It's getting close enough to announce it officially here.

[Drem]

i can't tell what's worse. harrison only taking 16 days to have an excuse this time, or mindia referencing jersey shore like he actually watches it

[Harrison]

Fuck you, excuse? Like I wanted to postpone something I've been dreaming about for years, bought thousands of dollars worth of gear, and trained for?

You're a moron, but most of us here have already determined that.

[Drem]

quit raging, i don't give a shit about what you do because you never do it anyway

[Harrison]

Right, since you're here replying to it, because you don't care.

[Tikker]

Won't happen

^

[Harrison]

It's postponed, not canceled. Who knows, maybe in a month or two I'll have enough of my funds back to make the attempt.

The move has me pretty much tapped out completely. To even make the attempt I need a minimum of $2,000. That is being ridiculously frugal at less than $1/mile. I was going to have $2700ish with another month's worth of paychecks, but that isn't happening now, obviously.

The awesome part of a southbound thru-hike is no time restraint. You can start late in the season and not have to worry about winter cutting you off along the way. When you start at Springer mountain you have to make it to Baxter State Park in Maine before weather closes it in October. You can't start late.

[Harrison]

Even selling my car, TV, PS3, other stuff I own, I wouldn't be able to scratch enough together to make it the whole way realistically.

[Arlos]

So why did you suddenly have to move to New Jersey?

-Arlos

[Harrison]

We knew he was going to eventually be relocating, just not that fucking soon. The word came down 5 days ago and he's reporting to work the 1st of May.

If I had known ahead of time I would have been fine. I could have worked out temporary living with someone for the short few weeks to a month before I left, kept working, and gone as planned. (Or even paid this coming month's rent for them, and remained behind by myself...etc.)

Life doesn't always let me do what I want, though. *shrug* I could always become a whiny, bitter, douchebag like Tikker and Drem over it, but I choose not to.

Nearly dying a few times kinda puts a positive perspective to everything less than that.

[Drem]

yeah getting the shit kicked out of you must've made you forget how to shut up about all your stupid little fantasies that never happen

[Harrison]

As long as it retains its ability to keep me being just that much better than you, it's okay.

You are such a whiny crybaby bitch lol Do you enjoy anything in life, or just cut yourself like a 13 year-old girl?

[Drem]

nope i just point out the obvious

ITT: you're a flaky bitch

[Jay]

It's like you're trolling us Harrison cept you're also trolling yourself ><

[Lyion]

We knew he was going to eventually be relocating, just not that fucking soon. The word came down 5 days ago and he's reporting to work the 1st of May.

If I had known ahead of time I would have been fine. I could have worked out temporary living with someone for the short few weeks to a month before I left, kept working, and gone as planned. (Or even paid this coming month's rent for them, and remained behind by myself...etc.)

Life doesn't always let me do what I want, though. *shrug* I could always become a whiny, bitter, douchebag like Tikker and Drem over it, but I choose not to.

Nearly dying a few times kinda puts a positive perspective to everything less than that.

No offense but your post raises all sorts of red flags. A person your age should have their own place and a steady form of income.

Do you have any sort of job or career in the making? If no, why is that not a priority instead of living off of others?

Why on earth would you prioritize a hiking trip over any type of work focus? Heck, even just being a fast food manager gets you a bit of financial independence.

If your last tax return didn't clear 50k why are you spending all this money on a hiking trip that you could use to leverage into a job to sustain yourself and allow for not living off others?

You are a smart guy, Harri, but your posting here baffles me somewhat.

[leah]

We knew he was going to eventually be relocating, just not that fucking soon. The word came down 5 days ago and he's reporting to work the 1st of May.

If I had known ahead of time I would have been fine. I could have worked out temporary living with someone for the short few weeks to a month before I left, kept working, and gone as planned. (Or even paid this coming month's rent for them, and remained behind by myself...etc.)

Life doesn't always let me do what I want, though. *shrug* I could always become a whiny, bitter, douchebag like Tikker and Drem over it, but I choose not to.

Nearly dying a few times kinda puts a positive perspective to everything less than that.

No offense but your post raises all sorts of red flags. A person your age should have their own place and a steady form of income.

Do you have any sort of job or career in the making? If no, why is that not a priority instead of living off of others?

Why on earth would you prioritize a hiking trip over any type of work focus? Heck, even just being a fast food manager gets you a bit of financial independence.

If your last tax return didn't clear 50k why are you spending all this money on a hiking trip that you could use to leverage into a job to sustain yourself and allow for not living off others?

