Talkin' Bout My Generation

Over years of conversations with my wife, we frequently seem to visit a certain topic: Things that the older generation did that the newer generation will probably never do.

For instance, the other day I asked my wife, "Would you EVER think to eat grapefruit for breakfast? Like, you just wake up and think I'll have grapefruit today?"

She said, "My mom probably would."

I said, "Would anyone that you know who is under the age of 40 eat grapefruit for breakfast?"

We couldn't think of anyone. Getting squirt in the eye by grapefruit used to be a classic comedy bit. And we have conversations along these lines about how popular "hot water bottles" used to be. You could frequently see people in your favorite prime time shows breathing into a paper bag because they were hyperventilating or tying their jaw with a strip of fabric to remedy a toothache. Kids today would probably not respond well to such things. What happened to the requisite episode of EVERY television show where one of the stars has their tonsils removed with the promise of ice cream afterward?

Do people still say: "Get your cotton-pickin' hands off me!" Maybe in the south?

It's strange to think how many sayings and behaviors will not be passed from grandparent to grandkid. Things that seem so common place to the older folks will seem like a bizarre inside reference to kids. My wife tells me how her grandmother would always bring them broken little crayon nubs to color with when her and her siblings were young, because she grew up in the depression era and didn't want to waste anything that still had some use in it. Grandma carries that attribute to this day.

We should discuss this further over some malted milk shakes. Then we'll go to grandma's for some ribbon candy.

Still haven't found what I'm looking for

Downstairs Mixup

I don't know what to say about this.

Timbaland knows the way to the top of the charts

I'm waiting to hear some good summer music but nothing seems to be standing out. The songs that get a lot of air time are pretty lame. Is this really the best we can do:

Panic at the disco: Nine in the afternoon

Okay, nine in the afternoon. We heard you. It wasn't really that funny the first time you said it. This band is dorky. And even being English wouldn't excuse them from that.

Deathcab for cutie: I will possess your heart

The band is alright but I've alway thought they should be better considering how cool their name is. This particular song takes awhile to get going and lends itself easily to changing the lyrics in a dumb way...

You've gotta pay on time, Love
You've gotta pay on time you see
Or your going to find, Love

I'll repossess your car

Weezer: Pork and Beans

This band has established themselves. They can rock. Their big problem is that they write fad music. Catchy music that comes on strong at first and then is less and less fun every time you hear it. The video is good for internet people, if you only watch it once.

There is no part of me that says, "I really wish someone would come along and take a powerful Woodsy-the-owl-type stance and just tell the world that they don't give a HOOT about what we think."

I'll tell you if I hear anything good.

Kickin' It Live

Summer is liberating simply because it's warm and you can get outside and do things. I have a habit of trying to quantify how good a summer is by using strange factors like how many pieces of corn on the cob or watermelon you eat or by the tan lines on your feet from wearing your sandals a lot.

I've been hiking a couple times thus far. That's good. I FINALLY bought a barbecue. An actual barbecue as opposed to a fictitious or hypothetical barbecue that I am so fond of mentioning to people. So when I invite you over for a barbecue I really mean it.

But this summer I've been playing hacky-sack with my wife's brothers. I'd forgotten how fun it is. It is a sincere and humbling pasttime. If you don't look retarded while your playing hacky sack then you aren't really trying. Look at this picture my wife took:



I can't believe I let that one get by me. I believe I've got a hacky sack lying around somewhere but that wasn't good enough so I went and bought a brand new one last night. They are cheap, they give you a work out and they are every bit as fun as a Sony PSP. HACKY SACK! They're not just for Natural Resource majors. It's a classic game of skill and inventiveness that will never be an Olympic event.

Highly recommended to all.