Christmas 1969: Schodack NY

Thinking deep into the past recently at my daughters Christmas party I went back about 40 yrs to 1969. Vietnam war still raged though my brother was back from that conflict as of September of that year. He still carries burdens from that war. Midterm exams done.....the end of my high school yrs were within sight....trust me ....I was thrilled with that prospect. My sports era well over bad knee and back in place for my future. Played soccer in a senior league many yrs later but for only a short time. But generally speaking....I was happy to be done with sports and being on a bench. I was not a great athlete and frankly sick and tired of hearing crap about how it prepared you for that unknown future. So here I was at my final High School Christmas vacation. One more winter slog to go...one more spring and group of final exams. I guess I am saying I was in a place of peace within. I was generally happy or perhaps just worn down from the era of the 60's. My perception was that people were in a hurry to get over that decade....the sooner the better. From counter culture to the moon landing , mass protest,civil rights , a rising tide of consevative politics made for a blur that Christmas. People were kind of looking over the horizon......I was not. I was out with friends for we were now mobil going to places like the Areodrome on Central Avenue to Albany and movies ect. By the way , thank you Elizabeth . Did I mention beer....the legal drinking age was 18 and I was 18 so Schlitz and I there as well. My buds Ron & John were close by. We all knew there were dark clouds on the horizon , war , college aging parents but there was that taste of new freedom and a promise of something more. Oh and by the way , I had my first glass of serious wine not the Ripple or Boones farm variety. A glass of Pinot Noir , at my aunts house for Christmas Dinner. I felt so adult for a moment. I took a long walk in the woods with Liz. The 60's may be close to over but I finally felt I was beginning. For Christmas day a watch......socks and underwear....always got that from my Mother....an aftershave popular at the time called Hai Karate and various other clothes ect,. New Years was fun and something we had heard about from our science teacher Unix Time started. My friends and I were probably way to serious at times that yr with Vietnam and the like hanging over our lives but that may have been my favorite Christmas not so much for what was but might be ahead. Not so much about me but what a young heart might be beyond the then me.