Sunday, February 18, 2007

I'm Gettin' Too Old For This...

Remember when you were a kid, adolescent, or teen, and things that seemed cool to you didn’t seem cool to older people? You know, like earrings for guys, acid washed jeans, sneakers costing over $60? It scares me to think that I have become part of the “older people.” I present to you some reasons why:

* I have gotten to the point where I absolutely hate mainstream pop music and hip-hop. There was a time when I didn’t mind it, and actually liked some of the music. Those times seem long ago for me.

* Instead of looking for jam-packed clubs with loud thumping music and sweaty people grinding, I choose to look for local bars with empty parking lots (which of course equals available seating at the bar).

* I can’t figure out why country music is so popular. I get upset with people who play country songs in jukeboxes in bars I frequent. I get even more upset when I see people that know these songs around the bar.

* NASCAR – I never got it before – back when nobody above the Mason Dixon line watched it, but I get it even less, now that just about everyone seems to be watching it. I have trouble figuring out how people can watch cars going around in circles for 2-3 hours. Don’t waste your breath trying to explain it.

* I’ve lost touch with video games. There was a time when I loved and played tons of video games. Now, I look at the simplicity of the Nintendo Wii and think to myself, “this is the system for me, because it’s not complicated like those other ones.” Ah, bring back the times of the one-button joystick.

* American Idol – watching it, reading about it, listening to people talk about it all the time – these things all make me angry. I am intolerant of these conversations.

* Hearing that songs by the Police and early U2 are now referred to as classic rock. I remember when this stuff was cutting edge alternative.

* The whole Red Bull and vodka craze – never figured this out. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had these drinks before, but I’ve never needed them to keep me awake whilst drinking. Don’t know the deal about this – is our culture that lazy that we need to be kept awake while drinking?

* Sports rivalries don’t seem like such a big deal to me anymore. When I was a kid growing up, Sixers vs. Celtics was a big thing. Now, I could care less. The only rivalries that seem to stick are Eagles vs. Giants, or Eagles vs. Cowboys.

* I went to Interboro, and I grew up hating Ridley High School and anything and everything associated with it. Now, I live in the Ridley School District, and don’t mind the people anymore. In fact, I rooted for Ridley to win the State title this past year. Times, they are a-changin’.

* I love stand-up comedians, but I can’t understand the fascination everybody seems to have with Dane Cook. Sure, he’s kind of funny, but he isn’t rock-star funny. He isn’t what Eddie Murphy was in the 80’s, what Richard Pryor was in the 70’s, or what Bill Hicks was in the early 90’s. His comedy is nowhere near this level. Yet, now he’s appearing in movies, he’s got huge comedy specials and series on HBO, and he’s banging hot celebs. I’m scratchin’ my head with this.

* Grills (or grillz)? I can’t figure this out. Is this what guys wearing earrings was in the 80’s?
Kids shoes (and adult shoes) with the little rollers in them. I want to clothes-line every kid I see putzing around the mall or supermarkets with these.

I’m sure I have more, but I wanna see what you think. Am I no longer fit to be in the mainstream? Has it passed me by?

11 comments:

Lionitt said...

Yep, you are getting old. Alas, a curse that infects us all. Needless to say, this isn't so much a case of "getting old" as it is just a case of you realizing your likes and dislikes.

PS - She still thinks my tractor's sexy.

Jeff said...

The real question is how mainstream you ever were. But I'll ignore that question for now.

Music: much of it is poorly done, bands last for one song, and concerts are severely overpriced.

Bars: I always tried to avoid places with sweaty Karl grinding. Seriously, having to drive means fewer nights out and thus less stamina.

Country: maybe it's popular because now a lot of rock is rap.

NASCAR: alcohol. That's all you need to know.

American Idol: Hundreds of people who think they're better than Britney Spears -- and probably correct.

Police, U2, etc.: A few weeks ago, I heard someone call INXS "Modern Rock pioneers."

