Recalling my youth

Stopped by a 7-11 for a Slushie today, and there were two guys in front of me -- looked about 20 or 22. There was some sort of "various things for a dollar" sale (ice cream treats, candy bars, bags of chips...) going on at the 7-11, so these guys had filled up two bags with junk food, for eighteen dollars.

I commented to them -- with my graying hair and receding hairline: "Enjoy your high metabolism while you can..."


It very much reminded me of myself during an earlier period of my life -- about 20-22 years old -- when I worked one and a half jobs (picking up and crating art and antiques; movie theatre), plus was in a band with my Guitar Cousin and Captain Crash (co-worker at the movie theatre, and eventual roommate).

I didn't get a lot of sleep during that period: every night I either worked at the movie theatre (and got home around 11:30pm), or else had band practice (and then stayed up late watching rented movies on videotape with Guitar Cousin and Crash). And on weekends we'd often go out to catch a local band.

But, good times. None of us had a girlfriend; all of us would've **liked** to have had a girlfriend.


It was also the first time that I didn't live with a family member (e.g. parents, grandparent), nor in a college dorm room. Independence!!!

I had a pretty garbagey diet, though: this was my fronut period. I was working 1.5 jobs (i.e., about 60 hours a week) to save up to go back to college (I'd done two and a half years, then ran out of money) -- so I had money in the bank, but was spending very little. Employees at the movie theatre had free popcorn -- so I ate a lot of that. I'd also visit the Safeway behind the movie theatre and buy a loaf of bread and a can of Spaghetti-O's, and make Spaghetti-O sandwiches for dinner. With a head of lettuce on the side.

And because I'd get home most nights around 11:30am, and had to be at work around 8:30 (? - it's been a while...) the next morning, I didn't have much time to make dinner. So dinner was usually one-fourth of a half-gallon of cookies 'n' cream ice cream. And a multivitamin. Sometimes another head of lettuce.

I'd eat better at Guitar Cousin's house, though, after band practice: as I recall, it often included actual veggies and such.


Anyhow: a happy, simpler time. As opposed to my happy but complex time right now. ;)


Oh: and that photos isn't of us. It's just something I got off the web, when I Googled "guys in garage band".


--GG