Captain Hook Says it All

After college, most of us venture off into the "real world" and get jobs (or at least try very hard to), but we all know that, when it comes down to it, we'll always be kids at heart. Who honestly doesn't like going to amusement parks or watching cartoons that we used to watch when we were 5?

Growing up isn't easy, but who says you can't return to your childhood every once in a while?

Last night I was flipping through the TV channels and saw that "Aladdin" was on. Excitement built up inside me when I realized it was the classic, 1992 Disney movie, instead of some new, random Aladdin cartoon. I often get the urge to pull out and watch old Disney movies to relieve the stress of trying to find a job in this terrible state of the economy. I still get the fire in my belly to sing every lyric to every song, which of course stay stuck in my head for days after.

Those movies take me back to the days when I had Barbie-themed birthday parties, and the only competition was for who got to be first player on "Mario Brothers" (because everyone knows Mario plays better than Luigi).

Sometimes it's a great feeling forgetting that you have to grow up, become successful and provide for your family. It would be great if there really was a Neverland that we could escape to whenever times get rough -- maybe one without pirates and crocodiles, though.

On a side note, isn't it crazy that instead of playing "I Love Lucy" or "The Andy Griffith Show," Nick at Nite now plays "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Home Improvement?" Thanks Nick at Nite. Way to force me to grow up by telling me all the shows I watched when I was younger belong on the channel the black and white shows used to be on.

So, in the words of Captain Hook, "Growing up is such a barbarous business, full of inconvenience ... and pimples." And I will forever be a kid at heart.