If I Could Turn Back Time

I am a huge fan of Cher.

Not really but this title totally makes sense. I was asked by Jamie at Chosen Chaos to share a letter to my for 18 year old self. A letter offering myself some advice and a look into my own future. It's funny when you write things like this because you have no idea what made a difference in your life until you really sit down and do it. This originally appeared on her blog and she asked all of us that participated, to link up and share it with our own audience. If you want to read everyone else's, feel free to click on the link that follows my letter. Without further ado, I bring you my letter to myself.

Hey Buddy,

You don't know me, at least not yet anyway, but I certainly know you. I was you 20 years ago. Damn I don't like the sound of that, it makes me feel old. Anyway, you are so naive. Look at you, your 18 years old now and you haven't even been on an airplane. There is so much for you to find out about this world and in only five short years, you most certainly will.

You think you are all cool being on all of these Intramural Championship teams at college, but you have to stop. Nobody cares about your T shirts and they most certainly won't after you graduate from college. My first bit of advice is to ditch them right after you graduate and go and buy yourself some new clothes. Those shoes you are wearing, you will soon find out they most certainly DON'T impress the ladies. I know know Pumas go in and out of style but not with giant holes in them. There will be this girl in a couple of years that you will try to impress, and you can't get it done with those shoes. Oh while we are at it, DON'T go to Payless, it doesn't work that way. I tried.

Listen, if I was able to relive the time that you are in now, I wouldn't take it for granted. College is the best four years of your life and you will NEVER experience anything like that again. LIVE IT UP!!! Don't get me wrong we had fun, but it goes fast, savor it!

So I mentioned a girl. There is actually one that is going to start stalking you this year. Be afraid, she doesn't give up.

But I am not talking about that one, it's the one that is going to notice your footwear. You will cross her path the day before Easter 1996. THAT day is the day where you will finally start to live. No longer will your only thoughts be about sports, sportscenter, and anything sports related. It won't matter that you have no game with the ladies, something natural is going to happen. A relationship is going to blossom and you are going to have no idea what is going on. I'll let you in on a little secret, it's love. You are going to be friends for a couple of months, although your every waking minute is going to be spent with her, and then on her birthday your relationship will change. It's going to get deeper, more meaningful and magical. That sounds like a stupid term but I really have no other way to describe it.

Little Johnny, you will have found the girl you are going to marry.

I know it's only four short years away, but that is the amazing thing in life, anything can happen, JUST LIKE THAT. Oh you'll have your ups and downs with this girl like anything in life, but you will weather the storm and end up with two awesome kids.

Hard to believe huh? Here you are sitting in your dorm room trying to figure out how to use your Mac Classic and I am telling you from my iMac (it's like your computer on steroids) that you are going to be a dad. Some would consider you the worlds greatest dad, well at least two little kids will. By the way, Apple will go out of favor but trust me, you won't believe what they have cooked up for the future. Lets just say you can ditch that old Sega you and the boys spend countless hours playing hockey on.

A bit of advice with the kids thing though, don't go out and buy the Legos right away. Wait until your oldest is at least five. Trust me, I have a house full of them right now and I could kick myself for it. But I tell though, they make for great blog fodder.

What's a blog?

It's this thing on the internet, you know that thing with the dot com at the end of it? Well everyone writes there own little articles everyday telling the world how great they are and what a perfect parent they are. They are quite amazing. I have learned the most from people that don't seem to know what they are doing. Speaking of the internet, buy some stocks and then sell them before 2000. Trust me, you won't have to work a day in your life.

As for that airplane ride, your senior year you are going to Jamiaca. Congrats! Just a bit of warning though, you will smoke something that will make you think you are dead and then come back to life. You are not Jesus and you never will be. Don't start up with that nonsense. People will think you are nuts. Don't you even dare think that you will walk on water. It was pot, thats all, nothing else.

Don't be an idiot.

All the best,

The Ghost of Johnny Future.

John Willey - Daddy's in Charge?

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