and I can't have real pursuit for happiness unless I have love, the true meaning and the builder of the twisted paths of life.

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Originally Posted by Maximilianus

:nod: Me too.
I want a wife, a daughter and a son. I picture wife and myself training our offspring in the ancient arts of warfare, music and poetry, like legendary heroes under mom's and dad's tutelage, and when they grow enough they would save the world, making mom and dad really proud... :lol:

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Haha :lol: That's a nice picture you're painting here, but have you really thought it through? Could you send your beloved children out there to do the dirty work and save the world while you'd stay behind yourself? I don't think so. But hey, I'm sure the world can't wait until this hero family shows up and fixes all the problems of this planet (though it sounds like an awful lot of work for just four people) :D

I think I like the "Cheesy Smile" part....:)

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Originally Posted by Dr Jekyll

I voted for love, because I can have liberty and life, but without love in my heart, I am truly unhappy and I can't have real pursuit for happiness unless I have love, the true meaning and the builder of the twisted paths of life.

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That was lovely Dr. Jekyll. I'm overwhelmed.;)

Dr Jekyll, are you becoming the resident stud muffin of Lit Net? You are overwhelming people now! ;)

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

Haha :lol: That's a nice picture you're painting here, but have you really thought it through?

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I have it all figured, as usual :p

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

Could you send your beloved children out there to do the dirty work and save the world while you'd stay behind yourself? I don't think so.

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I would go with them (unless I'm crippled :p), but first we would gather a powerful army... if we find any :lol: As I said, I have it all figured :D

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

But hey, I'm sure the world can't wait until this hero family shows up and fixes all the problems of this planet (though it sounds like an awful lot of work for just four people) :D

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NOT FOR THE FANTASTIC FOUR!! :lol:

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Originally Posted by Maryd.

That was lovely Dr. Jekyll. I'm overwhelmed.;)

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The Dr. spoke wisely :nod:

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Originally Posted by isidro

Dr Jekyll, are you becoming the resident stud muffin of Lit Net? You are overwhelming people now! ;)

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No, no, the Dr. is just lovely. The resident stud muffin is gonna be me, at any cost :lol:

Well your courage about taking over the world speaks to your favor. Let me know how it goes with the other ladies. Unfortunately it takes quite a bit to get my romantic regard.

Oops, back to the real conversation, i guess.

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Originally Posted by Maximilianus

I have it all figured, as usual :p

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At least there's no problem with your self-confidence :D Good luck with your mission!

Back to the original topic:

As I said earlier, I want to have a family of my own. But I don't really think that is very likely to happen, so I've got a few more realistic dreams too. Basically I want to graduate (with good grades) and get to earn my living as a translator, which is what I'm studying for. It would be great to be able to translate fiction, but as they pay very little for that, I know it will probably have to be more like a hobby and I'll have to make the money for living by translating something else. But my dream is to translate at least one good novel that will be published.

Persuit of happiness obviously.

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Originally Posted by Pensive

Persuit of happiness obviously.

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Don't we all Pensive...:nod:

In the order of preference

Liberty - the most important
Love
Pursuit of happiness

If I have all the above I would have a life.

Having a little money will not hurt, though. :D I wouldn't want to starve while being in pursuit of happiness, love and freedom :p

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Originally Posted by isidro

Well your courage about taking over the world speaks to your favor. Let me know how it goes with the other ladies.

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I'll keep you informed :)

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Originally Posted by isidro

Unfortunately it takes quite a bit to get my romantic regard.

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I may not seem romantic after many of my apparently hilarious posts. My putative hilarity is more like an on-line habit, due to my wish to make others feel better especially when I detect a hard journey. Off-line, though hard to believe, I behave a lot more seriously romantic :)

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

At least there's no problem with your self-confidence :D

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It's the last I can afford to let go, along with my hopes, the heart I once had, my dark passion plays and my dark chest of wonders ;) :D

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

Good luck with your mission!

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And good luck to you with yours! :nod:

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

As I said earlier, I want to have a family of my own. But I don't really think that is very likely to happen

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Only if every Finn guy is hopelessly blind, and even then, there are non-blind prospects around many corners of the planet. The only problem I spot in distance is to get close enough to get a hold on whom may have spotted us :)

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

so I've got a few more realistic dreams too.

