Sunday, December 13, 2009

Accelerated Depreciation

It's very sweet. Mrs. LIAYF has this picture of me on my 29th birthday, taken not long after we started dating, which she keeps in a small picture frame on her nightstand. It was snapped 13 years ago.

I understand that 13 years is a long time. But realistically, in the grand scheme of a man's life, I don't see it as a period of time which should drastically alter his perception of himself as being that same man from 13 years prior, or even alter his appearance dramatically.

However, 2-year-olds are not always known for being realistic. They just call it as they see it.

So, though I laughed heartily at it this morning since it was funny, it also stung a bit when Lukas ran up to that same picture of 13 year ago me sitting on Mrs. LIAYF's nightstand, stared at it briefly, and proclaimed:

"Look, it's daddy when he was a little boy!"

I've been doing some rather unscientific math in my head since, and calculate that 1 dad year must = close to 10 pre-dad years on the aging scale. Or something like that. Yes, brutal!
-
But it's still worth every minute of it.

20 comments:

ericdbolton said...

My daughter saw a picture of me and said that was me when i was little. It was taken about 5 years ago. When I was about 30 pounds lighter.

I gotta work on her speaking her mind skills.

SciFi Dad said...

That's why I always have facial hair: no age confusion.

Slamdunk said...

Funny. I am only in my ninth year of being a ftther, but I agree with your calculations in dad time.

Mrs. M said...

Oh, that is too funny.

DCUrbanDad said...

Let's see that picture.

Lady Mama said...

Yes it's brutal alright. 13 years ago I was 18! For me the time gap plus having kids *has* brought noticeable changes. Sigh.

Martin said...

Yep, we need to see the picture...

WeaselMomma said...

The old adage that kids keep you young is bull. Kids, not age, cause gray hair.

James (SeattleDad) said...

@Eric - Yeah, kids can be brutally honest. Ouch.

@Scifi Dad - I'm afraid it would contain more grey hairs than my head does now, so not an option for me.

@Slamdunk - Ha! 7 more years of this and I might look 100.

@Mighty M - Funny, but not not so funny all wrapped up together.

@DC - I would scan it but my PC died along with my scanner. Maybe a phone pic of it...

@Lady Mama - 18 seems so long ago to me. Wait, that is because it was. Sigh.

@Xbox - It was so long ago it was before digital pics.

@WeaselMomman - Yeah, I'm starting to see some already. Accelerating.

Momo Fali said...

Ah, yes. Thirteen years is an absolute LIFETIME to a little one.

Steve @ MyBoys3 said...

how did we get so old?

Jack Steiner said...

My kids always ask what happened to me. It is just great, isn't it to have them point out the changes.

Scary Mommy said...

At least he recognized you. My own daughter didn't believe I was me at my own wedding a decade ago. Sigh.

Captain Dumbass said...

Sigh. My hair used to be one colour.

WILLIAM said...

Wow, 10 predad years...I would hate to see the scientific math.

Anonymous said...

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A Free Man said...

Your math sounds just about right to me!

James (SeattleDad) said...

@Momo - Yes, a virtual lifetime. I have lived a few of those.

@Jack - Great, but then again not so much.

@Scary Mommy - Not at all? That is brutal too.

@Captain - Soon enough it will be one color again. Just not the one it started at.

@William - The best mathmaticians in the country are currently stumped by this calculation. 10 is the best guess anyone has come up with.

@A Free Man - Yes, and at this rate I will be ancient in no time.

Knatolee said...

(Hey! Mike is offering you a freebie! Sort of!)

Anyway, it pains me but I am ancient to kids. I remember when I was a kid, I couldn't BELIEVE my Dad grew up in the days BEFORE TV. Now I find myself telling kids how we didn't have computers when I was a child. I'm sure I sound prehistoric to them.

Face it,we're fossils. I'm about three years older than you and totally decrepit. But on a brighter note, our friends' 13-yo daughter thinks we are cool enough to come up and visit on her own for two weeks next summer (from Maryland!) That gives me solace. A 13-yo WANTS to spend time with me! :) (I prefer that explanation to thinking she wants to escape her parents for a bit!)

James (SeattleDad) said...

@Knatolee - Yes we are getting old. But Lukas keeps me young in the mind if definitely not the body.