CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

1993: Met my wife in college. She was in grad school and we left together, got acting like responsible adults, got married, etc., etc., etc.

2003: Introduced the wife to HT, high definition, etc. and she is a monster.

2008: Took wife to NIN concert. She's been a fan since their inception. Our first concert together. Loved it!

2010: Cleared out a 15x18 room (18' ceilings) to tile, moved the previous family room contents to the basement, and now had nothing setup for the tiled room.

Bought a pair of v5 Paradigm Studio 20's, the Emotiva XPA amps, re-purposed the old Pioneer Elite AVR and Toshiba HD-DVD player and started making some noise in that room.

Wife is down there, not yet the first drink into her, undulating to the NIN music. I love my ILF (she's no mom!). Thumbs Up

This is what responsible 40-somethings do, right? Mr. Green

bbfarmht · Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:58 pm Post subject:

The proper term would be WILF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Twisted Evil

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

Well now I feel stupid. I had to Google NIN to find out what that was...

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:30 am Post subject:

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:26 am Post subject:

KUdos on the no kids thing, but 15 &^$%%$# years to take her to a concert? YOU CHEAP BASTAGE! Very Happy

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

And I always called a 9 inch nail a spike... Go figure Wink

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:04 pm Post subject:

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:15 pm Post subject:

perisoft · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 2920 Location: Ithaca, NY

Not to get too far off-topic, but as a new-ish (two years almost exactly now) dad, I can say that before I had my son, I wouldn't have understood why anyone thought children were such an important thing. My wife and I talked about whether or not to have a kid (kids?!!) and eventually decided that we should. But it was more of a gut instinct.

Now, having had a son, I can't possibly imagine life without him. Life before him has kind of dropped into a haze. But your perspective changes so much that I don't think it's fair to criticize someone for deciding not to have kids; you can't possibly know what it means until you have them.

Also, Greg - I can't even conceive of the horror you must have been through. If anything were to happen to my son, it would break me - the strength necessary to survive that loss for the others around you must be enormous. You have my respect and sympathy.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

Folks, mind you I had exposure to the children of my siblings. I have 9 older and 1 younger sibling. In 1990, I stopped counting nieces and nephews when the count reached 30. I know how to change diapers, handle a newborn to bottle feed, etc., etc., etc. and I was just not one to attempt the 1950's American dream. And neither was my wife.

As Curt said, to each their own. And when the wife and I get the hankering, we go over to good friends' house and spend the day with their kids, watching them grow up, hearing about the parental stresses related to raising their children, etc. My wife and I are not alone in the empty-nester lifestyle as good neighbors down the street have a decade on us and they are the same.

I just like to think that I get to have all the toys, and now I am finally willing to share some of them--with the wife. Now, house has three projectors, two plasmas, three LCD flat panels, two AVRs (waiting on a 3rd one), and a heaven based on more toilets than butt holes. WIN!!!

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

I think it's great Wan decided not to have kids. Less polls for future generations.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:41 pm Post subject:

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

Wife and i are still trying to figure out who should get our life insurance if we both bite the dust at the same time. In recent times, I thought of setting up a trust to offer something like scholarships for college. But maybe something else. Not sure what a couple of million will be worth once we die. Heck, maybe a trust to buy folks concert tickets. Or CRT projectors.

Mr. Green · Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 6:08 pm Post subject:

Karen and I waited 11 years before having Jake. Until a couple of years ago we had pretty much decided on not having kids. It's a major game changer, but we are now overjoyed we have him. Having spent over 10 of our married years childless I totally understand Wan's decision. We spent the first 9 years broke, then in the last 2 we finally got things lined up as best we could and could afford a few totally frivolous things. That's when we decided if we were going to have kids we were running out of time as we are in our mid 30's. We thought about it and discussed it for a long time and decided we were as ready as we were going to be. I just wish we could afford for me to be a stay at home dad, but that's not going to happen without a large lottery win.

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

It all depends on the person. Just like some people are extroverts (and get energized by being around people) and some people are introverts (and get drained and stressed by being around people), some people are natural parents and some aren't.

Some people, like Peri, find that having a child completes them. Parenthood is the most fulfilling experience they've ever had. I say you're very fortunate and I wish I felt that way.

Some people aren't like that. I strongly suspect Wan is one, and I respect his choice not to have kids. (Though I could do without some of his judgmental and insulting posts about people with kids.)

I'm also one. I love kids, just like I love cats and dogs. I just didn't want to LIVE with them. Play with them, send them home. The whole concept of 24/7 responsibility for kids for 20-30 years or more just scared the bejeezus out of me. Still does.

But my wife insisted her life would be ruined if she never had a child, and eventually I caved. Now don't get me wrong, my kids are awesome and I love them. But would I do it again, knowing what I know now? No. And neither would my wife -- the second one triggered years of post-partum depression which she is still fighting. The years of pain, hassle, expense, etc... and we haven't even hit college tuitions yet. I often wish I'd been stubborn and said no, but my wife didn't know what she knows now either.

So if you absolutely love being a parent -- you are blessed. Just understand it's not necessarily that way for everybody.

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

That is an interesting thought Gary.

In the developed nations where income is fairly high children are sometimes seen as a liability but in the poor nations of the world they are considered an asset.

Animals instinctively raise and nurture their off spring but humans make a choice.........

Not that any of this has anything to do with speakers Wink

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

I waited until I was 37 to get married and 42 to have a child. I was fine without having kids and spending my money on myself but my wife insisted and now could not imagine life without my son. I am definitely happy I waited until an advanced age. I was way to immature to have children in my 20's into early 30's. There are challenges to being an older parent but for me it was the way to go.
Dan