You are a smart guy, Harri, but your posting here baffles me somewhat.

i didn't make more than $50k last year. or ever. SADFACE. i am excited to be hitting five years with my company in the beginning of june, though. means i'll get three weeks of paid vacation. woot.

[Lyion]

Congratulations on hitting five years! Now, start putting money into that 401K pre tax.

I bet you didn't drop 3 grand in hiking gear. Plus, you live in a state with a much lower cost of living. Plus, you are a girl! If you're smart your entertainment expenses are covered by smitten lads!

[Harrison]

I had a job up until the other day(obviously). I left it for the move. Could I have moved into an apartment and kept working that job day in, day out, and lived like a fucking pauper just to make it month to month? Of course. But why in the fuck would I do that? Because people feel the need to stretch beyond their means to appease others' views of how one should do things? That is fucking wholly laughable and a big part of what's wrong with this country and why the rest of the world despises its people.

If I wanted to go live uncomfortably and poor as fuck in a shithole apartment struggling just to say I did so, I would have. I grew up poor as shit. I don't need to do it now to prove myself to anyone. I choose not to cater to others' bullshit ideas on what people should be doing with their lives. I paid my rent for my part of the house, I worked, I paid the utilities, I even shelled out cash when they didn't have it this winter many times. I provide for myself.

I live my life and bother no one in the process, and quite frankly, we have a good thing going with this family. They can go out and not have to worry about the kids home alone when I'm not at work, etc.

Anyways, I hardly need to explain why I chose to do something I love and is a life dream of mine rather than toil away at a job for the sake of doing so and lose my chance to ever do it again before I'm tied down with kids, family, etc. to anyone. Few people ever do something this amazing and I don't plan on regretting not taking the opportunity while I could have on my deathbed.

Life is short and if you live it trying to fill some retarded idea that isn't your own, you've wasted it.

[Harrison]

I'm not some unemployed shitbag sleeping on their floor, leeching off of them, inconveniencing the family.

It's pretty fucking insulting to imply it by saying I'm living off of others, too.

[Lyion]

I had a job up until the other day(obviously). I left it for the move.

I'm not some unemployed shitbag sleeping on their floor

The point is you are in your mid 20s living with a family member.

Must be tough to find a place for time with ze ladiez. It just bothers me because I have a lot of pride. You are right it's your life, though.

If I wanted to go live uncomfortably and poor as fuck in a shithole apartment struggling just to say I did so, I would have. I grew up poor as shit. I don't need to do it now to prove myself to anyone. I choose not to cater to others' bullshit ideas on what people should be doing with their lives. I paid my rent for my part of the house, I worked, I paid the utilities, I even shelled out cash when they didn't have it this winter many times. I provide for myself.

You are missing the forest for the trees here. If you don't want to be a no-skill minimum wage person you need to find a career or skill that will enable you to live comfortably. By your own admission you do not make enough to support yourself. You are essentially another one of your sisters kids, or something.

Where are you going to be five years from now? Ten? Eventually your faux siblings will grow up, and move out.

I live my life and bother no one in the process, and quite frankly, we have a good thing going with this family. They can go out and not have to worry about the kids home alone when I'm not at work, etc.

Ambition is not being a glorified babysitter. C'mon, Man! Don't you want anything for yourself? Outside of hiking, that is.

Anyways, I hardly need to explain why I chose to do something I love and is a life dream of mine rather than toil away at a job for the sake of doing so and lose my chance to ever do it again before I'm tied down with kids, family, etc. to anyone. Few people ever do something this amazing and I don't plan on regretting not taking the opportunity while I could have on my deathbed.

Life is short and if you live it trying to fill some retarded idea that isn't your own, you've wasted it.

I wish you'd consider the bigger picture.

Life is indeed short. In a snap you'll be 30. Then 40. What then?

[leah]

Congratulations on hitting five years! Now, start putting money into that 401K pre tax.

