Sunday, March 3, 2024

Oh to be able to talk to 12 year old me

A Dreamer

March 3

Had a birthday a few days ago and of course it got me thinking about how much change I've seen in the world in my life - the good, the weird, and the utter shit - and I don't know that I'd believe myself on 99% of it.

That Apple IIE computer with it's TWO 5 1/4 disk drives and monochrome monitor that you're having so much fun with? You're going to have a computer you can put in your pocket which will be hundreds (IDK, thousands?) of times more powerful. And you'll be able to watch a baseball game being played 2600 miles away on it.
Thanks to that little computer and vastly improved communications in general, you'll know more about what is going on in the world than you ever have. This is a double edged sword, cause there is a lot of shit out there.
Still haven't nailed peace in the Middle East. It's a cycle of improvement and then goes to shit. Well, it's kinda that way everywhere - they kinda forget to tell you in school that the US is quite the destabilizing force around the world.
There is so much shit they're not teaching you in school. SO MUCH. It's easy to think America is reasonably good when they skip the bad stuff. When you do find out about the bad stuff, it's gonna hit hard and hurt, but you'll be better for knowing it.
You will use geometry and low level algebra in life. Everything after that? Not once.
The Republican party will go from being garden variety shitbirds to full on genocidal fascist maniacs - like, really damn scary people.
The Democrats will continue try and make improvements and be good at getting in their own way, but they'll also become a damn wholly owned subsidiary of Corporate America.
Neither party will take criticism particularly well.
Both will gaslight the fuck out of you.
You'll still end up a Democrat, cause fuck the fascists.
One of those fascist psychos became President and probably will do it again.
Capitalism suuuuuuuucks.
HIV/AIDS will go from being a certain death sentence, to a chronic condition manageable with meds. (But not before the Reagan administration basically says "fuck the gay community" so it will take a while.)
There will be another big, ugly, worldwide pandemic and it will not go well AT ALL.
Jimmy Carter. He's just started working with Habitat for Humanity - he's is gonna be the most amazing former President. Like, absolutely fucking amazing.
We pretty much did away with acid rain, and that hole in the ozone layer got fixed, which is pretty cool. But, the environment is still really hurting and fucking oil companies are blaming YOU - despite individuals doing more to protect the environment than they ever have - it's just not enough to make up for corporate and governmental pollution.
Terrorism. You're already familiar with the concept, but it's gonna start hitting at home and in more than a few cases, the call is going to be coming from inside the damn house.
Tattoos! You know how they're kinda just for sailors and bikers and ne'er-do-wells? They're for everyone now and no big deal.
You'll have purple and silver hair. It's fuckin' sick, kiddo.
Outside of the awesome hair, you're not gonna function super well outside of work. You're gonna spend a lot of time thinking you're a failure over it - but you're not. Your brain just doesn't work like other folks, and it's gonna take you a really long time to figure that out - but once you do, things start to get a little better. The reason you're OK at work is because your work suits your brain and you're terrified of being homeless. (See: Capitalism.) Looking back, I don't even know how you managed school so well.
There is gonna be a Black President. He won't be perfect, but he cares about the country. You won't believe how angry the Republicans will get over the fact that this man exists and people like him enough to elect him.
There will be cats!!
There is also gonna be a fuckton of trauma that you won't actually recognize as trauma until well after the fact, cause you've kinda been raised on "Well, shit happens and we muck through it."
The Supreme Court is totally fucking useless and corrupt. lt's not good.
Oh, you're not straight.
Know how the Republicans are very anti-USSR? Uh, not so much anymore. It's weird.
The American culinary landscape is going to be pretty fucking awesome. You're gonna eat a LOT of really good food and try lots of new things. (You'll never really develop a taste for sushi though, ebi is pretty much your limit there.) And so many taco options.
No flying cars, but we do have exploding hoverboards, so, um, that's something?
Did I mention the cats?