Monday, August 23, 2010

Nostalgia

Greetings.

Wow. I've managed to make it through pretty much the whole summer without posting anything. I have actually contemplated shutting the blog down, but I know I will want to start posting more once school starts again, and I don't want to go through the hassle of starting a new blog. So what's been going on? Well, I got a temp job in early July doing data entry for a very large international energy company. No, it's not BP. Anyway, it's been a bit of an adjustment to get used to working (especially really early hours) again, but on the other hand the money I've made has helped me to buy the first new guitar I've had in twelve years.

The job thing leads me into tonight's subject. I have been doing a lot of archiving of old files lately from the mid 1990's and early 2000's it's totally got me feeling nostalgic. My mind has a heightened ability to organize memories chronologically, so when I see a date, I can usually tell you at least two or three facts about my life during that time. So, seeing all of these dates has brought back a flood of memories. For example, I'll see March 25th, 1995 and I'll think "Wow, that was right after I recorded my first demo tape and sold copies to all my friends in high school." Or I'll see October 28th, 2002 and I'll say "Yep, that's right after I got home from Air Force tech school - man that was a happy time."

The problem with this, of course, is that not all of the dates I see represent happy times. I'll see February 12th, 1998 and I'll say to myself "That's the day that I found my ex cheating on me." Or, I'll see June 30th, 2004 and I'll think "Wow, that was right before I had the worst summer of my life."

Now that I've thought about it for a bit, it occurs to me that this type of reminiscing could be quite dangerous if it is left unchecked. For example, a lot of my thinking - especially when dates from the early to mid 2000's come up - revolves around a sense that I wasted my twenties. And, to some extent, I guess that's true. I mean, starting in 2000, I bounced around from job to job, got in a lot of financial trouble, lived the life of a sloppy bachelor, and deprived myself of a lot of opportunities because of my affiliation with the church. The problem is, I forget to look on the other hand. I did a lot of great things when I was in my twenties, too. I had a blast going on two mini-tours with a band (even if it was a Christian band and I didn't really party like a rock star). I joined the military and got to have some once in a lifetime experiences doing that. I learned martial arts and worked my way up to two notches below a black belt before my knees went out on me. I met the woman of my dreams, got married in Maui, got a house and two dogs, and put out albums that I am very proud of with both of the bands that I am currently in. So when I put it that way, my life has been really pretty great so far. I am very thankful to the God that I believe in for all I have.

Here's hoping for another wonderful 32 years, and here's hoping that each of you can feel as happy and content with your lives as I do with mine tonight.

I am the Reverend Humpy and I have approved this message (although I didn't proofread it).

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