I feel like I’ve travelled to the future within my own life.
See, I used to imagine turning 30 and 35 and 40. Now, I have actually turned 30. And, as of this past Wednesday, 35.
I am my own time machine*. Only, I just go forward in real time instead of doing anything awesome like traveling to the future or the 1880s or within my own life, striving to put right what once went wrong.
God, I miss Quantum Leap.
Let’s travel back to a time called the 1980s. My hair was still blonde back then and my two front teeth were perpetually knocked out through solo playground accidents. It’s not that, back then, I thought my life would be different than it is. Not dramatically different like I’d be living on the Moon or something (although, that would have been nice as long it wasn’t too much like camping), just somehow…better.
Of course, there is the jetpack I thought I’d have by now, but I’m mostly over that. The more practical things like owning a house or a car or being able to sock money away for retirement…these are the things I thought would be better, or at least, a possibility. Which they aren’t.
What’s been most disappointing on this real-time journey through time and space is that I did everything I was supposed to do. College, steady job, kept credit debt down, kept credit score up.
These were the things that were supposed to make my future better than that of my parents at the same age. *They** said so. *They* have been saying so since before I was in high school.
So, I’m pissed on my 35th birthday, but not because I’m 35. Rather, because I expected the world to be better by now and it isn’t. The world I was promised by my elders doesn’t exist. Not anymore. Even though I’ve worked hard to make that world happen for me.
However, it’s looking like we’ve found particles that can travel faster than the speed of light and there’s dry ice on Mars. So, some things are looking up.
*I think this concept may have come from How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe. But, that book is such a mindfcuk, I’m not sure which of us planted the idea first.
**I’m not sure who they is. I think it’s the people who want to make sure the hamster keeps running in her wheel. Well, hamster now knows the wheel isn’t going anywhere. And hamster is pissed.
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Lisa Fary's earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She's angry that it's 2011 and she still doesn't have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram. 
