Life moves on, major downsizing

[spideyjg]

Life has taken many turns. Looking to hang up on playing. Well really have anyway.

Anyone else gone through late life crisis and had to make major changes?

 

[hbarcat]

If you don't mind sharing, what's the reason you're giving up playing and downsizing?

I had a major lifestyle change for health reasons about 10 years ago and had to give up some of my physically demanding activities. Of course, that's a very common reason for us aging bass players. But I know there are other good reasons, like growing family, new responsibilities and obligations, moving to a new home, getting a different job/career, or just lost interest.

 

[MJ5150]

I wouldn't call it a crisis, but the wife and I did a major downsizing by choice from 2015 to 2017, then moved into a tiny home May of 2017. From 1,800+ square feet to 340 square feet. Zero regrets.

-Mike

 

[Oddly]

I hung up on playing for well over twenty years, as I had a family to raise.
Only got back to it within the last 5 years or so...and really wished I'd at least kept a bass around to noodle on, as re-learning has been hard.
Hope things work out for you.

 

[LBS-bass]

I hung up on playing for well over twenty years, as I had a family to raise.
Only got back to it within the last 5 years or so...and really wished I'd at least kept a bass around to noodle on, as re-learning has been hard.
Hope things work out for you.

What he said, except I didn't have a family, just wanted to do different work.

 

[pie_man_25]

I basically had to hang it up for just going on five for job reasons.

And if it helps, during that period my personal stuff was my phone, a laptop, an acoustic, some soap and shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, three pairs of jeans, five black t shirts and some converse shoes. If I went camping on my own time, it was with issued kit. Oh right, I had done boots too, but I guess I never counted them.

I hope that these changes lead to new adventures and when you can get back to it, new ways of looking at your playing.

 

[two fingers]

I'm trying to be better about rolling with the changes. I'm at a different stage in life from you.... 51, a pre teen and a teen daughter, their activities, work, spread out extended aily, band, church, big house and 5 acres of land to maintain, etc. I don't see anything getting smaller or slowing down any time soon. It's beautiful chaos for me right now.

There are days I wish we still lived in that condo a hundred yards from a grocery store and my favorite pub. Basically, I long for simpler times. But I don't want to rush my daughter's out of my life to get to them. So I'll roll with it.

I did do a drastic downsize during divorce from my first wife. In some ways it was traumatic. In other ways it was a breath of fresh air. She was always the one into "more things" anyway. But I was in late 20s then, so it probably doesn't compare to your situation.

Take care of your health (both physical and mental) first. You can always buy another bass down the road.

Wishing you all the best with whatever this transition is.

 

[Snert]

Life has taken many turns. Looking to hang up on playing. Well really have anyway.

Anyone else gone through late life crisis and had to make major changes?

Life has thrown me a number of, ahem, lets say, challenges, and I'm trying to roll with them. Deus Vult.

I've moved back to my small town and have spent the last couple of months unwinding physically and mentally from city life. The last couple of years were very hard and I'm starting to feel like a human again.

I'm looking to start a local group in town, just for our own amusement and to let us play together, and to get some live music back in my new Church. The Pastor is open to it, we just have to see who fronts up.

Gearwise, I'm scaling down radically. I have more than I need, so the rest should go.

 

[T_Bone_TL]

I'd suggest hanging onto one bass, just in case you re-develop a yen for it. The smallest one, or the one you like best, or the one that would be hardest to replace - whatever logic speaks to you.

The majority of the band I play in is over 70. None of us is doing it for a living.

You might find music and/or people you can have fun with, yet. Or not. I don't know your situation and I'm not going to pry.

 

[spideyjg]

Yes I am making decisions but got 16 basses and 2 guitars to decide on.

Hope all has worked out for others going through "changes".

 

[Gibson Victory]

Could be just a slump, maybe a break is needed. Be careful what you sell so that you don’t end up regretting it in the long run.

 

[Snert]

Yes I am making decisions but got 16 basses and 2 guitars to decide on.

