Well I was trying to think of something really bizarre to write about, and one of the kids from my church suggested bedsheets. Definitely weird, but after skiing all weekend, I don't think I could muster enough creativity to write my own post about bedsheets, so consider yourselves safe for now.
I've actually been thinking a lot about age lately - maybe this is from being around people at least 7-8 yrs younger than I this weekend. I was thinking about how much age is perceived differently, not only as you get older, but in society in general. For example, turning 30 used to be a big deal. There are all sorts of scenes in sitcoms and movies where people are agonizing over being the big 3-0. I don't know about the rest of you, but who cares? 30 isn't old, and yet these people act as if it's the end of the world (of course it's funnier that way). Maybe when I get closer to 30 I'll feel differently, but I don't think so - I've never thought of that age as old, except maybe when I was 5.
However, maybe I was just mature about aging when I was younger. I actually had 2 kids at the library basically tell me I was old the other day. These two guys (about 13-14) were hitting on some girls, and in general giving me grief. One of them said "I bet you had a lot of guys chasing after you when you were young" (a poor attempt to suck up). I said "What do you mean 'when I was young'?" His friend hit him and said, "She's still young". The first one goes "What are you, 21?". "No, a little older than that.", "24?", "No a little older.", "29?!". OK - big jump there from 24 to 29, but the fact that his first guess was 21 is a little disheartening. I mean, I guess it's a compliment if I look 4 yrs younger than I am, but it's disheartening because he was implying that 21 was old.
I used to think 50 was pretty old too, but now that my parents and friends' parents are hitting that age, it's not that way anymore. I mean, it still sounds old - but when I look at the people I know who are that age, it doesn't match the image that was conjured in my mind when I was younger.
Part of this is probably my perception of age changing as I get older, but I think society as a whole is changing. People are getting married and having kids later. If this were 20 yrs ago, all of us on this blog would probably be married and maybe have kids, but as it is none of us are. Maybe it's because life spans keep getting longer. I mean, back when people only lived to be about 40, they were married with kids at 13. Maybe we're getting smarter - we're waiting to get married and have kids once were more responsible and financially stable. Or maybe we're just more selfish - waiting to live out our single lives as long as we can before settling.
Of course there are still plenty of people who get married and have kids right out of high school. One of which is my new coworker, with whom I went to school. She was telling me about her husband and kids, and she asked if I had any. I replied no, but I know I had a look of utter shock and horror at the question. (That's something I really should work on) I tried to cover, but it just didn't work. I can't imagine having any children right now, much less having any when I was 18. (I could have a 7 yr old right now!)
As much as I hate people 10 yrs younger than me thinking I'm old, I guess I do the same to them - that is think that they're really young - just kids. It's funny hanging out with my Sr. High youth @ church - we like a lot of the same movies and music and they're really cool. However a song will play - like the Undone Sweater song by Weezer, and I'll stop and think "Wow - they were like 6 when this song came out - weird."
So I guess this week's topic is age - how you perceive it, how society perceives it, how you think people a certain age should act - that type of stuff.
Oh and props to Laurie for giving us a shoutout via bulletin on myspace.
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9 comments:
Kudos fr your choice of title! Last year, when I was 27, I frequently said (in my fake British accent), "I'm 27, I'm not old!"). Doesn't work as well w/ 28...
Who is working at the library now?
And, yeah. It IS weird to be "so old." I don't feel old. But I know when a 14 year-old acquaintance (little one from the Praise Team) requests me to add her on myspace, I ought to say "no". I did say "no," by the way. It just doesn't sit right with me to have someone barely in high school able to read all sorts of things about me I would never tell a kid. Or all sorts of comments. Or find my brother's profile soliciting a threesome...yeah. I don't want to be a part of that.
I guess I feel some kind of adult responsibility now that I didn't feel until recently.
Maybe that's the true sign of my age...
Okay, this is all making me feel old.
