After living through my first decade, I’m finally a part of an overall cultural event. It seems like people from past decades still reminisce over their great times. Even the hack comedians who appear on those VHI specials say the 70s, 80s and 90s were unique and are still looked back on fondly.
I am proud to say that I remember a decade too, from the lows to highs. I will remember The Double Zeros, The Oh Ohs, The New Millennium, The Post-Y2K Years, The Aughts, The Pre-Teens and The Two-Thousands.
Unfortunately, one thing I can’t say I will remember is when this decade started: New Years 2000. I was sleeping. But, I bet not that much happened anyways. I’m just glad I didn’t wake up in a post-apocalyptic world.
I will remember the day the towers were struck. It was a weird day; I did not fully comprehend what happened then, I still don’t. I will remember a few weeks later driving by and seeing part of The Pentagon destroyed.
I will remember the first time I fell in love with sports – when I watched the Red Sox come from behind and beat the Yankees in the 2004 playoffs. I’m not a fair-weather fan anymore, but it was an amazing sight to behold.
I will remember when I figured out the Diaper Lady was from Tilden. And how jealous I was they got all the good alums. They got Sly Stallone too!
I will remember three presidential elections. During my first one, I chanted around the playground, “Al Gore is a Galore and Bush picks his –!” The second time around I would chant “Bush is Scary, Vote for Kerry.” But for my third election, I was far too mature for such juvenile chants. (GOBAMA…..OBAMA FO YO MAMA…..GOBAMA!!!!!!!!)
I will remember movie experiences that changed the way I think. I will look back at Memento, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, No Country for Old Men and The Departed.
I will remember scandals that the media went crazy over. Recently, it was Tiger Woods. (What’s the difference between a golf ball and a Cadillac Escalade? Tiger can drive a golf ball 400 yards.) Earlier, it was Michael Jackson. From a death still shrouded in mystery to holding his darling son Blanket to the crowd Lion King Style, he was, to say the least, outrageous. Other notable scandals include Jon and Kate, Brangelinaston, and various politicians being as uncontrollable as Coked-up (the Soda, of course) middle-school kids at a Bimbo Convention.
I will remember the country going into a war that was on the minds of many people for a long time. Now it seems like everyone could not care less.
I will remember this decade as my first decade. Through the highs and the lows, it has been interesting to say the least. Now please excuse me, I have to go to Costco to stock up for 2012. Peace.
