My lunch today consists of a 5-Hour Energy Shot and some oatmeal-raisin cookies. I'm hoping that they will keep me awake while I make my way through the heap of emails that took a dump on my in-box this morning.
One of the emails I got was regarding my mention of traveling in the 1990's, and was asking if I had photos of what I looked like back then. I suppose I have lots of them. But that was from the pre-digital era, so I don't know where the photos are. I do have this one of me from 1994 stuck on my bulletin board though...
And here's one from 1992 that I had posted earlier...
Yes, yes I know... I was so damn hot back then! What happened? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm willing to bet that Jägermeister is involved.
The strange thing about looking at these photos is realizing how different things are for me when I travel now vs. how I traveled twenty years ago. I've hinted about it before, but back then I was redefining the meaning of "budget travel." All my money went into just getting there. I remember times of having to decide between such luxuries as "eating" or "having a place to sleep at night." Heady days of having $25 to last three days, so I'd sleep in a train station and try to find a bakery selling day-old bread for cheap so I could eat... then rationing the loaf so it lasted for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Absolutely every move I'd make would have to be weighed against the cost, and many days were spent just scraping by as I went from place to place.
Looking back, I should have been miserable... but I truly wasn't. I wanted to travel to as many interesting places as I could, so I'd take a new trip the minute I had enough money for airfare. I didn't care that this left me with nothing to live on once I got there, I was compelled to go. And being hungry and trying to find a safe place to sleep because I blew all my money on a museum ticket was just the way things were.
Yet... I was having the time of my life.
And nothing anybody could say would convince me otherwise.
Of course today I look back on some of the more dicey days and am both horrified I put myself in those situations... and amazed I survived them... but that's youth for you. I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing. Life is good.
Now I should probably get back to work. The rest of these emails aren't going to answer themselves.
But one more thing before I go... congratulations to one of my favorite people on earth, BETTY WHITE, for her SAG win last night! Big buckets of awesome...
Photo from Kevin Winter, Getty Images
I wish Betty had time to do a guest appearance on Raising Hope, Happy Endings, or The Finder... her cameos are always legendary, and it would be sweet to have her appearing on my favorite shows.
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You’re such a babe, Dave.
OK, you were pretty cute back then. But I’ve met you, you still got it! 🙂
Sexy!
What’s funny about the first pic is I can see the pudding! Haha – you have not changed, in looks and appetite!
I traveled like that back in the 90’s, too – it was freaking awesome.
Nothing would make Happy Endings better than a guest spot of Betty White. It’s already a stellar show. Let’s kick it into 110% awesome.
It’s always funny to see photos of you without the beard.
I think traveling like that is great for keeping you from being fearful of possible worldwide economic troubles that may come. Plus, it was fun!
The 5-hour energy drinks don’t do a thing for me unless I have 3 of them. I wonder why.
90s travel… I remember going to London and staying in a tourist hotel. Basin in room with showers and toilets down the hall. The cost of airfare and the hotel had sucked up most of our money. My friend and I figured that we had about $10-20 a day each to spend. Which in London? Not much. (We did get our seven day Travelcard immediately upon arrival.) Part of how we ended up at a late dinner with a solicitor and his bodyguard in Chinatown. They were paying and we were hungry.
Just like I learned to eat on a severe budget while in college, the same was true of travel. And now that I spend more most of the time, I also know that I can scale back if necessary.
Well spotted on the chocolate pudding! I think it’s cool that you managed to get all that travelling and visits done – it is certainly a lot easier when you are younger (although i guess your budget for Jagermeister was severely reduced back then?
Out of curiosity, have you seen “Off Their Rockers” (on hulu at least) with Betty White – I watched it last night and thought of you. A couple of funny bits in it, but I don’t think the series will hold up and +1 on Betty being in Happy Endings.
it is wrong to look lustfully at friends, but don’t post photos of great thighs like that if you don’t want me scoping you out!
le rowl