Things You'll Miss... And Not So Much...

Dear Littler B,

The last couple of letters I've written to you have been a little heavy at times so I though I'd make this one a bit lighter.  I'm sitting here watching a stand up comedy special of Jim Breuer. (don't worry, he will be there in only a few years for you) You are not going to like him at all when he first comes out but the older he gets, the funnier he gets.  It's a Sunday and I'm trying to fill the hours until football comes on and planning for a day of games, beer and pizza.

Having written all that I realized these are things I NEVER would have done when I was you. I'm sure you are pacing around in circles, hands on your head shouting "Oh the horror of it all! THIS is what is to become of me?" but it's not so bad I promise. This imagery in my head brings me to the subject of today's letter. I figured I would make you a fun little list of some of the things you have to look forward to on your journey of you becoming me.

Things You Will Miss
Shaving Your Head - Something you will miss very much because not only is it an act of freedom and individuality, it's damn easy to do. Never a bad hair day with that much hair.

Videos on MTV - Sadly, as of the writing of this there are multiple MTV stations and I don't believe any of them have videos. For a little while they will have an actual competitor in Vh1, though all those channels now are over-run by reality shows so you gave up on them long ago from my perspective.

Original Movies - Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of really great movies in my time however a vast majority of them are remakes of movies from your time. One good thing is that computer graphics are going to make movies so realistic they will be completely enthralling.

Not having real responsibility - I remember what it is like to be you and yes school sucks but when you are me you'd do just about anything to go back. It is all on you whether you succeed or fail. If the power is out or you have no roof over your head it's your own fault.

Riding in cars with friends for no reason at all - I'm not saying I can't do this now, but it will lose it's appeal for you. Nothing says wonderful freedom like cruising around in Helga, windows open, music blaring no place to go and no place to have to be.

New Jersey - The Beach - Familiar places - While you are going to be going to some amazing places you will never have a love or connection to anywhere like you do home.

Not being afraid to hang out in NYC on your own - Some of your best times right now are hanging out in the city and feeling invincible. Call it the fear of breaking as I've gotten old or the concept that the internet (we talked about that the other day) has made you aware of just how heinous the crime can be. 

REAL music - I know this is all relative. Those who grew up in the 50s thought Dion was the shit, you will forever think music from the 80s was the real deal. The music they come out with now is so manufactured and connived that you don't care much for it. At one point big conglomerates actually put together something called "boy bands" and at another they have talent shows that society obsesses over. Think Star Search but on a global scale. No true grit and from the streets musicians who play soul jerking music.

The feeling that you could to change the world - You feel like a giant and the whole world is your oyster. You are going to make a difference. You can do anything. You will realize as time goes by that you are who you are. While that is good to know yourself, you also know things you are not.

Party Lines - While the internet has allowed you to converse with people all over the world you will never have that initial awe and enjoyment as you did spending late hours meeting people outside your area like that guy from Red Bank. The first feeling of the world being a bigger place than what you knew.

Being a Snarky Wise Ass - This one is a pretty big deal. You are witty and say what you think. When you are me, not only are you too "grown-up" to do that but the world has turned to a "you hurt my feelings, you should be punished" kind of place. People are pansies...

Writing Letters / Pen Pals - This is a lost art. I know when I was you writing was a very large part of my life. Journals, poems, stories and letters that you would send and someone would actually reply. With the release worldwide of the internet no one does this anymore. I especially miss pen pals. The whole getting to know you and glimpse of a life unknown. Now with social media you know everyone's life so it is info overload.

Imagination - Creativity and imagination are abundant because you create to fit your situation. Now if you have an issue you go and look up something someone else has already done and put out there. It takes the drive to come up with new things out of a lot of people.




Things To Look Forward To
Long Hair - I know that doesn't seem like something you want but believe me the guys like it. I will say that if I had to take my looks when I was you to the smokin hot goddess I've turned into now, there would be no contest. (only kidding)

Google - This is going to be a place to go on the internet where you can find out just about anything about anything. It's going to be a tool that you love because anytime you want to know even the littlest fact you can "google" it and feel like you are so much smarter than you really are.

Digital Photos - You are going to be able to take thousands upon thousands of pictures and fit them all on a little device no bigger than your thumb. This is great for memories and making those collages you like. Be careful however, you sometimes end up taking so many photos for memories that you don't always soak in the experience you are supposed to be having like at Graceland.

Social Media - This is a double edge sword. Social media is a type of location on the internet that people have an account and post things about their life and chat. It will unite you with a lot of people you haven't seen in a long time and your loved ones that you don't get to see as often as you'd like. On the other hand a lot of people have a tendency to over share and start stupid battles. It takes the personal aspect out of things.

Flatscreen TVs - This goes with technology which I've touched on before. Technology is going to make things a lot simpler and "smarter". Like in a lot of those futuristic TV shows you will have a TV that hangs on the wall and is so thin that you can lift it on your own but will be larger than your dresser. The quality of the picture is amazingly lifelike too. 

Flying Cars - Ok, what talk of 25 years from now doesn't including flying cars eh? Nah, I just threw this one in here to screw with you. They STILL haven't come out with these, however they are still working on hoverboards and they have come up with a place that you can order almost anything called Amazon that has little flying device that can deliver to most areas an hour after you order something.

Living as a grown up - This sucks and is awesome all at the same time. While I complained before about not having responsibilities, I didn't mention that by gaining such responsibilities allows you to go where ever you want because you answer to you. If you want to drink alcohol you do. If you want to fly to Mexico you do. If you want to go to a certain nude beach and/or walk around naked you do. If you want to decorate your walls with comic books and movie posters, you will.

Exploring new places - You are going to be the grown up so you will get to decide where you are going. You have been a lot of places and countries (though not as many as you want). Remember 8th grade when the Washington DC field trip seemed like it was so far away?
Having children - This is probably the best thing that will ever happen to you. You can't understand the hole you have in your heart until they are here and you can't imagine how you didn't realize it. Though now at my age they don't make much time for me you would not have missed out on them for the world.


Netflix / Hulu and more than 15 channels - Ok, Netflix and Hulu are internet sites that you can go to and call up almost any kind of movie or tv show when ever you want on your computer, phone or television through your game console (yes, Atari is great but just you wait!). There is always something you want to watch. On top of this I believe cable now that it is digital has over 1500 channels though a lot of them are crap.


There is so much more that I could put in this letter but I don't want to be completely full of "spoilers" (a phrase to look forward to when you meet your good friend Dr. River Song. :-) ) 

In anticipation and fond memory,


Bigger Little B