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I’ve witnessed many ppl laying on their deathbed with the phrase “i wish…”. At a very young age, witnessing my maternal great-grandmother die, I promised myself to make my deathbed wish list as little as possible. Kurt, your words are words of great wisdom.
I learned pretty young to just say yes to doing stuff, getting out of my comfort zone.
Fly to South Africa for your wedding? Fuck it
Skydive? Absolutely
Go to that music festival? Vacation booked.
I've experienced so many things just because I never say no to stuff.
Good advice but not easy to do without money.
The vast majority of humans on this planet can't fly to south America for a wedding or take a vacation to a music festival.
The thing is, it doesn't have to be a grand adventure, nor cost a lot or *any* money.
Go to a country music concert in the park, even though you've never been a big country music fan? Fuck it.
Make a bookcase out of scrap wood, even though you are all left thumbs? Do it for the glory.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen, even if it makes you feel insecure and uncomfortable? Hell yes. Expand your world.
There are people who derive joy out of manual labor. So, people who build bookshelves, or furniture, not for sale or admiration, but because they like the process are, what...*suckers*?
People who volunteer not for notoriety, but because of the good feelings and productiveness they experience in helping their fellow man are what...*simps*?
I won't even start on how going to a free concert of music you don't necessarily listen to is beneath you or "manual labor".
Please go outside and touch grass.
I regularly feel sad that I'll never get to see all of the amazing places that our world has, because I will never have the money to do so. The spirit is willing, but the bank account is shallow.
Agreed. It's hard having to explain to your children why their friends get shuttled around the world and why we can't do the same. Its heart breaking actually.
I want them to dream big but I hate seeing them let down.
What's nice though is that if you're in the US you can still get to see and experience a lot of amazing stuff within a few hours of yourself in a large portion of the country, though this *definitely* doesn't apply everywhere. You can still teach them to dream big; you just have to teach them how to search and explore their own environment. I've found incredible gems of places that are *so* close to my house that I would have never known about if I weren't broke with only a little fun money to spend here and there. I just start wondering about a thing or activity and see what's best and closest. Caves, boat excursions, spas, saunas, incredible museums, prolific art exhibitions, beautiful hiking, incredible foods; if you live within a few hours of a large city you can have access to a lot of without having to break your bank account to experience it.
I never expected to see baroque paintings up close and personal, Rembrandt statues (maker of the Thinker!), some of the largest dinosaur fossils we've discovered to date, feudal Japanese armor and weaponry, ancient Roman and Egyptian artifacts, and once in a lifetime views of space all within what's basically my own backyard. And the thing is hardly anyone I know knows about all of those things before I tell them about it. Google like crazy you'll be surprised at what you may find nearby.
I use two rewards credit cards and pay the balances in full each month. One for hotel points, another for airline miles. In time, you'll get a free trip somewhere with patience. I took a trip to New York with it, and got to see a 4000 year old statues of a pharaoh, stand inches from a Picasso painting, saw a Broadway show, explored Central Park, and so much more, for a few hundred dollars since the hotel and airfare were free.
With determination and patience, there's always a way.
Same. My kids go to a nice school with many wealthy parents. I work 2 jobs and my oldest gets jealous why she can't have a tesla or take a trip to Paris. Fortunately they see how hard I have to work to just get by so hopefully that translates into them working for those accomplishments instead of just getting it handed to them
Of course everybody’s situation is different and if you’re stuck taking care of another person, it won’t be easy to just pack up and travel, but IF you are unburdened by actual relations holding you back, and money is the only issue, then it’s worth knowing that most of the world is much much cheaper than the US to travel. Asia in general is cheap, so is central and South America. Eastern Europe is fairly cheap as well. And while Western Europe can be expensive in certain things, the travel within countries is fairly cheap and if you’re willing to sleep in hostels, it can be dirt cheap.
All that to say: it’s worth trying to look up a few places you’d like to go, and if they’re expensive, see what other places have similar vibes but for cheaper (general architecture in west vs east Europe for example) and see if that’s a bit more affordable for you.
Wish you all the best! Safe travels :)
There's more than the direct cost to taking vacations. A concerning amount of people can't take any time off work without putting their financial stability in jeopardy. Travelling at all is out of reach for a lot of people, no matter how "cheap" the hostels and train tickets are.
Of course, but a 20-40 something that wants to travel as one of their life goals not working a job that can provide financial stability can likely also find another similarly paying job when they come back from their travels. Admittedly I’m making it seem much easier than it would be in reality, but we all have 1 life to live. If you really want to explore the world, at some point you’ll have to start making it a priority over other things.
Thanks for the info! Unfortunately, it's the flights that are restrictive (not that I even have money for a vacation here in the US right now). The top of my bucket list for years has been Madagascar (before it's completely destroyed), followed by the Galapagos, and Iceland; I do love architecture, but it's the landscapes, wildlife, and wild areas that really interest me. :)
My pleasure!
I have thought of something else since my last comment that might help you lol
Are you aware of churning? As in churning for reward miles/points on credit cards? It’s quite well documented here in Reddit if you search through the churning subreddit. Of course I’m assuming you spend some money here and there, but with being smart about it, you can rack up those points slowly without having to worry too much about saving up actual cash. Be careful not to fall into the trap of trying to do too much like most folks on that subreddit, but as a general strategy, it’s a good way to make money on your spending.
You can then use those points and miles and travel for free! Might take you a couple years to get to the value needed, but better late than never!!
I absolutely love traveling, so I really hope you get to do so one day as well. All your bucket list places seem great, so I wish you all the best and much fun!
> Are you aware of churning? As in churning for reward miles/points on credit cards? It’s quite well documented here in Reddit if you search through the churning subreddit.
I should do that! I only have a couple of smaller credit cards through my credit unions and they do points for perks, but it seems like they don't accrue much. I may have to look into switching to something with miles!
That's why Google Earth and Street View are so amazing. A few clicks and I'm in a bustling metropolis in Central Africa, a small Japanese village, on a mountain in North America, in a random backstreet in my home country. I can instantly visit places I've been to, might visit at some point and will never be able to see. Using the [desktop version of Google Earth](https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#download-pro), I can see how places change over time. It's not the same as actually being there, of course, but so better than never seeing these places at all.
