One day I was driving down the road with my niece and nephew. As usual, when I have them “trapped” in my car, I try to enlighten them with some music they may not hear in their “regular lives.” At the moment, I was blasting out Galactic Zoo by Swamp Dog. I know; an old classic (on what planet Zulu?). I asked the kids if the music was too loud. My nephew responded with “If it’s too loud, you’re too old!”

I guess there comes a time when “one” might cross over to middle age, and perspective changes, but there’s always the chance that some things may have been undesirable even when I was younger in my adventurous life. Maybe I thought they “wrong” even then, or as “they” say, maybe I was wise beyond my years.

I wanted to leave you with a few observations that may be both;

* Running With The Bulls……ah NO! There is no time in my life that I wanted to Run With The Bulls…….EVER! “Running” is not a roller coaster ride at the amusement park that scares the crap out of you, but somewhere deep below the pizza you’re trying to keep down, is the idea that eventually the ride will end and you will stand and walk away ……..ALIVE. Not the case with bulls. They are wild animals who do not bargain, or have an off switch.

*Kayaking to see the Orca Whales. Kayaking is a beautiful activity, and I recommend it to everyone to try; at reason. I have literally lost hours switching between YouTube and Wikipedia watching and reading about Killer Whales. They may be one of the most enigmatic animals on the planet; craving social relationships, and having the ability to make a Great White Shark spin on a dime and get away as fast as they can. So….the next time I’d like to see an Orca up close, I’ll do it from a boat that won’t make me a maraschino cherry for the most powerful creature in the sea. Confused? Read the note above about animal “off switches” again!

*Even when I was younger. I knew there was something unsettling about naming every bridge, building, and highway after politicians. It’s just wrong. What’s worse is it’s usually a body of politicians that pick the name. It would be one thing for example if a Mayor spent 20 years in office, and all the time they were there, worked constantly on bike advocacy. It would be proper, and respectful to name a bike path after them, however; a short term politician who has their name splattered on the merry-go-round in the 100-year-old park and didn’t pay a cent for the placement of the ride is ridiculous.

* I don’t have any tattoos. That doesn’t mean I’m not qualified to speak on them. The bottom line? If I did get a tattoo, rest assured that I wouldn’t let “someone” draw pictures in ink, with needles, behind my head, at the base of my skull, millimeters away from my spinal cord; NO, NO, and just NO!

*Some final wise advice? Don’t keep your bottle of super glue near your bottle of eye drops (just wise advice; never had a problem), and don’t keep your tube of hand lotion next to your tube of Icy Hot; muscle cream for sport back spasms, unless you want to to mistake them, rub the Icy Hot under your armpits, and drop to your knees in blinding pain……..that one I did do! 

Wise beyond my years, or dumb beyond my time?