While somehow stumbling across (and becoming mesmerized) by a YouTube clip of the Challenger exploding, I simultaneously saw the last 29 years of my life pass before me. So, I created a Top 10 list of things those under 35 experienced and sent them to my “Bcc: List” for review. I forgot to include a ton in my original email, but, without further ado I present the good, bad, and indifferent…

1. Challenger Explodes – pretty sure every kid in America was watching it live.
2. Princess Diana’s Death – seems like just the other day cameras were peering into a paris tunnel to get any piece of possible footage.
3. Columbine – everyone else is just a copycat.
4. Waco Nightmare – what are those tanks doing and why aren’t people leaving the building?
5. Timothy McVeigh – rents a ryder and blows up a completely random a$$ government building. michigan militia, what?
6. 9/11
7. Olympic Park Bombing – Richard Jewel, you little fatty. you just look guilty.
8. Internet Boom/Bust/Boom Again – anyone up for another bust?
9. Break up of the USSR/Fall of the Berlin Wall – the East German’s now know what bananas are so that’s good. and, we don’t have a bunch of nuclear missiles pointing at us just waiting to go off. star wars – not good.
10. Saddam Captured/Killed – why the hell not? seemed like a good idea. at least now Iraqis can have a public opinion while dodging gunfire and our troops roll through IEDs. ugh.
11. African American Man President – no, that’s not propaganda but this race is done. especially, once he picks a running mate: VA, NM, NC, PA, or PA 2. long shots – KS (now that’s how you deliver a horrible democratic response to the state of the union), the general, or the loose cannon from DE. regardless, it’s over.
12. Katrina Failure – “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Actually, George Bush apparently doesn’t care about the entire country.
13. Baby Jessica Falls Into a Well – how and why? well, they go her out so that’s good.
14. JonBenét Ramsey – it got creepier and creepier thanks to John Karr.
15. Steve Bartman – silences Wrigley by touching a ball that Alou could have easily caught. with the momentum gone, the cubs make a few routine play mistakes and their hopes at a World Series dissipate. we (andy, molly, and I) are at the game and go from drunk/happy to sober/sad in about 90 seconds from the point that he touches the ball. I permanently give up on the cubs…the cubs have a real curse not like the boston red sox’s previous curse. UPDATE: Z was at the game with us too. my bad. I sort of blocked that day out of my mind FOREVER.
16. Oakland Earthquake During World Series Baseball Game – Al Michael’s talking over it and collapsed bridges will stick in my mind forever.
17. Exxon Valdez – the first of many oil spills but that one stands out.
18. OJ Car Chase and Subsequent Acquittal – everyone remembers where they were during both. If the glove doesn’t fit he still killed two people.
19. Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan – “My knee!”
20. LA Race Riots – Rodney King and Reginald Denny…an eye for an eye.
21. Biggie/2pac Murders – see above “an eye for an eye.”
22. Unabomber – dude was straight up creepy and I will point out a U of M alumni!
23. Magic Johnson & HIV – I guess this is what happens when you start sticking your dick in everything.
24. Bill/Monica Lewinsky – see above “I guess this is what happens when you start sticking your dick in everything.”
25. George Bush Steals 2000 and 2004 election – four/eight years later, the GOP (and Americans) finally realize and openly admit the mistake made.

I’ve obviously missed some things and it’s a shame Bartman touching the foul ball earned the most characters typed, but, my “dream” is to find clips of all of these events and turn it into a 5 minute video. Sort of like that lame Billy Joel song but a video, better, and not including annoying music.

Special thanks to Nora, Amy, Ericka, Jodi, and Conor. Feel free to add comments and I will add to the list accordingly.