"Retro"
Apparently, I am now, "retro."
Let me explain.
By way of background, I have played ice hockey for a very, very long time. Consequently, I have ice skated for a very, very long time. I am not going to get into my pedigree here, because this post is not about my skating skills.
I have been happy as a lark ever since Elizabeth saw her cousin play hockey and found out that the goalie was a girl, and her name was Elizabeth. Now, every time she sees a hockey game she asks: "Where the goalie?" Is that E-wizabef?"
So, I took my daughter ice skating this weekend. I have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time due to a grossly under researched phenomenon referred to as the "law of diminishing aspirations in professional sports." This law is most easily expressed by way of example- my dreams regarding professional sports have gone from "I can play" to "I can coach" to "I can have my kids become pros." Yes, that is the way it goes down for corporate Americans and that is they way it went with me (although, I know I can coach, I just can't give up the job in order to do it).
OK, so, there I am at the local ice rink with my two-year-old daughter. The smell of the freon coolant, the echoes of sticks hitting the ice, a zamboni motor humming in the background. Bliss, pure bliss. A lifetime of youth and vitality percolates from deep within the recesses of my unconscious mind and cascades over my frontal lobe like a blizzard in July. For the first time in a long time, I no longer feel like a corporate suit, I feel like the self that I know that I really am.
Almost inebriated with giddiness, I went to get my trusted blades sharpened. I put my battle-hardened companions on the counter and the "dude" behind the counter looks at them and says: "wow, man, those skates are really retro!"
In a single moment, I came crashing down to Earth. I could have commented that I thought "today's" skates are nothing more than an attempt to "flash" up one's footwear like those tacky NBA sneakers, but, I felt too deflated. My only comment was: "Those skates and I have been through alot together." Not even realizing I was quoting Luke Skywalker, and further dating myself, I turned away and felt like a man in his (early!) thirties again.
Then, I saw this:
Let me explain.
By way of background, I have played ice hockey for a very, very long time. Consequently, I have ice skated for a very, very long time. I am not going to get into my pedigree here, because this post is not about my skating skills.
I have been happy as a lark ever since Elizabeth saw her cousin play hockey and found out that the goalie was a girl, and her name was Elizabeth. Now, every time she sees a hockey game she asks: "Where the goalie?" Is that E-wizabef?"
So, I took my daughter ice skating this weekend. I have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time due to a grossly under researched phenomenon referred to as the "law of diminishing aspirations in professional sports." This law is most easily expressed by way of example- my dreams regarding professional sports have gone from "I can play" to "I can coach" to "I can have my kids become pros." Yes, that is the way it goes down for corporate Americans and that is they way it went with me (although, I know I can coach, I just can't give up the job in order to do it).
OK, so, there I am at the local ice rink with my two-year-old daughter. The smell of the freon coolant, the echoes of sticks hitting the ice, a zamboni motor humming in the background. Bliss, pure bliss. A lifetime of youth and vitality percolates from deep within the recesses of my unconscious mind and cascades over my frontal lobe like a blizzard in July. For the first time in a long time, I no longer feel like a corporate suit, I feel like the self that I know that I really am.
Almost inebriated with giddiness, I went to get my trusted blades sharpened. I put my battle-hardened companions on the counter and the "dude" behind the counter looks at them and says: "wow, man, those skates are really retro!"
In a single moment, I came crashing down to Earth. I could have commented that I thought "today's" skates are nothing more than an attempt to "flash" up one's footwear like those tacky NBA sneakers, but, I felt too deflated. My only comment was: "Those skates and I have been through alot together." Not even realizing I was quoting Luke Skywalker, and further dating myself, I turned away and felt like a man in his (early!) thirties again.
Then, I saw this:
...and I felt like I was pretty cool again.
posted by John S. at 9:08 AM
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