I'm not old but I feel older
I'm not saying I'm old by any stretch. With modern medical technology, I'm at least only at the 33% mark. A couple weeks ago, I celebrated my 25th birthday. I can't be the only one that looks back on a younger Andrew and wonder "What was I thinking?" I feel older and I've outlined just a few reasons why I've noticed a step-up in my maturity game.
I've met a lot of young adults who blame their parents for all kinds of things. Why they're dumb, why they can't get a job, why their middle toe is a bit longer than their big toe, etc. They think their parents were evil and only out to ruin their lives. I understand why my parents were crazy. What I perceived as them being crazy was actually them just doing what they felt was best. Kids don't come with instruction manuals so you largely have to wing it; I get that. What I felt at the time was my parents just being super uptight and anal about everything was what made me who I am today. I know how to clean a house, cook to a meager extent (I'm really good at boiling noodles which is important), how to be polite, set the table... all sorts of those things. I also learned a good bit of yard work, general construction, automotive repair, sewing, cake decorating, and a large cadre of other miscellaneous skills I can't put on my IT resume.
I've realized that food isn't just greasy, sugary stuff we cram our faces with. Eating isn't just something we do just because. Food is actually fuel for our bodies. We eat so that we can do things like work or so our bodies can continue their natural systems. Making blood cells, fighting disease, processing food, continuing brain function, etc. In fact, when you eat junk food, you generally feel like junk but when you eat healthy, you feel better. Can you believe it? It's incredible! (Just because I've learned this, it doesn't mean I've changed my eating habits. It just means when I feel terrible, I now have a better understanding why. Come back in a few years to see if I've applied this kernel of knowledge then.)
When I was young, my Dad always parted my hair on the side. For family photos or anything remotely formal, he'd give me the same feathered parted due he'd be rocking since 1980. I eventually migrated to the bowl cut, then a buzz cut, then the douche cut (not sure what it's called but it was popular in the 90s and early 2000s. Short on the sides and back, forward on top, up in front, usually requiring gel). This look never worked well for me. I even had a mohawk for a short time too. I had my rebellious stage in my later teen years. At about 19 or so, I went back to the parted on the side due and I've been doing that ever since then. (But no feathering. This isn't the 80s anymore. Keep it neat and trim and you can still look casual or very fancy with a bit more work. It's a very versatile style that can work from nice restaurant to a day at the rock gym.) Now, I feel bad when I don't do my hair. I tend to keep it short and use a bit of gel to part it on the side. The only times I don't is the week it's too long, which tends to be the week before I go get it cut. I also don't gel my hair before getting on the motorcycle as I don't want to mess up my hair for the rest of the day or make the liner of my helmet all funky.
It's not just my hair either. As I move from one insurance age bracket to another, I've learned how important appearance can be. For example, I'm phasing out all of my screen-print tees for polos and dress shirts. I've learned that as a grown man, the only acceptable screen-print tees are those having to do with cars/motorcycles, classic rock bands, or sports teams. Anything else is for "guys" or boys or anything that isn't a man. Wearing a tee shirt with a work truck on it that said "Dick's Plumbing: Cleaning pipes since 1981" might have been funny when you're 14 but as an adult, it's just not classy.
Same goes for wearing clothes that fit. Due to a new job calling for a more professional work attire and gaining 30lbs, I recently had to spend more than I cared to on new clothes. Khakis, slacks, dress shirts, polos, belts, ties... Some of which I already had but had outgrown. Now, I'm set for while unless the weight gain train keeps chugging. See the paragraph about food above.
When I was around 11, I liked rap. This was about the time that gangster rap was still very prominent, particularly in the North Bay Area where I grew up. Looking back now, I get why my parents didn't like me listening to it. But then, it was cool. Parents just didn't get it... yo.
Now I understand exactly where my parents were coming from when I heard Dubstep. Dubstep sounds vaguely similar to techno, trance and house music but with a weird, slower, hipster twist. It's difficult to explain in words to Ctrl+T, search "dubstep", click on a youtube video of it and give it a listen for yourself.
Did you do it?
I'm sorry but I had to do it. See how bad it sounds? It's like the Transformers made sweet sweet robot love to the entire genre of techno in quarter-time. It sounds horrible and I don't get why young people today like it. However, not liking this new genre of music makes me feel old. Like our grand parents said about Van Halen, and our parents said about Eminem, Mom, Dad, I understand now.
Parents
I've met a lot of young adults who blame their parents for all kinds of things. Why they're dumb, why they can't get a job, why their middle toe is a bit longer than their big toe, etc. They think their parents were evil and only out to ruin their lives. I understand why my parents were crazy. What I perceived as them being crazy was actually them just doing what they felt was best. Kids don't come with instruction manuals so you largely have to wing it; I get that. What I felt at the time was my parents just being super uptight and anal about everything was what made me who I am today. I know how to clean a house, cook to a meager extent (I'm really good at boiling noodles which is important), how to be polite, set the table... all sorts of those things. I also learned a good bit of yard work, general construction, automotive repair, sewing, cake decorating, and a large cadre of other miscellaneous skills I can't put on my IT resume.