Red Bull + vodka: Funny, I used to think of vodka by itself as an energy drink.

Sports rivalries: Most now seem fraudulent, like the $120.1M Red Sox crying poor at the Yankees. And it's tough to hate players when they don't hate each other (as they used to) and when they might soon play for my team.

Dane Cook has photos of entertainment industry executives with livestock. No other feasible explanation.

Grills: Easier getaway from Michael Jackson. No other good reason.

Steph said...

Reading that made me feel ol. Mostly because i agree with about 80% of it.

The Rev said...

You rooted for Ridley?

Screw you!

Ink and Stone said...

Los, Los, Los... mainstream is BORING! Specially the musical side of it, it's all just a corporate grind - there's no soul in it anymore. So go listen to some Ministry, KMFDM, Sister Machine Gun, and so on.

Clubs are annoying, give me a good coffee shop anyday!

Country sucks. Nuff said.

NASCAR sucks for the most part. But some those crashes are spectacular.

Video games! Get over your fear of controllers and play already, dammit!

Reality TV sucks.

The Police are reuniting for a reunion tour! Yay!

Never tried Red Bull and Vodka makes me violent. So I don't drink it.

Sports? Meh. And I'm not from around here so I have no comment on your Ridley High School comment.
I lied: meh.

On Dane Cook: the first stand-up I saw of him was hilarious... the next one was just stupid. I agree he's not on the level of the comic geniuses you mentioned.

I don't understand grills either. When I was growing up, people hated having their teeth in brace. Now they want to have huge, uncomfortable chunks of metal in their mouths?? Strange.

Christina_the_wench said...

Scoot over. We'll sit together, out of the way of the youngsters.

-B- said...

I hear ya, Los.
I am starting to get that same feeling about those new-fangled controllers with umpteen thousand button on them! Rotten kids!!!

Mainstream music has degraded so far in the last two decades that I could not even guess where it can go from here. It couldn't get worse. And try to picture any current rap superstar still being played on the radio 20 or even 10 years from now... there's not enough substance or musical value to it all. Let's crank up our classics from the 70's - funk, soul, and rock. They'll be around for decades to come. Police tour - count me in!! (unless the ticket prices are $300!! lol).

Los said...

Lionitt - No way I'm getting old ...I refuse to, dammit!

Jeff - Good point about the poorly done music and the "correlation" to the popularity of country music.

Steph - I promise, I'll do a happier post next.

Rev - Time to grow up, dude.

Ink - I know, mainstream music sucks ... except for the Stones.

Superstar - Thanks for carin'!

BT - If the Police play at Lincoln Financial Field in the summer, I bet we could find tickets for $50.

The Rev said...

Never grow up, Los... never!

Ken said...

Noooo... You're the mainstream!

Superstar said...

You are aging like a fine wine.

"bubble gum pop"...So 80's. Welcome to our "mature" world.

*loud? "If it's too loud then you're too old" LOL ;o) That's me! Oh wait I work in the LOUD bars...Nevermind. It does explain why I VALUE the quiet of my car and home.

I equate NASCAR to Golf on TV...I don't get either...WTF?!?!?! circles...I NEVER can see the golf ball on TV...~shakes head~
*Video WHAT??!?!?! I lost it after Ms Pac man and ATARI!!!
*American Idol...I only watach it for the try-outs after that I lose the desire to watch until the last 12....Fickle I know.
*Are you going to stand inline to get tickets for the "reunion tour????
*~raises hand~ love the Sugarfree redbull and grape vodka BOMBER!!! It supposed to "swwoop" the buzz into your body...zing it and hype you while boozing...I look at it like a 0 drink...ZERO because it's a stimulant with a downer they just cancel each other out....
**Finally...If you are going to do anything to your teeth, PLEASE, PLEASE just get the WHITe teeth...~rolls eyes~ The "bling" "bling" is WAY too gheto for me....
*bye bye*
LOL ;o) Great post Los!