Where have all the flowers gone(70's)greenspun.com : LUSENET : Beyond the Sidewalks : One Thread |
So what DID all you flower children( you know,bloomin'idiots) do?Polly had me going there.Yeah purple haze-remember that vaguely,yeah drug dealing ex hubbie....but,Polly, you really lost me on the ruining men one.I'm afraid all my men LOVED women after I was thru with them.HAHAHA! Hey,even my ex didn't ever say anything bad about me.I still hear from his parents.I think they loved me better than their own daughters.
OK,now.I'll take the plunge....here's what I remember....
Hitched To Florida by myself.Lucky to be alive after the guy who looked like he just got out of the brig picked me up.One of many "interesting rides". Finally quit hitching after too many bad experiences.Would never get away with doing it now.Mom still doesn't know.
Hang glided at Kitty Hawk. You can plummet quite a distance in one of them suckers and not get hurt,at least if there is sand underneath.Mom still doesn't know
Spelunked in W Va.Ever drop down a shaft,hit 50o H2O, have your carbide go out so you are in absolute darkness in a very confined space?Most chickened out a this point.I'll prevailed.After getting relit,I proceeded to crawl on my belly thru said 50o H2O til we reached a raging river below us(it just happened to be spring flood) We then,us 3 hardy or foolish souls that had followed the experienced caver, edged along a narrow shelf with said raging river roaring below.All I could thing is I sure hope my glasses don't fall into said raging river,or I'd never be able to get out alive. We finally reached the mouth of the cave and popped out thru a waterfall.It was pretty cool.Could never do it now.Mom still doesn't know
Road to a blowout bluegrass concert in N.C. on the back of a Harley.Were you there? 1976. Were you one of the ones walking around nekked? No,I wasn't.Far too modest and old fashion for that.The Pagans were the security force. Best concert ever,bar none!Mom still doesn't know
Remember that X rated cartoon movie "Fritz the Cat"? I don't.Angel dusted that night.Drug dealing future hubbie could get his hands on some good stuff. I remember talking to my one friend early in the evening,then nothing till next AM.Oh Yeah,do animal tranquilizers. STOOPID!!!
It was shown as part of an all nighter at the drivein movie.Yeah,we had drive ins. Mother told me I could NOT attend all nighters til I was 21.I was 19.And,yes, Mom still doesn't know.
I do still remember a few more things.But my wilding years really only went from 18 to 20.By that time I was married and settled right down.Crammed alot in while I could tho! But got away completely from partying.Did not like the people associated.Like all my hubbie's drug dealing friends,for instance.
That all you are getting from me,folks.Come on in.The water's fine!
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
The water looks a little murky to me.I do remember that I once... oh, but that was in the 80's, I guess we're not discussing that.
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
OK David,80's included.Do tell! Hey Jim,you too! I gotta know.Kirk,let's go bud. Confession is good for the soul! Diane and Joy,we're STILL waiting! Sheepish blabs,so we already know the outline on her.Maybe fill in some of the color? You know,John's been mighty,mighty quiet.Hmmmmm....I wonder. Now JOJ has got to have a story or two.
See,if you don't put something here,we all will know you were really bad.Like jail time. Or had to go underground. Or(gasp)worked for the CIA. Or still do. Better save your rep by spilling them beans!
For clarification,the "drug dealing hubbie" is not my current sweetie. Nick spent the 70's in the Air Force,and working,and going to college on the GI bill, and raising kids.He was HIS bad self as a kid and teenager in the 50's and 60's.Poor Mom T.He was her first born. Trial by fire,without a doubt.
Actually I did get the drug dealing hubbie to go thru college and he works for the Game Commission back home,last I knew anyway. He was a Viet Vet that went over a boy and came back a man with some very,very bad habits,like big time boozing,drugging and skirt chasing.Never could reform him of any of those things,tho I tried.Thus the eventual divorce. Well, that's quite enough!
