Adulthood is a lot like having a "Kick Me" sign placed on your back, except you know the sign is there and eventually give up trying to reach it. Enough trivial attempts and you inevitably accept that yes, this is your life now.

If you haven't been living under a rock, you'll recognize the surge in recent years regarding pop culture and the revitalization of franchises long since believed dead. It's starting to feel like Pet Sematary but for the memories of 90's kids (a live-action Power Rangers movie that DOESN'T feature Ivan Ooze?).

All the comic book characters we grew up reading about--okay, almost all the characters--are now either on tv or in movies in some capacity. The kid in every one of us shrieks when a new trailer drops. Don't lie. You know it's true.

This weekend saw the release of The Last Jedi. Harry Potter spin-offs will probably be produced until the millennials die or J.K. Rowling runs out of names for wizards--whichever comes first. You've got a new Jumanji, countless live-action versions of Disney movies, and reboots for literally every Stephen King movie that gave us nightmares as kids.

Do I even need to mention the 2016 craze that was Pokemon Go?

My point is this: there is so much going on around us that has, for a lack of a more articulate explanation, already happened. Why is that? Is a Hollywood a reflection of us? Are we so dry and boring that we have to relive old stories and characters because there's nothing novel or exciting in our lives? Actually, yeah, that sounds about accurate.

Let's face it. If you're reading this article, chances are you're nodding along and kind of laugh-crying at the realization that we are a boring generation stuck in the past. But wait, there's more! (R.I.P. Billy Mays).

It's okay to miss our childhood, to wish we could see that house our grandparents lived in that we know we'll never visit again, or to ride bikes around the neighborhood with our buddies until everybody parted ways for whatever meal our parents had just finished but claimed they'd been waiting for fifteen minutes; it's okay to reminisce. Honestly, it's one of the healthiest things you can do.

Think about it. You're stressed, probably low on cash, and just feeling blah in general. What if I told you there's this device that can magically transport you back in time to 1998 and your childhood innocence can be restored? It's called a Netflix, so I hear, and most computers, televisions, smartphones, and refrigerators have them these days.

Pop on a classic episode of Rugrats and let those stressors fade to the back of your mind for a moment. Melt into the couch wishing you had a pack of Dunkaroos or go buy an overpriced Lunchables down the street. Chances are your favorite show from way back when will somehow put you in a better mood.

I'll leave you with this last idea to ponder. Yes, breaking out your old baseball cards or dusting off the VCR to watch Mulan may very well put a smile on your face, but you have to remember this is just a temporary fix. In the day and age of fast food, Red Box, and magically being able to deposit your checks on your phone, delayed gratification has practically ceased to exist.

Don't get so caught up with those moments of nostalgic joy that you forget to live your life and make whatever changes you need to make so that these minute breaks from reality are the one thing you have to look forward to. Create for yourself a life in which that joy exists throughout a majority of the day, one where Ren and Stimpy merely extend your smile, not allow for its existence.

Find happiness in the small things, yes, but don't be blinded by the edges of your cheek as you smile.