Yesterday, for what must be the umpteenth time, I watched the series premiere of The Wonder Years. I’ve shared the story of how I discovered the series before, but for those who may have missed it: In the fall of 1990, not long after we moved in together, Diane suggested that we watch the show. I assumed it was your standard-issue sitcom, aka not for me. She persisted, however, and I eventually relented, if only to humor her—and immediately fell under its sway. Its evocation of suburban teen life reminded me of my own despite the differences between 1968, when 12-year-old Kevin Arnold started 7th grade, and 1977, when 12-year-old me did the same.
Pop culture, fashion and technology march on, of course, but in those days the practical realities of life evolved at a sloth-like pace. Generations, including mine, walked to school or the bus stop in the morning, had brushes with bullies and fun with friends, and played ball in the street or park once school let out. (Computers may have worn tennis shoes in the movies, but in real life they weren’t a thing.) Parents left us alone unless and until our grades slipped…or the principal called home. They were busy with their own lives. My dad worked nights for a time, for instance, while my mom worked days.
The real shift between eras began in the early ‘80s, when MTV upended everything.
This blog, weird as it may sound, is a solid representation of me—even the title, which was originally a tribute to our cat. I am officially old, having recently turned 60, and gray and white hairs do in fact litter my beard.
The sub-header (“on music, memories & other stuff”) sums me up, as well.
On music: I’m a big fan of pop culture, though not necessarily the mainstream variant so many enjoy; I thrive in the niches.
On memories: As we all do, I relish my “wonder years”—but, as evidenced by my posts tied to specific days and years, strip the gauziness from the memories. (Here’s one example; here’s another.) In other words, as I note in my About summation, “While I subscribe to the George Santayana aphorism that ‘those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’ I also believe that those who only look in the rearview mirror are sure to drift into the median strip.” I’m a history buff.
On “other stuff”: I have many other interests, from poetry to politics to, yep, TV and the movies. In college, I majored in English/Creative Writing and, post-college, wound up writing for a succession of TV publications.
In short, I’m a silly yet serious guy.
The Old Grey Cat 
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