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
I can't swim worth a damn, but I'll stick my feet in. . .my wilding years lasted a bit longer than yours, from 18-30 and I, too, got away from partying when I settled down, twelve years was way plenty, my drug of choice was scotch, but I remember those animal tranquilizers too, and it was stupid. My mother knew because I called her up and told her, I spent many years rebelling against her. I spent alot of those partying years in New Orleans in the French Quarter so I never much needed to hitch hike, I was to chicken to do that anyway. Some things I don't even want to remember, but one time I decided to see how long I could drink and stay up, I think I saw the sun come up a couple of times, so maybe 36 hours or so, it took me days to recover from that. I was even married a couple of times in there so I guess I slowed down off and on during those 12 years. Those times were so different than now, I did some stupid stuff that would most likely get me killed today. Having my first son is what settled me down, it's an awesome responsiblity having children. I did go to "The Farm" when my oldest was about eight months old, but it just wasn't for me, so I got married again, had another son and here I am going on 23 years later with the same husband. Oh memory lane, I wouldn't go back for nothing.It's sun shiney and in the low eighties here in south east Louisiana.
Namaste,
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Well, I think you're going to be major disappointed in me, sharon. I can count the number of times on one hand that I did pot - And I never did anything harder than that. I led a pretty quiet life, never really rebelled against my parents, never got in trouble with the law, etc. I've never even had a speeding ticket. I met Ruth when I was 18 and we got married a year later so that pretty much curtailed any wild partying.BTW, It's been over 20 years since my last joint - there are times today when I sure could use one. But I wouldn't even know where to find a supplier! Even if I could find a supply I'd probably have to use it in a brownie recipe as my asthma would handle the smoke today.
About the wildest thing I ever did was to work for a company that made porn movies - this was when we lived in southern California from 1985 - 1986. And NO, before you ask, I did NOT participate in the movies! :-D
My job mainly consisted of making copies of the videos from the master tapes. That and some customer service work. Pretty boring job, actually. The company mainly made fetish movies which I thought were pretty bizarre. Mainly stuff on foot fetishes and the like... Although there were a couple of hard-core ones that were pretty good. I even got to watch while they filmed one of those which was kinda weird to experience first-hand.
The company also made sex toys (whips, leather outfits, bondage stuff, etc.) I never did inquire to see if there was an employee discount! :-D
I've never really talked about that job to anyone. Most of my family doesn't know about it (especially my mom). So that's it, pretty sorry state of affairs, eh?
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Sharon: Gotta work now but I'll work on this thread tonite. Lovin it so far!!!. Jim did ya keep some of the toys?? Yuck yuck.....Kirk
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Well now, part you already know, at least some of you. In 1965 got drunk and ran away to Florida and got married. Just the beginning of a long down hill slide. Grew grass for my living for several years, never busted because I only dealt in volume with 10 very close people who put it out for me. Never really knew how to say no to anything except needles. (then I would have been an addict-haha) Had three kids with first husband and we were both hooked on speed pretty bad and I quit and he didn't and it got rather abusive. We separated finally and then he got busted big time for dealing drugs and spend some time in the hotel. Pretty much drugged my way through the first half of the 70's, no life style that I would care to share in public!! Finally my Buddhist teacher friend got me off drugs and doing just booze, and much less of that for a while. Drinking got worse and finally ended up in a recovery program almost 19 years ago and have been clean and sober ever since. I am grateful that I made it through without any major "social diseases". My two youngest are both serious Christians, but one son is still doing drugs with his dad and thinks we are all out of it. I was involved in a lot of war protesting, and have tryed to make amends to several friends who served in Nam. My best friend's brother died in Nam in 1966, we had all been so close. I got it really early on that this was something different than the war my father had been in, and it never made any sense to me. We financially contributed to the SDS but were never involved in any "actions". My favorite t-shirt was one with "Fighting for Peace is like f#%**$$% for virginity" I guess as far as risky, not much about my lifestyle wasn't. Got in big trouble in the south in the 60's at one time, and was sure we were going to be dead before we got out of Alabama.Was spit on and had rocks thrown at me and my young daughter marching for the ERA. (sometimes I am still amazed that my daughter and I are Christians!!! since it was Christian women who were so angry at us) So, I guess you could say I have "been around the mountain" and lived to tell the tale. O.k. soooo.......who is next????
