Post by BicycleBride on May 4, 2023 17:08:49 GMT -5
I live in a fairly small city with a daily newspaper that must cover literally everything that happens in order to have enough material to run every day. Every time anyone in my family’s name is in the paper, I get a least a dozen copies in the mail of the story cut out from older family members and friends of the family. And then we will go to IL’s house and they will have a copy along with a few extras neighbors gave them “to make sure we see it.” This has slowed down in recent years but I’m sure I got upwards of twenty copies of my engagement announcement when it was in the paper 14 years ago.
My aunt used to send me news and magazine clippings which had things about places I talked about visiting. It was cute, but pretty sure I can find that all on the internet.
When I lived out of state, my mom would cut out of the newpaper obituaries of anyone in the northern suburbs of Mpls who graduated highschool the same year as me and save them for when I would come to visit. Apparently she thought my social circle was much larger than it was.
When my dad calls me and gets my voicemail, he always gives me the day/time of the call and who he is. “Hey Shell, it’s dad. It’s about 5:44 on Thursday…”
First of all, most of his calls could have been a text, lol. And my call history gives me that information dad!!!
Also, not sure if this is a boomer thing or just my dad, but he refers to himself as dad or grandpa when talking to us. “Don’t forget to save a hot dog for dad” “give grandpa a hug”. I started joking with him and asking if we’re siblings 🤣
Both of my parents do this. It cracks me up every time!
When I was getting quotes for renovations on our house, one contractor "fired" me for texting him on a Saturday. My text was something like "I just realized I forgot to ask XYZ yesterday, when you have a chance please let me know" - obviously not expecting an immediate response. He sent me a long text about how inappropriate it is to send work texts on the weekend and how dare I and he didn't want to work with us anymore. It took everything in me to not reply "okay boomer".
On my senior community‘s listserv someone asked a question. I answered saying something along the lines of “It’s probably XYZ, according to what I read in the paper,” and included a link to an article in the Washington Post with that exact answer. She responded on the listserv that people shouldn’t guess when others ask questions. So I emailed her privately, “Okay, boomer,” and I’m still a little embarrassed.
When we lived out of state my mom made a point of researching the weather in our town and being prepared to tell me the next week's forecast whenever she called. She'd be like, "I see there's a 30% chance of rain today" and I'd have to say, "Yes, there are raindrops on my window right now."
Not my parents, but one of my very favorite former bosses pulled me into his office back in 2004 or 2005, asked me to close the door, and then very seriously asked me how to Google something. Then two weeks later he did the same thing because he'd forgotten what I told him to do.
When my dad calls me and gets my voicemail, he always gives me the day/time of the call and who he is. “Hey Shell, it’s dad. It’s about 5:44 on Thursday…”
First of all, most of his calls could have been a text, lol. And my call history gives me that information dad!!!
Also, not sure if this is a boomer thing or just my dad, but he refers to himself as dad or grandpa when talking to us. “Don’t forget to save a hot dog for dad” “give grandpa a hug”. I started joking with him and asking if we’re siblings 🤣
My dad’s exwife to this day will leave a voicemail and yell “MW this is EX. If you are there pick up.” She also leaves 5 min voicemails about nothing. One time it was about her current husband’s nephew opening the fridge. 🤣
My mother, God love her, wants to post things on their neighborhood buy/sell/trade and Buy Nothing site. She knows how to post pictures, but is confused about the messaging part. "I see people say they'll message for pick-up info, but where are those messages on Facebook? Am I texting them? I don't want to text random people."
So last month I walked her through where her messages are in FB. The sideways lightning bolt, up by the bell, click on that.
Mom: ok I see your name.
Me: did you click the lightning bolt?
mom: I think so, there was a red 8 by the thing you had me click. your name is bold, should I click on it?
Yes
Mom: It says "hi mom, this is a test message, reply in the bubble below, this is how you message for the give away sites."
OMFG it was the message I sent her IN OCTOBER when I walked her through the same process, and she apparently never did find it.
