I wanted to sit down and write a nice long post on the significant events of the past decade. But when I sat down at my terminal to write it, I realized that this would be nothing less than a short novel. Not wanting to unduly punish you the reader, I’ve decided to take a different approach to the same subject. So, instead of looking back at significant events, I’m going to skip from 2000 to 2010 and see how certain things have changed along the journey.
In 2000, I finally moved out in to my own home. I am still living in that same house as I write this. Though much has changed over the past 10 years, it’s been an interesting and meaningful evolution.
10 years ago, the spare bedroom was setup as my office. Over time, it grew into nothing less than my lab and sanctuary. It remained that way for 9 long years. This is where I retreated to when I got home from work, the weekends, and anytime I needed to be by myself. If you’ve ever heard of the term ‘man-cave’, this was my ‘man-cave’. Now this room of solace and geekness holds a crib. This is where my son sleeps. I have passed my legacy onto him.
10 years ago I was working as a manager for a very prominent video game retail gaming store. They were in fact the #1 retailer of video games at the time. I spent all day shilling out games, and all night playing them. Now, I barely get a chance to play any games. The company was purchased by their rival a few years back. Their name, Electronics Boutique, has gone the way the of the dinosaur. Or in gaming reference terms, the Atari Jaguar.
10 years ago I was a new AT&T customer with my 2nd cell phone. My new phone did all kind of new, futuristic things like have a contacts list, send and receive text messages, and multiple ringtones. I am currently an AT&T customer, having just returned this past July from almost 7 years with Verizon. I use an iPhone 3GS, which is more powerful than the desktop computer I moved into this house with 10 years ago. If you had shown me the iPhone 10 years ago, I would have told you it was a prop from Star Trek.
10 years ago I just bought a 1996 Neon coupe with almost 8,000 miles on it. Today, I drive a 1994 Buick Century sedan with 77,000 miles on it. What lessons have I learned from this? You go with what works.
10 years ago I downloaded music everyday, over the internet, for free, through a little program called Napster. Today I pay for 100% of my music over iTunes or in stores via a physical CD. I have done my fair share of pirating, as well as your share and the chap sitting next to you. However, through a tough lesson, and a little growing up, I’ve come to realize that paying you own way through life has something to be said for it. You sleep better at night.
10 years ago I bought one of the very first MP3 players, the Diamond Rio. It had 32mb of internal memory, and I purchased the largest media card I could for it, bringing the total size to 64mb. Today, my smallest iPod hold 1gb. (I still have the Rio!)
10 years ago I mocked people who used Macintosh computers. I was a gamer and therefore a die hard PC guy. Today, I am hardcore Mac guy.
10 years ago I thought I was hot shit for going out and buying a new 40gb drive. I would never have to delete anything again! That drive set me back a little over $200. A few months ago, I bought a new external drive for my Mac. I decided to go for broke and spent $85 on a 1tb drive. My current PC has almost the same amount of storage. Hell, I have a 320gb drive upstairs in my firebox for external picture backups. Even though space is cheap and plentiful, I can’t seen anything worthwhile anymore to fill the drives.
10 years ago none of my friends were married. Not only are almost all of us married, but almost all of us have kids.
10 years ago I spent way too much time trying to live up to other people’s expectations. Today, I just try to be the best man that I can be.
10 years ago I was playing DOOM on my IBM Aptiva PC. I just played the same exact DOOM this morning on my iPhone.
10 years ago I paid a man to install 4 new windows in my home because I didn’t have the first clue about home improvement. This year, I installed 2 new windows myself into my son’s room.
10 years ago I dreamed of going to England one day. I was lucky enough to spend a week there with my wife in 2007. I wake up everyday trying to figure out a way to go back.
10 years ago I was listening to CDs by ‘The Police’ wondering what it must have been like to see them play their last tour in 1984. Against all odds, I get to see ‘The Police’, newly reunited, live in Hershey with my wife less than a week after coming back from England. Two dreams fulfilled in less than 10 days.
I could probably go on like this few a few more pages, but I think we both have better things to do with our time. This was the first decade of my life that I was not in school. It was also the first decade where I was not living under my parent’s roof. There were some great times, and there were some downright shitty times. Friends were made, and friends were lost. Regardless, it was one hell of a journey. I can’t wait to see what this next decade will bring. We’ll pick us this little chat in 2020.