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Workin' in the garden/fields, then three 12 hour shifts - be back soon with my life story - yawn....Don't you feel sorry for the kids today - too dangerous to be as stupid as we were, nowadays!
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Yep, mine will be boring in comparison. But I can't do it now, going out with friends to see/here Gordon Lightfoot tonight. Later!
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Wow...I've lead a really "tame" life compared to some of you guys!!! I can count on one (1) finger the number of times I did pot. Hated it!. The wildest things ever got for me was a "bra-burning" demonstration in Boston in '67. Other than the usual sneaking out of the house to go to an all night party, that was it for me. Met my hubby when I was 18 and spent the next 2 yrs. trying to keep him out of Vietnan, married him and just celebrated our 30th anniversary on the 19th of Apr. No Regrets!!!
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Diane, ah!!! life is good *now*!!!! Glad you are who you are now and HOW you are, now, too!Last time I got even close to drugs (well....I guess I must have been around a few others who used since then) was in 1970! Sheesh! I must be older than Methusela!
It was the peace, love, psychedelic drugs, and music era....I HAD to do my part!! Glad I only participated for a few years (albeit *intensely*) and then stopped (the drugs, that is....the rest I still believe in, although the "love" part (ahem) has settle into a comfortable monogamy...my years as a finally-liberated female were rather, um, busy....) For all my serious rebelliousness, I kind of calmed down once I really got out in the world and had to make my own way....that's why I was curious about other folks' kids these days.
I still stand up and put my hand over my heart when I hear "Woodstock" being played!
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Nothing too wild here either. Dodged the draft by enlisting in the AF in 65. Got married during that time and was able to avoid Nam thankfully. Not politically aware back then but knowing what I know now might have split to Canada because we did'nt belong there. It was a civil war with the viets trying to get out from under French control.Got out of the AF, became a cop for three yrs. Attended several demonstrations but on the other side of the lines. One in particular was memorable. WI was debating raising the drinking age to 21(they had beer bars back then) and apathy U came alive and tipped a beer truck over on the main drag of Stevens Point. That got some attention!
Was getting disgruntled with law enforcement. I didn't like the bigotry that was so common. Left shortly after divorce and went to work for a water pollution control outfit as a field technical rep. Travelled alot.
A buddy who'd been doing the hippy thing after returning from Nam visited and got me high for the first time. Three day binge on Pot, Mescaline and Hash. Continued to smoke pot for several yrs up to today on occasion. Never did drink or much in the way of hard drugs. Tried coke a couple times(not impressed)
No steady girlfriends, always have been kind of an outsider. Old girlfriend told me once the socialization process got screwed up. Got tired of travel all the time. I didn't have a life, I had a job.
Things got real interesting in the mid seventies tho. Had a spiritual awakening of sorts, zillions of psychic kinds of experiences and wound up playing host to all the teeny bopper males in the neighborhood for several years. During this time I was basically a bum with roots. No regrets or apologies tho.
-- Anonymous, April 27, 2001
Well,we're a pretty mild bunch!John-are you sure you're not my husband? The outsider part especially.Nick was in AF 66-71 but did get to visit SE Asia.Came to the same conclusions you did,as well.And,he's retired from law enforcement.Glad for it,too.You all don't believe a law enforcement guy could be married to this free spirit,do you? Well,I always did call Nick my hippie in disguise.And he knows how to handle me.He's confident enough of his own abilities to give me the room to soar that I require.
We share the same interests and morality,just not always the same politics or spirituality,although we've both come together closer to the middle, over the years. Makes for lots of interesting debates at home! Which is why I really don't like to argue elsewhere.We have different personalities too,I think. We grew up really different.
We balance each other.It's a big help to have that in life,once you work out the rough edges.We learned alot from each other.And, hey,I just really like vets!
Well,diane-you were so much braver than I.Alabama in the 60's? The guys in S. Virginia told me to avoid the whole state of Georgia like the plague,unless I wanted to be tossed in jail or raped & murdered,by the local law there, in the early seventies. I took their advice.
Guess I didn't have to tell you to lay down in front of a dozer,did I?
