Losing interest

Have you ever lost interest in something that was once a huge part of your life, and does it distress you?

 

I used to play with Star Wars figures all the time when I was 12. I am not distressed by losing interest in them.

 

Yes. Lately I've been losing interest in writing fiction, which has been a big part of my life for the last 20 years. I've also taken to questioning whether I wasted a large part of my life in writing fiction. I know it's helped keep me away from my demons, to keep me sober. But lately I've been second-guessing my devotion to it. Hopefully it's just a mid-life crisis.

 

All the time. I get enthused about something and immerse myself in it and then one day I'm just done with it. i felt bad about it for a long time but have come to realize it's just my nature.

 

Exes.

 

Since I retired, I've been trying to decide what I followed because I liked it or because I had to for my job. Basketball sank right out of the picture. The only basketball I watch is when it's on a TV where we happen to be eating. Same with tennis and autos.

 

My level of give a shit right now is nonexistent.

 

Sports. I just lost my ability to really give a shit about them five years ago. I watch them. I write about them for the job. I still talk about them. They're so built into how I interact with others that it's impossible to give them up, but I don't get much enjoyment out of watching any sporting event unless it's a leisurely baseball game where I don't have to pay attention too closely. I enjoy the conversations with others about sports because I enjoy conversation and because my social life is built around them whether it's tailgating or being at a sports bar or family get-togethers, but the games themselves are now something I put on in the background while I read or work out or do my work. I'm guessing having a son will re-kindle some of that love of sports as he starts to watch and play them, but right now it's not there.

 

I got the same way. Between most of my teams taking a downward turn, getting swamped with work, getting a little older, and having some fantasy leagues fade out, it got harder to care about sports in general. Maybe a specific team or game, but my enthusiasm waned.
Then this year gambling was legalized and, strangely, I found myself watching again. Sure it was on games I bet on, but I suddenly became a lot more interested in that random Conference USA football game or early December Warriors-Grizzlies blowout that started at 9:30 p.m. Started following some leagues and checking on teams, too, looking for some trends and good games to play. It definitely rekindled my interest.

 

Pretty sure that as you grow older, you realize the "instant classics" aren't that great and will eventually not mean anything. Used to be big into college football, now it seems more and more like glorified high school football - particularly since the gulf between the haves and have nots gets wider and wider. College basketball until the first weekend of the tourney, and the baseball strike in the 90s made me realize life goes on without baseball.

 

Everything

 

Arena football. Used to love covering it and then trying to keep teams going...

Same goes for these new spring leagues. I covered Spurrier and the Tampa Bay Bandits in 1985. Why do I need to do this one? Maybe if some of our players are in it....