The time of your life

[Richard Cranium]

Why 28? None of my (our) business, but that’s a odd number. What happened?
And I’m aware that 28 is an even number but that’s not what I mean.

Well, thinking back, I'll stretch it to 30. I met Submit just before my 27th birthday, got married a little over a year later & we had our first child when I was 30. It took about a month to realize how much my life changed financially, the loss of freedom & the new greater responsibility. I'm not saying that it was bad, just stating the facts.

 

[myk r sanchez]

Like some others have answered, the late teens/early 20's for me as well.
Never had there been that combination of freedom and lack of responsibility for others been
greater; lots of good times, no more social cliques at school to not fit into (I got along with
most of them, just wasn't "IN" any of them; cliques never made sense to me).
Simple life - work to make money to goof off with, usually with cars.
Several cars, friends' cars, the next car...and my first real car that wasn't some clapped
out 20 year old rust bucket.
No kids, no great family responsibilities - and everyone in the family was still alive, too.
When mama died unexpectedly, that era was officially over...
it's been a job in Realityville ever since.

Yeah, as soon as mom died it marked the end of an era for sure...

 

[copper67sat]

Lots of good times, some really great times and some rough spots, but overall I can't complain. To quote Joe Walsh, "Life's been good to me so far." The '80's were probably the best for me overall. Turned 16 and got my driver's license, and all the new found freedom that comes with it, at the start of the decade. Dad took a temporary position in Nagoya, Japan so we moved there. I lived there for 7 months. Completed 2nd semester of my junior year at Nagoya International School. Met some really great people from all over the world. Came back to the states at the end of the summer of '81 for my senior year and lived with my grandparents while my parents and younger sister stayed in Japan another year. Graduated high school, started dating my future, and current, wife. Did 2 yrs of community college while living at home, working part-time at a grocery store, dating, partying, etc. Transferred to a state university about 2 hrs from home to finish my Engineering degree, graduated in '87, bought my first car, my '67 Satellite - first Mopar in the family. Got a "real" job and moved 1200 miles away to south FL in my Satellite later that year. First time in my life I felt like I had any real money. Got married in '88 and bought our first house in '89. Pretty eventful decade and aside from my grandfather passing in '84, it was mostly good times. It's been a pretty good ride since, except for losing my dad and in-laws way too early and almost losing my wife 7 yrs ago. Still scratching to get where we want to be, but can't complain about where we are. As we like to say, we are fortunate to only have 1st world problems.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Turned 16 and got my driver's license, and all the new found freedom that comes with it, at the start of the decade.

I think that holds true for all of us. Our driver's license was the ticket to get out of the house. The funny thing is that so many 16 year olds today don't want to get a driver's license & many have to be pushed into getting it. The reason, of course, is the advent of computer & video games. Everything the new generation wants is inside the house on that screen & they have no desire to get outside and see what the world has to offer. It's really sad.

 

[Darter6]

For me it was 40. First wife GONE ! Got back into drag racing and traveled the country racing for the next 10 years.Met my second wife and been the happiest ever since .

 

[gkent]

My happiest times were from the age of about 3 to about 15. No responsibilities, lots of good friends, a country place near water so there was swimming and boating. A forest to play in, build forts, etc.. Snowmobiling in the winter. The rest of my life hasn't been bad, a good wife, two great kids, houses, cars, GREAT job and self-employment for the past 14 years. But those early years were the best !!

 

[Roger63]

Lots of good times, some really great times and some rough spots, but overall I can't complain. To quote Joe Walsh, "Life's been good to me so far." The '80's were probably the best for me overall. Turned 16 and got my driver's license, and all the new found freedom that comes with it, at the start of the decade. Dad took a temporary position in Nagoya, Japan so we moved there. I lived there for 7 months. Completed 2nd semester of my junior year at Nagoya International School. Met some really great people from all over the world. Came back to the states at the end of the summer of '81 for my senior year and lived with my grandparents while my parents and younger sister stayed in Japan another year. Graduated high school, started dating my future, and current, wife. Did 2 yrs of community college while living at home, working part-time at a grocery store, dating, partying, etc. Transferred to a state university about 2 hrs from home to finish my Engineering degree, graduated in '87, bought my first car, my '67 Satellite - first Mopar in the family. Got a "real" job and moved 1200 miles away to south FL in my Satellite later that year. First time in my life I felt like I had any real money. Got married in '88 and bought our first house in '89. Pretty eventful decade and aside from my grandfather passing in '84, it was mostly good times. It's been a pretty good ride since, except for losing my dad and in-laws way too early and almost losing my wife 7 yrs ago. Still scratching to get where we want to be, but can't complain about where we are. As we like to say, we are fortunate to only have 1st world problems.

Oh the 80's, the decade of hair bands,big hair and excess. All a blurr to me so I must of had a great time.

 

[slepr1]

In the early 80's I was 16 yrs old and my parents sent me to the Philippines to attend grade 11 in an International school there. By myself. I stayed with relatives for a month to get the lay of the land and then moved into my own apartment. After finishing grade 11 I traveled through Australia on my own for 3 months, I was 17, then returned to Canada to attend grade 12 in my own school. That year and a half was the best time of my life.

 

[Hey-O]

I read each and everyone's comment and can see through all of your eyes how life means a little different to each of you. I've had a strange life and can't really pinpoint the best time or worst. If I put all the bad times on a shelf and realize that all of us have scars that define who we are, my life has been very blessed!! I mean, I retired at 52 and I'm now 63, I've had all those years to run wide open with Theresa, my wife, best friend, partner in crime, and the mother of my children. I buy and do whatever I want, when I want. I'm old enough and smart enough now to see and appreciate that many of the things I went through to get here was guided by someone bigger than me. We may get older and not see as well, but we can now see the ride here far more clearly now that we look back with eyes of wisdom. I miss all the people that were left behind and as I really enjoy my time now, even getting old and all my aches and pains, it all now defines who I am, I'm now looking at the finish line down the road and so I now say......... Let the horses run......... and the best is yet to come!!!! ....... Ulli

 

[MrJLR]

40....living with the love of my life.....
God is cruel.

 

[Ron H]

Could say a loaded question? I say as my fond memories were getting my license after wanting it so bad. Seemed like the couple years waiting were endless watching my older brother and his buds with their muscle cars and girls. 16 was great as I had my mom's '66 T-Bird most of the time to cruise and that summer was a dream going out to a friend's lake to swim and have ahh a lot of fun with girls. 1st car at 17 was '67 GTO vert (always been a vert fan). I have this one memory stuck in my brain sitting in the goat top down on a hot summer night in town. I remember thinking this was where I wish I could stay stuck in time. But then, as I had to wrestle next couple years getting friggin serious about life getting more of a clue...as at that very time our brothers were getting killed and maimed in Vietnam and some I knew I remember coming back were not the same person as when they left. Then there came marriage to a girl from HS, we had dated on and off as we dated others for a few years. Remarkable lady, a lot smarter than me and incredibly patient as I kept a side of me wanting to stay a kid. Then came our two daughters and the memories watching them come into the world. Happy times for sure. Been blessed in may ways that as I look back, I didn't appreciate or deserve and coulda been killed or killed someone racing around like an idiot...a couple bud's didn't have the same luck, dying before they could go on to marry and raise a family. The question could be answered say looking inward and outward among our life experiences...selfish or selfless.

 

[Chargered]

Well, this is a tough one. Doing really well now financially, good family and kids. But damn, did I ever have fun from about the age of 20-30. Single, chasing woman, dating, hanging out with friends and going to bars. Not a lot of responsibility other than showing up for work. Total waste of 10 years, but sure was fun with lots of memories.