Thinking

[Ishmael]

So here I am playing roulette with the radio dial. Checking out the stations that are playing the oldies (and that depends on what's old to you, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's??????). A station for all. I remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard these songs. That's scary enough in it's own right.

I remember an old Bob Dylan song with the line, "The further down the river, the stronger the stream." I remember when the summers lasted forever and the school years even longer. When the world was bright and shiny, the time before it became pastel.

I remember an old cartoon where a man is picking up one straw at a time and placing it on a camels back, removing it, and saying, "Nope, that's not the one."

I remember every bad decision that I ever made. Usually long after there was time to recover, but I remember.

I remember every spanking I ever got, why I got them, and why I deserved them.

I remember address's and phone numbers from my pre-teen years. Friends lost, friends refound.

I remember when it was forever between Christmas's, and how now there's barely time to pack the ornaments before it's time to break them out again.

I now understand that when you are faced with a finite number of days, how fast they go.

I remember all of my phases. Young and dumb. Early middle aged and confident. Mid-life crisis and the price paid.

What do you remember?

Ishmael

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

Wow, great thread, and great post Ishmael.

I remember when doors could be left unlocked.

I remember when kids could walk a mile or more to school, and get there alive.

I remember when disrespect to elders would get your ass beat.

I remember when I could eat all the Halloween candy, and not gain weight.

I remember when everyone in town was out for a walk in the evenings, or in their yards, talking to neighbors.

I remember the last neighbor whose name I actually knew.

 

[Bob Peale]

I remember waiting for "someday"...when I'd be older, taller, richer, funnier

I remember being old enough not to have to wear undershirts if I didn't want to

I remember finding out what the "bases" were

I remember finding out that I still didn't know

I remember finding out that THAT was what that was for

I remember wanting a change

I remember wishing things would go back to the way they were

I remember the first time I stayed up all night talking

I remember being certain it would never get any better

I remember realizing that it definitely had

 

[IrishWolfhound]

Wow, great thread, and great post Ishmael.

I remember when doors could be left unlocked.

I remember when kids could walk a mile or more to school, and get there alive.

I remember when disrespect to elders would get your ass beat.

I remember when I could eat all the Halloween candy, and not gain weight.

I remember when everyone in town was out for a walk in the evenings, or in their yards, talking to neighbors.

I remember the last neighbor whose name I actually knew.

I remember playing in the dark at night.

I remember the ice cream man.

Summers that were long and lazy.

And never wondering about the future. I lived in today.

 

[Simply Me]

I remember when respect was earned, not demanded.

I remember getting paddlings in school ( so I put her head in the toilet) and my parents not threatening to sue because of it.

I remember walking everywhere I went, and not being afraid.

I remember picking up coke bottles out of the ditches and turning them in for money to buy penny candy.

I remember trying to steal a polo paddle by putting it in my pants, and getting whipped by that same paddle when I was caught.

I remember believing that when a person married, they stayed married.

I remember the eyes of the little black girl who marched down my street, and I was so confused and didn't understand what was going on. Today, I would walk with her.

I remember captain crunch ice creams and how good they were after swimming all day.

I remember when you knew everyone on your street by name, and you could walk in anyones house at any time.

 

[Debbie]

I remember dancing to the Wombles song as a kid and be so happy and carefree.
I remember my Dad. (barely)
I remember my first day of Catholic school.
I remember fireworks and wheelbarrow rides at my Nana and Grandad's house.
I remember my baby sister coming home from the hospital and how I smiled that day.
I remember when you could get 10 lollies for 1c.
I remember my Grandfather's laugh.
I remember the first time my babies moved.
I remember the smell of the first rose that bloomed on a rose bush that I grew from a cutting.
I remember the first time my ex hit me and that I will never let myself be treated that way again.
I remember so many kind words from people I miss.
I remember how lucky I am to being who I am.

 

[truegentleman]

I remember catching fire fly's at my grandmother's house in the mountains.

I remember sneaking off to the creek to go swimming.

I remember riding my bike to school.

I remember spending all day at the park just playing and laughing.

 

[SpiceCake]

I remember...

Penny candy

Thinking my big brother was big

Going steady

Disco (yikes!)

Elevator shoes

Freddie Prinz, Sr.

Black & white TV

Walking barefoot

When soccer moms weren't "soccer moms"

 

[IrishWolfhound]

I remember in 1st grade. My best friend Danny & I got in trouble and had to stay after. Danny snuck out...and I didnt tell on him or try to stop him because he was my best friend.

Danny got killed by a car that afternoon.

And I remember thinking if I had only...

How does a six year old handle death?

 

[Ishmael]

[B

How does a six year old handle death? [/B]

They don't.

I remember going to my aunt's funeral. The adults standing around saying, "Doesn't she look just like she did when she was alive?" And me thinking, "No she doesn't, she looks dead."

Can't unsift the sands of time IW.

Ishmael

 

[Bob_Bytchin]

Most people don't understand my outlook on death. I would rather celebrate the person's life...being glad that I knew them, rather then cry because they are gone.

 

[IrishWolfhound]

Most people don't understand my outlook on death. I would rather celebrate the person's life...being glad that I knew them, rather then cry because they are gone.

It wasn't so much his death...it was thinking maybe I could have prevented it. Where does a child get such ideas?

 

[MissTaken]

I remember when

a promise was made and a promise was kept.

I remember the

smell of a new box of crayons being opened on the first day of school.


I remember when Santa Claus was real and there was magic in the world.

