Time flies.
It doesn't matter whether or not you're having fun. Oh, when you're NOT having fun it may seem to drag at the time, but when you look back on it....
Now, if you're younger than me ... you're not reading this. Who am I kidding?
After years of silent contemplation, I think I've figured it out. When I was 20 years old, 20 years was a lifetime. It had been two years since I graduated from high school. But when I was 40, 20 years ago was last week, and I graduated from high school yesterday. At 55, I graduated from high school ... yesterday, and 35 years ago was last week.
As I mentioned in my first blog, judging by family history on my father's side, I think I can count on checking out around 80, following a 10 year decline. Using the time calculations above, check out time is noon tomorrow.
I went to work for the State of Louisiana in 1990, with no intention of actually retiring from the State. The retirement plan was a good one however, and we've already discussed how short 20 years really is. Now, 22 years later I'm looking at actually retiring in 1010 days. If those pinheads in the Le ... t's skate back over where the ice is a little thicker.
Time flies.
Back in the day, at good ol' Camp Karankawa, we decided to offer the Journalism Merit Badge at Winter Camp. That was just yesterday, or 27 years ago. To help our campers fulfil the Merit Badge requirements we published a camp "newspaper." As is usually the case the tail was soon wagging the dog, and Eric (you readin' this? Hi, Eric!) and I were soon more worried about filling up the paper than teaching a merit badge. We decided it would be funny (it amused US anyway) to review movies that hadn't been released yet. Next week I'll do my first movie review in this blog.
Back in 1970 or '71, I don't remember the date, a movie called "Night of Dark Shadows" was released. Okay it was released in '70 and made it's way around the country as movies did in those days. What I don't remember is when it got to The Lake theater in Lake Jackson, Texas. What I do remember is that I was standing on the steps with the film canisters when the doors opened. Did I mention I was a "Dark Shadows" fan? I don't remember whether it hit The Lake in the summer, or whether movies started their run on Saturdays then, but I do remember those film canisters on the porch, and not having anything better to do than wait for the theater to open. I guess I was ahead of my time. Today there'd be a thousand other geeks with sleeping bags, everybody would be dressed as characters, we'd have an all night party, the showing would be at midnight, and I'D BE FIRST IN LINE. I was the cool guy and didn't know it.
I was also at the last showing, and three in between. For years, "House of Dark Shadows" was tied with "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (which came out a few years before, but I seem to remember after) as the movie I had paid to see the most times. Five each. That lasted right up until "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Anyway, I have a committment tonight, and I have to get up early tomorrow. But I have every intention of adding my cash to their weekend gross, and next week, I will inflict my opinion on any of you who care to read it here.
But until then, YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN!!!
