1980-2017

Does your time machine ever feel like it's stuck in a particular decade?

Ever since attending an event featuring the music of the 80's with some friends months ago, I've felt like I've had some trouble escaping that decade. Each time I think I'm back in the present, something yanks me back to the Hall & Oates years. These regular reminders of the Reagan era then became a bit unsettling as my reflections turned to some of the unmet goals I'd sketched out as the 80's began. Time to let go of a few of them? Would doing so bring relief or feel more like defeat? What's your statute of limitations on goals and how do you feel letting an unmet one go?

2017 seemed to be re-exerting itself when I unthinkingly began re-watching "Hannah and Her Sisters" on TCM a few nights ago. About halfway through - hair style alert! - there I was again, back in 1986, ruefully. Following another brief decade dip, I rebounded after it occurred to me how wonderfully the 80's ended - my daughter was born in 1989. And then the even happier ending to this time-machine-meets-unmet-goals saga dawned on me. One of my goals as the 80s started was to go into a studio and record my original music. This summer I'll complete a CD featuring my daughter's voice on eight of my better recent songs. Call this effective, if not purposeful, postponement of gratification.