What would 17yo you think about you now?

First, 17 year old me would be ROFLMAO to learn that we now have a thing called spell check (always struggled with spelling and feared my career would be limited as a result) and 17 year old me would be amazed to learn that I developed very solid public speaking skills (introverted & awkward at the time).

17 year old me would be incapable of understanding why I let my high school sweetheart get away and would share my sadness over her passing at just 38 without ever marrying or having kids – is there some dust in here?

17 year old me would be very proud (actually, relieved due to being fed a rich diet of conditional love in my youth) of my education, career, and financial success.

Lastly, 17 year old me would be pleased to find that 53 year old me laughs just as hard as ever at sophomoric potty humor and stuff.

He would be disappointed in the cars I’ve owned, and that I no longer own the Mustang he drove.

He would be surprised I never bothered to chase his dreams.

And he’d probably mouth off about it. 

As an aside, I have often thought it would be fun to have 17 yo me wake up in this 57 year old body, just to hear the screams of anguish at the normal, everyday ouchieness that comes with a well used life.  I wouldn't want to be able to experience my 17 yo body again, unless I could keep it permanently, with my 57 brain.  I think that would be a terrible tease.

17 year old me would be like "damn dude you rich why aren't you driving a sweet ride?" 

And also "whoa the wife is hot good job"

And also "wait, you waited until when to lose the V-Card and never slept with her, her or her?" 

17 year old me was not as confident with the ladies, mainly because I was a bit of a goody-two-shoes. I held onto my v-card until well into my 20's, which was probably a safe thing to do, but I still kick myself for missed opportunities. 

I don't think 17 year old me would have ever imagined me moving across the country. 

As much as the experiences of ahem...lady friends would be fun, if I had to instruct 17 year old me to do anything, it would be to spend more time with my dad (he died when I was 23.). 

Amazed by the gray, Stoked on skills/tools (Multiple Welders!, Lathe!), Somewhat miffed by the wagon, and just a slow knowing nod because I still ride street bikes. I haven't really changed that much.

That whippersnapper would get a good talking to from 47 year old me, along with lots of sage advice, and I think he'd take it. I mean, who are you gonna trust, you mullet headed punk?

17 year old me would be surprised I wash my cars as little as possible and that 3/4ths of them have the OEM stereos. 

He would be surprised how things worked out. He would see that 47 year old me is married to 17 year old me's girlfriend. 

17yo me had a black second gen Trans Am. He was doing much better than damn near 39yo me. He would be extremely disappointed, much like I am.

T.J. said:

He would be surprised how things worked out. He would see that 47 year old me is married to 17 year old me's girlfriend. 

Damn congrats on that!

The 17 YO would also be annoyed I walked away from a tool & die career after working hard through high school and chasing down a business degree instead.

He would remind me how much I loved working on lathes, mills, grinders, and drill presses.  What about winning the machinist of the year award?  

I would have to have a long talk with him explaining this "no job" thing. Yes I get to live the best life ever because I married the most amazing woman ever, but to be at the right place at the right time to meet her I have to bust my ass and earn a couple of degrees and invitations to grad school that I will never really use. Seventeen year old me was a HUGE fan of cruising along at the bare minimum of effort that resulted in a favorable outcome. He would have been very upset at the prospect of all that work for "nothing". But then I'd show him the 911 and he'd be ok with it.

17 year old me would think I ended up exactly where he wanted me to be, but would be amazed that I actually made it.  (17 year old me wanted to be a prosecutor, but was terrified of public speaking)

He would wonder if I "switched teams" since I own a Montego Blue Miata.  He'd be proud that I've never had an automatic as my own personal car.  

He would be pissed that the crappy 74 Camaro he drove was the only V8 powered car I've ever owned.  He'd look at my income and bank balance and wonder why there isn't a Chevelle in the driveway.  

Like me, he'd think my wife is gorgeous, but would be shocked by how much she's like me.  (He still believed in that "opposites attract" B.S.)

He, like me, would be very sad that my mom isn't with us anymore.  

