Freshly divorced, I needed an escape.
Sister was serving in Key West with the Navy. I owned a Cessna 182 that needed the exercise. My Mother and pilot Father were up for the trip. If anyone would have understood I'd have shouted "Air Trip"!
It was a few days before Christmas, 1976.
I can remember that the weather cooperated during the flight down, during our stay, and during the flight back to the MidWest. Sitting on the beach outside a bar with my Brother-in-law, drinking enough Scotch and Water on the rocks to get a nice buzz while listening to halyards bang against the mast of a dozen Hobie Cats pulled up in the sand is one of my fondest memories.
Another memory... fond, but maybe troubling now, was that my Sister and her husband got an Atari 2600 for Christmas that year.
All were fascinated with it. One or the other of us would sit until the wee hours of the morning playing "Space Invaders" on the game. At some point there would be a "bonus point" target zip across the top of the screen and my Mother would shout "get that 'Googly-Moogly!"
Great fun.
But with the benefit of hindsight I can see-
This was the start of our addiction to playing games instead of going outside to play... whatever.
We have kids in homes all around us here at "Casa Greybeard".
When I was a kid you'd hear us shouting, screaming, laughing while we played in the out of doors.
I hear NONE of that now...
Because kids are indoors shooting Great Googly Mooglies-
And the only part of their bodies getting exercise is their thumbs.
15 January 2022
Google-y-Moogle-y !
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6 comments:
"Kids these days" is not a new refrain.
But you are right.
Fun memory, tho. Wouldn't take a million for it. Also the beginning of the "kick"
There are some steep slopes to our East. When we get snow the big kids are out in force sledding. Across the street is a gentle slope and parents have the little ones sliding down. It makes me feel good to watch all of them having fun.
Nearby is a skate park and it is heavily used. I thinks kids will always go for physical activities if given a chance and a place. I agree the games capture too much attention. My youngest two spent far too much time but did keep them off the streets.
Good Key West memories, stationed there 72-75, flew SH-3s up and down the Keys and out to the Tortugas. Guess I was fortunate I never got into video games, though I admit to a few games of Pacman.
Sadly correct, kids today have to be forced to go outside and actually play! But I also believe that part of that is the issue with CPD and the fear of letting kids get out of sight. When we were growing up, we were told to be back when the streetlights came on or at dark. If you did that today, CPD would be all over your ass and they will take your children.
@Steve-
I was there at the same time, in VX-1. The station had a good flying club with a variety of aircraft. If I wasn't flying I was fishing. Good times indeed.
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