Wednesday, August 17, 2011

38

My finger taps the car radio on and I tune to the trendy radio station. Well, it was trendy ten years ago. They are featuring songs from the '90s this weekend and I happily sing along with the familiar lyrics. I graduated from high school and college in the '90s. I turned 25 in the '90s. I lived a fun, single, independent life in the '90s and now the songs from those years are being featured on a radio station for the weekend because they are OLD.

I don't know exactly when it happened or how it happened but I have become a person I never thought I would be. I was supposed to be the cool mom. I would know what music my kids were listening to and who was singing it. I would know what styles and brands of clothing were popular. I would know what shoes my kids would want to wear without them telling me so.

I cannot name one of Lady Gaga's songs. Or one of Justin Bieber's.

I know nothing.

Do people even listen to the regular radio in the car anymore? What do they do? I tend to listen to CDs because I don't know 85% of what is being played on the radio. Are people still doing satellite radio or is that out now? I have no clue.

Whenever we drive by a movie theater, Rich and I comment on the movies because we have no idea what most of them are. We wrack our brains trying to come up with the names of actors or actresses or plot lines. It is usually a bit of a failure.

I tend to not mention my age here because, in the mommy blogging community, I am fairly old. When my seven year old asks if she can have a cell phone, I'm the mom who can respond with, "When I was seven years old, there were no cell phones. In fact, we didn't even have cordless phones. If you wanted to call someone, you used a phone connected to the wall. Imagine that!"

Each week, a ton of young mommy bloggers take tons of photos of themselves and post them on their blogs. They talk about fashion and shopping and handbags. Is this an age thing because when I was 28, I took tons of photos of myself and I cared about fashion and shopping and handbags. When I was 28, the internet was a completely different world. Does anyone remember dial-up?

Rich and I were recently discussing Grammy's upcoming birthday when my age suddenly hit me. You see, Grammy's birthday is almost exactly (just one day off) six months from my birthday, which made me realize that in almost six months, I will be 39 years old. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The last thing I remember I was in my early thirties. Rich and I were newly married and making future plans! I had a cute wardrobe! What happened to the past six years?

Oh, yeah.

Turning 29 was much more difficult for me than 30 so I'm assuming that 39 is going to be the same. Gulp.

I recently read a few 30 by 30 lists by a variety of bloggers. 30 things they want to do before they turn 30. It made me wonder if there were 40 things I want to do before I turn 40. I came to the conclusion that there will always be something that I want to do but instead of focusing on that, why not reflect on what I have done with my life thus far. And so I started typing out my 39 by 39: 39 things I have done before turning 39. It is actually turning out to be an interesting process. You should try it out.

17 comments:

kdliberty said...

I turn 40 in December. I want to know were the time went!

Jennifer said...

I like that idea...I may have to work on a 31 by 31 list :)

Angela said...

My mom said turning 40 wasn't a big deal to her (she's 44, 45 in December) but turning 39 was a little more difficult. She was the young mom for my sister Kristin and I and now just a regular mom for my 16 year old sister. My mom knew all the songs we did and still does. I, her 25 year old daughter, is the one who doesn't know a Bieber song or who All Time Low was until my sister, Hannah insisted on telling me their life story. I think that when your kids are older and insist on listening to THEIR music in the car, then you'll be a hip mom. Correction. You ARE a hip mom. You know who Chip is. You know who Pascal is. You know the difference between the Disney princesses and their real names (Bella instead of Beauty and Aurora instead of Sleeping Beauty.) Knowing what your kids know makes you a cool, hip mom. When they're older and into fashion, you'll have the opportunity to be fashionable with them. When they listen to some terrible music, you'll know every beat, word, and terrible rhyme. You'll know which musicians are dating which, who cheated on who and which ones sent nude pictures to their ex and now have them all over the Internet.

Bottom line? Hip, cool, "in," etc. are relative terms. You ARE hip, but not by a teenager's definition. Ya know what? That's ok. I have a feeling YOUR kids think you walk on water. Isn't that what's important?

xo,
A

Me said...

I remember phones connected to the wall with a cord...with rotary dials even!

I also remember dial-up internet and even life before the internet even existed.

If its any comfort, I don't have a clue what is going on with fashion, movies, or teen pop stars (though I do know some Lady Gaga).

Signed-A first time mom-to-be who turns 35 this year.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I do know all the songs on the radio and we listen to them in the car. But, that could be because when I was still in my late 20s and early 30s I lived in a small town with only two radio stations, and my commute to work was 3 minutes. . .so, when I should've been listening to music, I didn't have the opportunity. Now I'm a year past mid-30s and living in a larger town with may radio stations, so I suppose I am making up for lost time.