Like many, i wouldn't want to be back there for about anything.  Well, maybe just to compare what 17yo me thought was important or stressful compared to now, ha! I probably split my time pretty good between being a awkward annoying moron and a awkward annoying ok kid. Terrible in school, fat, uncontrollable curly hair(reason for the last 20 years of buzzing my head).  I dont miss it. Although i do wish i had my old 1983 4 door datsun/nissan stanza. That car would be cool as heck to have now. My 36yo life now, happy married to a cool woman of a different race, super cool 2.5 year old son, nice house, vehicles and a mile long list of projects.  Dont know, i had no visions of the future at that age, just some dumb ideas, dumber friends and nowhere to go. 

I have kinda thought of this some before, and what i always want to tell many folks in their teens who are stressed over some “huge” thing, as a adult now, NOTHING that was important then has any effect on my life now. All the things i lost sleep over, etc, absolutely nothing now.  And do good in school. 

And STOP doing all the dumb stuff that is killing our back! At about 34yo i finally got a MRI and found 2 herniated discs, multiple bulged discs and a pinched nerve. Now im getting another in my neck which makes my arm go numb. Stop the dumb stuff!

The number 1 thing I would thing I would tell 17 year old me: HEARING PROTECTION. 

17 yr old me would be shaking his head wondering where it all went wrong and why he bothered with seat belts and helmets just to wind up here.  

Bob the REAL oil guy. said:

The number 1 thing I would thing I would tell 17 year old me: HEARING PROTECTION. 

What?

Some vaguely dark things going on in this thread... 

17 year old Logdog spent a bunch of time in the hospital after a nasty car wreck and would be happy to see he would be walking again.

I think 17 year old me would approve of 44 year old me. I'm well on my way to becoming one of those old guys that he used to look up to. 

He would be very disappointed that we sold our dream car, the 1969 Chevelle, that we bought already wrecked, rebuilt and swore we'd never let go.

But then we started a back halved '76 Monza and needed some cash. Then decided we needed a new GpZ1100. And then a Ninja. And so on, and so on.

I miss that Chevelle.

He'd think that I am pretty lame, but he was a bit of a bonehead. He didn't do me many favors.

I'm lucky to be here and grateful for what I have and that I survived him.

But we would enjoy working in the garage, racing and hard rock, so maybe we'd still get along.

Only difference between 17 year old me and now is I have a better stereo and slightly faster cars.

I am still a royal pain in the ass and get in trouble too much.

17 year old would be pleased.  My family never thought I'd make it to 30, I'm closing  in on 70.   Retired, somewhat comfortable, spending time with the love of my life.  I figure your success is looking at your kids.  Both have good careers, and are doing OK, I'm cool with that.

Damn!  You're still alive?

17 yr old me would be disappointed but not shocked that the whole music biz rock band thing was a dead end but he would be amazed we ended up happy married in a nice house on 5 acres and a neat kid who is 17 now. He would be pissed it took so long to be able to get into stage rally but relieved we got into it a'tall.

He would simply Not Believe the current DD. But if I let him drive it he would totally get it.

17 year old me would recognize a lot, and be confused by a lot more. He would recognize my wife, his new girlfriend at the time, be stoked on the chest length hair and long beard, and yet more stoked on my daily driver miata. He would be confused why i drive it to a construction management job, an industry he had sworn off at 17, and a job his father had before him. He would be stoked on the 50+ plus cars i have owned, although he would wonder why i didn't hold onto a few of them. He wouldn't have guessed i would speak Spanish and have lived in Mexico for 14+ months or held land by the ocean. 

Life is strange.

I think it would be a bit of a mixed bag. 17 yr old me would be floored by our oh-so-hot girlfriend (still am in fact!), like the dog we have, and probably think the 4Runner is pretty sweet. He'd be confused about the move to Portland (hated rain) and the career path I've chosen. I had never even heard of GIS then. However, he'd be very happy with how lucrative that path is. He'd be confused about why we're chubby now after being a beanpole forever. But, he'd pleased that he figured out how to do his hair and the positive results from that (see "hot girlfriend" above). Hearing about all the fun we had in college would absolutely blow his mind. I came way out of my shell and have stayed out since. 

Seeing that written out makes me think I'd actually be pretty stoked to see where 13 years got me/us.