17 YO me would not believe where we ended up. Not many of the same interests and certainly nowhere near the plan I had back then. Probably would be reasonably excited about some of the toys and travelling we have done.
17 YO me would not believe where we ended up. Not many of the same interests and certainly nowhere near the plan I had back then. Probably would be reasonably excited about some of the toys and travelling we have done.
17 year old me would probably be disappointed in 26 year old me. But 26 year old me can't stand 17 year old me, so screw him
He would be confused by the cheap cars - I was firmly entrenched in car loan mindset at 17. But I already loved wagons so that part would be okay. What would REALLY throw me is the kids. I have always liked kids but always said no way no how on kids of my own. Turns out I was mistaken and it's definitely the most amazing thing I've done, but I don't think 17 year old me would listen very well. 17 year olds aren't known for their listening skills.
And the house - I would love the house and shop. I've always wanted space to work on things.
I'm only 22 but I really wish 17 year old me knew what 22 year old me knows.
He'd probably also want to know why I never finished the 440 swap in his D150.
I don't know about 17-year old me, but I know about 14-year old me, because that's how old my first son is, and I hear about it every day! I keep hinting about buying a new Sienna or Odyssey to replace the MPV, and he goes into a sales pitch on the CX-9. He is truly a car nut. More, much more so, than I was at his age.
But seriously, I think practical realities do tend to blunt the recklessness of youth. I have perhaps played it a little more cautiously than 17-year old me would have liked, but I'm in a pretty good place. Just need to get back to work on my novel.
17yo me would probably be happy to see current me still skating, rocking, and wrenching. Probably be surprised by the kid, relieved to know that not having a set of goals/life plan didn't make the world end or put me in a shelter or on the streets, and shocked that I no longer own an IPod (or any portable music device).
Seventeen years old me would wonder why I own a bunch of foreign cars, and why I don't masturbate more often.
Aside from being surprised I'm still alive, 17 year old me likely wouldn't be shocked at how E36 M3ty everything turned out.
17YO me would say "goddamn, future me, why the berkeley did you cover my sick abs with all that hair and fat? and why would you choose to run 26.2 miles when you've got three Corvairs? Wait, what?!?! Where are my Corvairs, you dick?!?!"
He would laugh at my baldness but admire my beard.
He would nut-punch me for not having a manual transmission in the current fleet. Actually, that's not true. He would *say* he was going to nut-punch me, but 17YO me was all talk. 51YO me could kick the crap out of that punk.
He would say my wife is too much like my Mom and my kids are too much like me.
He would be impressed that I've owned a V8 Corvair and a V8 944, and he'd think its very cool that I've been published in a couple of car magazines (including GRM of course).
He would not be surprised that it took me 7 years to finish my bachelors, nor would he be surprised that I am still friends with a lot of guys from high school. He would, however, be surprised that I teach / train other engineers to do what I do.
The 17 Y/O me would probably look at me funny when I tell him I run everyday. Even through I was an athlete (Wrestling and Football) I only ran when absolutely necessary.
He'd be a little surprised I still lived in the US. There was a strong drive to leave the US at that age.
He'd be happy with my car choice though and the fact I'm still driving a decently light weight V8 powered car with a removable roof. (Had a 4 eyed 85 GT with T-Tops back then)
He would be a little surprised of my career choice but not shocked. I always was into computers as a kid so working for a computer manufacturer is not a big stretch. It's more the being in Sales part that would make him more surprised.
Overall, on a decent path and I think he would like place we are in.
I still listen to the same music I did when I was 17. I still am interested in the same cars I was when I was 17. Im a little more responsible.
I guess I am pretty much my own hero.
17 y.o. me wasn't ready for what was to come. He lived in a world of no responsibility, and spending every dollar earned on his ride (a custom slammed S-10 with a boomin sound system). He'd be sadly disappointed at 20+ years later version of self who chose supporting family / house / stay-at-home wife over car hobbies with his dollars, and now drives his wife's old hand me down automatic Volvo wagon.
He'd probably get a glimmer of hope though at the old mk2 VW in the garage. He always wanted one of those. He'd probably tell me to focus more effort on it.
Klayfish said:Well...first, 17 year old me would say "You're still alive?? How the hell did that happen?"
After that shock wore off, 17 year old me would not recognize mid-life me and would probably think it was a practical joke. At that age, I was pretty much at the peak of my rebellion. Long hair, metal band t-shirt, party animal, making some "questionable" choices, failing school. I got kicked out of my house at 19. Now, I'm as straight as an arrow, married, family guy, stable and thriving career, life devoted to my wife and kids, etc...
Change that to 18 for kicked out, and you got it.
Hed also be pissed that i dont own a carburetor and own primarily automatics
17 YO would be surprised He still likes little sports cars and has not turned into his Dad with Lincoln Town cars and big white walls and padded roof’s.
But he would be surprised that He really is turning into his dad the older he gets.
He would be surprised at the 25+ years of sobriety as the 17 YO partied a lot through high school.
Eleven out of ten for an awesome idea for a thread.
