Times of Ol'

How many times do you look back and think Fuck me, my parents were right. Those WERE the best days of my life. I should have held on a little longer. Whether it be a little league game, band camp, a dance performance, an unforgettable night with friends, football game, a high school job that didn't matter; chances are that was the best time of your life. Remember how you felt? Remember the disbelief?

If these are the best days of my life, then my life is going to blow complete ass. I remember completely dismissing that tidbit of advice. If you were going to tell me that living in my parent's basement, not having any direction, and working so many hours I couldn't even count them anymore would be the best time of my life... I would have taken every pill in my house. They should have told it to us differently: Being an adult is a crapshoot. I think we would have gotten the message.

I remember being a Junior in High School and going to the bowling alley on friday nights for the black light bowling. I remember hating it, but I remember having such a great time. Or the time Nate and I threw the best party in the world at his house, and then did so like 4 more times. I remember being responsible for getting the majority of my friends drunk for their first time. I remember working at the Upper Deck and hating it, but loving it because I could do whatever I wanted. I was 17 and didn't know the meaning of integrity, so if you were an asshole to me I'd deep fry your burger instead of grilling it. I remember throwing a beer bottle as hard as I could from the outside grill to the dumpster- only to accidentally hit a drunk man in the head with it.

it's times like these you learn to live again
it's times like these you give and give again
it's times like these you learn to love again
it's times like these time and time again ~Times Like These-Foo Fighters


What about the time when Jennie got so wasted at Aaron's bonfire that Sam and I had to drive her home? Then I had to carry her into her house, past her mother, and drop her off at the steps that led up to her room. Then there was the time that She and I made a pact to get married at twenty-five. Or how about the time that she threw me and Dustin a going away party when we set off for Cedar Point in 2003, sending us off with a bottle of Jager each.

And what about Cedar Point? Serendipity at it's finest. The people I met, the path it laid; things I can never regret. Some incredibly intense things went on that grew me up fairly quick. And the direction it pointed me carves out my life thus far: Bloomington.

Who would have known that our best years were back then? Why didn't they tell me earlier? Oh wait... they tried.... I didn't listen...

...I never do...


There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves.
Albert Guinon