Judy-really know what you mean on kids changing your perspective.We must start a new thread on that.And,I would have to shoot myself if I was ever forced to be 18 again.Too tumultuous. Nice to stroll down that memory lane,but would hate to have to do it all over again.
And it's swimsuit weather in KY! Love it!But we need rain bad.
And Polly,alot of the kids are worse than we were.They start even younger,esp. and get wilder.They watch the Playboy channel,then mimic what they see. I'm talking 10-14 year olds. It really troubles me,knowing what I know from what I did. Alot of drugs too,bc some of these kids have beaucoup money. I really worry about these kids. I know you have to work thru alot to grow, but I think they are going thru too much too soon.I was still a kid sitting on my mamma's lap at that age. Nick wasn't tho. He grew up in a rough area. So I don't know.
And sheepish-I became a fierce she wolf protecting her pup bc. of my own experiences.Not sure that was best.Won't know till he's at least in his thirties.
Uh...Joy and Kirk? You seem to be avoiding the topic....
I saved the best for last.Jim,well,well,well...now I know where you learned fishing-from the pros! And here I am...just a little old amateur who learned from trial & error (heavy on the error) trying to compete with you.
You certainly did not disappoint me.I laughed so hard I almost fell outta my chair. Hey if you had any of those toys,you could sell them on Ebay as vintage.
And it would have been even more hilarious if it had really been your life.Quite an immagination you got there. No,I do not believe you.Everyone else's stories? Yep.Yours? Nope!
Where's Ruth,BTW?Is there really a Ruth? So what is your real name? Not joel.Please don't be joel. Please.
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
Thanks sheepish, actually, I am pretty surprized and happy to be alive. My last drunk was an attempted suicide, bottoms can be tough. Ahhhhh yes, life is good now. And Sharon, my past is why I chose NOT to lay down in front of the bulldozer. Life is so short to get all steamed up for more than a short time. I spent over 18 years getting VERY quiet, thus it was a huge surprise to me to find myself jumping into the CS ruckus, thought that part of me was long gone. Don't we just keep learning????? About ourselves, others and life in general??? Blessings to all-have the grandbabies for the weekend 4 & 6. Another shot at enjoying life through the eyes of children for this old lady.
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
Kirk: LOL! I never bought any of the "toys". In 1985 I was 20 years old and still pretty wet behind the ears. Moving to California from Minnesota and working at this company was a culture shock for me to say the least. Most of the paraphernalia they sold was a mystery to me - I would have needed an owners manual just to figure out how to use the darn stuff! :-DSharon: I'm glad you got a good laugh out of my story - I look back on it now with a chuckle too. Although at the time it was pretty bizzare.
And I'm really surprised that you don't believe me - it's the honest truth. I never expected your disbelief while I was writing it. I'm not sure what I could do to prove it to you... I told Ruth that you don't believe me and she was as surprised by your reaction as I was. She can vouch for me but I'm not sure why you would believe her over me since you've never met either of us in real life.
I'm sure you know those porn movies have got to be made by someone - they just don't spontaneously make themselves. And those porn companies also need support people behind the scenes just like any other company... That was my job: making copies of the master tapes for distribution. I'm not sure what's so unbelievable about that. If I had said I was a porn star... now THEN I could understand your incredulity. But at least in that case I'd have some proof. :-)
And nope, I'm not Joel. This is my real name. I really don't know much about him - I think he left the CS forum not long after I started lurking on a regular basis.
Oh well, that's my story, believe it or not. The names and places have NOT been changed to protect the innocent. :-)
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
What Jim- Spontaneous combustion doesn't result in porn films? Guess I was told wrong.Quit it,already! Thou doth protest too much.I really liked the story,fact or fiction.
Let's see,proof-what were the names of the films? or the film stars?
Hey, are your allerigies kicking your butt? Pine pollen here is gettin to me. Went to bed at 8:30 with a killer headache.Nick said I snored for a couple hours.I wouldn't know.I think it was the dog, myself. That's abt. the only pollen that bothers me.Are you having it heavy up there? How are you doing?
