I can't believe I was 14 when Michael Jackson died. I remember the exact spot I was sitting in our apartment in Saudi Arabia. And I can't believe I was 15 when Avatar was released. It feels like it came out so long ago.
I was 14 when Freddie Mercury died. Now that seems like forever ago.
There's something tragic about people out-olding each other. I know I'm a long ways from the oldest on here and I saw Star Wars Episode IV in a theater. Back then, we just called it "Star Wars." I want you to imagine: You're five years old. You've driven the 30 miles to the movie theater to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture (the incomprehensible weirdness you're left with - a discussion for another time). The lights come down and you see this: And then you are told you have to wait until summer to see the rest. That's five months of kindergarteners speculating on the nature of "AT-ATs." But hey - I've got friends that remember when Kennedy got shot. Old is decidedly relative.
Unfortunately, when using "old" in a given context - for example, I wouldn't date that guy, he's super old! - sometimes people forget that. Before I realized this, I'd tell coworkers what I said above [in italics], they'd ask how old said person was, and then get offended because they were not as old as the person. Well, I'm not trying to date you, coworker. You're a perfectly decent age to be my coworker. You are not a perfectly decent age to be smashing your genitalia against mine. I've also noticed that if you tell people you are bad at guessing ages and over-guess (mistake a 30 year old for 45) they still get offended - but if you tell people you are bad at guessing ages and underguess, they are flattered. Age is a funny thing. I guess ego is too. It allows one to completely dismiss a very important caveat, in other words, OK I'll guess your age, but I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing.Old is decidedly relative.
Yer a youngster! I was in 4th grade when Star Wars came out. I remember my dad coming home from Kmart with a 3-minute super 8 preview reel and watching it on the living room wall. Ended up watching it 11 times in the theater. Here it is alphabetically: https://hubski.com/pub?id=154446
The re-release of Ep IV was in probably 96 or 97, and it was awesome. I can't remember which of the re-releases it was, but one of them I had to trudge through deep snow while on serious amounts of hallucinogens to get to the theater (I hope it was Empire, since the beginning is on Hoth, but I can't be sure). One of the best movie experiences ever. Also, I cut class when I was a Junior or Senior in high school to see Ep I matinee on opening day, which was also amazing.