I posted about this very subject here
http://chezwhat.blogspot.com/2006/07/sorry-but-tiiiiime-isnt-on-your-side.html
I will be 37 in September. And for all my life, 36 was the year. Now I am glad I am being reminded that I am in my happiest year, because, well, I think I had more fun in my 20s because I played so much, but having this kid, well I kinda wished I had done it sooner. Sorry for the runon.
I have to remind myself to not relate too much to my kids, because kids don't really want me to be their best friend, they want me to act my age. And I have to remember to not dispense advice like a pez candy dispenser, because then I am always telling them what to do.
Everyone will click a year older every year. And no one except the women in Hollywierd who have their skin all stretched across their faces gets to keep looking young.
This age is good, I look probably as good as I will ever look and with the most confidence I have ever had. I need to travel again, badly, but we will arrange for that. In fact, it might just be time to plan some summer getaways.
Thanks for talking about it.
I'm just glad that someone else is using movie quotes for their blog titles. Although mine have nothing to do with the topics.
You guys all make me feel better. While I don't feel old at all, I do sometimes feel crappy because so many people I know are married and doing shit like buying a house. Having kids. While I know I don't want to do that for a while, it still sometimes makes me feel weird. Until, of course, I talk to those people, and hear all of their complaints and stories and BS. That usually makes me feel better.
Why do people assume that home ownership makes one an adult? Seriously.
Signed,
Jane Keeler
Home Owner
I own a home. But that home has a pizza box, soda cans, bags, and jugs in the kitchen that i've been accumulating for two weeks, because 1) I made a New Years Resolution to recycle, but 2) I can't quite manage to remember to sit it outside on the right day.
I'm married, but sometimes my husband and I have ice cream for dinner and go to a midnight movie on a "school night."
So, I don't think that having house and husband makes one an adult. I do feel like an adult when I teach though -- actually, then I feel quite old.
Melissa
Last night I showed a bunch of travel pictures to some of our neighbors--my mom, two married couples in their fifties, and a guy in his late seventies (who still single-handedly operates a tow truck, btw). Anyway, while looking at Cambodia pics the subject of Pol Pot came up. Someone asked how old he was when he took power, and someone else replied, in his fifties. In a hurry to get on to the next picture, I added, "Yeah, he was pretty old when he took power," and clicked ahead. Fortunately my audience decided to be amused instead of insulted by this, but when I realized what I'd said I was mortified. In your fifties is a perfectly normal time to take control of a country (look at American presidents!). I guess I was thinking of Cambodia's short life expectancy and hence very young population, but still. Hooray for subconscious biases.
Also, like Nick, many of my friends are getting married and buying houses, and it seriously weirds me out. Not because I think they're too young to do so, but rather because they *aren't* too young to do so, and that must mean that I'm not either.
Brooke, I'm impressed that Pol Pot casually came up in conversation; also impressed that someone actually knew off the top of his head the approximate age when he took over Cambodia. Not something I would know.
And being "too young" or "old enough" to get married, buy a house, etc. is all relative- it depends on the person. I do not for a second believe that getting married is the sign of any sort of maturity or adulthood- in fact, many people that I know who got married did so out of total immaturity, which is evidenced by almost every single one of my friends who got married having gotten divorced. Same for buying a house. Making a big commitment does not equal maturity or adulthood- any more than not getting married or not buying a house etc. is evidence of being immature. As far as being too young/old to get married etc., I think most of my friends who did stuff like that ARE too young- I wouldn't consider marriage until I am 30, and that usually goes for kids, owning a house, etc.
Well, it wasn't exactly a casual conversation--we were looking at pictures of the killing fields outside of Phnom Penh where Pol Pot did a lot of horrible things. But yes, my neighbors are exceptionally well-traveled and well-informed.
And I guess what I meant about "too young" is that we have entered that gray area where it *does* depend on individual maturity. I remember a girl I graduated from high school with getting married at 18, and most people's first response to the news was, "Wow, she's so young," said in that good-luck-and-godspeed tone of voice. That's not most people's first response to 25 year olds getting married--of course it depends on the person, but it's not a knee-jerk reaction to comment on their youth any more.
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