Wild Years May 6, 2008
At the first shop I ever held a job at, the owner would constantly repeat a certain line or two on how we should operate much in the same way sharks keep themselves alive. It was simple, keep moving. Luckily my pulmonary system operated in a much different way than any shark I’ve ever heard of except for, maybe, the kinds that deal in loans or cards. I do not have to constantly concentrate to stay animated enough to force air into my lungs, I am quite well equipped to stay still, and these days I very much enjoy it at times.
When I was not too much younger, I constantly avoided sleep or inactivity because I was sure I was going to miss a great moment somewhere I could have been had I not been in slumber. This led me to sleeping in more than a few kitchens during long, friend-filled nights of horsing around. I would shrug off exhaustion to get an earful of another slew of awful jokes and elaborate and wild stories of unremarkable events. It may seem silly or unnecessary, but when you’re young and thirsty for adventure and genuine experiences, this was the stuff that was golden.
Now-a-days I tend to think that I’ve slowed it all down a bit, that I’ve dialed back my wild style. Until, that is, that I look back on just how hectic each year has been. This past one, looking back from now, has seen me living in the shed I built in Florida, then back to New England for a intense CX season, then back to Fl to live in yet another apartment with a new partner. Now the saga continues as I settle into my new home in Philadelphia. The past year has seen me hit the end of my financial resources and race on the most tenuous of budgets, and stretch a few relationships as far as they could possibly go, it has had me working in a slew of shops, and has hopefully made me a better person. Who knows?
Have I slowed down? I guess not, not that I am looking to any time soon mind you, I suppose I’ve just acclimated to the rapid changes and pace that I’ve always known. I just do get a bit more sleep these days, which works out well for me.
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