Food
I've realized that food isn't just greasy, sugary stuff we cram our faces with. Eating isn't just something we do just because. Food is actually fuel for our bodies. We eat so that we can do things like work or so our bodies can continue their natural systems. Making blood cells, fighting disease, processing food, continuing brain function, etc. In fact, when you eat junk food, you generally feel like junk but when you eat healthy, you feel better. Can you believe it? It's incredible! (Just because I've learned this, it doesn't mean I've changed my eating habits. It just means when I feel terrible, I now have a better understanding why. Come back in a few years to see if I've applied this kernel of knowledge then.)
Appearance
When I was young, my Dad always parted my hair on the side. For family photos or anything remotely formal, he'd give me the same feathered parted due he'd be rocking since 1980. I eventually migrated to the bowl cut, then a buzz cut, then the douche cut (not sure what it's called but it was popular in the 90s and early 2000s. Short on the sides and back, forward on top, up in front, usually requiring gel). This look never worked well for me. I even had a mohawk for a short time too. I had my rebellious stage in my later teen years. At about 19 or so, I went back to the parted on the side due and I've been doing that ever since then. (But no feathering. This isn't the 80s anymore. Keep it neat and trim and you can still look casual or very fancy with a bit more work. It's a very versatile style that can work from nice restaurant to a day at the rock gym.) Now, I feel bad when I don't do my hair. I tend to keep it short and use a bit of gel to part it on the side. The only times I don't is the week it's too long, which tends to be the week before I go get it cut. I also don't gel my hair before getting on the motorcycle as I don't want to mess up my hair for the rest of the day or make the liner of my helmet all funky.
It's not just my hair either. As I move from one insurance age bracket to another, I've learned how important appearance can be. For example, I'm phasing out all of my screen-print tees for polos and dress shirts. I've learned that as a grown man, the only acceptable screen-print tees are those having to do with cars/motorcycles, classic rock bands, or sports teams. Anything else is for "guys" or boys or anything that isn't a man. Wearing a tee shirt with a work truck on it that said "Dick's Plumbing: Cleaning pipes since 1981" might have been funny when you're 14 but as an adult, it's just not classy.
Same goes for wearing clothes that fit. Due to a new job calling for a more professional work attire and gaining 30lbs, I recently had to spend more than I cared to on new clothes. Khakis, slacks, dress shirts, polos, belts, ties... Some of which I already had but had outgrown. Now, I'm set for while unless the weight gain train keeps chugging. See the paragraph about food above.
Music
When I was around 11, I liked rap. This was about the time that gangster rap was still very prominent, particularly in the North Bay Area where I grew up. Looking back now, I get why my parents didn't like me listening to it. But then, it was cool. Parents just didn't get it... yo.
Now I understand exactly where my parents were coming from when I heard Dubstep. Dubstep sounds vaguely similar to techno, trance and house music but with a weird, slower, hipster twist. It's difficult to explain in words to Ctrl+T, search "dubstep", click on a youtube video of it and give it a listen for yourself.
Did you do it?
I'm sorry but I had to do it. See how bad it sounds? It's like the Transformers made sweet sweet robot love to the entire genre of techno in quarter-time. It sounds horrible and I don't get why young people today like it. However, not liking this new genre of music makes me feel old. Like our grand parents said about Van Halen, and our parents said about Eminem, Mom, Dad, I understand now.
Misc.
- I have my own Sam's Club card. My girlfriend and I used to borrow her sister's card to shopping at Sam's but now I've got my own. (Fine; It was a birthday gift but the point is I have one now. When I renew it next year, I'll have to actually pay for it but it's worth it.)
- I turn the music down at stoplights so as not to annoy my fellow drivers sharing the road.
- I do my own taxes. TurboTax.com makes it retardedly simple.
- I use coasters because I care about the longevity of my furniture.
- Despite (or maybe because I'm) working on a college campus, young people are starting to annoy the hell out of me.
- If I had a lawn, I'd be telling kids to stay off of it.
All in all, as we get older, things just tend to click more. Things you didn't understand just make sense one day. I'm not sure where I read it but it was probably one of those stupid inspirational quote pictures on Facebook. It read "Good judgment comes from experience; Experience comes from bad judgment." I agree.
You may also enjoy this piece on turning 25: http://tomatonation.com/stories-true-and-otherwise/25-and-over/ (it's not spam, I promise - it's relevant)
ReplyDeleteA friend, thank you for the comment and the link. I read the linked article and thought it miles better than mine actually.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading. :)