Now.  What do we mean this is now? Then was now.  But now, then is not now. Because now it’s then, and not now.  My head’s now spinning.  Or then my head was spinning.  Or is it still spinning?  Is it spinning now?  Was it spinning then?

Stop!  Let’s talk about new.

New.  New compared to what?  Antiques?  Old-fashioned?  Retro is old.  Mid-century Mad Men décor, architecture, fashions, colors.  Retro is new, too.  Hip and cool now.  Hip and cool then.  But in between?

Ugly.  Oh my god, was it ugly.

Mad Men.  Grandpa and Dad’s era.  Bourbon on the lunch hour.  Wives with overly sprayed hair-do’s.  Were there hair “don’ts”?  When mom cut my hair, that was a hair don’t.

Bangs.  Never cut them straight across.

Green.  Then, it was a color. Now, it’s a way of life.  Then, we shopped thrift stores because we were poor.  Now, we shop thrift stores to be cool.

Recycling.  Even what’s cool is recycled.

Science.  Then, we thought it would save us.  Now, science tells us the planet’s dying.

Senseless.  Now, some deny science.

Then.  There was life.

Now, too.