Thursday, August 11, 2005
Those were the days...
*Rob tagged me, so, here’s my list of things I miss from childhood. It echoes some of the things that others have mentioned.
Boy Scouts- I was heavily involved in Scouting from elementary school until the interests and temptations of adolescence took over (around age 15). I had a wealth of diverse and valuable experiences through scouting. I also learned a lot of skills that have long since atrophied, but at one point in time I was a competent camper/survivalist, lifeguard and naturalist. Sadly, I will have nothing to do with Scouting as an adult because of the organization’s position on homosexuality.
Bikes- My old 10-speed took me anywhere I needed to go. As an adult I rode quite avidly for exercise for a few years, but it just wasn’t the same as when the bike was my only means of wheeled transportation. Allowing me to ride on my own was one of the first clear examples of my parents trusting me to take care of myself.
Role-Playing Games- There was a span of time between 6th and 9th grade when my friends and I invested an obscene amount of time playing RPG’s. Mostly D&D, but we also played Rune Quest, Champions, Top Secret, Star Frontiers, Star Trek, Boot Hill and others I can’t recall at the moment.
Summers Off- Vacations are nice, but there was nothing like a 2-month break. You didn’t have to feel guilty about wasting a lazy summer day, and you had the time to work on long projects (like fort building!) My dad was a school teacher, so I got to spend a lot of time with him over the summer. This allowed us to take…
Long Vacations- (up to a month), and we camped across the country on one occasion and up the coast thorough the eastern provinces of Canada on another. We managed to travel through all 48 contiguous states seeing more of some than others. We visited the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, but also lesser known but no less spectacular parks like Zion and Mesa Verde.
Wiffle Ball- We had a church field and the grounds of the local elementary school for countless games of baseball (and in the fall and winter, football) with the rules modified to fit the field of play, the available equipment and the number of players.
My Metabolism- I used to be able to (as the Coneheads said) consume mass quantities of food and drink with no ill effect. My metabolism kept up into my 20’s, but now I have to work harder (or more accurately workout harder) to compensate for my dietary indiscretions, and I just don’t have the time.
I’m not sure who hasn’t been tagged yet, so you all better stay on home base (and no electric lines!)
Boy Scouts- I was heavily involved in Scouting from elementary school until the interests and temptations of adolescence took over (around age 15). I had a wealth of diverse and valuable experiences through scouting. I also learned a lot of skills that have long since atrophied, but at one point in time I was a competent camper/survivalist, lifeguard and naturalist. Sadly, I will have nothing to do with Scouting as an adult because of the organization’s position on homosexuality.
Bikes- My old 10-speed took me anywhere I needed to go. As an adult I rode quite avidly for exercise for a few years, but it just wasn’t the same as when the bike was my only means of wheeled transportation. Allowing me to ride on my own was one of the first clear examples of my parents trusting me to take care of myself.
Role-Playing Games- There was a span of time between 6th and 9th grade when my friends and I invested an obscene amount of time playing RPG’s. Mostly D&D, but we also played Rune Quest, Champions, Top Secret, Star Frontiers, Star Trek, Boot Hill and others I can’t recall at the moment.
Summers Off- Vacations are nice, but there was nothing like a 2-month break. You didn’t have to feel guilty about wasting a lazy summer day, and you had the time to work on long projects (like fort building!) My dad was a school teacher, so I got to spend a lot of time with him over the summer. This allowed us to take…
Long Vacations- (up to a month), and we camped across the country on one occasion and up the coast thorough the eastern provinces of Canada on another. We managed to travel through all 48 contiguous states seeing more of some than others. We visited the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, but also lesser known but no less spectacular parks like Zion and Mesa Verde.
Wiffle Ball- We had a church field and the grounds of the local elementary school for countless games of baseball (and in the fall and winter, football) with the rules modified to fit the field of play, the available equipment and the number of players.
My Metabolism- I used to be able to (as the Coneheads said) consume mass quantities of food and drink with no ill effect. My metabolism kept up into my 20’s, but now I have to work harder (or more accurately workout harder) to compensate for my dietary indiscretions, and I just don’t have the time.
I’m not sure who hasn’t been tagged yet, so you all better stay on home base (and no electric lines!)
# posted by PapaGoose @ 3:25 PM 
