I’m an In-Betweener

I guess I’m an in-betweener.

I was born near the end of the Baby Boomer Generation; so much so that all the good picket signs were taken by the time I got my first tie-dye t-shirt...and born too early to even be considered anything close to a Generation X-er.

But I did have an Atari.

Yep, that’s me: Born a day late and a dollar short...which seems to be a pattern.

I was just under the height line to show much interest in—let alone attend—Woodstock...although I did buy the album and saw the movie 3 or 4 times, if that counts.

I also listened to so called “counter culture” radio stations in the late 60s, was against the war and ready to join the “revolution” to drive Nixon out of the White House...I mean, until I had to get back home for supper at 6.

And sure...Saturday was “alright for fighting” but it was also the night Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart were on...so choices had to be made.

I was much too young to have cared what the “Shadow knows” and way too old to have been captivated by an episode of Sesame Street, let alone, Full House...and I was never Saved by the Bell.

Not once....

The only thing I knew about Growing Pains was the ache I felt in my knees in 7^th grade.

That’s just where I fell...where I fall...always, somewhere in between.

So while I’ve been wandering around looking for my socks these last few decades, a whole bunch of new generational folks have sprouted and are now apparently running things.

Whasup wit dat?

Generation X...which if anything, sounds way cooler than “Boomer”.

Generation Y...why did your change your name to Millennials?

Always shaking things up.

We had such a nice flow going.

And now another new crop—the iGeneration—soon to be harvested, knocking on the door.

You know, the kids who toss their water bottles in your driveway and hover-board on your lawn on the way home from school, every day.

But that’s just how things go when you insist on waking up every new day after new day after new day.

More and more fresh faces arrive on the scene and push the rest of us up and out of the way...plus, they know how to get all the good concert tickets.

Sometime back, I started noticing I had absolutely no interest in seeing any more Super Hero Movies.

I know...right?

No interest in watching so called “real people” discuss their sex lives, drug addiction, foot fetish or broccoli obsession on TV.

No interest in watching people house hunting, flipping or remodeling.

I really don’t care what’s inside that abandoned storage locker.

Or who can make the best “what” out of “whatever” on how many countless cooking competition shows, all apparently judged by the same 3 or 4 people.

My taste in music seems hopelessly shackled to bands and musicians that were mostly born before I was, or slightly thereafter.

Athletes today seem somewhat more pampered, entitled and overpaid for me to invest as much time and passion as I used to in any one team. As long as there’s another millionaire ready to step in and hit .380 during the playoffs, it’ll be okay, no matter who it is or what they’re “supplementing” their diet with.

Still, I know my current lack of empathy and interest in modern culture has little to do with the quality and tenor of the product...and more to do with my generational detachment.

None of these things are meant to garner my approval...or even my dollar...not any more.

The driving forces behind Batman vs. Superman vs. Hulk vs. Archie, were all born 25 years or more after I first sat down to watch My Favorite Martian, Man from Uncle and Lost in Space.

I had just graduated from College when Star Wars first appeared, amazed us and changed the way we thought about movies.

The Super Bowl was still in single digits...except they were marked by Roman Numerals, which only have one single digit....just sayin.

I don’t know...obviously.

I guess what I’m trying to acknowledge, in my long winded, analogue-gical fashion is I’ve just out-aged most of it.

I’ve been there done that...and then done it again, two or three times more.

I’m just not all that amazed anymore....

Which, I’m okay with.

 Really, I am.

There are still a lot of contemporary things out there I enjoy.

Like texting, so I don’t have to actually talk to anyone.

Or...on the other end...Video-Calling...so I can draw mustaches on people when they start to annoy me.

And computers so I can write “stuff” like this to annoy you.

And in all honesty, because, for the most part, you have to parse through most of what I write to categorize truth from hyperbole...there’s quite a bit of 21^st century culture that I do appreciate....Bieber aside.

And if you’re of my particular “in-between” generation, you should too.

There’s still great writing, great music, great film making...great everything.

You just have to sift through the stuff your brain won’t process on an intelligible level.

Sure, we had the Beatles and still have Springsteen.

But we also had Freddie and the Dreamers and still have to endure Wheel of Fortune.

Every generation has their good and bad. 

And don’t criticize what you can’t understand...even Robert Downey Jr. as Ironman and Sherlock Holmes.

Seriously?

There is a season— turn, turn, turn.

But do it slow or you might throw out your back....

______________________________

Have you picked up my new book “The Kingdom of Keys”?
                                                
No....what's up with that???

Better hurry before they're ALL GONE...which is a lie because they'll never be all gone...never....

So why not buy one just to reward my forthrightness..ness...ness?

You might even enjoy it.


And spread the word...cuz nobody else is....

Just sayin....
 
Available now at Amazon.com -  Click Here



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