Good times

I was lying in bed this morning watching some news and the Michael Richards "N" word thing is everywhere. Which led me to start thinking of simpler times, my childhood. The endless pollock jokes, being left in the car while my Mom went in the store, having to be home when the streetlights came on and if I wasn't I was just a holler away. We used to play frisbee, flag football & spud in the street. We were outside all day all summer. We were personally responsible for our actions. Block snowball fights, my side against yours. Never wearing a seatbelt, standing in the middle of the front seat, feet on the bench seat, head pressed up on the ceiling of the car. 5 channels on the tv. No remotes, vcrs, cable. Two kinds of milk, whole and skim. And it came in a giant cumbersome gallon carton that you had to be at least 10 yrs old to use. Kmart and the mall were the only places to buy clothes. Hudsons and JCPenney were high-end. I used to get a frozen coke every trip to Kmart. I had one of those t-shirts that said "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun" I got picked on in school, but never beat up or shot. I had heroes like the Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman. Hollywood and sports stars weren't all over the news 24/7. Peoples marriages/divorces weren't headlines.

I can't believe what a mess everything became in such a short amount of time. It makes me long for the silly 70's.

On another note, John and I got news yesterday that completely blew us away. John's great Uncle Clive died in the spring of 06 and we recently found out he left $750,000 trust to a local park in his hometown. Yes, you read that right, THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS. Which then leaves me thinking, how will I leave my mark? "It's not what I have but what I give. Not what I have learned but what I teach. Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's a choice." How can I, little Roley from Michigan, make a difference?