Advice to children: Never grow up!

If you've been wondering why "Forever Silent" has been so silent, it's because I was on vacation and also had so much going on that I put the book writing/researching aside for a little while. I'm working on getting back into a groove, but it's taking some time.

Here's a post I made tonight on my Facebook profile. What started as a simple one-liner and meme of Peter Pan saying not to grow up because it's a trap became a full-on blog-length post ... and suddenly it's 12:30 at night!

It may not have to do with silent films, but it has everything to do with my state of mind lately. Here's my diversion.

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Advice for children: Don't grow up. Make like Peter Pan, because it's a trap.

No one ever said, "When I grow up I want to work 40+ hours a week, pay a mortgage, deal with leaky faucets, clean up cat puke, take the car in for oil changes and regularly complain about the price of gasoline."

When you're a kid, you don't have to think about getting a job with benefits or making sure your car insurance doesn't lapse. You worry about who will I sit with at lunch and what will I ask Santa for at Christmas.

Playing house meant "cooking" on a stove that wouldn't burn you (Holly Hobby Ovens and E-Z Bakes aside) and caring for your baby doll. Perhaps that baby doll would wet her pants or even cry, but you could always take her batteries out or let her dry off on her own. (Side note: You can't do that with real babies)

When I was a kid, I was told I could do anything I put my mind to doing––dream big! I still believe that. But it gets harder the more grown-up you become. When you become a parent, it's not so easy to sit yourself down to write your novel. When you're working 50 hours a week in the hopes of paying all of your bills and having a little extra to put aside for a vacation or, heck, even a movie night, it's not always easy to find the time.

Being a grown-up has its perks. You can see R-rated movies, stay up as late as you want and eat ice cream for dinner. But you also have to work in the morning, make sure your kids don't hear all the cussing in the rated-R movie ... and you might end up being lactose intolerant.

So, kids, don't grow up so fast. You will, but hang on to your days of jump-rope songs and cootie-catchers. Watch your favorite TV shows or movies over and over so much that you can never forget them and the joy they bring you. Watch John Hughes films when you're a teen and believe that's what teenagers were exactly like in the 80s. Catch snowflakes on your tongue and chase lightning bugs in the summer. Believe what Magic 8-balls tell you, and believe in fairies.

Growing up ain't all it's cracked up to be (add "13 Going On 30" to your movie list).

Oh, and give your parents a big hug. Those poor suckers had to grow up so they could take care of you. No matter what they thought the future would bring, I guarantee you they never really saw it coming.

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