I didn't read it as though you were looking to sell all your gear. Don't, I think you'll regret it. Maybe keep a guitar and a bass as one day you might want to pick them up again, and you won't have anything to play. Periods of 'being over it' for whatever reason seems common, and I went through a few years of not being interested in playing. Then I picked it up again, and quickly moved from 5, then to 6 string basses, a path I would never have imagined taking a decade ago; fortunately I kept most of what I had through the down time so I could pick up again easily enough.
Though I have some guitars, I'm not very good and have started lessons and am finding it fun. Mostly, frustrating but good. Never know what the future will hold.

Whatever happens, I hope you come out of it OK.

 

[spideyjg]

Will not get rid of all stuff. Just downsize.

 

[JACKSON JS1XM]

I didn't read it as though you were looking to sell all your gear. Don't, I think you'll regret it. Maybe keep a guitar and a bass as one day you might want to pick them up again, and you won't have anything to play. Periods of 'being over it' for whatever reason seems common, and I went through a few years of not being interested in playing. Then I picked it up again, and quickly moved from 5, then to 6 string basses, a path I would never have imagined taking a decade ago; fortunately I kept most of what I had through the down time so I could pick up again easily enough.
Though I have some guitars, I'm not very good and have started lessons and am finding it fun. Mostly, frustrating but good. Never know what the future will hold.

Whatever happens, I hope you come out of it OK.

For me 2019 to present became my bucket list of what I wanted to do on planet Earth before I go as no regrets. I was my Dad's caregiver (he was 96+ yo, the dog was 18+ yo), I buried both of them in 2018 as they passed away within 21 days of each other, Mom had passed away 5 years earlier, 21 & 42 days from dog & Dad in that order. For all 3, I shoveled dirt at the cemetery burials, was the least I could do as final respects. Also made sure I was close enough to visit for anniversaries & holidays. It took me that to realize what was most important in life. I'm not done yet for what I still need to do.

When the dog passed away, Dad didn't want to do anything fancy, but she was Mom's dog and I knew the right thing was to return her to Mom's side. The crazy thing about it all, a couple of days before the Euthanasia appointment, the dog had enough strength, I took her to the cemetery for the 1st time the animal ever was there. Completely blind the dog was leading me thru the cemetery to Mom's headstone and she stopped, she sniffed the ground, then laid there and I knew that's when she was choosing her final resting place. On the drive back, this dog that had never barked, she was howling in the front seat & didn't stop until she was back inside of Dad's house and she immediately went to his side, the chair he always sat. For the Euthanasia, I made sure I paid for the private cremation ashes for the dog that are returned to the owner(s), best $ 100 additional upgrade that I ever spent. I buried her ashes at midnight of a full moon there. The next day, I told Dad what I had done, and he was grinning from ear to ear, said to me, Well, you said you were going to do that & you kept your word & did it. A day later Dad went to the ICU for 5 days, 5 days after discharge, he passed away. And it was my responsibility to get the WW2 Vet headstone done, bury his ashes for the 3 of them to be reunited in their final, right size retirement home. Their declines coincided. The dog had gotten Dad thru the final 5 years of his life, just as he was making sure she was taken care of after Mom's passing, they both knew it was time to be with Mom.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

to 340 square feet. Zero regrets.

Daaaang. That is my bedroom.

Glad you both are happy.

 

[MJ5150]

Daaaang. That is my bedroom.

Glad you both are happy.

Yeah, it was crazy when we first thought of the idea. With the right mindset it worked out just fine.
It is fun now staying in hotels since we feel like we're in a mansion. I'll look at my wife when we step into the room and we'll say to each other .... What are we going to do with all this extra room? Haha.
A bonus of tiny living is it takes less than five minutes to pack for any trip. Every piece of clothing I own can fit in one suitcase. We never have to check bags or try and jam a suitcase worth of stuff into a carry-on and try to wedge it into the overhead bin.

-Mike