The idea (or fantasy) is often better than reality....
 

Another thread started by a youthful Pelican longing for a purple long hood reminded me of several of my past foibles where my idea of what it would be like to own, do, have something and when I made it a reality it wasn't nearly as fulfilling.

So what about it, folks? What are some instances of reality biting you in the arse?

A few of mine:

Buying a new motocross bike at the age of 30 thinking I could still ride like I was 16. Reality: Broke both arms on my first outing.:(

A used Alfa Spyder purchased to enjoy summer drives to the beach. Reality: a blown engine stranding me in the middle of nowhere halfway to my beach destination in 100 degree heat.:mad:

A threesome with two beautiful women. Reality: Initially a hoot but ending up in Fatal Attraction 2. And I don't mean a movie sequel:D

When I was living in Germany, I often visited some friends near Halle, who lived right by an old Soviet air base. There were still some Russkies there and word on the street was that a full auto AK-47 could be had for somewhere in the $300 USD range. I was actually totally serious about scooping one up and mailing it back home in many pieces over several months. My dad disabused me of that notion pretty quickly when I asked if he would mind taking delivery for me.

Last year while picking up my daughter from high school gymnastics practice, my daughter commented to some of her teammates that I had claimed I could still do a roundoff/back hand spring/back tuck like I could when I was younger.

The girls along with the coach all started riding me over it so I just had to prove I could still do it.......Well, I did it, but my back hurt for over a month afterwards (of course I never admitted it ;) )

This past summer, I read a magazine article about some older guys preparing to compete at the AMA amatuer national motocross championships and I started telling myself that now that I am 40, I should buy a new 450 and have at it again in the 40+ class (A week or two on the bike and I would be just as fast as I was back in the day ;) ). Thankfully my wife shot my "fantasy" down before I could plop down the cash on a new bike! :D

At least once a month I find myself lusting for another German car in need of some TLC. I always seem to be able to come up with some kind reasoning/justification for the purchase, but once again, the wife "usually" is able to snap me out of my dream. :)

Being married to a good looking woman that couldn't be trusted.

My first wife springs to mind right away.

1966 Shelby GT350. Bought it believing the hype. It was a loud, crude car with marginal brakes that wouldn't corner worth a you-know-what. That was one of about 4 cars I bought over a period of years that was nice to look at but underwhelming to drive/own.

I'm 49 and just recently started accepting the hard-to-believe notion that perhaps I've lost a step since I was in my mid-twenties. I'm pretty fit, not overweight, etc., but when I jog from the office building to my vehicle, I get the feeling I could sustain an injury just doing that.

I do my best exercizing in a horizontal position, if you know what I mean.

Not going horseback riding with the wife but taking out a quad instead. Was in Aruba, I ride and own bikes and quads so no biggie cept I have no gear with me, they send me off w/out a helmet and tell me that the rear brakes are not hooked up, their guests have less trouble that way. Huhhh? weirdest thing I've ever heard but OK I can deal.

Fast forward to me forgetting about the brakes and ending up in the emergency room being bandaged head to toe.

I looked like a friggin mummy. If you've never been to Aruba the whole place is covered in some weird broken slate kind of rocks. I think I would have lost less skin going down on asphalt in shorts and a tee.

Kinda ruined that vaca.

I really wanted to rent quads when we went to Aruba. My parents decided not to let me (even though I've been riding them for 6 years). But our rental car was a manual Suzuki Samurai, which turned out to be pretty fun, especially out in the dirt and rocks on the Northern end of the island.

The idea (or fantasy) is often better than reality...

A certain 356 comes to mind....

Actually, my '71S hot rod cafe racer was a distant 2nd. BTDT.

5th ammendment here..lol.

Sleeping??

;) :D

my pos 73Starga

Leasing a 2005 Audi and thinking all the problems with the 2001 would go away because it was new.

I'm thinking about getting a dog, I go from so excited to terrified...talk me in or out of it...

adam, get a young puppy...who needs sleep? ;)

I know it says "idea" in the title, but just about every woman is a fantasy at one time or another, then you find out.....

Every beautiful woman I see, I have to remind myself there's a guy somewhere that's tired of fokking her:D

Thinking I would actually use my $1600 treadmill.

Ha! That's why I bought a $5000 cross trainer. I'd feel guilty if I didn't use it :-)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1172770959.jpg

On my honeymooon in Hawaii, we drove up to the top of Haleakala - an extinct volcano on Maui. When we got to the top, we could see not for miles, but for feet -- the clouds had enveloped the mountain by the time we got there...

Fast forward 10 years: the Mrs. and I decided to go back to Hawaii. This time, I was sure I would see the spectacular vista Haleakala is known for. I couldn't see but more than a few inches infront of me. Oh, and the real kicker was that the next day, you could see the top of the mountain from our hotel room!

Next time we go back, I'm going to sit in my hotel room and watch that mount -- once the skies clear, I'm going to head up that road once more. They do say that third time's a charm, right?!?


Oh, and one more thing - more recent -- my wife finally coerst me into getting a massage at a spa. It's supposed to be relaxing, right? Well, I suppose it would have been better if the woman rubbing my back and neck had shorter nails. Man, those talons dug into my skull like there was no tomorrow. Massages do absoltely NOTHING for me -- I'd much rather turn laps at 100mph in my P-car any day...

-Z-man.

Thinking I could get a new dirt cycle and keep up with my 20 year old. Broke my foot on the first trail.

thinking i could use college loan money to restore an old CJ-7.

dating a hot woman, obviously out of my league in the "looks department". but i thought she was easy pickings because she was vulnerable and needy. she fell in love in about 7 minutes and stalked me for years. i honestly thought i would have to kill her in the future. (find her in my home killing a pet of course)