Time is not on your side. Mine either.

It occurred to me as we watched the previews in the theater today. There was one for a “teen movie” about some kids going to college. And I remembered great movies in the same vain like “American Pie,” “PCU” and “Animal House.” Those movies were about kids entering new worlds, but played by people old enough to have all ready experienced them. That’s when the thought hit me. I’m too old to be one of the teenagers in the movie, but old enough to be the guy playing them. Shit.

As I reminisce, what strikes me most is the idea of living in the moment. I hate the phrase but, “I used to” never plan things. A favorite example …

“Whatcha doing this weekend?”
“Don’t know, too far ahead.”
“But it’s Friday.”

I haven’t worn a watch since high school. My fiancé even bought me a beautiful timepiece that I can’t bring myself to wear other than special occasions. There’s something about looking down and seeing a clock ticking. It reminds me of a theory about Hell I had once after high school. Hell is a room full of clocks, all perfectly in-sync, except one that’s off by a second and a half. This is also the reason I gave up photojournalism for print. I spent many hours in a dark room watching a clock - so many seconds in developer, then fixer, and a water bath. Once we started developing color and needed two clocks, I knew I would rather it be just a hobby.

Now, not only is a day measured in time, but money. And sometimes the plotting for those things “everyone else has” keeps you thinking so far down the road, you forget about what you had. You had today. And if today wasn’t good enough for you, why would it be better a few tomorrows later? Today, I could afford a cold beer. Hell, it was such a good day, I could have had a cold Guinness if I so choose. I can also leave the Blackberry in the car, turn off my Google Calendar and not answer the house phone, because I want to sit in the heat with sunglasses and a radio cooling off one frosty cold one at a time.

I'm not trying to advocate being a loser, but I can’t shove a day planner any further up my ass. And every once and a while, you’ve got to take a match to a few pages in it so you can splurge on an imported beer, grill your own steak, walk barefoot in the grass and piss in the yard. If you die tomorrow, what did all of your planning get you? All those plans left unfinished won’t mean much to you then will they? And if God, or Satan, asks you what you did today and the only answer you have is, “made plans for tomorrow,” then that would look pretty foolish wouldn’t it? And if any of you reading this plan on going to my funeral, make sure they don't burry me with a watch ... or underwear. I won't be needing either of them where I'm going.

I’m reminded of some words from a couple of wise men …

“Time is now and now is all you have,” said Neal.

“I didn’t even have to use my A.K., I gotta say it was a good day,” said Cube.

Those guys new what a moment was worth.