Looking forward back

Ten years is a long time. A decade gone in an instant. In 1999 I was living in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. I had just graduated from art school (The Western Academy of Photography) and I was about to enter a new stage of life. I was finished with school and I was ready to venture into the greater world. At the time I was working with young people through the YMCA, helping to develop young leaders. As an exercise we wrote letters to ourselves to be opened 10 years later.

Today I was going through a bunch of stuff at my folks place and in a long forgotten manila folder I found the letter. I’d forgotten that I’d actually written in, let alone what I might of said. Ripping open the envelope I was filled with a mix of trepidation and curiosity. Fear that I might not have lived up to my expectations and interest to see where my 22 year old headspace was at.

The letter consists of a series of pre-ordained questions – and the answers were sometimes laughable, sometimes prophetic and sometimes dead on – here it is, in all it’s ragged and honest glory:

Name: Scott Kennedy (still true!)
Nickname: Stumpy (in some circles, that’s still me)
My Closest friends are: Renee, Gavin, Jon (Renee was my girlfriend at the time and we still keep in touch, Gavin and Jon are still great friends – even though we are thousands of miles from each other much of the time)
Some cool expressions these days are: “The Shit” “The Bomb” (looking back, I don’t think they were that cool – even at the time)
My favorite teacher ever was: Gary Koroluk (still true)
When I’m not in school, I like to: Climb (still true, though I like lots of other things now.)
My favorite band is: Pearl Jam (still true)
My best memory from 1999 was: Climbing in Utah (it was an awesome trip as I recall – ironically I will be there again in a month)
My favorite movie is: The Empire Strikes Back (still true, honest!)
Favorite book: On The Road – Kerouac (Still true)
Usually, I like to wear: Comfy clothes (more true then ever)
Some important world events I witnessed I the 90’s were: I saw Star Wars Episode 1 on the first day it opened (OK I should be getting points for honesty that I am sharing this. My god – the end of communism, the end of the millennium and so much more and the best I can do is Star Wars – fuck me.)
I dream of being: Climbing / ski bum, mountain guide, photographer (done all those things! And loved them all!)
Though I’ll probably end up a: ski bum (to be honest, it’s over-rated in the long term)
If I could give any advice to the future me, I would say: Remember, have fun! (I still stand beside that)
In 10 years I will be: a Mountain Guide (true – though I don’t do much guiding these days)
And I will have: happiness (you bet!)
The world will have found solutions to: Hunger (sadly not yet)
And a major discovery will be: cure for cancer (nope)
I think the biggest trend will be: Polka music (I believe I was taking the piss – good god I hope I was taking the piss…)
By 2010 I will have traveled to: Everywhere – Thailand, Nepal, France, Asia, Alaska (well I’ve traveled nearly everywhere – though not to Thailand, Nepal or Alaska…)

All and all it was an amusing trip down memory lane – it’s interesting to see what my goals were at the time and how as I’ve grown since then – or not grown in some ways!