Some Things Have Changed

Just the other night we had a power outage in our home and I started to realize that things have changed. Although I was still running around with flashlight in hand and stepping on sharp toys in my bare feet, I was at a loss when it came to dealing with my 2-year-old daughter. While she helplessly followed me through darkened hallways and bedrooms, I couldn't really figure out what we should do. It was definitely time for her to go to bed, but without a nightlight and ceiling fan to hypnotize her, I thought she would be a little too scared to lie down. So instead of digging a battery-powered radio out of the closet and listening to music or a baseball game, I pulled out my trusty iPod. I've discovered that this is the perfect device for a blackout. You can even use it as a flashlight. However, on this occasion, I happened to have a 9-minute preview of the new Disney/Pixar movie "Ratatouille" on my iPod. This was perfect. All I had to do was sit down on the couch with my daughter and watch a cartoon rat run around a French kitchen for 9 minutes. She was mesmerized the whole 9 minutes, and by the time the preview was over my daughter was just sleepy enough to lie down and close her eyes.

This little event brought back some memories of my childhood. As I mentioned above, if there was a power outage the only entertainment we had was an old radio or reading a comic by candlelight (my dad didn't want to waste the flashlight batteries). The other time that I recalled while watching my daughter entranced by a 2.5 inch screen was when I would watch the latest episodes of Three's Company (or whatever else was broadcasting at the time) on my little 12" black and white TV screen in my bedroom. I just remember sitting on the floor watching this "remoteless" device for a couple hours at a time. Just having a TV (with rabbit ears, not cable) in my room was so amazing. I could watch whatever I wanted on the five channels available to me and do it in peace. I didn't care that it wasn't in color or that I had to actually get up to change the channels. This little TV was a wonderful piece of technology that was all mine.

Now as we all complain about our kids sitting around with buds in their ears looking at little iPod screens, just think about how cool it would've been to have an iPod with all of your favorite music, TV shows and movies back when you were a kid. I can only imagine what it would have been like to watch new episodes of Knight Rider on a little 2.5 inch screen. Actually, as I write this, I think that those old episodes are available on iTunes right now. I may have to download them so I have something to watch during the next power outage.

Welcome to my world

Grown up but not forgotten is a blog about the child in all of us.

I may be getting older, but that doesn't mean I can't smile when I walk into a Toys R Us, stay up all night waiting for Christmas morning to arrive or lay in front of the TV watching Saturday Morning cartoons with my kids. I fall for all the hype before every summer blockbuster comes to the nearby multiplex, and I can't wait until I get my twice monthly shipment of comic books. There's no greater satisfaction then finishing the latest novel about Elves, Spies or Aliens, and there's no greater relief than making it through the complicated process of building a playset for my kids or painting a castle on one of their bedroom walls.

Monday through Friday I get up and go to work, but the nights and weekends are my times to spend with family or delve into the next bit of childhood fantasy that comes along. Real life creeps in from time to time, but it only strengthens my desire to escape to a simpler time.

I hope that everyone who reads this blog feels the same way about their childhood and their adult lives. Take the time to smell the roses, but don't forget that carefree moment as you continue your lifelong journey.

Now it's time to get on with the show.