Friday, January 7, 2011

I miss my youth

I was listening to a recently downloaded track - I know I have it illegally downloaded somewhere, but I wanted to give justice to it and buy it this time so I can hear it on my iphone.

It's Moonpools & Caterpillars "Soon". My lifelong friend Nikki had that CD when we were kids.

"When we were kids". It's a little funny cause I am an adult now. I enjoy it. The freedom, and its corresponding challenges. I look back though and part of me says, wow - that was quick. It's funny I know - but wow.

I grew up in a time when we watched the same TV shows and listened to the same music. It was cool when you know of music not being played on the radio. Really, the only source of music was, well - just live radio.

My generation grew up as the internet bloomed. Our chat rooms were confined to mirc. I wonder how that place is now. My generation welcomed this new technologically wrapped world with open arms while looking back on the last days of analog. We can understand when people say, back in the day. We can also adapt to when people mention the latest tech craze.

I am thankful for that.

However, I look back and even though the difference in the youth of today and twenty years ago has a vast chasm in between - I look back and see faces. Hear songs. Smell afternoons and feel the summers beating on my back.

I remember running out of the house as soon as I hear my friends clap their hands outside the house. That means it's play time. Summer time was amazing, because we had non stop time and did not have to involve our parents. We did not have to have them subscribe me to xbox live, pay for the internet, take care of my cellphone bill or get me the latest laptop or smartphone.

All we needed was to be there and to let them know where we are going. All we needed to do was be home by sunset.

Most of my friends were from the same school I went to. We didn't go a prestigious private school, nor did we go to the government run public schools. We were pretty much, middle class - middle of the road - decent and well mannered kids from the suburbs.

We enjoyed being away form the city life but being close enough to when we want to go on an urban odd-venture, we can.

Nikki - for example. Yes, she was everyones crush - including myself. But we qualified each other as people who think the same - who play along the same lines and get excited about almost the same things. Yes we argued a lot and there are things that I may disagree with her on - but I can say that if i were to get a handful of people who really know me. She's there.

She's outgoing, well spoken, well educated and can be your average kanto-kid to an elegant demi-god. She's definitely a best friend.

Cathy - when there was a Nikki - there was a Cathy. She's happily married now and of course, must devote most of not all her attention and love to the Mr.. but she never fails to deliver a sweet and only-from-cathy message when you need and deserve one.

Arden - arden arden arden. The friend whom I've shared the least amount of words with but the one whom I've shared the most amount of time with. We don't talk that much, only when we need to. But somehow, we know that our friendship is forever. And as far as we're concerned - it's been going on all out lives. We went through learning alcohol together, visiting our girlfriends at the same school together, losing the same girls at the same time, liking the same girl at the same time, crashing our bikes and finishing computer games together.

Why am I being melancholy and melodramatic right now? Well... there's no reason really. It's just one of those days. Must be the cirrus clouds.