I am not cool. Not even a little bit. Want to know why?
Well, last night was Friday night. After work, I dropped my son off with my hubby so they could go do “guy” things and I took my daughter to my sister’s house for “girls night” with her little cousins. My sister graciously offered to cook me dinner and I took her up on the offer because after a long day at work, the last thing I felt like doing was cooking. My mom was there and asked if I was going out dancing with my friends or to hear a band since I didn’t have any kids to be responsible for at that moment. I looked at her and raised one eyebrow. Out? The only place that was calling my name was Target.
I headed home with big plans to head to Target to join all the other 30-something moms. I didn’t even make it that far. K-Mart is just off the highway exit and much closer than Target, so my minivan quickly zipped into their parking lot. After stocking up on all the cleaning supplies, band-aids, and dog treats my cart could carry, I headed to the checkout. That’s where I ran into my neighbor and had a twenty minute mom-chat about the cost of toothbrushes. I kid you not.
I came home, put away all my great new bleach sprays and floor cleaners and curled up on my couch. That’s when I flipped on “The Top 100 Songs of the 90’s” on VH1. They were down to the top twenty. I smiled. Big. I sat there re-living my youth and thinking about old friends. I even danced around a little. Ok, I didn’t really do that but I did in my mind. I even changed my facebook picture to one of me with my two best girlfriends from high school and told them we have to get together. I did that while the song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana was playing.
That’s when it hit me. I’m comfortable in 1989- 1990.
I graduated high school in 1989. I started working at Six Flags Over Mid-America that year and stayed there over the next four, so hearing all those songs from the early 90’s brought back great memories. Things were so simple then. I didn’t have a cell phone to answer all day. There was no texting, tweeting, or FaceBook. If I wanted portable music, I grabbed my chunky, Sony Walkman and a couple extra batteries and was on my way. Summertime meant float trips (yes, I’m from the mid-west), daisy dukes, Rave hairspray, cassette “mix” tapes, boom boxes, and Boone’s Strawberry Hill. 
Summertime now looks like block parties with kids riding bikes, trips to Disney World, cell phones, netbooks, conservative business clothes, and chatting with my online friends through several sites. And, a nice bottle of Muscato or Gewurztraminer is wonderful.
You know, I think I’m wrong. I like looking back once in awhile, but I think I’m comfortable RIGHT NOW. I better go. I need to “tweet” that.
2 Comments
Funny you say that, as we’re darned near the same age.
However, I was extremely uncomfortable in my own skin in the early ’90s. I entered one of the worst relationships I ever had, I had people questioning my sexuality because I had decided on entering a realm where few straight men entered (you guessed it- the realm I’m in now), and basically started an era that took me until the second half of the ’90s to get out of.
I would say that the year 2010 is where I am most comfortable, and hope to be even more comfortable in 2011.
On a side note unrelated, check this out: http://doughairdude.blogspot.com/
Thanks in advance!!!
I have flashbacks of all different times of my life connected to music, smells, and foods. Those sensory connections hit deeper than my actual memories most of the time. Sometimes they are good memories, and sometimes they aren’t as good, but that doesn’t really play into my association game.
People ask me if I’d go back to being 30, 21, 18, etc. and I always say no way. I want to keep moving forward. I’m even a little excited about turning 40 this year. I know it sounds crazy, but there’s life to be lived every day, so make the most of it.
Next time, get up and do that dance in your front room, girl!