the people who stay in on friday nights...

[Sharla]

ooh, some mighty self righteous posting here from the squeaky clean crowd.

It's not self righteous at all. Amat and Preme wanted to gang up on Lefty for not being a drinker. All we did was defend his right not to be one.

I also think it's pretty targeted - lets pick on the 17 year old and tell him his life is boring but don't touch the multitude of other people who have posted on here saying they prefer a quiet night etc. Target the young one because everyone else is a bit older and more established in their choices.

I didn't think they were really picking on him, just busting his balls a bit. There's a big difference.

As for the self righteous part, I guess I saw a little more in it than you did. Maybe too much? Sure defend your rights to live your life as you see fit. No objection from me. But being a teatotaler doesn't automatically make you a success any more than being a drinker or a toker (within reason) makes you a failure. Nor does it make you a better person than the other guy. That's where I was coming from.

Yeah I agree. I also think success is difficult to measure really. I think it depends a lot on what you wanna be rather than what other people rate.

Especially now having almost finished my PhD I'm realizing most of the jobs i think i'd be happy doing into never required a PhD.

Also a lot of people who've spent fewer years studying than me will have more secure jobs than i could ever hope for.

A friend of mine who is possibly the smartest person I know finished her PhD and has since decided after one postdoctoral job she's happiest just being a housewife looking after her young son.

Sometimes the stereotypical ideas of what is right and successful and make you happy couldn't be more full of BS.

I do however think the same logic applies to what makes for personally satisfying ways to spend your spare time too.

I'm still working it out as I go and i won't pretend to have all the answers but i do think the answers are always going to be slightly different for every individual.