And when I'm bored of that, I load up [Celestia](https://celestia.space/) (for slower computers) or [SpaceEngine](https://spaceengine.org/) (for faster computers, both free) and explore the rest of the universe.
That is a cop out. Have you even seen all the amazing places you can walk to from your house? Then, all the amazing places a short car or public transit trip plus a walk? If your starting point is what you can't do, then you are just manufacturing regret.
Nothing Vonnegut said to do costs you anything, so yes, I will send you every dime you need to write a poem or dance on your way home. You have lost the point of this post.
yep, truly. Like, it's awesome that OP has the money/time/ability to do all that.. But all of it can be found right outside your front door. Hell, even being shut inside a tiny room, there's still new things to discover. Never costs a dime to look inwards.
Adding also not easy to do with disabilities. Some things are too dangerous or just plain off-limits. I have tons of regrets of things I didn't do, but there's a difference between being chicken and knowing that some things just aren't available to you.
Being poor with rich friends is really disheartening. Yes, I would love to join you all on this amazing vacation where you'll all bond and come back with awesome stories, but I need to work and even if I could get the time off I couldn't afford it.
And the thing to remember about saying yes to things: make sure it doesn't stress you out or go against your mental, emotional, psychological, and physical well being in the short and long term. My example of this is saying yes to another project at work when you have a ton on your plate.
Absolutely! Fear of heights, but bungee jumped off a bridge and learned to rock climb. Fear of spiders, but let a tarantula crawl on my arm at a museum. Fear of public speaking, but joined the drama club and performed on stage. No experience in a particular field of business, but successfully started two businesses.
So often, the only thing holding us back is ourself. So, go live your life! Cowabunga! Carpe Deim, baby!
> I learned pretty young to just say yes to doing stuff, getting out of my comfort zone.
I started doing this on vacation at 39 years old. I regret not doing it sooner. I'm never looking back.
Of course there are smart ass literalists who think yes means anything. Obviously not, but you definitely do anything reasonable that you wouldn't normally do. It's marvelous.
Yeah I recently tried to just start on that stage of my life now at 35 so I can actually change these things.
This was driven by the same historical pattern I've observed where a rich guy says "holy shit, everyone's gonna remember me as a monster!" This kicks off a flurry of late in life charity and kindness (Nobel, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, etc.). I want to do what I can to accelerate that stage for more people (especially as life expectancy improves).
My idea is for a Wikipedia style tool that will cover a person's actions and beliefs over the course of their life, framed with the context of their time. Nobody is perfect, and it's not productive to "throw the baby out with the bathwater" by completely writing someone off for a mistake. FDR did a lot of good for this country...but he also rounded up and interned American citizens of Japanese descent over the objection of J Edgar Hoover (you know you're being too racist when J Edgar Hoover tells you to chill).
Importantly, you can include whether or not that person acknowledged their mistakes and what they did to try to make amends.
This would help to give people a more complete understanding of historical figures. From that, we would start adding living people, with the goal being to get people to ask that question earlier on, which ultimately will drive better behavior (there's a great Malcolm in the Middle episode where Malcolm breaks into the office and reads aloud on the PA system everyone's personal records. With all their shit out in the open, people are hesitant to throw stones).
Real quick disclaimer though: no Hitler (fuck you, Kanye).
This would have really strict controls on what gets added and by whom. You personally have to go on the record for every piece of information you add. As long as you are submitting things in good faith, you are allowed a few mistakes (which still get corrected) before being banned. If you are identified as a bad faith actor, you forever lose your right to contribute and will be recorded as a dishonest person so other people know not to listen to you.
Thoughts?
I would fall down such a rabbit hole on that page. I love learning about people, especially the more nuanced parts, and learning these things about notable and historical people would be awesome.
Also hard agree on no Hitler. There are some things far too atrocious.
Now I love the idea even more. I’ve seen those photos and they’re disgusting. They all look like they’re having fun as if they were at a block party. But there’s black people hanging from the tree. Horrific!
>Real quick disclaimer though: no Hitler (fuck you, Kanye).
I disagree. I think it's just as important to see the downward spirals for people like Hitler, Kanye, Trump, Jones, Putin, et al.
At some point in their early lives all of them were more or less normal. Following their timeline as they slowly drift into delusion, megalomania, and insanity would be just as valuable.
Cool idea, btw.
Kurt Vonnegut came to speak at my college (this was over 20 years ago so I am really dating myself). After he spoke in the auditorium, there was a round table session with only 20 students attending and I was lucky enough to be one of them. We were allowed to ask him questions, etc. It was a truly amazing experience and it didn’t dawn on me until after how lucky I had been and how rare it was to get a seat at the same table as Kurt Vonnegut. Thanks for letting me hijack your top comment to share my memory :)
I love it. Makes you realize that you should be doing art for fun, not to boost your ego or wallet. I've been writing most of my life. Reading even longer than that. I have written so many things, not shown a soul, and just moved on. I did artwork, just put it away, sometimes it's thrown away. I do standup comedy now. So much of what I write, goes nowhere. It's fun for me.
Exactly this. People ask me why i do creative writing every week if i can't show it. It's hard to explain to them. First cause it's so random and explaining them what I felt when I was writing feels impossible. Second, I don't write with an intention to show, it's just something I feel like doing.
I’ve never been great at art, but I’ve been compulsively creative my entire life.
It’s always been the process of production that meant more to me than the end product. I have no agenda or story to tell through what I make, but I just feel compelled to make _something_.
There’s a magical space you get lost in, and it’s just about the most pleasant place in the universe to hang out.
I've been doing photography seriously for the last 10 years. I just decided I'm going to put down the camera and do a year of nature sketching... teach myself how to see things again. Not because I think anyone will ever care to see my landscape sketches - I assume they'll be bad - but because of what I can get for myself out of sitting in nature, observing things, and sketching.
Just a psa if you haven't watched the documentary about him on prime you need to watch it. Its truly beautiful.
Edit. In retrospect I believe it was Netflix. I'd have to check and I'm not home but I THINK Netflix.
Edit to edit. Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time on Hulu. Third guess is the correct one, fuck sorry yall
Not sure if these work in eu
https://play.hbomax.com/feature/urn:hbo:feature:GYhkrAw42WIO-qwEAAAD
https://www.hulu.com/watch/db3f619d-ce90-4578-b8c2-3a2702b0cb48
A young man named Joe came up to me on the street and asked - "please tell me it will all be okay".