Basically 17 year old me flat out wouldn't believe 48 (turning 49 in a few weeks) year old me was the same person. Let's see. To the best of my knowledge I was one of only three people in my year at elementary school who went to college. Then tell little shy dorky 17 year old me that I live in the U.S. have a smoking hot American wife, children and a grandchild he’d laugh. He’d be literally staggered at what I earn even though it never feels enough. Add in that I've raced, travelled a lot, lived in Mexico, done track days, driven on the Nurburgring etc. and he'd flat out think I was lying. Actually it's a good thing I never met myself because if I told the younger me my net worth and that I own rental property the younger me would probably think 'berkeley it, if I can make that much later I can spend even more now' That would have put me in enough debt it would have been harder to get out of and I don't think I'd have had the success I have. Finally if you told the shy introverted me that I'd be an extrovert by my mid 30's who could happily stand up and talk in front of hundreds of people he's have laughed and said 'See, I knew we were talking about different people, that’ll never be me'. None of this is too say I'm some multi millionaire, but if I look at where I started, the area I grew up in and the people I knew it would not compute. As a reference I recall when I was 16 in high school I was talking to some..errr..not friends, more like associates about what we were doing in the future. I said collage for Engineering. I will never forget the reply. "Why do that, just finish school and go on the dole now not later, it won’t make any difference, there are no jobs anyway'.
I think this is a really good thing for people to contemplate. We all become complacent with what we have and where we are, I think looking at it from where you started is a great move.
I think one thing that would make 17 year old me a believer is looking the current me in the face. In the last couple of years I am looking scarily like a late 40's version of my dad. I never saw the resemblance when younger, but more and more people who knew my father are all saying the same thing. We look a lot alike at this age.
Oh yeah, one more thing to prove that older me is way better than younger me. I’ve done a 180 degree change on my politics as well. Younger conservative me would never believe that the wealthy (by the younger me’s standards) older guy could be so far to the left!
Dusterbd13 said:Hed also be pissed that i dont own a carburetor and own primarily automatics
I forgot that one. 17 YO me thought the only possible reason to own an automatic was if you were missing a limb. He'd disown me for having an automatic Porsche. Little E36 M3 had never driven a C4 Corvette with an auto so what did that twerp know about anything.
17 year old me would be disappointed that I use my bmx as a cruiser and only do basic trucks now, he would love the car and the fact that I'm still immature enough to do burnouts. He would likely be surprised that I'm married and have kids, at 17 I was a slut and never planned to have kids. His biggest disappointment would be the fact I gave up gym life because of joint pain.
In reply to Adrian_Thompson :
Precisely why I like to stop once in a while and reflect. Dealing with depression and the side effects of that, it's very good for me to stop, look at where I am and how I got here and appreciate all that I have. Not bragging but I'm pretty happy with how it has all turned out.
17yo me would be glad I made it. I was mentally and emotionally in a bad place at the end of 17 and beginning of 18.
He'd be glad and impressed that my best friend then, still is now, and appreciate everything we've done in between.
He'd think what I do makes sense, where I live is interesting and inly a little suprising, and that my wife is hot 
He'd be surprised I don't have kids yet, but think the rest of my life matches my modest goals back then.
I'd be a bit disappointed I don't volunteer more. I'd have a point.
I was even more an idiot back at 17 than now. I'd think I was old. Even young-ish people in their 30s and 40's seemed incredibly old back then.
He'd be sad I got chubby, shocked I joined the military, disappointed I didn't stay in, and depressed that I don't still play hockey. He'd leave the conversation still not believing that I ended up as a car salesman in Texas. He'd probably be to stoned to say much of anything else.
In a lot of ways, 17 year-old me and just-about-40 year-old me aren't that different. I never married, had kids, or bought a house. More importantly, something about how I'm wired hasn't changed; I don't usually like where I am. 17 year old me would be sad to hear that I moved away from CT and "2 hours away from NY City" to come back to Kansas, but he'd understand why, and he'd see it's not permanent. 17 year old me had never moved to a different home so all of the moves would come as a surprise. "Wait, and you keep going back to Kansas, after those other places??". Good question, kid.
He'd probably be surprised that I still have all my hair and not at all surprised that a lot of it has turned white (found my first white hair at 17). 17 year-old me would be happy to see that I did end up in an engineering role with a fairly legit engineering degree but would be bothered by all of the desk time and how the career has gone overall. And that it hasn't been the most stable ride. I'd like to think that he'd be impressed that I've done a number of different jobs over the years.
He'd probably be curious what happened on the relationships front. And why I don't seem to work on things in the garage much. These are questions I've had a lot over the last few years as well.
17 year-old me and 39 year-old me are a lot alike, I think. Me now, I just do better with people now, and I'm not as angsty. Probably half as angsty.
17YO me would be surprised as hell that I survived past 21. Quite frankly, the shock still hasn't worn off.
He'd be glad to see that I wasn't dead or homeless, but the lack of progress would otherwise confirm his fears.
I think 17 year old me would be pleased with where my life has gone but probably confused by why I don't have a nicer car, some of my hobbies and the fact I don't only wear baggy cargo pants and graphic tees and band shirts.
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