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Love is realistic enough... though more elusive to be found and grabbed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Annamariah

Basically I want to graduate (with good grades) and get to earn my living as a translator, which is what I'm studying for. It would be great to be able to translate fiction, but as they pay very little for that, I know it will probably have to be more like a hobby and I'll have to make the money for living by translating something else. But my dream is to translate at least one good novel that will be published.

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I am currently writing my autobiography, so far entitled "Max Willful Hooves, there and back again" :lol:, though I haven't thought about my nom de plume :p
More than an autobiography, it will be an award-winning epic tale, in the line of Beowulf, the Kalevala, the Norse sagas and the Lord of the Rings itself. It will combine love and war, deception and hope, and the unremitting pursuit of justice and peace. It will be a story of trial by fire, brave knights seeking payback, damsels in distress and bad guys getting their punishment... Wow, wait, my life is not that exciting!! :( I'll be telling a fake :lol:

However, I feel it's going to be a bestseller, so I will need someone to do the Finnish translation (I pursuit fame in Finland as well :brow:). So... want to join my eclectic epic adventure? I guarantee its lifetime success and even a Nobel prize :lol: and we may even include a couple Peppi Long-stockings if you feel like :lol:

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Originally Posted by Madhuri

In the order of preference

Liberty - the most important
Love
Pursuit of happiness

If I have all the above I would have a life.

Having a little money will not hurt, though. :D I wouldn't want to starve while being in pursuit of happiness, love and freedom :p

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Memsahib Madhuri plans on keeping my avatar for a long time? :lol: (keep it all you want, I have a big sharing spirit :D)

Hey Max, you aren't going to believe this but I am actually in process of writing an autobiography. And though it is going to be entirely in verse and focusing very much on religion and psychology I doubt it can compare to yours. (I'm not really arrogant. I've just been through a bit - abuse, hit by a semi on the freeway, etc etc etc. I wouldn't do it but a doc of psych asked me to.)

The Pipi Long Stockings are obviously a very noble pursuit. I'm sure you are quite romantic and all that, of course! :)

What do I want out of life? I want to squeeze every possible thing out of it so I can look back and say 'D***! That was fun!'

Since over 50% of the poll is that people favor love over the rest, define love. Do you mean love or lust, since that often gets mistaken for love? I think we often mistake the two in our society. What kind of love are we talking about? Thoughts?

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Originally Posted by isidro

Since over 50% of the poll is that people favor love over the rest, define love. Do you mean love or lust, since that often gets mistaken for love? I think we often mistake the two in our society. What kind of love are we talking about? Thoughts?

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Here's one perspective.

Love: Active concern for, and delight in, the well-being of another. The desire that all beings will be happy and completely safe.

Eryk I think you have a lucky significant other.

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Originally Posted by isidro

Hey Max, you aren't going to believe this but I am actually in process of writing an autobiography.

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I believe you :nod:
I think there comes a time when we just have to do it.

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Originally Posted by isidro

And though it is going to be entirely in verse and focusing very much on religion and psychology I doubt it can compare to yours.

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There are different types of autobiographies and all of them can be interesting. I think it all depends on how you tell your story :) GOOD LUCK WITH IT :nod:

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Originally Posted by isidro

(I'm not really arrogant. I've just been through a bit - abuse, hit by a semi on the freeway, etc etc etc. I wouldn't do it but a doc of psych asked me to.)

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I'm so sorry you went through all this :(
I really hope your bio can help you somehow. At least you'll have a way to take it out of your chest :thumbs_up

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Originally Posted by isidro

The Pipi Long Stockings are obviously a very noble pursuit. I'm sure you are quite romantic and all that, of course! :)

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THANK YOU!
I'm SURE YOU ARE TOO! :)

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Originally Posted by isidro

Since over 50% of the poll is that people favor love over the rest, define love. Do you mean love or lust, since that often gets mistaken for love? I think we often mistake the two in our society. What kind of love are we talking about? Thoughts?

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Love: one's heart bumping out of the chest and right through the mouth, in a way that can hardly be described or controlled, every time one thinks about or gets close to a certain person, who provokes this effect when no one else provokes it.

Lust: a mere hormonal need to do something about the hormones, especially when they are at large, and very typical of people who have little space for love, because they have all their time invested in doing their hormonal thing.

My humble definitions :)