Defining Moments In My Life
Some important first time events growing up.
There are "first time" moments in everyone's life that define them as a person and add to their life experience.
Some moments can be defined as "cool" or "memorable", but most can agree that those two words could not encompass the myriad of emotions one could feel.
These unforgettable life lessons can be good and bad but the end result is always a sense of maturity or new found wisdom.
These are those moments.
My first real roller coaster
The Loch Ness Monster
at Busch Gardens
I was never one to be scared of heights but for some reason before the age of 9 I was very much a pussy about riding "upside-down" roller coasters. Eventually my mom made me get on it with her and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. The first initial drop into a flip washed all the fear away. Now, if only I can convince my wife to "man up" and ride them.
My first injury
Busted Teeth
I was fairly young and was on my cheap "GT Coyote" skateboard. My father was walking our dog and I was following close behind him barefoot on my blue plastic "death stick". We ended up in a church parking lot and I was hauling ass down the sidewalk when suddenly I hit a raised slab of sidewalk. I went flying like Superman face first into the concrete, grinding the enamel off of my baby teeth. A few minutes later I returned home, a dejected bloody-mouthed kid with my favorite "Jimmy Z" shirt crammed in my grill. Luckily my dentist put bonding on my front teeth so I wouldn't look like a homeless man.
My first broken curfew
Putt-Putt Golf and Games
I was 10 and out til midnight. I had a curfew of 10pm but my friends 18 year old brother was going to Putt-Putt Golf and Games and I didn't want to be left out. I truthfully just lost track of time in the arcade. When I got home my parents were waiting for me in the dining room.........livid. Looking back I realize I was in the wrong, but I was still a kid being a kid..........not like I was huffing paint and banging hookers like the 10 year olds these days. Just kidding...............but not really.
My first music purchase
...And Justice For All by Metallica
After doing some chores and scrounging up $20, I headed to the mall for some cassette tapes. I was actually sweating this purchase. I thought the "parental advisory sticker" might make my mom flip out but she didn't care. I think because I bought it with the "Pump" album by "Aerosmith" she assumed it was nothing too too crazy. This coming from the woman who purchased "Michael Jackson's" "Bad" record for me. If only she knew he would become a fan of raping little boys later down the road. Ohhhhhh the comedy.
My first drug experience
Cigarettes
I always hung out with a older crowd and I never wanted to seem like a wimp so I tried smoking. I think it was a "Doral" or a "Merit" but it was absolutely nasty. I didn't really inhale, I just held it in my mouth and exhaled through my nose because I was nervous. Around 8th grade I was developing a pretty good habit and kept it all through high school, college, and well into my twenties. I quit almost two years ago. Nearly ten years of addiction. I kept "Marlboro" in business. Lesson learned.
My first arena concert
Monster Tour 1994
R.E.M.
Some moments can be defined as "cool" or "memorable", but most can agree that those two words could not encompass the myriad of emotions one could feel.
These unforgettable life lessons can be good and bad but the end result is always a sense of maturity or new found wisdom.
These are those moments.
My first real roller coaster
The Loch Ness Monster
at Busch Gardens
I was never one to be scared of heights but for some reason before the age of 9 I was very much a pussy about riding "upside-down" roller coasters. Eventually my mom made me get on it with her and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. The first initial drop into a flip washed all the fear away. Now, if only I can convince my wife to "man up" and ride them.
My first injury
Busted Teeth
I was fairly young and was on my cheap "GT Coyote" skateboard. My father was walking our dog and I was following close behind him barefoot on my blue plastic "death stick". We ended up in a church parking lot and I was hauling ass down the sidewalk when suddenly I hit a raised slab of sidewalk. I went flying like Superman face first into the concrete, grinding the enamel off of my baby teeth. A few minutes later I returned home, a dejected bloody-mouthed kid with my favorite "Jimmy Z" shirt crammed in my grill. Luckily my dentist put bonding on my front teeth so I wouldn't look like a homeless man.
My first broken curfew
Putt-Putt Golf and Games
I was 10 and out til midnight. I had a curfew of 10pm but my friends 18 year old brother was going to Putt-Putt Golf and Games and I didn't want to be left out. I truthfully just lost track of time in the arcade. When I got home my parents were waiting for me in the dining room.........livid. Looking back I realize I was in the wrong, but I was still a kid being a kid..........not like I was huffing paint and banging hookers like the 10 year olds these days. Just kidding...............but not really.
My first music purchase
...And Justice For All by Metallica
After doing some chores and scrounging up $20, I headed to the mall for some cassette tapes. I was actually sweating this purchase. I thought the "parental advisory sticker" might make my mom flip out but she didn't care. I think because I bought it with the "Pump" album by "Aerosmith" she assumed it was nothing too too crazy. This coming from the woman who purchased "Michael Jackson's" "Bad" record for me. If only she knew he would become a fan of raping little boys later down the road. Ohhhhhh the comedy.
My first drug experience
Cigarettes
I always hung out with a older crowd and I never wanted to seem like a wimp so I tried smoking. I think it was a "Doral" or a "Merit" but it was absolutely nasty. I didn't really inhale, I just held it in my mouth and exhaled through my nose because I was nervous. Around 8th grade I was developing a pretty good habit and kept it all through high school, college, and well into my twenties. I quit almost two years ago. Nearly ten years of addiction. I kept "Marlboro" in business. Lesson learned.
My first arena concert
Monster Tour 1994
R.E.M.
Yeah, I went to R.E.M. and I am not ashamed. This was the first real rock concert I went to and it was at Hampton Coliseum in Virginia. I used to tag along with older people to smaller venues to see shitty bands like "The Presidents of the United States of America" or go to punk shows with my skate friends, but this was an actual headline band. I wish it could have been a more edgier rock show but it was "alternative" not "death metal".