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
Uh..Jim...on second thought,better not post any film titles(in case you thought I was serious.)I didn't laugh at what you did,but at the way you wrote about it.I was joking about not believing you,too.
OOOPS...splash..me in hot water!
I'll be quiet,now.....cloaking device activated.
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
Jim - let me get this straight....you moved FROM California TO Minnasota and made porn in Minnasota?!?I'm just having real trouble here picturing "Sven and Ole Get Lucky".
On second thought - this is a good thing. (Big grin!)
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
hey man....you mean it's not the 70's........where does time go......whooooa....and far out......
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
sharon: sorry if I got a little testy with you. One thing that I sometimes dislike about the Internet is the lack of visual and auditory cues during email and chat forums. Sometimes things that are said in a completely innocent manner can be taken to imply something else. I did kinda feel like you were implying that I was deliberately being untruthful in my story, but I see now that you were kidding so a major mea culpa from me to you. Hope I didn't make you feel bad.And I'm glad you don't want to know any titles of movies. For one thing I couldn't provide them to you even if I wanted to (it has been sixteen years after all). And second is that I wouldn't want to name them even if I knew what they were called. There was something just not right about these movies... made me want to take a loooong shower after viewing any part of them. Nuff said...
Polly: Nope, other way around. Went to CA from MN to work for porno people - and definitely was NOT one of the "producers" (just a lowly cog in the machine). I've been back in MN for 15 years now, thankfully.
I'm just having real trouble here picturing "Sven and Ole Get Lucky".
LOL! Shhhhhh! Don't say that so loud, you may give them ideas for new videos! :-D
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
sharon: re: allergies.I'll start a new thread so we don't suffer thread drift on this one, OK?
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
I wasn't avoiding the subject, really! I was just busy -- my best friend moved to a new house this weekend and I've been helping clean, etc. Plus we went to see Gordon Lightfoot last night. BTW, the concert was pretty good -- but sadly, his voice isn't what it once was. Why couldn't he stay 35? Why couldn't we all?!Anyway, my "wild" life began when I was about 16, which was in the late 1960's actually. I stole a bottle of wine from my folks to take to a party. Dropped it on the front steps. Had to cover up the evidence before going to a party. Later Mom found the pieces of the bottle (hidden in the garbage) and asked me if I thought my brother would steal the wine. I told her I didn't think so -- she didn't ask if I would! She didn't find out about that until, oh, ten years ago. She just laughed (now--back then I would have been chained in my room).
Other stuff in high school was cutting one day to go shopping instead (and forging our excuses), forging other excuses for a couple other kids, going into a bar where we knew we wouldn't be carded, smoking cigarettes, just dumb stuff like that.
After high school, when I was old enough to go to the beer bars, I got drunk 2-3 nights per week, which continued on through most of my college life. I never went out with the goal of getting drunk, I just wanted to have fun, so when this stupid lifestyle no longer was much fun, I didn't have trouble stopping drinking. My drug of choice for the pain of living has always been food.
My friends and I wanted to try pot in HS but couldn't find anyone we trusted to supply us (wasn't very commonly available in northern Wisconsin back then). When I was in college, every time I was somewhere that pot was being passed around, it was a situation that seemed unsafe, especially since my "friends" were so drunk or stoned or both to be totally useless if I needed help. As I got older, I lost interest in trying anything -- "harder" stuff never held any allure for me. So, I have never even tried pot. Nowdays, if I had access, I might try it. I suspect it would affect me as liquor does - - I fall asleep. Another reason why I don't drink much any more.
I transferred to UW-Madison in 1973, and by then, the protests had all but fizzled out. Sterling Hall had been bombed and a researcher killed. That seemed to have been a turning point in Madison. The students/protestors were somewhat shocked by the death and kind of pulled back plus the police upped their efforts. And I wasn't an activist. I was "against the war", but in a sort of vague way -- I was way too self-focused. I wasn't aware of issues much. I think I had my head in the clouds or in a hole in the ground or I don't know where. When I was aware, I felt there was nothing I could do that would change anything. I started getting interested in alternative energy, environmental stuff, all that, much later in my life.
