Every story has a first page. Well, this how Half Life Crisis started! Although it did take a few years to moving it from my mind into the real world.
OK…Finally, my first Half Life Crisis™ article.
The irony is that I created these multimedia accounts about two years ago or so. In fact, it was on May 22, 2018, a few months before my 40th orbit around the sun. Further into this irony, the first time I had this concept idea was on July 25, 2011. Talk about time dilation. The idea was to “document” and “write” about stuff in an effort to not let my life run away beneath my feet before waking up one day to the reality that, indeed, time went by…and fast. Therefore, today I am ACTUALLY writing. Holy f&#%, not sure if I am just being disappointed in myself, or just laughing out loud at the irony, but I digress. Better late than never, I guess.
Somehow, as I write this, I’ve already gained six Facebook followers! These awesome people have my heartfelt gratitude. My goal is to make 2021 the beginning of a new chapter in this long-time-in-the-making project and let it grow to it’s greatest potential. And, of course, invite a lot more people to join in on this party.
©Marcelo Baqueroalvarez / HLC | That is me. The same day I had the idea of creating Half Life Crisis™ after visiting old friends in Panevėžys, Lithuania.
What is the context for Half Life Crisis™?
Half Life Crisis™ does not equal “midlife crisis.” You don’t need to be a 40+ year old person to be part of this club. In fact, anyone’s “half life crisis” tends to appear around the same time that their “adulting” phase starts creeping in. For most of us, it’s way before we walk on to the fourth floor. But, “actual adulting” is a whole other rant.
The way I see it, Half Life Crisis™ is the realization that we all- at best- only live about half of our lives while the other half we spend making a living. The inevitable truth is that time will catch up to us all and change is the only constant. But, somewhere in the middle there is an essence that made you, YOU. My argument is that it is important to remember who we were in order to successfully navigate our journey into becoming the person we are meant to be. This is NOT the same as “living in the past.” This concept gives introspection to recall the best parts of you that somehow ended up becoming neglected as we persist each new day.
When this concept first came to my mind, I was talking to my wife, Alicia, who was pregnant with our daughter, Samantha, on a European road trip. One of our stops was intended to visit my awesome old friends who live in the city of Panevėžys in Lithuania. It was wonderful spending at least a little bit of time with them again, have them meet my wife, and have my wife meeting the delightful people who came into my life long before I met her. I initially met them in September 2001, just shy of 10 years before the time of our visit. I always appreciated how these wonderful people from faraway lands offered their friendship to me from day one. I was born in Ecuador and, at the time, I was living in Florida.
This time around, they also extended their friendship to my wife and unborn child. The two most important ladies in my life were now also active participants of this remarkable time capsule and- back then, like right now- I came to the realization that this memory is also almost a decade old. The day after our visit, my wife and I were walking outside our hotel before getting back on the road for our next destination. As I stumbled upon a sculpture of a gentleman playing chess, I thought about how my life had moved so fast up until that point and, even though I was starting a new chapter in my life with my wife and unborn child, I realized how much of me that my friends had remembered and was dormant inside me all of these years. Was that person they remembered in our stories still somewhere inside me? I pondered how much of me had changed, how much remains…and just like that, the concept of Half Life Crisis™ was born.
I knew I wanted to answer the following question: What would I like to do more than anything in the world as I get older? Well, aside from spending time with my wife and daughter, I like to rant…a lot. I figured the internet is already a place to host the rambles of a madman, or a few million madmen and women. But I wanted my rants (not quite the same as ramblings) to be organized in some sort of creative forum. Maybe, among all of these words coming out of my mind, something useful may resonate with somebody else out there. And, if not, at least I’ll get it out of my system. To me, that’s a win-win.
©Marcelo Baqueroalvarez / HLC | Me and y wife, Alicia, when she was pregnant with Sammy outside our hotel near downtown Panevėžys, Lithuania.
So, what’s next for Half Life Crisis?
When Half Life Crisis™ first came to my mind, I wanted to create a platform to “discuss” topics with other “adults” that we can all enjoy. I am not the type of person who enjoys “meaningless small talk” but I do like interesting conversations and things that will make both people grow somehow. That does not mean that it has to be a boring lecture or something dull and dry. Some of the best conversations I’ve had have been very lively, even when the participants had dissenting views. I had just turned 40 when I gave a live platform to Half-Life Crisis™. After waiting almost 10 years to get it to that point, it just sat in a corner along with other unfinished projects. Finally, I am bringing this particular project’s delay to an end.
If there is one thing 2020 has taught me is that you cannot take anything for granted and crazy $#!^ does happen with little to no notice. So, I am actually reactivating my website, www.halflifecrisis.com, along with our social media platforms, and I’m really curious to see how far I can take this. I will be advertising the hell out of it as soon as I have some actual content. I really want to make sure Half Life Crisis™ project reaches far and wide.
This time I am very lucky that my BFF, Petra, is also joining this project as we both share the same epiphany. In many ways, she practically dared me to ensure this project did not remain on the back burner (thank you, Petra). In the near future, you will learn a lot more about my beloved girls. My wife, Alicia; my daughter, Sammy; and even our doggie, Aki. And, if it was not obvious- yes- you’ll learn more about Petra as well.
I’m going to stop my first rant on this note. Half Life Crisis™ is about attaining balance between making an actual living and being the person you’re meant to be. In other words, Half Life Crisis™ is not forgetting about the best parts of you that may be dormant within the depths of you. Half Life Crisis™ – Because Life is what we make of it! HLC