When I was a kid, I absolutely hated the end of August. Those ubiquitous back-to-school sales were a vicious harbinger of the end of summer vacation.

Now that I'm older and have no use for graph paper or a new Trapper Keeper (yes, they still make these!), I no longer hate the end of August. I wholeheartedly despise it.

September will whiz by like a bullet train, as it's known to do, and then I'll be face-to-face with my birthday in October. How did I get so old? Wasn't I just worrying about graph paper and No. 2 pencils?

Writing this column doesn't make me feel any better because I constantly bump into barflies born in 1987 who are, believe it or not, drinking legally in bars that recently received their liquor licenses. This week, for a bit of perspective, I decided to surround myself with ancient history.

Brownie's Tavern (1411 S. Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale) opened its doors when FDR was in the White House, Babe Ruth hit his 714th and final home run and a gallon of gas was 10 cents. The year was 1935 and Brownie's beer was delivered by trucks that literally only had two horsepower (fueled by oats).

The bar stools here are filled with a potpourri of patrons. You'll see old-timers toasting with young whippersnappers, and blue collars playing pool with white collars. A drink here is more expensive than it used to be, but it's close -- slide $1.50 to the barkeep and a draft beer will be yours.

An altogether different crowd congregates at the Elbo Room (241 S. Atlantic Blvd., Fort Lauderdale). Locals and local wannabes from around the world party here every day and every night with Spring Break gusto. This famous beach bar, at the corner of Las Olas Boulevard and State Road A1A, has been the scene of late night hook-ups, break-ups, knock-outs and pass-outs since 1938.

The bar became legendary when Where the Boys Are hit the screens in 1960, making Fort Lauderdale beach the student mecca for decades.

Now you can enjoy live music daily, but you'll want to be here when Gary Gore is playing. He's a guitar virtuoso and his voice can glide along soulfully or scream like a Ferrari aching to get out of first gear. His next gig is on Monday, but check his schedule at www.mypsace.com/garygore.

There are places where karaoke is taken very seriously and Stratford's Bar & Restaurant (2910 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood) isn't one of them. If your voice causes stray dogs to bark, you'll be in good company here on Friday nights. If you still need a confidence boost, come early for happy hour and allow $1.25 draft beers to do the singing for you.

Drive slowly or you may miss the Hollywood bar's green neon sign -- it's just east of Interstate 95. All it takes is one visit to be knighted by a bartender as a ''regular'' and a steady stream of regulars have been returning since 1938.

If you're phobic about big crowds, head to the cozy Dania Beach Bar & Grill. This beachfront hideaway has been serving cold drinks and great grilled eats since the early 1940s. You'll only bump into two types of people at this beachfront bar: those who have accidentally found it without intending to, and those who return often after the initial serendipitous discovery.

On your first visit, whether you seem interested or not, longtime patrons will fill you in on the bar's complete history (true or not). You may roll your eyes but you may be the first to pass along the lore to the next newcomer.

The Dania Beach Bar & Grill closes at 6 p.m. daily so bring your appetite for fun, food and frosty drinks down the block to Le Tub (1100 N. Ocean Dr.) on the Intracoastal.

This rustic refuge has been a Hollywood hot spot since 1975. Until 4 a.m. nightly, customers are sitting outdoors at splintering tables under palm trees, as boats slowly drift by.

I would be feeling better by now if I hadn't remembered what the price of gas used to be.

COMING UP

• The New Planets play at 11 p.m. Friday at The Original Fat Cats (320 SW Second St.). No cover.

• Metal fans won't want to miss the show at Culture Room (3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale) on Saturday, with The Absence, Kalakai, At Odds With God, Synapticide and Upheaval. Tickets are $10; doors open at 7:30 p.m.

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