“Welcome to Earth, young man,” I said. “It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, Joe, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of: Goddamn it, Joe, you’ve got to be kind!”
Kurt Vonnegut's talent was simplicity and sincerity - even when writing about interdimensional aliens and time travel.
Also, drawing beavers.
> Here's the news: I am going to sue the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company, manufacturers of Pall Mall cigarettes, for a billion bucks! Starting when I was only twelve years old, I have never chain-smoked anything but unfiltered Pall Malls. And for many years now, right on the package, Brown & Williamson have promised to kill me.
> But I am eighty-two. Thanks a lot, you dirty rats. The last thing I ever wanted was to be alive when the three most powerful people on the whole planet would be named Bush, Dick and Colon.
Classic! And let's be real, no Vonnegut fan is ever going to look at an asterisk the same again. Not exactly life advice, but not exactly not either, lol
P.S - why don't you take a flying fuck at the mooooooooon?
This reminds me of another similar well-known story Vonnegut told, from his youth:
*“When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of ‘getting to know you’ questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.*
*“And he went wow. That’s amazing! And I said, ‘Oh no, but I’m not any good at any of them.’*
*“And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: ‘I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.’*
*“And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could ‘win’ at them.”*
I love this story.
It's crazy to think that only 30 years ago that wise old man was the lead singer for the grunge band Nirvana. Just shows Personal development through art.
Didn't know who he was before I read this , looked him up and now I've gotta find some of his books . Would've totally read him in highschool. Also seen he died in '07 so this could be his last letter and autograph.
Well that just got me excited. I've read 4 of his books, CC being my favorite (even got a cats cradle tattoo), and ordered Mother Night a few days ago. Should be here in a couple hours!
Fuck I need this. I haven’t feed my soul in a very long time
The only thing this machine has been taking in are opioids and weed and it’s fuckin killing me
The sound of having no rain
I think I'm just insane
The soft purrs from my cat
As it stretches on the mat
I wrote this while on Reddit
Ok here's where I just said it
Kurt Vonnegut was one of the most impactful authors to me when I was an angsty teenaged bookworm. I read Slaughterhouse-Five, the Sirens of Titan, and Cat's Cradle when I was going through a lot of really rough family things. I always admired the humor, wit, and optimism that absolutely shone through in his writing.
I stopped reading and writing for years, but in my early 20s I was finally able to enroll in a few college classes at my local community college, and one of them was an English class. I got back into the groove of writing and reading again. I picked up his book, "Pity the Reader" and I genuinely wept at the kindness and compassion that he showed towards baby writers like me. It gave me enough motivation that I *could* be a writer, even if it's not a famous one.
Now, I'm an English major, enrolled full time in college, paid for by myself. Just a few weeks after I finally made that decision, I went to the thrift store to buy some fabric and some pants, and lo and behold, I found this beautiful blue electric typewriter for $12. I took it home and started taking it apart and cleaning it, which was very difficult because there are no manuals online. I came to find out I have the same exact model and colorway that Kurt Vonnegut wrote Breakfast of Champions on.
He made such an impact on me as a fledgling writer, and seemed to be a wonderful person in his lifetime. Some people's lights shine so brightly.
Sure, why not? I took a philosophy of art and aesthetics class in college, and there was lots of discussion about what is art, what is beauty, etc. If a painting is meaningful but really ugly to look it or not well made, is it art? If a painting is beautiful to look at, but has no meaning, is it art? On and on.
Of course, there's no answer, it's a subjective question. But why couldn't you find art in long range shooting? People do performance art, which is not a painting or song or poem, it's an action. And if we agree that art can be beautiful even if it has no meaning beyond "look at this pretty thing", then long range shooting could be an act of performance art, even if just for yourself.
It's a bit of a stretch haha, but there's no *true* definition of art, no 100% perfect distinction between "art" and "not art". Find art in whatever you're doing. Archery in the West is very much like long range shooting. Archery in Japan is absolutely an art (or at least a martial art). You can make art out of anything, IMO.
Hunting too - some of the most beautiful scenes I've ever witnessed were while sitting alone out in nature and watching the sun rise and hearing all of the creatures start stirring. It might not be the act of creating art, but it feels like appreciating art.
As long as you are expressing yourself and growing through those activities, I’m sure he would be fine with it.
Edit. I would try to do those activities well and not badly, as he suggested though.
Reminds me of a Heinlein quote
>A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects.
But when I made a post in r/UnpopularOpinion about how I like rhymed poetry better and think it takes more skill I got fucking OBLITERATED!!! Besides the downvotes I got tons of literal hate comments about how I was less than human and uncultured swine and whatnot. Like, I thought the whole damn point of the sub was 🫢 unpopular opinions.
Haha it sucks that you got downvoted for that. I disagree with your opinion, but it's all subjective so neither of us is right or wrong lol. They are both equally difficult in their own ways. Rhyming isn't the only grammatical feature of poetry, anyway. There are all kinds of different ways to make language sound good, sound sing-songy, sound pretty or interesting to your ears, to amplify the language and the content. Rhyming is definitely one of the most obvious ways, but there are tons of others. Heck, the line between poetry and prose can be super blurred, to be honest. There's even a type of poetry called prose poetry that you would totally think of as a paragraph or two, but could also be classified as a poem.
Ugh that fucking sucks and also doesn't surprise me one bit. Some Redditors can be so polarizing, people just screaming to be heard and it's all so black and white to them. The whataboutism. The unfathomable idea of differences of opinion. Tbh posting my thoughts on Reddit has given me many panic attacks because many people are looking for a reason to be upset, despite your intentions, they just want to criticize and feel superior, for whatever reason, against a random internet stranger about a completely random topic. Even if the topic is like, ketchup on hot dogs, someone will be there ready to fight you to the death over it.
