Idle Hands...

 

Borf Was Here!

In Borf''s (aka John Tsombikos) graffiti heyday, I was driving into DC at 4:30 a.m. to be at my client site on New York Avenue around 5. As much as I hate destruction of property, I was always curious to see where he was going to leave his next mark on the city. The sign above was the magnum opus, and I gasped and smiled when I saw it. It was only a matter of time before he got arrested.

Almost twenty years later, I have a teenage son and while I know he's a good kid, I also know he's in the danger zone; those couple of summers between 16 and 18 where you have some degree of autonomy, a few bucks in the pocket, and a lot of time on your hands. This is when the experiments happen, first love, bros telling other bros they don't have the balls to do something, and then they take a geotagged video and post it on tik-tok. Morons.

...or, there's a better narrative where they volunteer, take that car to do something FREE, and refrain from spending their money on stupid crap like overpriced Crumbl cookies and Bang energy drink.

Hopefully my kids (and yours) land somewhere between these two extremes. I want them to make their mistakes while the stakes are lower, but I also want them to realize on their own that there's a whole amazing world out there that does not need to be served up on a screen or with a subscription. I suppose we had Columbia House (13 records for a penny!), the arcade, and plain old street hustlers and scam artists in our day, so it's not all that different.

As I go out and do my low-dollar pursuits (motorcycle trackdays being a notable exception), I think about things that kids can do that won't cost them a fortune while giving them time away from adult supervision. Here's what I came up with:

• Over the summer, my kids are taking a few summer classes that'll set them up to take more fun electives during the school year. Keeps them out of trouble and provides academic benefits.
• Take up hiking- no matter where you are in the country, there's generally somewhere interesting to go within 20-30 miles.
• Volunteer to help with a class or day camp. You get to act like a kid (and you know they still have it in them), flirt with the other counselors, and have something to put on their resume.
• Learn to fish, then go fishing. I saw several teens as I was recently trail running with a bag of fast food, a couple of buckets to sit on (and hold their catch), and fishing gear just hanging out at the water's edge.
• Get some cheap software or canvas and get your artist on. I'm always amazed at the stuff my kids come up with.
• Get on Mom or Dad's ancient Rockhopper and try mountain biking. Once they destroy the antique, you have a reason to get an amazing new bike.
• Hit the skateboard park.
• Figure out how to use public transit and go see some stuff. We used take the bus to the movies or go-karting as early as 6th grade. We had a quarter to make a phone call and the buddy system. They have cell phones and the buddy system- way better.
  
• Read! Screw curated web-based content. Walk through the stacks of the library and let serendipity do its magic.
• Find trash furniture, fix it up, and sell on Craigslist or FB Marketplace. Easy money and upcycling, what's not to like?
• Free concerts in practically any town square in America, art shows, state fairs, etc.

I wish I could grab my 16-18 year old self by the scruff of the neck and say the same thing Robin Williams said in Dead Poets Society: "Carpe Diem! Seize the day, boys! Make your lives extraordinary." 

 Life is short, says this fifty year old- don't waste a second of it, unless you're wasting it by choice (and hopefully surrounded by good friends)!