princealbertofb Wrote:I've been to the Venice carnival often enough to know that's true, sweetie pie... (you don't mind that I call you sweetie pie?  )
LOL...you can call me anything you want (except for Tiger Paws or Pussy Lips  )
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The best thing about life BF (before Facebook) is that you were totally allowed to let people drift out of your life. "Oh, we sort of lost touch after college" was a completely valid thing to say. Now, we're supposed to keep tabs on everybody we've ever had a conversation with.
My thought is - if we both have any interest in doing so, we'll keep in touch. If not, then we won't - simple as that.
As far as seeing pictures...no, that doesn't affect me at all. I have seen photos of friends from way back who have aged severely, but none of that matters to me. I've made peace with time, aging, and death quite some time ago. 
Lex
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That won't happen, Sweetie Pie is my term of endearment.
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So let's sit down, Eastie, Sweetie, and Lex, if you like, and David and let's have a cup of tea (or Java if that's what you swing on)...
![[Image: tumblr_njqfeqZ8Ss1r6p4uho1_1280.jpg]](https://40.media.tumblr.com/054039270b8ddb5ecfcd5fa1f1569abc/tumblr_njqfeqZ8Ss1r6p4uho1_1280.jpg)
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Lexington Wrote:The best thing about life BF (before Facebook) is that you were totally allowed to let people drift out of your life. "Oh, we sort of lost touch after college" was a completely valid thing to say. Now, we're supposed to keep tabs on everybody we've ever had a conversation with.
My thought is - if we both have any interest in doing so, we'll keep in touch. If not, then we won't - simple as that.
As far as seeing pictures...no, that doesn't affect me at all. I have seen photos of friends from way back who have aged severely, but none of that matters to me. I've made peace with time, aging, and death quite some time ago.
Lex
Thank You! Good point...I have thought the same thing many times.
I am usually 100% present in any conversation with anyone ..an I know that might be "it" ...and I am OK with it....
The aging thing...I like to think I am cool with it...I seem to be day to day....maybe it is something else that is bothering me.....not sure. I think out loud a lot....
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princealbertofb Wrote:So let's sit down, Eastie, Sweetie, and Lex, if you like, and David and let's have a cup of tea (or Java if that's what you swing on)...
OK...I want mine strong...really strong...and black...really black 
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Peppermint tea, hot, no sugar. And I'll just perch on the seat back.
Lex
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To answer your question, yes! When I graduated from university. On graduation day once I held the diploma in my hand It hit me that this most likely is the last day I see some of these people... And so it was.
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I may be nudging the conversation in a slightly different direction, but since we seem to be in semi-babble mode, hopefully you'll indulge me...
I was talking to a younger guy about aging, getting older, and reminiscing recently. The impetus for the conversation was having a building torn down on a big street. He said "That building has always been there during my life - it's so surreal to see it torn down." I said that it happened to me enough that my entire viewpoint of buildings had changed. Because as a kid (and young adult), they seemed to be...well, buildings. Like they went up to an empty space and put something there. And that was, in my mind, a permanent change. Previously, vacant lot - currently, office building. Progress in a nutshell.
But I no longer really see buildings like that. I see them all as temporary. It's there to serve a purpose for an indeterminate length of time, but eventually, that time period will end. Either the business (or family) won't need it anymore, or it won't be correct for their current needs, and it will be replaced by something different. Or perhaps nothing - maybe they'll bulldoze it and put up some trees and flowers. So going down the street now, I just see things as in a slow state of flux. Eventually, this place will close, and that building will be gone, and this family will move away.
This eventually led to the idea of reminiscing. I talked about going back to my hometown of San Francisco a decade or so back. And a lot of it, naturally, has changed. And one of the things that has changed a lot was the mall-type shopping area near where I grew up. Unlike most malls, it's still around and thriving, but it doesn't look at all like it did. There's a Trader Joe's where the Woolworth's used to be, and I couldn't even be sure where the old record store was. And although none of this was surprising, it peeved me. In a way I couldn't quite explain back then.
But now I can.