I remember when my mother could do no wrong and was heaven sent. I know now that she can make mistakes, but still believe she is heaven sent.

I remember when Russia was the big, bad guys, Fidel Castro was bashed in America as a potential threat and no one really knew what Iraq was.

I remember when Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" or "Psycho" was too graphic or scarey for a child to see.


I remember holding my new born son in my arms and watching his dad cry. The next time he cried was when I left with his son.

 

[Guest]

I remember standing in my crib after my parents left for work, and waiting on my Grandma to come rescue me.

I remember Papa and the rides he took me on the mule Toby.

I remember when my daddy used to spank me, sometimes I deserved it, sometimes I didn't.

I remember when my mom's dad died, a grandpa I barely knew. She was so upset and crying all the 3 hours driving time, that I said to her, "I won't let grandpa die anymore."

I remember calling a huge lake we visited frequetly, "I see that big bath tub."

I remember when my baby brother was born, and I was disappointed he wasn't a girl.

I remember when I didn't know a stranger.

I remember living in a small town, so small, they knew me before I knew them.

I remember my first day of 1st grade. I got lost trying to find home, and an older student took me there.

I remember getting paddled by my 2nd grade teacher, cause recess was over, and I didn't here her call us in.

I remember hating my 3rd grade teacher cause she made me eat cottage cheese when I didn't want to. I still don't eat cottage cheese.

I remember being picked in 5th grade to take typing. Only the 5 best students got to go.

I remember starting band in 5th grade. I picked a clarinet.

I remember my parents taking me to Kansas City to buy my first clarinet, cause they were so supportive of my choice.

I remember getting 1st in state for a clarinet solo when I was in 7th grade.

I remember losing my band teacher, and having to find my music interests to go a different direction.

I remember meeting my first husband to be.

I remember moving out of my parents home.

I remember being afraid of leaving the state with my new husband.

I remember my husband's and my first fight.

I remember the day I knew I was pregnant.

I remember the moment I told him I was with child.

I remember the day I was raped.

I remember when my water broke.

I remember the moment my son was born.

I remember the day we arrived in Germany.

I remember.....I can't go on right now.

We are only to 1979. I remember a lot.

Moon

 

[70/30]

airmailing the realness

Ya'll best be forgettin' that "those were the good times" bullshit cuz we got a new sheriff that don't wanna hear you lollyasses sobbin' i got it bad now cuz it was so much better before. I doubt you muthafucks are as stuck as you say, you can still bow up and break out-if ya'd just let your nuts swing again.

I had to talk my grams outta foldin' today, sure I couldn't do it the right way like I do's to you sacs cuz she is mucho crazy and has been for like her whole life. It took me like an hour to break down her circular logic but this 5min summary will do for you since I prolly don't give a shit about ya'll anyway.

She's 80% blind, 80% deaf, multiple lifelong mental illnesses, in her 7th year of dialysis, heart disease, virtually immobile, her husband kept her from killing herself for 56years died from cancer 1year ago tomorrow, she doesn't have enough money to live on her own nor could she make it anyway. She has like 2cards outta 52.

She was serious about driving her back to Alabama to arrange hospice cuz she wants off dialysis, "It costs everyone a lot of money to keep me on the machine, I don't have enough money to pay all my bills, and I am too much of a burden."

Here's what I say, "First, who gives a shit if you cost everyone a lot of money cuz of medical care-tell 'em all to shut the fuck up, lay down and lap you up."

Second, "you make no sense saying you are worried about getting in debt but the next sentence you want hospice, that's fuckin' retardo shit. Anybody involved with ChaseManhattan can take their trip to hell a little earlier than expected. What are they gonna do, ship you to Huntsville or Sing Sing? You aren't defined by what ya got, how much you owe, or what has happened to you, you are defined by who you are. If you gotta sit in a rockin' chair doing jackshit, oh well, you can still have happy thoughts or you can always be pissed off at abstract people (I recommend GWB), everybody always got something to do."

Third, "you wanna be less of a burden? Well, just be more considerate and appreciate people that are willing to do what they can for you. Trust me if I didn't give a fuck I wouldn't do nothing, so rest assured."

Okay doods, Ishmael trying to act human on this thread brought me back a little early. I must admit peaking at the patheticness of board since I've been gone has me hard. However, even a badass such as myself remembers eating fundip and playing cupball at the little league park, being the guy to count on with all the marbles on the line anchoring the relay, or having a 48hour, 40beer drunk-a-thon at Padre with nowhere to sleep 'cept on the sand-wow fun shit but big fuckin' deal, today you can still be plotting a big breakout. Memories are precious unless you let them sabotage, then they are fuckin' toxic. Keep smokin' the good shit and flush the bad shit. If ya really are stuck and gotta sit on that damn rockin' chair with no one to talk to fuck it and enjoy the oxygen-really don't need that much else.

 

[freakygirl]

I remember:

The day my brother came home from the hospital. I was angry he wasn't a sister.

Stealing vegetables out of the neighbors yard.

Playing baseball with the neighbor kids, my brothers and cousins.

Living with my Grandparents in 4th grade.

Going clam digging early in the morning with my Uncle, Dad and cousins.

My dog Silver.. and they way he smiled when we played with the tennis ball.

The first time my father cried.. and why he was crying.

Sitting up late at night with Kurt, Buzz, my brother, John, and Bill playing Risk.. and looking at Playboy magazines.

My first kiss

Losing my virginity

Finding out I was pregnant

The first time I looked at each of my kids

Falling in love.

Losing loved ones before their time.