- in the 70s (childhood), 80s (teens), 90s (20s), and early 00s (30s) — perfect for me
- in the same house, watching the same kids and families grow older around me
- in the suburbs, then later finding life in a big city
- without cell phones, social media, or the constant surveillance of recording culture
- with great music, decade by decade, heard in intimate venues before the mainstream flooded it all via social media
- with parties and club scenes full of people who felt authentic––not mirroring identities copied from social media
- without streaming pulling everyone away from books and art
- with work that required time and effort, instead of everything at my fingertips, which might have left me more entitled and depressed
- forming my own identity within my community, instead of being shaped by strangers
- with an immigrant mom who shaped my perspective
- with a father who survived two wars and showed me the emotional toll
- with love and friendship
- with the opportunity to educate my brain and search for spiritual understanding
- without the 24/7 news cycle
- when the world didn’t all look the same everywhere
- when cars furniture had more character.
- when shops, theaters, restaurants had more character and owned by the people (not companies)
- with vibes. venues, coffee shops, etc all had vibes
oct 2 2025 ∞
oct 28 2025 +