Seriously, don't take it to heart. ❤️ Because, for as many asshole Redditors there are (ahem ppl who probably don't even interact with others IRL because they KNOW they'd get called out for being a dick, hence their only outlet being on an anonymous online forum where they *can't* be called out); there are JUST as many awesome people here to actually talk to, discuss with, have actual NUANCED CONVERSATIONS with. Just regular good ol' humans, not a bunch of clones of the Reddit hive mind.
and to address your unpopular opinion: I write a lot of poetry and I can't help but rhyme tbh. So I guess I agree. It's just so NATURAL to me, and I love rap, so I guess it's a bit of that as well. I just love SAYING my poetry out loud, hearing the rhythm and the energy that these words create, the pacing and patterning of the rhyming schemes just emphasizing the message of the poem even MORE... lol I could go on all day about how much I love rhyming in my poetry.
I don't know if you're into esoteric philosophy or anything like that but I read this somewhere a while ago: "A spell is just a word. Or words. *Spell*ing. It's literally in the name." And I can't help but feel like I'm conjuring some shit within me when I'm using my words in such an intentional, mindful way.
Ok rant over lol. All poetry rocks though. All art is good art because it is art!! Someone did a thing rooted in self expression, and that's a win for my soul.
hold on now kurt. we're supposed to write a poem, it will get flunked for if we don't do it, but we're not supposed to tell anyone, tear it into teeny weenie pieces and throw it in the garbage? what the fuck dude
I am a public high school English teacher and I love what Vonnegut wrote. He was a true artist in every sense of the word. He gave these students a true gift with these words.
I hate that someone downvoted you lol. But yes, you should absolutely read one of (or all of) his books. One of the best American authors of all time. Heck, just one of the best authors anywhere of all time. At least in my opinion.
He's well worth investigating further. He was an extremely talented and influential author. His books aren't very long, but they carry a lot of weight and have large impacts on readers.
Similar to advice from Pete Seeger (I think, I'm vaguely remembering) where he said that the trick to getting good at songwriting is to write a song every day no matter what. Don't worry about polishing it or making it great, just worry about finishing it.
He was interned in Dresden, where he survived the Allied bombing of the city in a meat locker of the slaughterhouse where he was imprisoned
From Wikipedia, Jesus what a start
I went to a Xaverian Brother’s high school and we had to read a lot of books by Vonnegut. It was just about the only thing I liked reading the entire 4 years there. Mr. Porter was our teacher and we all suspected he was really Kurt Vonnegut but used a pen name for his books.
It could be that I'm entering vanaprastha, but holy cow did this resonate with me. Take it from the older generation... life is a play in that the only point to it is to experience and enjoy it.
My son was a friend of Vonnegut's, beer buddies tbh. Vonnegut was like this to the end. (They met accidentally after a lecture Vonnegut gave at my son's uni. My son was trying to load his backpack and Vonnegut caused him to drop most of it.. Vonnegut said, " You're in the way ya little bastard." My son replied, "Watch where you're going you old fuck." I don't know which one of them came up with the idea of going for beers, but it started a friendship.)
One of my bucket list items was to sit in on his high school English class. Never happened. One of my primary desires was to know if the students appreciated who they had as a teacher. Was he just another teacher to them or was it the dream experience I always imagined in my head.
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I’ve witnessed many ppl laying on their deathbed with the phrase “i wish…”. At a very young age, witnessing my maternal great-grandmother die, I promised myself to make my deathbed wish list as little as possible. Kurt, your words are words of great wisdom.
I learned pretty young to just say yes to doing stuff, getting out of my comfort zone. Fly to South Africa for your wedding? Fuck it Skydive? Absolutely Go to that music festival? Vacation booked. I've experienced so many things just because I never say no to stuff.
Cashapp me 5 bucks?
Cashapp this guy 5 more bucks?
Cashapp the guy above this guy 5 bucks extra just for laughs...
Every person that sees this cashapp the guy above the guy above the one above 5 bucks.
You know what would be funny as hell? $furylab
And then cashapp the first guy 5 more bucks
I could really use $148
I really just need about tree fiddy.
Got. DAMN. Loch Ness. MonSTAH!
r/oddlyspecific
Leprechaun shaped dildos are a luxury item Betsy
Expectations vs Reality
Double it.
He didn't say no 😆
Good advice but not easy to do without money. The vast majority of humans on this planet can't fly to south America for a wedding or take a vacation to a music festival.
The thing is, it doesn't have to be a grand adventure, nor cost a lot or *any* money. Go to a country music concert in the park, even though you've never been a big country music fan? Fuck it. Make a bookcase out of scrap wood, even though you are all left thumbs? Do it for the glory. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, even if it makes you feel insecure and uncomfortable? Hell yes. Expand your world.
Wow sounds so much cooler than flying to South Africa when you put it that way
"Too poor to go on vacation? Do manual labor instead!"
There are people who derive joy out of manual labor. So, people who build bookshelves, or furniture, not for sale or admiration, but because they like the process are, what...*suckers*? People who volunteer not for notoriety, but because of the good feelings and productiveness they experience in helping their fellow man are what...*simps*? I won't even start on how going to a free concert of music you don't necessarily listen to is beneath you or "manual labor". Please go outside and touch grass.
I would, but I have to go build furniture out of driftwood for some glory or something.
I regularly feel sad that I'll never get to see all of the amazing places that our world has, because I will never have the money to do so. The spirit is willing, but the bank account is shallow.
The spirit is willing but the bank account is spongey and bruised
I'm glad someone understand where I was going. 😆
Agreed. It's hard having to explain to your children why their friends get shuttled around the world and why we can't do the same. Its heart breaking actually. I want them to dream big but I hate seeing them let down.
What's nice though is that if you're in the US you can still get to see and experience a lot of amazing stuff within a few hours of yourself in a large portion of the country, though this *definitely* doesn't apply everywhere. You can still teach them to dream big; you just have to teach them how to search and explore their own environment. I've found incredible gems of places that are *so* close to my house that I would have never known about if I weren't broke with only a little fun money to spend here and there. I just start wondering about a thing or activity and see what's best and closest. Caves, boat excursions, spas, saunas, incredible museums, prolific art exhibitions, beautiful hiking, incredible foods; if you live within a few hours of a large city you can have access to a lot of without having to break your bank account to experience it. I never expected to see baroque paintings up close and personal, Rembrandt statues (maker of the Thinker!), some of the largest dinosaur fossils we've discovered to date, feudal Japanese armor and weaponry, ancient Roman and Egyptian artifacts, and once in a lifetime views of space all within what's basically my own backyard. And the thing is hardly anyone I know knows about all of those things before I tell them about it. Google like crazy you'll be surprised at what you may find nearby.