My first unrated movie
Faces of Death
Now when I say first unrated movie I don't mean pornographic. That was not taboo to me, seeing as how I lost my virginity at fourteen. I'm referring to legit film. As far as unrated goes, seeing death on film is quite a shocker. Some of the scenes were pretty intense but I felt a sense of accomplishment being able to eat pizza and watch it with out puking. These days I doubt I could stomach the movie.
My first sports failure
Wrestling
I was decently athletic all my life. Baseball was my main sport and I could hang in all the others so I decided to try wrestling in middle school. To be blunt...I sucked. I have a pretty good build and size but all that didn't matter. Technique kicked my ass everytime. Purely on muscle, I managed to pin some scrub during a exhibition tournament before the actual season. So it really didn't count. It was quite humbling getting wrecked every match. Some in less than a few minutes. Sometimes you gotta eat shit to appreciate life for what it is. And what it is, I am still not sure of.........
My first style rebellion
Long hair
Growing facial hair really wasn't my thing. I could never manage anything more than a poor mustache and some chin hairs. In the right light it might be a goatee to go with the only thing I could grow, sideburns. I guess it was getting popular at the time so I grew my hair out. My parents didn't care as long as I wasn't doing drugs. Once I got busted for "herb" they made me shave my head. I think this was 9th or 10th grade. It was pretty long and I looked like an extra on "Dazed and Confused" or some surfer bum.
My first real video game obsession
Metal Gear Solid
My first job was at "Babbage's" which was a video game and PC software store. It got bought out years later and it is now called "Gamestop". Anyways, I could check out games and demo them at the house as well as get good deals on used games and other stuff that seemed important in those days. Working there I felt like a geek but I had loyal clients and it wasn't that hard of a job, shrink wrapping and selling games.
Well when "Metal Gear Solid" first came to our store I bought the first copy and played it from when I got off at 9pm until the next afternoon. I was obsessed with the hide and seek espionage features and the overall stealth you feel running around exploring. I played the game through multiple times to see the endings and get the secrets. It is still a top 5 favorite of mine.
My first TV appearance
WCW Monday Nitro
April 6, 1998
Walking to the ticket line I saw WWF's "Degeneration X" campaigning a "war" on WCW by loitering outside the Scope arena in Norfolk. WWF "Raw is War" was being filmed that same night a few miles away in Hampton, so "HHH", "Chyna", and crew were clad in army gear and a mini tank outside the arena calling out WCW wrestlers and fans. Pretty funny and cool.
We were front row and I was on TV. My cousin, uncle and father came with me and it was a blast to see myself on the recorded tape I had in the VCR after the show. The flames from the ring post pillars were very hot and so were the "nitro sluts". The "Giant" was ginormous and "Konnan" was a sweaty Mexican. I know this because in a match he was thrown into the guard rail and I slapped the back of his head. Nasty!
Thanks for the read.
To be continued.......
My first unrated movie
Faces of Death
Now when I say first unrated movie I don't mean pornographic. That was not taboo to me, seeing as how I lost my virginity at fourteen. I'm referring to legit film. As far as unrated goes, seeing death on film is quite a shocker. Some of the scenes were pretty intense but I felt a sense of accomplishment being able to eat pizza and watch it with out puking. These days I doubt I could stomach the movie.
My first sports failure
Wrestling
I was decently athletic all my life. Baseball was my main sport and I could hang in all the others so I decided to try wrestling in middle school. To be blunt...I sucked. I have a pretty good build and size but all that didn't matter. Technique kicked my ass everytime. Purely on muscle, I managed to pin some scrub during a exhibition tournament before the actual season. So it really didn't count. It was quite humbling getting wrecked every match. Some in less than a few minutes. Sometimes you gotta eat shit to appreciate life for what it is. And what it is, I am still not sure of.........
My first style rebellion
Long hair
Growing facial hair really wasn't my thing. I could never manage anything more than a poor mustache and some chin hairs. In the right light it might be a goatee to go with the only thing I could grow, sideburns. I guess it was getting popular at the time so I grew my hair out. My parents didn't care as long as I wasn't doing drugs. Once I got busted for "herb" they made me shave my head. I think this was 9th or 10th grade. It was pretty long and I looked like an extra on "Dazed and Confused" or some surfer bum.
My first real video game obsession
Metal Gear Solid
My first job was at "Babbage's" which was a video game and PC software store. It got bought out years later and it is now called "Gamestop". Anyways, I could check out games and demo them at the house as well as get good deals on used games and other stuff that seemed important in those days. Working there I felt like a geek but I had loyal clients and it wasn't that hard of a job, shrink wrapping and selling games.
Well when "Metal Gear Solid" first came to our store I bought the first copy and played it from when I got off at 9pm until the next afternoon. I was obsessed with the hide and seek espionage features and the overall stealth you feel running around exploring. I played the game through multiple times to see the endings and get the secrets. It is still a top 5 favorite of mine.
My first TV appearance
WCW Monday Nitro
April 6, 1998
Walking to the ticket line I saw WWF's "Degeneration X" campaigning a "war" on WCW by loitering outside the Scope arena in Norfolk. WWF "Raw is War" was being filmed that same night a few miles away in Hampton, so "HHH", "Chyna", and crew were clad in army gear and a mini tank outside the arena calling out WCW wrestlers and fans. Pretty funny and cool.
We were front row and I was on TV. My cousin, uncle and father came with me and it was a blast to see myself on the recorded tape I had in the VCR after the show. The flames from the ring post pillars were very hot and so were the "nitro sluts". The "Giant" was ginormous and "Konnan" was a sweaty Mexican. I know this because in a match he was thrown into the guard rail and I slapped the back of his head. Nasty!
Thanks for the read.
To be continued.......
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