Thank God I’m Still Alive

By Brisdon @shutuprun

First of all and just to get this off my chest – I made meatloaf today in the crockpot. I make meatloaf on occasion, but never in the crockpot. It looks disgusting. Hope it tastes better than this brown turd it resembles.

Moving on. It was 28 degrees when I went running today. I didn’t even care because it was so gorgeous outside.

I think it’s funny how people hem and haw about getting out the door to run – oh, it’s too cold. I’m tired. I don’t have time. I have a hang nail. The trick is truly to not think about it and just freaking do it.

Before I started my run I did that thing I used to do in elementary school where you pretend you are smoking because you can see your breath (or maybe I just did that). Those were the good old days. Can you believe I actually first tried cigarettes in the sixth grade? I mean, real cigarettes, not those candy ones with the red tip (they probably don’t sell those anymore. Hahaha! I said “red tip”). I remember going to 7-11 and telling the cashier I was buying them for my uncle. God, I was so smart back then.

I just think of all of the things I used to do that are considered risky and down right life threatening now (I am tapering now so I actually have time to think about this stuff).

  • I rode a bike/Big Wheel/tricycle/skateboard with no bike helmet
  • I rode in the car with no seatbelt and before that, no car seat (I did fall out of the car once when I was two and my dad went around a corner. My brother leaned up and told my dad, “Beth’s gone.” No kidding. Yes, I lived.)
  • I played at playgrounds where the ground was asphalt not soft wood chips or cushy black mats.
  • I babysat from the age of twelve and never once took a Red Cross babysitting course
  • I got my driver’s license and proceeded to drive unlimited friends around (these days you can’t drive anyone under 21 for the first 6 months unless a parent is in the vehicle. After that only one person under 21 at a time. Since my son is about to get his license I LOVE this).
  • I played with bottle rockets in the garage (not cool. This really was a time I almost became blind and deaf and disfigured all at one time).
  • I ate raw cookie dough. Lots of it.
  • I used baby oil as sunscreen. Lots of it.
  • I had the chicken pox.

I’m not saying these aren’t decent precautions to take, but it is interesting how things have evolved. TGIAA (Thank God I Am Alive!).

What did you do as a kid that is considered super risky these days?

SUAR