Young Casey Casano-no

Last updated on May 18th, 2021 at 10:48 am

1. Sometimes we wish we could hit the rewind button. Talk about an experience that you would do over if you could.

2. Write about spending time with a baby or child under the age of two. The challenge: if you’re a parent, do not talk about your own child.

— The Scintilla Project’s Day 10 prompts

I did not handle things well with girls at all when I was young. I always kept insanely busy and sucked at letting anyone in, so relationships were kept pretty low-tier on my list of priorities. It all ended well after those years of screw-ups, but if I could have do-overs, I’d:

• not have ditched that girl on her prom just because I’d broken the garage door and was broke; I’d have found a way to make it work;
• have asked that girl out; especially after later discovering she would’ve said yes;
• kissed that girl when the perfect opportunity arose, but I chose logic over feelings;
• have kept talking to that girl despite my friends thinking she was weird; and
• taken more chances with the girls who made it obvious that they were interested.

There were also idiotic things I did in the name of trying to get with a girl, like:

• the time I went to a party at university with no way home thinking I’d hook up, but the only thing I got hooked up with was an $80 cab ride home;
• the time I got involved in an online relationship with a cocaine addict who lived in California;
• the time I got involved in another online relationship with someone who was actually my then-buddies having some very elaborate (and extremely creepy) fun with me; or
• the mix CDs I’d spent my time making for girls… to give to other guys.

You live, and you learn. We all make idiotic mistakes—but it’s all part of growing. I wouldn’t be who I am today without being burned so many times, but even if I could change it, I’m happy enough with who I am today that being anyone else isn’t an option.