last_angry_man
21st February 2008, 00:06
me – the not too long version
a late boomer, born in the late ‘50s
earliest days: dream of playing 1st base for the mid sixties Baltimore Orioles
1st defining moment: growing up watching the Vietnam War on TV and slowly realizing that the BS they are teaching us has little to do with reality
2nd defining moment: ’68 Olympics watching Tommie Smith and John Carlos give raised fist salutes while the USA national anthem plays during award ceremony
revised dream: become revolutionary while holding down day job – playing bass in Rolling Stones.
3rd defining moment: seeing Weathermen atop FBI’s “most wanted” list. Makes “revolutionary” seem like a realistic career goal for suburban kid
reality break: I’ll have to finish high school before joining the fight against our oppressors
a dream deferred: in short order, the USA pulls out of Vietnam, then Saigon falls, then Jimmy Carter is elected. Due to drastic (mostly positive) changes, it seems like the revolution is on hold; good time to go to college.
the Carter years were a great time to hang out in Boston while attending college. you could almost believe that Euro-style socialism was on the way and I found time to actually learn how to play bass. The dream may have been deferred, but in 1980/81 I’ll be ready take my position in the vanguard; complete with my degree and my Fender bass.
you know the rest…… I graduate as Reagan is inaugurated. The country takes a 180 degree turn away from the socialist utopia, but by now no one is interested in the revolution anymore. I do the only honorable thing: spend the next twenty years as a junkie bass player.
today: the last 7 years have forced me to wake from a decades long nod and I am pissed! Wasn’t anybody taking care of business while I drooled on myself? who needs rehab when you’ve got the Bush administration to screw things up so badly that even a lifer like me is ready to throw down the needle and pick up the gun.
a late boomer, born in the late ‘50s
earliest days: dream of playing 1st base for the mid sixties Baltimore Orioles
1st defining moment: growing up watching the Vietnam War on TV and slowly realizing that the BS they are teaching us has little to do with reality
2nd defining moment: ’68 Olympics watching Tommie Smith and John Carlos give raised fist salutes while the USA national anthem plays during award ceremony
revised dream: become revolutionary while holding down day job – playing bass in Rolling Stones.
3rd defining moment: seeing Weathermen atop FBI’s “most wanted” list. Makes “revolutionary” seem like a realistic career goal for suburban kid
reality break: I’ll have to finish high school before joining the fight against our oppressors
a dream deferred: in short order, the USA pulls out of Vietnam, then Saigon falls, then Jimmy Carter is elected. Due to drastic (mostly positive) changes, it seems like the revolution is on hold; good time to go to college.
the Carter years were a great time to hang out in Boston while attending college. you could almost believe that Euro-style socialism was on the way and I found time to actually learn how to play bass. The dream may have been deferred, but in 1980/81 I’ll be ready take my position in the vanguard; complete with my degree and my Fender bass.
you know the rest…… I graduate as Reagan is inaugurated. The country takes a 180 degree turn away from the socialist utopia, but by now no one is interested in the revolution anymore. I do the only honorable thing: spend the next twenty years as a junkie bass player.
today: the last 7 years have forced me to wake from a decades long nod and I am pissed! Wasn’t anybody taking care of business while I drooled on myself? who needs rehab when you’ve got the Bush administration to screw things up so badly that even a lifer like me is ready to throw down the needle and pick up the gun.