The Aging Baby

I am just going to jump over the fact that I don't post much anymore, and I am probably going to redesign my website soon and incorporate the blog there so it will be easier to manage everything.  Only a few years behind, but I get to everything eventually.  :)

I want to talk briefly about aging, because it's been bothering me lately.  People say children keep you young.  True, but they also remind you of how old you are.  We recently visited my brother's place, and he had a record player.  The kids had no idea what it was.  And what was worse, when I showed them how it worked, they were bored in two seconds.  OK, so was I but that's beside the point.

There is nothing like outdated machinery and children who have no idea what it is to bring home the point that you're getting older.  I may as well have showed them a stagecoach or a telegraph.

I will say there is such a joy in introducing your children to entertainment you grew up with, like The Muppets and we are also watching the 80's Transformers show.  There is also heartbreak when your children enjoy Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.  But hey they are children, and can be forgiven.  But the weird thing is, I get that movie now.  We were all expecting that movie to be for the 8 year old in all of us, but it was just for actual 8 year olds.  OK.  I wish I would have known that sooner.  I would not have spent so much time waiting in line.  But that's a Jedi under the bridge.

Some signs I am getting older:

1)I told a friend I was doing a stand-up show in his town, but he couldn't make it because he was getting a colonoscopy that day.

2)Sometimes I'm so exhausted my favorite activity to do with the kids is to be the "audience" as they put on a show.

3)It's taking me forever to finish one video game.  Granted, that includes expansion packs but I've been playing Red Dead Redemption forEVER.

4)I met with a financial planner and took it seriously.  Especially when he started shaking his head.

None of us can stop the aging process.  But sometimes moving to southern California helps.  There are no seasons, the weather is exactly the same, and everyone fights a losing battle against time, either mentally or physically or often both.  The illusion of time never passing.

But the truth is, it's not all bad.  I love watching the kids grow up.  I love watching them turn into little people.  I also love not having to change diapers anymore.  With age also comes... not changing diapers anymore.

But with age comes wisdom, unless you're really stupid.  But you saw those ones coming in high school.  As you sat in English class thinking, I don't even think Pizza Hut would hire that dude...   Age also brings perspective, and a broadened world view.  At least it is supposed to.  If it doesn't you're doing it wrong.

I am aging in some ways gracefully and in other ways horribly and childishly resentful about it.  C'est la vie.  In addition to seeing youth through the eyes of our children, we all find ways to keep ourselves young.  I am going to Comic-Con next week.  I'll be doing a panel on martial arts movies and hanging out at the Geekscape booth.  I'll be the one with the Sony Walkman.