First off, it's ridiculous to think things should remain the same, especially just for MY sake. I don't even live there anymore. And even if the stores were still there, they would have changed and adapted the same way I have over the years. The clothing stores wouldn't have early 80s fashion on display, and the Woolworth's wouldn't have 1980 toys for sale. And in a sense, THAT'S what I was looking for. What I was looking for was things that reminded me of being ten years old. But of course, I'm no longer ten years old. I would tower over the Woolworth's counter now. That Bob Seger 45 wouldn't hold the same value for me at age 45, because 1. I can easily afford it and 2. I can hear it anytime I want on YouTube or iTunes. I am no longer ten years old, and it's silly to try to force myself back into that mindset.
That isn't to say reminiscing is wrong, or silly. It's just that I don't need the "things" to do it. Yeah, it's nice to go back to San Francisco and look around. And I still like looking at, and playing, songs on 45. But I don't NEED them. It doesn't take much work for me to remember ten-year-old Lex looking at the records on sale, or walking through the neighborhood, or what have you. And I still enjoy music, in part, for the way it can help bring back those feelings. But I don't rose-color those memories. I had some crap going on back then, too. I'm not going to shake my cane and say "back in my day..."
Lex
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Lexington Wrote:I may be nudging the conversation in a slightly different direction, but since we seem to be in semi-babble mode, hopefully you'll indulge me...
I was talking to a younger guy about aging, getting older, and reminiscing recently. The impetus for the conversation was having a building torn down on a big street. He said "That building has always been there during my life - it's so surreal to see it torn down." I said that it happened to me enough that my entire viewpoint of buildings had changed. Because as a kid (and young adult), they seemed to be...well, buildings. Like they went up to an empty space and put something there. And that was, in my mind, a permanent change. Previously, vacant lot - currently, office building. Progress in a nutshell.
But I no longer really see buildings like that. I see them all as temporary. It's there to serve a purpose for an indeterminate length of time, but eventually, that time period will end. Either the business (or family) won't need it anymore, or it won't be correct for their current needs, and it will be replaced by something different. Or perhaps nothing - maybe they'll bulldoze it and put up some trees and flowers. So going down the street now, I just see things as in a slow state of flux. Eventually, this place will close, and that building will be gone, and this family will move away.
This eventually led to the idea of reminiscing. I talked about going back to my hometown of San Francisco a decade or so back. And a lot of it, naturally, has changed. And one of the things that has changed a lot was the mall-type shopping area near where I grew up. Unlike most malls, it's still around and thriving, but it doesn't look at all like it did. There's a Trader Joe's where the Woolworth's used to be, and I couldn't even be sure where the old record store was. And although none of this was surprising, it peeved me. In a way I couldn't quite explain back then.
But now I can.
First off, it's ridiculous to think things should remain the same, especially just for MY sake. I don't even live there anymore. And even if the stores were still there, they would have changed and adapted the same way I have over the years. The clothing stores wouldn't have early 80s fashion on display, and the Woolworth's wouldn't have 1980 toys for sale. And in a sense, THAT'S what I was looking for. What I was looking for was things that reminded me of being ten years old. But of course, I'm no longer ten years old. I would tower over the Woolworth's counter now. That Bob Seger 45 wouldn't hold the same value for me at age 45, because 1. I can easily afford it and 2. I can hear it anytime I want on YouTube or iTunes. I am no longer ten years old, and it's silly to try to force myself back into that mindset.
That isn't to say reminiscing is wrong, or silly. It's just that I don't need the "things" to do it. Yeah, it's nice to go back to San Francisco and look around. And I still like looking at, and playing, songs on 45. But I don't NEED them. It doesn't take much work for me to remember ten-year-old Lex looking at the records on sale, or walking through the neighborhood, or what have you. And I still enjoy music, in part, for the way it can help bring back those feelings. But I don't rose-color those memories. I had some crap going on back then, too. I'm not going to shake my cane and say "back in my day..."
Lex Aren't you, Lex??? I'm disappointed. I'm looking forward to the day you shake your cane and say "back in my day". For one thing, I'll be shaking my cane too. hehe.
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