Those Who Forget History Are Doomed To Repeat It

As you know if you are one of my avid blog readers (and to the three of you - thanks!), you know that Tom and I are in the middle of a Stargate Marathon, catching up via DVD with all the old seasons. This is how we spend our evenings. We are such party animals. I know you are jealous.

There was an interesting episode we watched the other night. Through a series of scientific mistakes (those wacky scientists!), one of the main characters was cloned but actually created as a 15-year old instead of a baby, with all the memories and experiences of the adult person who was cloned. The end of the story showed them sending him off to high school to continue his life all over again. It was the only thing they could do because the original person still existed as well. Of course, his life would be different from that point on since he would have different experiences.

But all I could think was, Oh My God. That would be HORRIBLE. I would hate to be 15 again and have to live my life again. He had no family so that was not an issue, whereas that would be the biggest problem for me because it would tear me up to have to leave my family behind. But even if that were not an issue. I would NOT want to be 15 again. Let's see, I was a sophomore in high school then. My high school years were not an incredibly painful experience like they were for some people. I was not really popular, but I had friends and a pretty good life. I had a boyfriend. Although I did admire Pete Hansen, the captain of the football team. I wonder what he's doing now? Probably some fat, bald guy who I wouldn't know if I passed him on the street. And he wouldn't recognize me either because I look so fabulous. Of course, he didn't recognize me then, so this would be no different.

I certainly would not want my 15 year old body. I was way too skinny and had acne on my forhead, which I kept carefully covered with bangs, which of course exacerbated the acne. I could stand to lose 20 pounds - OK, 30 (shut up!) but I certainly wouldn't want to be that skinny again. I'd like to have...mmmmm...my 35 year old body, I think. And I wouldn't mind getting rid of a few wrinkles and this extra chin I have starting. But no. Not 15.

Think how frustrating it would be to know everything you know now but be only 15? You would already know most of what your teachers were trying to teach you. And, I just thought of how horrible this would be - I would have to take Geometry and Algebra again. Just kill me now. But this time around, I would make sure I paid attention and passed French my Junior year. Summer school was a real pain, especially when I couldn't go to the beach and one of my friends stole my surfer boyfriend. God, I sound like Gidget! But I did have a surfer boyfriend, I swear. His name was Herbie. That kind of takes away from the whole surfer aura, doesn't it?

And, man! I would be a virgin again. I would certainly be a little more careful this time about how I lost that. Not the best experience, in hindsight. Oh yeah, hi mom! Enough details about THAT.

I wonder if I would make the same choices, knowing what I know now? If I didn't go to the same college, I would live someplace completely different. If I didn't pledge my sorority, I wouldn't make the friends I still have today. If I didn't go on that blind date, I wouldn't meet my beloved husband. So it would be really hard to change anything. But also hard to keep everything the same. If you know anything about time travel, you know when you change one little thing, it changes everything. And can cause a paradox.

So I don't know what I would do if I was 15 again. But I do know one thing. The most important thing of all.


I would invest in Google. Lots and lots and lots of Google.