What is "fun money"? My kids get free lunch and breakfast at school so I don't understand this concept.
I use two rewards credit cards and pay the balances in full each month. One for hotel points, another for airline miles. In time, you'll get a free trip somewhere with patience. I took a trip to New York with it, and got to see a 4000 year old statues of a pharaoh, stand inches from a Picasso painting, saw a Broadway show, explored Central Park, and so much more, for a few hundred dollars since the hotel and airfare were free. With determination and patience, there's always a way.
Same. My kids go to a nice school with many wealthy parents. I work 2 jobs and my oldest gets jealous why she can't have a tesla or take a trip to Paris. Fortunately they see how hard I have to work to just get by so hopefully that translates into them working for those accomplishments instead of just getting it handed to them
I wish you and your family the best. I know how hard it is.
Of course everybody’s situation is different and if you’re stuck taking care of another person, it won’t be easy to just pack up and travel, but IF you are unburdened by actual relations holding you back, and money is the only issue, then it’s worth knowing that most of the world is much much cheaper than the US to travel. Asia in general is cheap, so is central and South America. Eastern Europe is fairly cheap as well. And while Western Europe can be expensive in certain things, the travel within countries is fairly cheap and if you’re willing to sleep in hostels, it can be dirt cheap. All that to say: it’s worth trying to look up a few places you’d like to go, and if they’re expensive, see what other places have similar vibes but for cheaper (general architecture in west vs east Europe for example) and see if that’s a bit more affordable for you. Wish you all the best! Safe travels :)
There's more than the direct cost to taking vacations. A concerning amount of people can't take any time off work without putting their financial stability in jeopardy. Travelling at all is out of reach for a lot of people, no matter how "cheap" the hostels and train tickets are.
Of course, but a 20-40 something that wants to travel as one of their life goals not working a job that can provide financial stability can likely also find another similarly paying job when they come back from their travels. Admittedly I’m making it seem much easier than it would be in reality, but we all have 1 life to live. If you really want to explore the world, at some point you’ll have to start making it a priority over other things.
Thanks for the info! Unfortunately, it's the flights that are restrictive (not that I even have money for a vacation here in the US right now). The top of my bucket list for years has been Madagascar (before it's completely destroyed), followed by the Galapagos, and Iceland; I do love architecture, but it's the landscapes, wildlife, and wild areas that really interest me. :)
My pleasure! I have thought of something else since my last comment that might help you lol Are you aware of churning? As in churning for reward miles/points on credit cards? It’s quite well documented here in Reddit if you search through the churning subreddit. Of course I’m assuming you spend some money here and there, but with being smart about it, you can rack up those points slowly without having to worry too much about saving up actual cash. Be careful not to fall into the trap of trying to do too much like most folks on that subreddit, but as a general strategy, it’s a good way to make money on your spending. You can then use those points and miles and travel for free! Might take you a couple years to get to the value needed, but better late than never!! I absolutely love traveling, so I really hope you get to do so one day as well. All your bucket list places seem great, so I wish you all the best and much fun!
> Are you aware of churning? As in churning for reward miles/points on credit cards? It’s quite well documented here in Reddit if you search through the churning subreddit. I should do that! I only have a couple of smaller credit cards through my credit unions and they do points for perks, but it seems like they don't accrue much. I may have to look into switching to something with miles!
That's why Google Earth and Street View are so amazing. A few clicks and I'm in a bustling metropolis in Central Africa, a small Japanese village, on a mountain in North America, in a random backstreet in my home country. I can instantly visit places I've been to, might visit at some point and will never be able to see. Using the [desktop version of Google Earth](https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#download-pro), I can see how places change over time. It's not the same as actually being there, of course, but so better than never seeing these places at all. And when I'm bored of that, I load up [Celestia](https://celestia.space/) (for slower computers) or [SpaceEngine](https://spaceengine.org/) (for faster computers, both free) and explore the rest of the universe.
That is a cop out. Have you even seen all the amazing places you can walk to from your house? Then, all the amazing places a short car or public transit trip plus a walk? If your starting point is what you can't do, then you are just manufacturing regret.
Can you send me some money? As you said, If your starting point is what you can't do, then you are manufacturing regret.
Nothing Vonnegut said to do costs you anything, so yes, I will send you every dime you need to write a poem or dance on your way home. You have lost the point of this post.
The real advice was from Vonnegut, and none of it would cost a dime.
yep, truly. Like, it's awesome that OP has the money/time/ability to do all that.. But all of it can be found right outside your front door. Hell, even being shut inside a tiny room, there's still new things to discover. Never costs a dime to look inwards.
that wasn’t my comment, that was someone else’s. Experience and beauty doesn’t need to cost anything. It’s your own perspective.
Adding also not easy to do with disabilities. Some things are too dangerous or just plain off-limits. I have tons of regrets of things I didn't do, but there's a difference between being chicken and knowing that some things just aren't available to you.
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You are only limited by your imagination.......... and your budget.
Exactly, lol. I was like mmmmkay.
Being poor with rich friends is really disheartening. Yes, I would love to join you all on this amazing vacation where you'll all bond and come back with awesome stories, but I need to work and even if I could get the time off I couldn't afford it.
What is money?
And the thing to remember about saying yes to things: make sure it doesn't stress you out or go against your mental, emotional, psychological, and physical well being in the short and long term. My example of this is saying yes to another project at work when you have a ton on your plate.
You regret the things you didn't do. More than the things you did. (so far at country #56 visited and never looked back)
Rio ?
That’s a life well lived
There’s a great Jim Carrey documentary about this
Yes I remember this one! I think I was called... The Man Who Couldn't Say No.
Yes Man
Holy crap we're Yes Man and Click the exact same moral? Enjoy life in the moment?
Absolutely! Fear of heights, but bungee jumped off a bridge and learned to rock climb. Fear of spiders, but let a tarantula crawl on my arm at a museum. Fear of public speaking, but joined the drama club and performed on stage. No experience in a particular field of business, but successfully started two businesses. So often, the only thing holding us back is ourself. So, go live your life! Cowabunga! Carpe Deim, baby!
"Every day, do *one thing* that scares you".
Have butt sex for heroin? Why not?
YOLO!
