Writer's Block: Childish Pleasures

[jackwabbit]

[Error: unknown template qotd] Just one something? Whatever.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Original NES games. Talking stuffed animals and their legendary adventures. Anthropomorphizing everything. Talking gibberish in gibberish voices. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. About a million other things. But not comic books because those aren't for kids much. And did I mention Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

(Actually, this questions is crap. If you love it, you don't ever have to outgrow it. Period and the end. Rock out, Raphael!)

Comments

[lolmac]

It might be a more interesting (and less cliche) question if they asked "Name something that you loved once and did outgrow. Do you miss it?"

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

Good point. THAT is a good question. Hm...ponder, ponder...

[lolmac]

I ended up pondering also. Admittedly, sometimes you outgrow something -- sometimes it grows one way and you grow another. Sometimes you grow and it shrinks.

I did come up with a few. I outgrew the Society for Creative Anachronism (which was a perfect fit when I was an adolescent, and still good in college). I outgrew the filk music world (but grew into other music). I outgrew my first career, and while I was at it, I outgrew the capacity to slave idealistically in any environment that didn't offer respect in return.

I've grown away from the pagan community; I might grow back towards it in time. It looks diminished to me at the moment, but that may be perspective. I miss that sometimes.

I definitely outgrew radical lesbian separatism (that didn't take long). I outgrew the need to label my sexuality. I don't miss either of those!

[jackwabbit.livejournal.com]

I've outgrown the societal push to keep people in my life because I "should." I've learned that if someone is not positive and uplifting that I have no need for them in my life, no matter who they are. Not only no need, but no desire. That has been very nice.

The same is true of life decisions. Married ten years with no children? Why, yes. Yes, I am. So are most of my friends. I consider this a non-entity. It's neither odd nor normal, but just is. Like sexual preference with me, it just isn't important.

I grew away from music to some extent, which I do miss. I still appreciate, but don't play.

My life pushed me away from competitive sport, which I also miss, but only on occasion. Martial arts, however, I miss more often.

I left religion behind long ago, and I don't miss that at all.

In leaving some things, though, I found others. I no longer play softball, but when I did, I didn't know I could write.

Thus is life.

All in all, I'm glad to have grown, and I hope to continue to do so. I never considered actually hiking The Appalachian Trail before (though I've toyed with it all my life) but living so close to part of it now, I'm thinking "why not?" Live and learn, that's what I say.