CNN has created a fantastic program that explores each decade through a number of episodes that drills on on specific aspects that occurred. As I’m currently a bachelor I now have time to watch things that interest me and I finally made it to the ’90s which interests me the most as it is when I came of age. I graduated high school in 95 so the music especially brings back a lot of memories.
As is apparent from this blog I have a fascination with time. The episode that focused on music spoke of Nirvana, NWA, Doctor Dre, Snoop Dog and so on. They really explained all the societal aspects that made these artists a success. This was all very interesting but the thought I had when watching all of those young people dance is what has happened to them?
In the ’90s they were dancing, were cool, were in love with N’Sync and so on. Well, we’re now over 40 years old and I imagine they’ve stopped dancing and all that youthful enthusiasm faded long ago. Those kids are my peers and to be honest I have no idea what they are up to except through the magic of Facebook. In high school you had an entire population of people the same age around you everyday and knew what was going on, what was popular and what the best music was. Well, that “being in touch” with society ended for me in 2001 when I want to Japan. My life took a huge turn. I spent 3 years in Japan, 2 in Vietnam and then moved to San Francisco which is one big adult playground. Seems that age is no longer that important and I couldn’t tell you the last time I spoke to a person between 20 – 25.
Through Facebook I can tell you what my peers are doing instead of dancing and being enthusiastic. They are posting about being nominated for the “Softball Mom” of the week and posting endless pictures of their kids. Some are getting divorced, some have decided they really like Jesus and others simply are becoming even more lost than before. I think that when we’re young we just assume life will have something special in store for us but as it turns out that isn’t the case for most, but year after year they get older and older.
One girl from my high school found out that she really liked the club scene when she turned 18. I saw her at a place called “The Edge” on The Ohio State campus back in 1996. She has been in love with the club scene ever since and even became a DJ. Well, we’re now 42 years old, I imagine it might be a bit difficult to keep up with the ‘cool kids’ when 50 is swiftly approaching. She is still DJing away but who ever heard of a 50 year old DJ?
I just saw that the CNN program came out with a series on the 2000s and you know what? I have absolutely no idea what went on during that decade except for 9/11. I came back to the USA in 2006 but was in my little cocoon of San Francisco. Then I got married and had kids. Time became a blur and I find it hard to believe it is 2019 already. I have no idea what went on in pop culture for this decade either as I mostly listen to music from the ’80s and ’90s or foreign music.
I did try to reconnect with high school by creating a class Facebook page and organize a 20 year reunion. For me it was not a desire to return to the past but rather re-read a previous chapter of my life and ended in 2001. What I learned is the majority of old classmates were not as enthusiastic about getting back together as I was. Sure I still have some old friends but only 1/3 of our high school class bothered to show up. Almost nobody posts on the high school class page. To me this was a big surprise as I thought there would be more interest.
I think that as we get older that youthful enthusiasm dies for most of us as it is scrubbed away by the monotony of daily life, going to a job and raising kids. Many do not want to remember the past or consider themselves to have ‘moved on.’ Well, nobody I grew up with has traveled as far and wide or has experienced all that I have so I remain perplexed as to why so many who didn’t go very far want to seem as though they’ve ‘moved on’ or are just too busy to reminisce about the past.
At 42, I’ve finally had my fill of the past and wanting to reconnect. I’ve had my fill of always wanting to return to Ohio or posting on the class page. It seems their lack of enthusiasm has spread to my own thinking. It was fun for a while but that fun has ended.
I’m now motivated again to learn new things, explore new music and especially learn about new technology. Luckily I have time in the summer to do this as my family is in Japan. Breaking out of routine is so refreshing and makes me feel alive again. The technology available such as virtual reality is amazing and I’ve got the time to find new foreign music mostly from Japan and China. I have no interest in the current pop music/rap and never linger for more than three seconds on that particular radio station.
I’ve continued to grow while many others from my hometown have not. My interests are not theirs and the conversation is dull. I do not feel old and feel it is through a way of thinking, traveling and doing things that interest both me and my kids that keep me young. I have no intention of turning into a boring, middle aged guy that complains about everything.
Ok, back to movies or reading The Tale of Genji.
