My Wasted Youth

I drank too much but I had fun doing it. When I couldn't remember having the fun when drinking I could still remember that I did have fun when drinking. But usually I did remember having the fun.

Mildly dangerous vertical, fast hill climbing.

I did not save any money. I had too much fun spending it.

I had a job so I had money. Not a lot, but enough to waste it if I didn't worry about saving or investing any of it.

1972 - On my 1961 Matchless

Carefree and immortal, as long as immortal meant living to forty or more. Okay, maybe only thirty.

I was not afraid of death. Wasn't too fond of pain, though. But I didn't let that stop me, pain is part of life. If it hurts, live with it, unless it kills you, or if it is just too painful. But that's what Doctors are for, to fix the damage and make the pain go away.

Bootcamp 1970

I accomplished nothing Earth-shattering or world-changing. I did not get rich or famous. But I did spend twenty years in the Navy knowing that my immortality could be cut short just doing what needed to be done. But with a purpose, not just a job. So I did accomplish something important. And even that was usually enjoyable, if not downright fun.

1989

Would I do anything different if I could do it again? Retaining my current knowledge, of course. Damn straight I would.

Would I save or invest any money for the future? Probably not, or at least not much. Still might not live long enough to spend it.

Would I drink too much? Yes! Maybe not as much or as often, or both. But the answer is still yes.

Would I do all the stupid things again? Maybe not all of them but most? Yes.

Would I do all the stupidly dangerous things again? Definitely yes! That was the most fun stuff of all.

So was my youth actually wasted? I don't think so.