The NYT Style section is all about Gen X this week. I did take the Xennial quiz and I get to be an honorary Gen Xer, though I've never hated being called the Millennial that I believe I am because I am a fan of hard and fast age cutoffs.
I still have (and wear) my OG 5th grade D.A.R.E. shirt, I think Singles is a masterpiece, CrazySexyCool is my jam forever, and I don't let my kids listen to Kidz Bop because it makes me feel like Tipper Gore.
Post by litebright on May 14, 2019 21:41:55 GMT -5
I was scrolling and scrolling through this earlier today. It is great fun! I want to go through and read all the essays, though -- I started with the one on The Rules. I remember starting to read that book at some point in my 20s when I was getting frustrated with dating, and finding it such idiotic bunk that I couldn't even finish it and thinking, if that's what it took to "get a husband," well, fuck that.
The essay writer is so right in calling it a marketing plan. Make yourself into the stereotypical thing that men are supposed to want, and you will Land A Husband! Nevermind the person that you actually are, or building a functional and healthy relationship based on honesty, love and mutual respect. Get that ring, no matter how much you have to manipulate yourself or the person you are supposed to actually care about enough to marry!
Although it is funny to think back about the constant internal debate on whether to call someone, how long to wait, etc. and how much weight that carried when there weren't options to text or instant message. Your only option was a voice call. Or thinking about the days most people didn't have cell phones and/or caller ID, so if you chickened out at the last second and hung up, they wouldn't know it was you.
I was scrolling and scrolling through this earlier today. It is great fun! I want to go through and read all the essays, though -- I started with the one on The Rules. I remember starting to read that book at some point in my 20s when I was getting frustrated with dating, and finding it such idiotic bunk that I couldn't even finish it and thinking, if that's what it took to "get a husband," well, fuck that.
The essay writer is so right in calling it a marketing plan. Make yourself into the stereotypical thing that men are supposed to want, and you will Land A Husband! Nevermind the person that you actually are, or building a functional and healthy relationship based on honesty, love and mutual respect. Get that ring, no matter how much you have to manipulate yourself or the person you are supposed to actually care about enough to marry!
Although it is funny to think back about the constant internal debate on whether to call someone, how long to wait, etc. and how much weight that carried when there weren't options to text or instant message. Your only option was a voice call. Or thinking about the days most people didn't have cell phones and/or caller ID, so if you chickened out at the last second and hung up, they wouldn't know it was you.
Oh yes, the "do you wait a week? A day?" debate. Ah, Swingers.
I came out solidly Gen X, which didn't surprise me much, since I identify as Oregon Trail generation and roll my eyes at lots of Millennial stuff (mostly the way my friend says it, but it stands). Also, thinking of him in his heyday, how does anyone not choose Ethan Hawke?
If you didn’t attend, you saw the MTV News reports from Tabitha Soren. Perry Farrell, the Jane’s Addiction frontman, who created the festival, called it “a coffee house for the youth to discuss what’s going on in their lifetime.” Lollapalooza was the closest Gen X got to a gathering of the tribes. — Steven Kurutz
You could still smoke in bars and restaurants, packs cost a few bucks, and the question “Do you have a light?” was the closest thing we had to Tinder. — Alex Williams
I really liked the article on 1994. I vividly remember 1994 and was even an adult (young adult).
Maps. I owned maps and used fhem for traveling all the time. I kept them and reused them, too. When I traveled to a new city, I would buy a map (made of paper and oddly folded), arrive, and use it to get around.
I would memorize how to get to places. And I could work-out, in my head, how to get to new streets/towns.
I would get lost, too. And then figure out how to get un-lost. Sometimes that meant that I found a public pay phone and called someone for help. And I had their phone number memorized because I had to dialed it all the time.
Two weeks ago I invited a new friend of my daughter to our house. Her grandfather called me and asked for directions. I haven’t been asked for directions in years.
1994 doesn’t feel like a lifetime ago. But it sorta does, too.
I really liked the article on 1994. I vividly remember 1994 and was even an adult (young adult).
