When You Were Young

by the Killers from Sam's Town

So it is the last few hours of 2009 here in California. In my previous post, I reflected on the past year but for this entry, I am going to reflect on the past decade. Now many people aren't tremendously fond of the 2000's and rightfully so. It started with a much disputed election of a president who would disastrously become of the worst, the worst terrorist attack in American history, the technology bubble, the Enron, WorldCom and other scandals, a justified yet poorly planned and executed war in Afghanistan, a unjustified, poorly planned and executed war in Iraq, a massively destructive Tsunami in southeast Asia, a massively destructive hurricane in Katrina and a massively bungled response to it, a genocide in Darfar after we said never again after Rwanda in the 90's, and to top it off the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression. It's little wonder that people call the past ten years the Decade From Hell and the Big Zero. Now contrary to how lots of people may think, I am not as pessimistic about the last ten years as some people. I do understand why many people would want to forget the past decade (or at least the 8 years of Bush in it) because compared to the optimism we had going into a new millennium, I can see how this first decade fell well sort of expectations.

There are a few things that went well this decade. Despite Bush's and Republicans' best efforts, the environmental movement is still moving in a progressive direction. There are now millions of hybrid cars, a renewed focus on addressing global warming, and people are now more aware of consuming more green products. Technology marched on it so much that 1999 seems so quaint now. A music collection consisting of 100's of CDs so now sits comfortably in the palm of my hand in my iPod. I had a cell phone in 2000 but now I can use my current phone as well as a phone, computer, music player, navigational device and countless other things. I never thought I would see the day Hollywood be shut down through a writers' strike about digital downloads, something not even heard even during the first half of the decade. Oh yeah, we elected a black president - something that I didn't think would happen in my life time. But mostly, I seem to have a bit more positive view of the past decade is because it turned out to be an alright decade for me. It also made me feel incredibly fortunate to have lived through my 20's during this decade. Because when you think about it, out of all the billions of people who are living or have lived, only a select few get to live out their 20's during a decade like this and those few will have a unique outlook that will shape them for the rest of their lives.

I can somewhat divide the decade into personal eras for me:

2000 - 2002 Finishing up undergrad at SCU while working too many hours
2002 - 2004 Contracting at Cisco, post graduation fun times
2004 - 2006 In Michigan for grad school
2006 - 2007 Post grad school funk, working traveling like crazy
2008 - Now More well balanced life + the special lady

Looking back it is amazing how things worked out. Even times that I messed up or failed to get something I wanted, actually may have worked in my favor in the long run. For example, it sucked contracting at Cisco for the crappy rate I was getting so I interviewed at a few companies to full time position. If I had got one of them, then I may have not been motivated to go to grad school when I did, thus resulting in a career change, which I have to say I like much better. Also the timing of things just seem to work. I graduated grad school in a good economy but if I had waited a few years I would have faced a much different landscape. As Conan O'Brien once said,

Needless to say, I took a lot of criticism, some of it deserved, some of it excessive. And it hurt like you wouldn't believe. But I'm telling you all this for a reason. I've had a lot of success and I've had a lot of failure. I've looked good and I've looked bad. I've been praised and I've been criticized. But my mistakes have been necessary.

And yet, every failure was freeing, and today I'm as nostalgic for the bad as I am for the good.

That's pretty much how I feel looking back at these 10 years. There were ton of great times and the lowest of lows. But all that experience defines who and where I am today. And without both the good and bad, I don't think I would appreciate the things, people, and experiences the way I do. But that doesn't mean that I don't have regrets. I have my fair share. And also some sadness there are some things that I won't get to experience again or times in my life that I wish I could revisit just once more. But as Austin Powers said, that train has sailed. So if you would just indulge my nostalgic streak just once more, here are a few things that I will remember fondly from the past decade:

1. The summers of 2000 and 2001 where Phill, CWP$, Vishnu, and the rest of PCC would meet up on Friday nights to have a BBQ and play ultimate frisbee.

2. The summer of 2005 where I crashed at Percy and Vishnu's place. Other than being the constant butt of their jokes, we went out drinking, eating, or doing something what seemed like every night of the week.

3. Winter in Michigan where it would be beyond belief cold with snow and wind. However, I think its all the fun times I spent hanging out with my classmates (and yeah, drinking) that give me warm memories of those years.

4. The latter half of 2002 through 2004 where most of my friends had just graduated from college and started working. We would go out to lunch almost everyday and then head up to the city to go bar hopping. It was also during this time I had developed my short-lived and ill advised liking of smoking cloves and cigars.

5. Obviously the time me and special lady have spent so far together. Unfortunately or fortunately you can never re-meet someone special again for the first time.

6. While it was incredibly hard and tough when it happened, I still look back somewhat fondly at my two years at SCU. In retrospect, it is hard to believe I overloaded on classes, worked 20-40 hours regularly, while having to ride the bus regularly.

7. I remember when I lived in Campbell, I would spend countless afternoons walking through downtown to the Pruneyard and back, just looking at the shops, reading books at the bookstore, going to the library, taking in the scenery etc.

8. Helping Jinah move especially when she and Drew lived in Richmond in their small apartment. I found out that when you get done moving for several hours at 2 AM that one can of Red Bull can keep me awake for the hour plus ride home.

9. Just walking by myself around great cities like London, Tokyo, New York, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, and others.

10. Oh yeah I can't forget seeing Game 3 of the 2002 NLCS at Pac Bell with Vishnu while we sat next to a couple we had taken to the cleaners when we sold them our two extra tickets.

So that is all for the 2000's. To the next 10 years and whatever they will bring. Until next time, happy new year and peace.