old_contents: #!/usr/bin/env python
  import pickle
  import time
  
  file=open("/var/lib/cloud/instance/obj.pkl")
  ci=pickle.load(file)
  
  try:
          print ci.metadata['meta']['i_was_born']
  except:
          print int(time.time())
  
  
new_contents: #!/usr/bin/env python
  import pickle
  import time
  
  try:
  	file=open("/var/lib/cloud/instance/obj.pkl")
  	ci=pickle.load(file)
  	try:
  		print ci.metadata['meta']['i_was_born']
  	except:
  		print int(time.time())
  except:
  	print int(time.time())
  
subject: work on non-cloud-init machines