"If you can remember the Sixties," says the Capt, quoting Robin Williams, "you probably weren't there." But I can
remember some...um...high points, and I definitely was there. I have the gray and wrinkles to show for it, along with the memories. Now it can be told: I lived in communes and on open land from time to time, went barefoot as often as possible, grew my hair long. Danced at Altamont, the Left Coast's not-so-utopian version of Woodstock, to the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," unaware some poor fellow was being knifed by Hells Angels fifty yards away. Lived in a two-story treehouse on Lou Gottlieb's open land, cooked over an open fire, hitchhiked, lived on beans and rice with chapati, sweated gallons in sweat lodges, burned a lot of incense, and stayed up all night playing guitar and singing. Consumed illegal substances. Protested the Vietnam War, PCBs and nuclear power. Rooted for alternative energy and dreamed of a farm powered by solar panels and biofuel, surrounded by animals (not for food but for company). Wrote an article about Morningstar Ranch for an alternative commie pinko newspaper, got an unpaid job there and eventually became its unpaid publisher. Never arrested — just lucky, I guess.What changed for me was having weekly deadlines to meet with the accompanying responsibilities, a son to raise and a subliminal awareness that at some point, the original idea became somewhat obscured by imitators, fads and fascination with the trappings. Stockbrokers kept long-haired wigs and headbands stashed in their Porsches for weekend visits to country communes where free love reigned supreme.
Now we are at a sort of milestone, 40 years since Woodstock, invited to dig up our peace sign earrings, tie-dye shirts and bell-bottoms (if we can still squeeze into them) for a nostalgic fling. If, as the Capt says, you really weren't there, if you weren't even a gleam in your daddy's eye yet, fret not! Wiki-How has a tutorial on How to Be a Hippie. Not only that, but How to be a Cool Hippie, and How to Be a Hippie (Not the Stereotype) and, if your heart's not really in it but you're off to some retro shindig, How to Dress Like a Full-Blown Hippie. Some of the instructions are hilarious, written by someone under 30 who spent a couple of days immersed in films and videos like "Hair," "Easy Rider" and "Alice's Restaurant," and listening to the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and Country Joe & The Fish.
Makes me wonder what they'll do when Woodstock turns fifty. Who knows, by then maybe we'll be able to time-warp our way back to the original scene, dude. Far out.