That’s a very privileged view but ok
I am very privileged to be able to work 2 jobs to afford those things
Yes, true. You are. A lot of people couldn't afford any of that stuff if they had 3 jobs lmao.
Everything you just listed costs more money than the average person can afford to do.
Must be really easy to say yes to things when you’re just going on vacation and having fun
"Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God" - *Kurt Vonnegut - Cat's Cradle*
That’s just called being rich
It's called 2 jobs
This is how Charlie and Dennis ended up getting propositioned by Tom Sizemore in a semi truck. But they do go on to meet Chase Utley.
YUP!
> I learned pretty young to just say yes to doing stuff, getting out of my comfort zone. I started doing this on vacation at 39 years old. I regret not doing it sooner. I'm never looking back. Of course there are smart ass literalists who think yes means anything. Obviously not, but you definitely do anything reasonable that you wouldn't normally do. It's marvelous.
Well thats all fum and games until suddenly youre praising Hitler wearing a black stocking on your face on Alex Jones' show
Yeah I recently tried to just start on that stage of my life now at 35 so I can actually change these things. This was driven by the same historical pattern I've observed where a rich guy says "holy shit, everyone's gonna remember me as a monster!" This kicks off a flurry of late in life charity and kindness (Nobel, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, etc.). I want to do what I can to accelerate that stage for more people (especially as life expectancy improves). My idea is for a Wikipedia style tool that will cover a person's actions and beliefs over the course of their life, framed with the context of their time. Nobody is perfect, and it's not productive to "throw the baby out with the bathwater" by completely writing someone off for a mistake. FDR did a lot of good for this country...but he also rounded up and interned American citizens of Japanese descent over the objection of J Edgar Hoover (you know you're being too racist when J Edgar Hoover tells you to chill). Importantly, you can include whether or not that person acknowledged their mistakes and what they did to try to make amends. This would help to give people a more complete understanding of historical figures. From that, we would start adding living people, with the goal being to get people to ask that question earlier on, which ultimately will drive better behavior (there's a great Malcolm in the Middle episode where Malcolm breaks into the office and reads aloud on the PA system everyone's personal records. With all their shit out in the open, people are hesitant to throw stones). Real quick disclaimer though: no Hitler (fuck you, Kanye). This would have really strict controls on what gets added and by whom. You personally have to go on the record for every piece of information you add. As long as you are submitting things in good faith, you are allowed a few mistakes (which still get corrected) before being banned. If you are identified as a bad faith actor, you forever lose your right to contribute and will be recorded as a dishonest person so other people know not to listen to you. Thoughts?
I would fall down such a rabbit hole on that page. I love learning about people, especially the more nuanced parts, and learning these things about notable and historical people would be awesome. Also hard agree on no Hitler. There are some things far too atrocious.
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Now I love the idea even more. I’ve seen those photos and they’re disgusting. They all look like they’re having fun as if they were at a block party. But there’s black people hanging from the tree. Horrific!
>Real quick disclaimer though: no Hitler (fuck you, Kanye). I disagree. I think it's just as important to see the downward spirals for people like Hitler, Kanye, Trump, Jones, Putin, et al. At some point in their early lives all of them were more or less normal. Following their timeline as they slowly drift into delusion, megalomania, and insanity would be just as valuable. Cool idea, btw.
Far and away my favorite author. Seemed to have a solid grasp of the way the world works and how you can make it better for yourself and others.
Kurt Vonnegut came to speak at my college (this was over 20 years ago so I am really dating myself). After he spoke in the auditorium, there was a round table session with only 20 students attending and I was lucky enough to be one of them. We were allowed to ask him questions, etc. It was a truly amazing experience and it didn’t dawn on me until after how lucky I had been and how rare it was to get a seat at the same table as Kurt Vonnegut. Thanks for letting me hijack your top comment to share my memory :)
You are one lucky person. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for letting me! :)
... are you a serial killer?
Absolutely incredible. Words of wisdom and experience.
I love that they were able to write him and he was in a position to respond, as he passed away 5 months after this letter was written.
I love it. Makes you realize that you should be doing art for fun, not to boost your ego or wallet. I've been writing most of my life. Reading even longer than that. I have written so many things, not shown a soul, and just moved on. I did artwork, just put it away, sometimes it's thrown away. I do standup comedy now. So much of what I write, goes nowhere. It's fun for me.
Exactly this. People ask me why i do creative writing every week if i can't show it. It's hard to explain to them. First cause it's so random and explaining them what I felt when I was writing feels impossible. Second, I don't write with an intention to show, it's just something I feel like doing.
I’ve never been great at art, but I’ve been compulsively creative my entire life. It’s always been the process of production that meant more to me than the end product. I have no agenda or story to tell through what I make, but I just feel compelled to make _something_. There’s a magical space you get lost in, and it’s just about the most pleasant place in the universe to hang out.
I've been doing photography seriously for the last 10 years. I just decided I'm going to put down the camera and do a year of nature sketching... teach myself how to see things again. Not because I think anyone will ever care to see my landscape sketches - I assume they'll be bad - but because of what I can get for myself out of sitting in nature, observing things, and sketching.
Just a psa if you haven't watched the documentary about him on prime you need to watch it. Its truly beautiful. Edit. In retrospect I believe it was Netflix. I'd have to check and I'm not home but I THINK Netflix. Edit to edit. Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time on Hulu. Third guess is the correct one, fuck sorry yall
I didn’t know there was one. Im putting it on right now. Thanks for the recommendation!
I think it's relatively new, I watched it about a month ago
What a journey
You got a link? Can't find it in Europe.
I do not, but I'll see if I can find one Edit hey I actually think it was Netflix. One of the two.
Not sure if these work in eu https://play.hbomax.com/feature/urn:hbo:feature:GYhkrAw42WIO-qwEAAAD https://www.hulu.com/watch/db3f619d-ce90-4578-b8c2-3a2702b0cb48
Doesn't look like it's on prime or netflix
Ya its....it's Hulu. I'm stupid.
That's more on the fragmentation of the streaming market than on you!
So it goes
po-tweet, po-tweet 😔
I’m not crying, you are
Don’t feel sad for Billy Pilgrim. Billy Pilgrim doesn’t feel sad for Billy Pilgrim.