I bet you didn't drop 3 grand in hiking gear. Plus, you live in a state with a much lower cost of living. Plus, you are a girl! If you're smart your entertainment expenses are covered by smitten lads!

i put a little bit into my 401K each paycheck but haven't started making big contributions yet. i have some stupid credit card stuff to pay off before i can really settle into savings. i think it should be impossible for college-aged kids to get credit cards, just fyi. sigh.

anyway, i feel compelled to defend mr. finawin here for a second. i might own a house (well, i own a mortgage...) and have a career, but i have josh and another roommate to help me with bills and i'm not sure i could do it without them and still be able to maintain the quality of life i usually enjoy. i see no problem for him to have roommates and/or a not-quite-permanent living situation at the age of 26, and i don't think it makes him a failure at life to not have a so-called legit career yet. do i wish he would go to school and then make a steady career for himself? yes. do i think he's a screw-up? no. do i think there are better ways to spend one's money than a months-long hike? yes, BUT, i also think it's tremendously cool that he's going to do it, and i wish i could do something like that myself (although job, mortgage, etc. prevent me from doing so... plus i hate camping, hehe). the way i see it, at least he's paying cash money for these camping/hiking expenses and is jumping in feet-first with his eyes wide open. he lives responsibly and isn't living off of welfare or being a drain on society. i say let him do his thing. he's still young and has plenty of time to settle down, and i believe he will eventually. some people just take longer than others.

[Tikker]

the part that stood out to me was that if you sold all your worldly possessions, you couldn't raise the extra $2700 you needed


there's a big difference between being non-materialistic and just not thinking of your future...

[Narrock]

i can't tell what's worse. harrison only taking 16 days to have an excuse this time, or mindia referencing jersey shore like he actually watches it

I got suckered into it because my wife likes it, my 20 year old step son likes it, and my 18 year step daughter likes it and it's on all the time.

[Jay]

Congratulations on hitting five years! Now, start putting money into that 401K pre tax.

I bet you didn't drop 3 grand in hiking gear. Plus, you live in a state with a much lower cost of living. Plus, you are a girl! If you're smart your entertainment expenses are covered by smitten lads!

i put a little bit into my 401K each paycheck but haven't started making big contributions yet. i have some stupid credit card stuff to pay off before i can really settle into savings. i think it should be impossible for college-aged kids to get credit cards, just fyi. sigh.

anyway, i feel compelled to defend mr. finawin here for a second. i might own a house (well, i own a mortgage...) and have a career, but i have josh and another roommate to help me with bills and i'm not sure i could do it without them and still be able to maintain the quality of life i usually enjoy. i see no problem for him to have roommates and/or a not-quite-permanent living situation at the age of 26, and i don't think it makes him a failure at life to not have a so-called legit career yet. do i wish he would go to school and then make a steady career for himself? yes. do i think he's a screw-up? no. do i think there are better ways to spend one's money than a months-long hike? yes, BUT, i also think it's tremendously cool that he's going to do it, and i wish i could do something like that myself (although job, mortgage, etc. prevent me from doing so... plus i hate camping, hehe). the way i see it, at least he's paying cash money for these camping/hiking expenses and is jumping in feet-first with his eyes wide open. he lives responsibly and isn't living off of welfare or being a drain on society. i say let him do his thing. he's still young and has plenty of time to settle down, and i believe he will eventually. some people just take longer than others.

I agree wholeheartedly with Lyion (First). I don't think Harrison is a bad guy or an incapable one. I think he just needs to dream bigger. Pride should be a huge part of any man's life and I dunno about anyone else but I'd rather have it in excess than to not have enough although both are bad.

Leah I know you're a nice person and you mean well but being the prideful person that I am I can't help but be offended by your post for Harrison. I think about your post as if it were directed at me and if it was, it'd be more scathing than anything Tikker or Lyion had to say. I know you're trying to be supportive, but I think you're doing so by looking down on him. "Some people take longer... ; It's not like he's doing this or that ;". Fuck that. I have 2 arms, 2 legs and a mind of my own and so does he. What excuse is there to be behind?

Harrison is as capable or moreso than many people here. He gets lost in his bullshit (whether he caused it our not) and gets halted by the slightest wrench in his plans. Its a common problem amongst pushovers. Once he stops taking shit from people and actually forcing,people to do right by him when they don't, I bet he can do some things.

[leah]

fair enough, i see what you mean... and i hope you know that it wasn't meant to come from the "ZOMG OFFENSIVE" place! what i meant in my head was "he can and will do all of these awesome things in time, so lay off." i guess it just didn't come out that way. sorry

[Lyion]

Your post to me came across as "I'm doing the right things, but it's ok if Harrison isn't because some day he might." You are enabling bad behavior.

I think what Jay is saying is stop accepting mediocrity and failure in an attempt to coddle. It's pretty much what I was attempting to pass on, too, that Harri took personally. That's good as it shows he does have some pride.

Everyone has a different path, but if someone is smart, capable, and adult they should move forward with life. Have your dreams, as all of us do, but also be responsible and have your day job and blue chip career.