Maps. I owned maps and used fhem for traveling all the time. I kept them and reused them, too. When I traveled to a new city, I would buy a map (made of paper and oddly folded), arrive, and use it to get around.
I would memorize how to get to places. And I could work-out, in my head, how to get to new streets/towns.
I would get lost, too. And then figure out how to get un-lost. Sometimes that meant that I found a public pay phone and called someone for help. And I had their phone number memorized because I had to dialed it all the time.
Two weeks ago I invited a new friend of my daughter to our house. Her grandfather called me and asked for directions. I haven’t been asked for directions in years.
1994 doesn’t feel like a lifetime ago. But it sorta does, too.
One of the things in my shit-hits-the-fan kit is a road atlas, in case of GPS/cellular outages. They aren't exactly easy to find these days because they're so old school.
I really liked the article on 1994. I vividly remember 1994 and was even an adult (young adult).
Maps. I owned maps and used fhem for traveling all the time. I kept them and reused them, too. When I traveled to a new city, I would buy a map (made of paper and oddly folded), arrive, and use it to get around.
I would memorize how to get to places. And I could work-out, in my head, how to get to new streets/towns.
I would get lost, too. And then figure out how to get un-lost. Sometimes that meant that I found a public pay phone and called someone for help. And I had their phone number memorized because I had to dialed it all the time.
Two weeks ago I invited a new friend of my daughter to our house. Her grandfather called me and asked for directions. I haven’t been asked for directions in years.
1994 doesn’t feel like a lifetime ago. But it sorta does, too.
One of the things in my shit-hits-the-fan kit is a road atlas, in case of GPS/cellular outages. They aren't exactly easy to find these days because they're so old school.
This is why I've moved my map collection through two cars now, despite my husbands side eye. THESE ARE USEFUL DAMMIT. Even if I haven't touched them in years.
The quiz said I'm an honorary gen x. I was torn on a few things though (work questions- if it's my boss I need to ask, I email. Or god...call. if it's a peer or junior I use our slack equivalent.) So I'm curious if I'd answered thosw the other way if itd change. I feel VERY cuspy. Helps that the middle child with a big gap each way so my brother is 100% genx and my sister is 110% millennial.
Eta: but pop culture wise I'm for sure a millennial before I'm a genx. Ive never even seen reality bites. I was heavily influenced by my brothers musical taste though, so I've got that. NIN and such feel like home to me. (particularly if played at high volumes through a closed door)
One of the things in my shit-hits-the-fan kit is a road atlas, in case of GPS/cellular outages. They aren't exactly easy to find these days because they're so old school.
This is why I've moved my map collection through two cars now, despite my husbands side eye. THESE ARE USEFUL DAMMIT. Even if I haven't touched them in years.
I keep paper maps in my car. And I have a road atlas. I use the road atlas to show states to kiddo, and I really never use the paper maps, but I have them just in case. Kiddo and I took a road trip that had us driving through 5 states and I stopped at the ones where I didn’t already have maps and picked them up from the tourist booths. I was surprised they still print them to be honest.
This is why I've moved my map collection through two cars now, despite my husbands side eye. THESE ARE USEFUL DAMMIT. Even if I haven't touched them in years.
I keep paper maps in my car. And I have a road atlas. I use the road atlas to show states to kiddo, and I really never use the paper maps, but I have them just in case. Kiddo and I took a road trip that had us driving through 5 states and I stopped at the ones where I didn’t already have maps and picked them up from the tourist booths. I was surprised they still print them to be honest.
I have maps in my car too!!
And while I'm a few years too old for DARE, I clearly remember my sister getting it in school; we did the Nancy Reagan "just say no" program.
This is why I've moved my map collection through two cars now, despite my husbands side eye. THESE ARE USEFUL DAMMIT. Even if I haven't touched them in years.
I keep paper maps in my car. And I have a road atlas. I use the road atlas to show states to kiddo, and I really never use the paper maps, but I have them just in case. Kiddo and I took a road trip that had us driving through 5 states and I stopped at the ones where I didn’t already have maps and picked them up from the tourist booths. I was surprised they still print them to be honest.
But are they ADC MAPS? Cuz they're the real deal, friends.