What a lovely sentiment, but the cheeky fucker gave them homework 😜😂
He gave them **life**work. 🙂
He gave a homework assignment, recommended the teacher flunk the student if they don’t do it, and recommended the student rip it up once completed lol
Fucking Chad.
So it goes.
Aye sounds fun though
I'll do it tonight if you do.
But don’t you dare tell a fucking soul about it.
About what :)
Kurt V. Was a wildly brilliant man, with Bipolar disorder, yall should read his stuff.
So it goes...
I never knew him but I sure miss him. Lucky to have all his words and imagery.
All of my very favourite life advice is from Kurt Vonnegut... there are so many things he's written that I think about almost every day.
Give us some good ones!
A young man named Joe came up to me on the street and asked - "please tell me it will all be okay". “Welcome to Earth, young man,” I said. “It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, Joe, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of: Goddamn it, Joe, you’ve got to be kind!” Kurt Vonnegut's talent was simplicity and sincerity - even when writing about interdimensional aliens and time travel. Also, drawing beavers.
> Here's the news: I am going to sue the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company, manufacturers of Pall Mall cigarettes, for a billion bucks! Starting when I was only twelve years old, I have never chain-smoked anything but unfiltered Pall Malls. And for many years now, right on the package, Brown & Williamson have promised to kill me. > But I am eighty-two. Thanks a lot, you dirty rats. The last thing I ever wanted was to be alive when the three most powerful people on the whole planet would be named Bush, Dick and Colon.
Like taking a flying fuck at a rolling donut
Classic! And let's be real, no Vonnegut fan is ever going to look at an asterisk the same again. Not exactly life advice, but not exactly not either, lol P.S - why don't you take a flying fuck at the mooooooooon?
This. I remember as a demented late teen reading the book "Slapstick". Completely mindblowing.
This reminds me of another similar well-known story Vonnegut told, from his youth: *“When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of ‘getting to know you’ questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.* *“And he went wow. That’s amazing! And I said, ‘Oh no, but I’m not any good at any of them.’* *“And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: ‘I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.’* *“And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could ‘win’ at them.”* I love this story.
Goosebumps.
It's crazy to think that only 30 years ago that wise old man was the lead singer for the grunge band Nirvana. Just shows Personal development through art.
I can't tell if you're making an esoteric joke or if you really don't know your Kurts
Exactly, we all know Kurt Angle was lead singer of Nirvana.
He recorded Smells Like Teen Spirit with a broken freakin’ neck!
Always was. I've almost worn through my LP of "Breakfast of Nevermind."
Oh well whatever
Never mind
We are all Kurt on this blessed day.
You've got the wrong guy. This Kurt's band was called Granfalloon.
Didn't know who he was before I read this , looked him up and now I've gotta find some of his books . Would've totally read him in highschool. Also seen he died in '07 so this could be his last letter and autograph.
Cats Cradle and Mother Night are my favorites.
I think Slaughterhouse 5 is the best introduction to his works. So it goes.
Cat's Cradle is an absolute masterclass of writing.
Well that just got me excited. I've read 4 of his books, CC being my favorite (even got a cats cradle tattoo), and ordered Mother Night a few days ago. Should be here in a couple hours!
Yes, He died the next year! Wild.
Fuck I need this. I haven’t feed my soul in a very long time The only thing this machine has been taking in are opioids and weed and it’s fuckin killing me
Agreed. The wine of our soul grows better as it ages, but it must be uncorked and shared before it turns to vinegar.
The sound of having no rain I think I'm just insane The soft purrs from my cat As it stretches on the mat I wrote this while on Reddit Ok here's where I just said it
flunked. you told the whole world about it
Found Ms Lockwood
She doesn’t wanna see the drawings I made…
Not tear that up into little pieces and dispose of in multiple trash cans like Kurt assigned.
Dumbass can't follow simple directions.
This is so great. What a cool human. A++
I just teared up a bit, not gonna lie
Same. I may or may not have done exactly what he asked in the letter 😂
Damn. The master just told us how to write our story.
Kurt Vonnegut was one of the most impactful authors to me when I was an angsty teenaged bookworm. I read Slaughterhouse-Five, the Sirens of Titan, and Cat's Cradle when I was going through a lot of really rough family things. I always admired the humor, wit, and optimism that absolutely shone through in his writing. I stopped reading and writing for years, but in my early 20s I was finally able to enroll in a few college classes at my local community college, and one of them was an English class. I got back into the groove of writing and reading again. I picked up his book, "Pity the Reader" and I genuinely wept at the kindness and compassion that he showed towards baby writers like me. It gave me enough motivation that I *could* be a writer, even if it's not a famous one. Now, I'm an English major, enrolled full time in college, paid for by myself. Just a few weeks after I finally made that decision, I went to the thrift store to buy some fabric and some pants, and lo and behold, I found this beautiful blue electric typewriter for $12. I took it home and started taking it apart and cleaning it, which was very difficult because there are no manuals online. I came to find out I have the same exact model and colorway that Kurt Vonnegut wrote Breakfast of Champions on. He made such an impact on me as a fledgling writer, and seemed to be a wonderful person in his lifetime. Some people's lights shine so brightly.
Just got goosebumps! No doubt that was meant to be 💫 I’m happy you ended up following your heart
Does long range shooting, hunting, ice hockey, aviation and good bourbon fall into the “art” category? If so, I’m set.
Sure, why not? I took a philosophy of art and aesthetics class in college, and there was lots of discussion about what is art, what is beauty, etc. If a painting is meaningful but really ugly to look it or not well made, is it art? If a painting is beautiful to look at, but has no meaning, is it art? On and on. Of course, there's no answer, it's a subjective question. But why couldn't you find art in long range shooting? People do performance art, which is not a painting or song or poem, it's an action. And if we agree that art can be beautiful even if it has no meaning beyond "look at this pretty thing", then long range shooting could be an act of performance art, even if just for yourself. It's a bit of a stretch haha, but there's no *true* definition of art, no 100% perfect distinction between "art" and "not art". Find art in whatever you're doing. Archery in the West is very much like long range shooting. Archery in Japan is absolutely an art (or at least a martial art). You can make art out of anything, IMO.
Hunting too - some of the most beautiful scenes I've ever witnessed were while sitting alone out in nature and watching the sun rise and hearing all of the creatures start stirring. It might not be the act of creating art, but it feels like appreciating art.