See, I told you it was B-O-R-R-R-I-N-N-GG! Have you snoozed off yet?
Got a steady boyfriend when I was 19, married him 4 years later, and divorced him 5 years after that. Hard to imagine what my life would have been like if we'd stayed married. I'd probably be in jail for homicide or attempted homicide of my husband. I know he wouldn't be interested in homesteading!
No odd or outre jobs in my resume either -- boring, boring, boring!
Don't ask Julie about her life, she's even more boring than I, unless she's been holding out on me!
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
Okay here goes!! Early 70s I had this 53 panel truck with a mattress in the back (Wishful thinking). One night while drunk I was scrounging tires at the city dump and this guy comes out of nowhere and runs into the side of the truck. I drove home and the next day was picked up and charged with assalt with a deadly weapon!! Charges were eventually dropped. thats all of my early crime sprees.I did my usual 70s drug thing. Marijuana and hash were my drugs of choice. I was into it pretty heavy then once I took much acid and they found me face down on the wharf in the bay area. All I remember was terror!! It was horrible! I didn't recover for a long time. I had a complete breakdown. That was the end of drugs for me!!
The next part of the 70s was the (find out who I am) remember that? Weekend encounter groups, gestalt therapy, est, rolphing on and on. You name it and I did it!!! That was a fun time. We raced around with our bellbottoms and long hair and really thought we had it together!!
Then it was time to save the world!! Protesting the war, protesting the bomb etc. I spent many hours outside grocery stores trying to convince people they should care that 9 million children die of hunger every year! hey a couple of people actually listened! Maybe. Because of Ram Dass, I spent some time as a counsiler for the terminally ill. And with Hospice also.
I think I told you but in 78 it all came to a screeching halt when my wife died. Time to slow way down and see if I could figure out how to raise 2 young kids.
All this should be read while the DOORS are playing PEOPLE ARE STRANGE!!!!.....Kirk
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
Okay already!!!! I MIGHT have run into this guy with my truck. I was really wasted!....Kirk......P>S> You people are all crazy I'm going back to Countryside!!!....KIDDING
-- Anonymous, April 28, 2001
OK, you say that the 80's count, so I'll jump in. But I did take a real walk on the wild side in '76. I was probably about 14 and won front row tickets to see the Eagles. Man, I thought I was cool! Mom bought me my first pair of platforms and I had a date! Guess who? My Dad. What a different world at the concert! There were people smoking pot all around us and the whole place lit up with lighters at the crowds pleasure in the music! But my Dad didn't leave. He stayed for the whole time. I didn't hit my rebellious time until young adulthood (18-25). I didn't know what I believed or what direction to set out in. So, I tried everything! I don't mean drugs and such but tried on all sorts of philosophies. Finally found family and nature to be the way for me and been refining my beliefs ever since then. No real big stories or pitfalls, just that philosophical limbo that seemed to last forever! Sorry, nothing very juicy here! Hope I haven't bored you all too much. I guess the best thing in my journey so far is that I've found so many things to be interesting (so many I'll never explore them all in THIS lifetime), that it's never been boring.John, my hat's off to you! I always pay attention to what you have to say. And often wondered a little about what you are like. You've always seemed young yet old at the same time. A seemingly very wise person.
-- Anonymous, April 29, 2001
Thanks Denise. The operative word there is "seemingly".
-- Anonymous, April 29, 2001
Well I'm the odd one out here, since I grew up in England. Things were very different in the 70's back there. The drugs of choice were beer (very good beer, that is) and hash. Didn't even try the latter at that time. I was a semi punk, spending a lot of time following bands like The Stranglers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division and a host of no-names. The most memorable occasions during college years were "pub (or bar) crawls" - semi-organised stumblings from pub to pub to pub to pub to pub... sometimes with a goal (e.g. to do every pub in one town) or sometimes with a theme, usually drinking 1-2 drinks at each. One theme was the bachelor party a group of us threw for Prince Charles the night before he married Diana. We made a straw-stuffed effigy of His Royal Highness, complete with lifelike rubber mask. We dragged this stumbling fool to way too many pubs and other "interesting" places until everywhere was closed. We picked up newcomers to the party at each stop, so had a pretty huge drunken mob by the time there was nowhere else to go. At that point we had no further use for HRH so decided to simply leave him in the middle of a busy intersection in the city center. Unfortunately, one of the group decided to torch him, at the exact time that a couple of police patrol cars were cruising by to check us out. Those of us still on our feet took off in all directions. Never heard the outcome, but needless to say, missed the wedding celebrations the next day! Actually got arrested on another similar occasion when a wasted friend trashed a pub, but not charged.Also worked at an atomic energy laboratory for a while. Accidentally dumped enough radioactive material down the sink one time to set off all the alarms in the complex! Never fessed up to that one before!