As for fashion, I was never fashionable. And my kids won't have a cell phone because I don't have one.

Summers Family said...

Happy half birthday! I will be 39 in May and Branden (the hubby) turned 39 last week.

When reading your post I thought "is she talking about Branden and I?" I thinking having 3 small children gives us a pass on knowing all the latest and greatest. We are in survival mode my friend :-)

Nicole

PS - please tell Rich thanks for the very nice comment he left on my blog earlier in the week. He doesn't comment often but when he does it's always very thoughtful and much appreciated. We are both very lucky ladies!

Jayme said...

I listen to classic rock stations... I know all the words to those songs.

My husband teases me and says I'll never learn the new songs if I don't listen to any other stations.

Staceey L. said...

I always get on my mom because she was a teenager in the 60s and didn't listen to the Beatles or Elvis...and now I don't listen to whatever is current so I'm sure my kids are going to feel the same about me? I can just hear them now, "What do you mean you don't know any Justin Beiber?"

And I really like your idea for a list.

JEN said...

I turned 38 this year (yikes) and I am one of the people with a younger child. Some people in my graduating class have kids graduating high school and a few have grandkids!

I do remember dial up and having to wait for "your song" to come on the radio.

Wendy said...

Grandma :P I had kids relatively young- the girls at 27 (a month shy of 28)and now when I see people that age with a number of kids, I just wonder- why!? haha... 31 was hard for me, but I'm looking forward to everything else. I think you look really young- younger than me even and I'm just turning 32. If we meet up, I'll let you listen to my Gaga CD. I could even email you an MP3 --::speaking loudly and slowly:: that's a computer file that holds music! teehee <3

mrsmac said...

I'll be 42 next Friday but I can remember the contemplation that occurred before I turned 40. Since then though I've come to appreciate all the things I've accomplished. Strangely 40 made me feel a little wiser (and tired and grumpy sometimes) and a lot more settled.

Laura Donohue said...

I feel old reading the other mommy blogs too! Six years ago I had just gotten married, had a cute wardrobe, and had the time to be up on the latest stuff. With a baby that just doesn't happen anymore.

Chantel said...

great idea...I turned 36 last month. The thing is, since my parents had us "young" (my mom was 25 when she had me, 20 when she had my brother) I remember when she turned 36. It baffles me!

The thing about turning older is... I am happy to do it. I cannot believe how fast time goes but I am glad to still be here and watching my kids grow.

I hear though, on my baby boards I see these young whipper snappers having babies at 22. Aat 22 I could barely function!

Darby said...

I have to TOTALLY agree with Angela. I am a young mom, had my daughter at 22 and she is 3 now. I know more about Disney characters than any music on the radio, and I'm totally fine with that! I like to dress up my daughter in cute clothes, but myself...not so much. There just isn't enough time to spend on yourself when you have kids...let alone triplets! When i see these other "young" moms taking pictures of themselves, i just think that they aren't fulfilled and happy in their life right now..they seem to have something to prove you know?? Give yourself a pat on the back, you are a cool mom...and when the girls likes and dislikes change and they get older, I'm sure you will change with them. Right now the best way to be a cool mom is play dress up and make sure to take TONS OF PICTURES!!(which we all know you do!) Also, i want to congratulate you on making a list of things you have done...such a good idea! I have always told myself i would be fine with getting older...don't know how I'll react when the time comes, but i hope i can make a long list of "accomplishments" and be happy with that :) p.s.-those three amazing girls should be top of your list!

Hope's Mama said...

I turn 32 in a few weeks and don't worry, I don't know any Bieber or Gaga songs either!
You don't look a day over 29!!
xo

Kayla said...

I will be 38 in January so I hear you on this post - rotary phones with long cords that got tangled up, dial up service. I like the idea of things I did before I was 40 rather than what I want to do in the next decade. I hope that by doing it I'll feel accomplished rather than bummed.
Also, I have twin 3 year olds and a 7 year old. It's not until a little bit later that you'll start knowing the popular songs on the radio. We listened to CDs forever and still do in the car when the little ones are there. When it's just me and my 7 y/o we listen to the radio. It really is since she turned 6 and was in kindergarten though so you have some time yet. As for current movies - no clue what's out there. We haven't been to movies in ages.

Tracy said...

Catching up now that we are home from vacation and MAN I HEAR YOU on this!!!! Going on 42 in October... I am for sure one of the oldest mommies at the pre-school and while I may not always be hip.... I do feel some wisdom came along with the age and I'm so happy to be an older Mom. (hubby is going on 48 and he is the BEST Dad ever).