Friday, August 05, 2005

Can you tell me how get to memory lane?


This week of leave from work has been fantastic. I've spent countless hours blog surfing and meeting new folks. Today has been exceptional. Several folks have been talking about the 80's and their affects on us. Wendy made a comment about some of my fave groups which caused me to go digging and playing some awesome stuff (Cinderella is on now).

This mood has caused me to think about my life and what it has evolved into. I've thought about friends and Celebes who are no longer with us due to life's circumstances. But moreover, I've thought about decisions and ideals that I've believed in which have led me to the existence I'm living now.

Someone said this morning that the 80's were a decadent drug filled time for her. They were for me too. I was rebelling against everything. When I graduated in 85, I thumbed my nose at education, I thought people who worked conventional jobs and had nice homes and families surely had to be bored with life and they would jump at the chance to live like me. Every day was an adventure. Every night was a party with different girls. My family was concerned about my lifestyle, but what did they know. They were part of the mainstream that was in envy of people like me (so I thought). As long as I had money for smokes and drinks, rent and bills could take a back seat. I was so out of control it wasn't funny. I knew it, but somehow rationalized it as an exciting way to live. I simply didn't have a pot to piss in.

Well 1988 came, I joined the USAF and got lucky enough to get stationed back home in Biloxi, MS. Where my girlfriend was (thanks to dad). I continued to live a crazy lifestyle but managed to convince my girl to marry me and that would settle me down (yea right). For many years I did crazy shit and my wife put up with it.

I justified having to get a mainstream job because I had to provide for my wife and now a son. I bought motorcycles and ran with hardcore bikers and other people who didn't fit into society. I made us live hand to mouth with my lifestyle but this woman stuck with me.

Fast forward to the present... I've sobered up (thank God) and I'm thankfully becoming part of mainstream society. I'll have a good retirement, I have a few college degrees, we've got 3 healthy kids, two cars (that actually always run and are legal by state law). We have a nice house on a cul de sac in suburbia America (that's the pic above).

How different my life is than I would have ever imagined it 20 years ago. As I sit here and listen to Dream Warriors by Dokken, I miss Steve Douglas, Tim Fosse, Buddy Bond (I hope he's still alive and he's clean), Cousin It (RIP bro) Robbin Crosby from RATT (RIP King) and so many others from my strange and twisted past. Every day I become more at peace with myself.

But I digress. I've enjoyed this trip back down memory lane. It was induced by blog people who I consider new friends. They have their own stories and maybe they will share more of them.
Thanks everyone,

8 comments:

Wendy said...

Awesome! Great post! We were all like that that back then. It's amazing I'm still alive to talk about it. But, isn't great to be able to look back and realize those events had to happen to bring us where we are now? You have to do the suffering to get to the appreciation of life. I did mine and am better for it.

Oh, yeah, Cinderella and Def Leppard (or was it Dokken?) came to my town not even two or three months ago and I missed them. Bummer, should have gone.

Beth said...

Wow, I just feel really honored to have caused you to blog about this. I definitely see a lot of my youth in your words. I'm adding you to my favorite as well now!

That dude Paul said...

Hey there GK.
Thanks again..

Scott said...

I miss the eighties too. A lot of my friends got married early and really did envy my lifestyle, which sounds a little like yours, except for the company I kept. I ran with a nerd crowd but kept a foot in three different worlds at the same time, then experimented with different shades of life in college as I moved from dorm to dorm to frat to dorm to frat to dorm. Life is about tasting the fruit my friend, and I don't regret much, even the bad times. I've always thrived on chaos, but we all have to grow up some time.

That dude Paul said...

Yep Chelsea,
I agree 100%. I've asked my (and her) why. I dont ask anymore, I just make sure I do my best to show my appreciation.

MomThatsNuts said...

Hey Paul,

Thanks for stopping by the crazy-ness I call my LIFE...yeah I was talking to the troll~ings about when I was a KID ( I graduated high school in '82) but it seems EONS ago technologically doesnt it? They couldnt believe I didnt have a cell phone or computer. I know , seems we just cant live without them now...lol Wives are great creatures, full of patience...only God knows how we do it!! The ETK makes me NUTS as you can tell if you read any of my archives and will be able to tell as you check back!! (ETK stands for Evil Troll King and the troll~ings are my kids...the names are left out to protect the innocent and the guilty~) OH sheeesh sorry guess I shouldnt BLOG on your BLOG huh?? Thanks for stopping by, I look forward to getting to know you better....Im on Yahoo messenger too....FYI~~

Mom

That dude Paul said...

Hiya Momthatsnuts,
Thanks for stopping bye. I look forward to getting to know ya too.
Peace,

ida said...

I just clicked on the photo of your home in order to enlarge it... and was startled to see the small child standing beneath the tree. It's been a few minutes and I'm still chuckling out loud on account of the unexpectedness of him standing there. The simple things that bring joy. That kid is awesome.

(Ok, now I've started giggling and can't stop!)