Moved to the U.S. in '82 for grad school, where I spent my really wild and hazy days in S. Florida before marrying Kim and having 3 great kids. I do feel a kind of sadness that the positive energy of the 70s in the U.S. dissipated without me ever being a part of it.
-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001
Now don't you feel better gettin that off your chest David? Ha! Do your hands glo? Hey I thought if you married a U.S. citizen you were okay?....kirk
-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001
Well, let's see.......When I was 12, my older cousin had this really cool 10 speed bike. Sometimes he'd let me ride it if I was running errands for him - he'd ask me to run an 8 track tape over to one of his buddies houses; or a pack of cigs. What I didn't know at the time was that I was delivering drugs! Pretty smart plan, actually - who's gonna look twice at a little girl on a bicycle?! He did have the grace to apologize later on...Since I grew up in Podunk, there wasn't a heck of a lot to do - got into pot and sex when I was about sixteen; never did like booze so no problems there. Lived with a dope dealer from 18 to almost 21 - think I might have seen 6 or 8 straight days in that time. Speed on the way to work to wake up, pot on the way home to mellow out; then acid and hash on the weekends. Saw a lot of good concerts - Eagles, Head East, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Bob Seger. Went to college and got my Ag degree and corrupted me some farm boys - yee-haw!! Gotta say one thing for them aggies, they sure are enthusiastic about breedin'!
Found a copy of TMEN in 1978 and got hooked on the back to the land scene. Had pretty much dropped out of the drug scene by then (out of boredom, mostly - got tired of watching people get so f-ed up they couldn't move). Still smoked a little home grown now and then. Sex was my drug of choice - had a good (?) female friend at work with whom I had a running contest of #1 - who could have sex in the most places where we worked; and #2 - who could have sex in the most different places. I have learned not to do that in a rubber raft when the depth of the water is over my head!
Met the kid's dad and gave up pot and promiscuity for family life - never looked back. My history gives me a lot of rapport with my patients at work though - I don't take no BS excuses from them as to why they can't stop booze or drugs or whatever. No regrets, I like me the way I am and I figure that everything I did back then helped make me who I am today - so it must have been worth it!
-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001
Joy is right...my escapades would bore you to tears!! I was so busy with the horses that nothing else seemed alluring. There is, however, one story of my *one* spectacular drunk....I was trying to not think about having just lost one of my pets that day and went out to a party I shouldn't have gone to, and decided to get drunk.First of all, I don't get drunk well...that is, at the time, I used to metabolize it really well and when everyone else was holding onto the floor, I was usually pretty okay and sobering up.
Well, anyway, I gave it a really good try that night, and when my friends told me that I was too drunk to walk home by myself and that they would drive me (I would probably have been safer on foot!), I then proceeded to 'prove' that I was fine, by climbing aboard my horse (did I mention we were drinking and riding?) with no saddle and no bridle, just a halter and no rope or reins. Then I took her around the arena at a canter, going into a gallop, with flying change of leads through the center, and doing a sliding stop, spraying dirt for 30 feet as a grand finale. Having proven my point, I slid off, walked about three steps, tripped over my own feet and went face first into the arena dirt.
So I said "Well, I'm not too drunk to ride, but I'm too drunk to walk, drive me home."
It didn't work to forget about Tzeitel's death tho. I cried my eyes out when I got home again.
Whoo hoo! Some wild life, huh?
-- Anonymous, May 01, 2001