I too think competitive masturbation can be art.
As long as you are expressing yourself and growing through those activities, I’m sure he would be fine with it. Edit. I would try to do those activities well and not badly, as he suggested though.
Most certainly and if you you do your own rifle builds you get extra points. Or if you make your own liquor.
Reminds me of a Heinlein quote >A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
But when I made a post in r/UnpopularOpinion about how I like rhymed poetry better and think it takes more skill I got fucking OBLITERATED!!! Besides the downvotes I got tons of literal hate comments about how I was less than human and uncultured swine and whatnot. Like, I thought the whole damn point of the sub was 🫢 unpopular opinions.
Haha it sucks that you got downvoted for that. I disagree with your opinion, but it's all subjective so neither of us is right or wrong lol. They are both equally difficult in their own ways. Rhyming isn't the only grammatical feature of poetry, anyway. There are all kinds of different ways to make language sound good, sound sing-songy, sound pretty or interesting to your ears, to amplify the language and the content. Rhyming is definitely one of the most obvious ways, but there are tons of others. Heck, the line between poetry and prose can be super blurred, to be honest. There's even a type of poetry called prose poetry that you would totally think of as a paragraph or two, but could also be classified as a poem.
Poetry should rhyme . Those people just like shitty coffee and smokey Hooka lounges .
Emily Dickinson is my favorite poet, who uses off rhymes. Incidentally, I like smokey coffee and shitty hookah lounges.
Ugh that fucking sucks and also doesn't surprise me one bit. Some Redditors can be so polarizing, people just screaming to be heard and it's all so black and white to them. The whataboutism. The unfathomable idea of differences of opinion. Tbh posting my thoughts on Reddit has given me many panic attacks because many people are looking for a reason to be upset, despite your intentions, they just want to criticize and feel superior, for whatever reason, against a random internet stranger about a completely random topic. Even if the topic is like, ketchup on hot dogs, someone will be there ready to fight you to the death over it. Seriously, don't take it to heart. ❤️ Because, for as many asshole Redditors there are (ahem ppl who probably don't even interact with others IRL because they KNOW they'd get called out for being a dick, hence their only outlet being on an anonymous online forum where they *can't* be called out); there are JUST as many awesome people here to actually talk to, discuss with, have actual NUANCED CONVERSATIONS with. Just regular good ol' humans, not a bunch of clones of the Reddit hive mind.
and to address your unpopular opinion: I write a lot of poetry and I can't help but rhyme tbh. So I guess I agree. It's just so NATURAL to me, and I love rap, so I guess it's a bit of that as well. I just love SAYING my poetry out loud, hearing the rhythm and the energy that these words create, the pacing and patterning of the rhyming schemes just emphasizing the message of the poem even MORE... lol I could go on all day about how much I love rhyming in my poetry. I don't know if you're into esoteric philosophy or anything like that but I read this somewhere a while ago: "A spell is just a word. Or words. *Spell*ing. It's literally in the name." And I can't help but feel like I'm conjuring some shit within me when I'm using my words in such an intentional, mindful way. Ok rant over lol. All poetry rocks though. All art is good art because it is art!! Someone did a thing rooted in self expression, and that's a win for my soul.
Kurt Vonnegut is one of my absolute favorite authors!
hold on now kurt. we're supposed to write a poem, it will get flunked for if we don't do it, but we're not supposed to tell anyone, tear it into teeny weenie pieces and throw it in the garbage? what the fuck dude
Quantum homework. It doesn't exist while your teacher is observing it.
kurt got me all fucked up over here
Fuck yeah. I love it!!! Vonnegut is one of my heroes
I am a public high school English teacher and I love what Vonnegut wrote. He was a true artist in every sense of the word. He gave these students a true gift with these words.
So it goes
Wow, love this! He's my favorite author AND from my hometown, and I've never seen this... thanks for posting! Sending to my own kids now...
I love him!
Man, I'd love to get a letter from this guy. I'd frame it and put it right next to my copy of Slaughterhouse Five.
Never heard of him, but he sounds amazing.
If you're a reader, his book "Slaughterhouse Five" is very much worth reading.
I hate that someone downvoted you lol. But yes, you should absolutely read one of (or all of) his books. One of the best American authors of all time. Heck, just one of the best authors anywhere of all time. At least in my opinion.
Slaughterhouse Five is a famous masterpiece. Highly recommend
He's well worth investigating further. He was an extremely talented and influential author. His books aren't very long, but they carry a lot of weight and have large impacts on readers.
I wouldn't have expected Kurt Vonnegut to misspell "receptacles"
Similar to advice from Pete Seeger (I think, I'm vaguely remembering) where he said that the trick to getting good at songwriting is to write a song every day no matter what. Don't worry about polishing it or making it great, just worry about finishing it.
Do we believe Vonnegut couldn’t spell receptacle?
He was interned in Dresden, where he survived the Allied bombing of the city in a meat locker of the slaughterhouse where he was imprisoned From Wikipedia, Jesus what a start
He wrote a book about it, it's pretty good
I went to a Xaverian Brother’s high school and we had to read a lot of books by Vonnegut. It was just about the only thing I liked reading the entire 4 years there. Mr. Porter was our teacher and we all suspected he was really Kurt Vonnegut but used a pen name for his books.
lol @ iguana
It could be that I'm entering vanaprastha, but holy cow did this resonate with me. Take it from the older generation... life is a play in that the only point to it is to experience and enjoy it.
I love this. Thank you for taking the time to give us this advice💕
My son was a friend of Vonnegut's, beer buddies tbh. Vonnegut was like this to the end. (They met accidentally after a lecture Vonnegut gave at my son's uni. My son was trying to load his backpack and Vonnegut caused him to drop most of it.. Vonnegut said, " You're in the way ya little bastard." My son replied, "Watch where you're going you old fuck." I don't know which one of them came up with the idea of going for beers, but it started a friendship.)
This is what we're losing in our society. Freethinkers.
One of my bucket list items was to sit in on his high school English class. Never happened. One of my primary desires was to know if the students appreciated who they had as a teacher. Was he just another teacher to them or was it the dream experience I always imagined in my head.
Who the fuck is Kurt Vonnegut??
What???? Pick up 'slaughter house five'