My mother, God love her, wants to post things on their neighborhood buy/sell/trade and Buy Nothing site. She knows how to post pictures, but is confused about the messaging part. "I see people say they'll message for pick-up info, but where are those messages on Facebook? Am I texting them? I don't want to text random people."
So last month I walked her through where her messages are in FB. The sideways lightning bolt, up by the bell, click on that.
Mom: ok I see your name.
Me: did you click the lightning bolt?
mom: I think so, there was a red 8 by the thing you had me click. your name is bold, should I click on it?
Yes
Mom: It says "hi mom, this is a test message, reply in the bubble below, this is how you message for the give away sites."
OMFG it was the message I sent her IN OCTOBER when I walked her through the same process, and she apparently never did find it.
Hi, are you my sister?! Omg my mom does this type of stuff ALL THE TIME. I cannot count the number of times I’ve walked her thru posting a photo with a message on Facebook. Or using Facebook messenger. Or, really anything that isn’t simply texting me from her iPhone messages app, lol.
When we lived out of state my mom made a point of researching the weather in our town and being prepared to tell me the next week's forecast whenever she called. She'd be like, "I see there's a 30% chance of rain today" and I'd have to say, "Yes, there are raindrops on my window right now."
My dad is too old to be a Boomer, but he also does this. In a similar vein, his favorite app is Flight Tracker, and he will tell everyone around him that "the X flight was delayed today, must have been a strong headwind", that kind of thing. He also sends me scores from games of my alma mater, various different sports. Yes dad, I also have the internet and would look that information up if I cared!
My mom called me today to make sure it was ok to sign my name on a sympathy card for a family friends FIL. I’m fairly certain she’s not asking to forge my signature, so not sure why she feels the need to ask permission.
When we lived out of state my mom made a point of researching the weather in our town and being prepared to tell me the next week's forecast whenever she called. She'd be like, "I see there's a 30% chance of rain today" and I'd have to say, "Yes, there are raindrops on my window right now."
Not my parents, but one of my very favorite former bosses pulled me into his office back in 2004 or 2005, asked me to close the door, and then very seriously asked me how to Google something. Then two weeks later he did the same thing because he'd forgotten what I told him to do.
I check the weather in … eight different cities, where family members live. I will spontaneously comment about other people’s weather. Which makes me pretty damned insufferable, possibly.
Post by SusanBAnthony on May 4, 2023 20:52:55 GMT -5
My 15 year old created a Google doc for my dad called "the boomer guide for Papa Bob" for when my dad watches the kids. It includes the kids schedule, chores, the school address, and when and where my dad needs to drop them off places. It cracks me up. This kid calls anyone/anything a boomer but it's accurate 95% of the time with my dad, who is the king of "get off my lawn".
My dad's latest nonsensical complaint is that the city did something to the street behind them that "causes too much traffic". OMG. They live in a small town in the Midwest. Trust me there is not too much traffic. He regularly travels to big cities with actual traffic. Stahp.
My parents are too old to be boomers, but they turn off their internet modem and router when they aren't using it because they are certain having their "wifis" floating around is very bad for them.
They no longer have a cell phone because mom's flip phone that she paid like $80 a month for 300 minutes and no texting would no longer work on the network and she' mad she has to replace a "perfectly good phone".
They won't set up any account online because they don't want their information on the internet, mom thinks if she doesn't create an online account it doesn't exist. Once her credit card that she only used at one location was compromised, I had to talk her down from calling the police on the local business because she was certain they must have stolen it. I tried to explain her card was probably hacked, she couldn't understand how that was possible when she had never used it online.
She wrote to her congresspeople when the IRS stopped mailing paper forms. She actually got someone at the congress person's office to print out all the forms and mail them to her.
My parents are really quite awesome, in spite of their their crazy anti tech stances.
Here's another one from my mother. I was going through my high school yearbook the other day which is still at her house, and she had written down each of my classmates who died on a post-it note, with date and cause of death. Included the obituary clipping if available.
My parents are too old to be boomers, but they turn off their internet modem and router when they aren't using it because they are certain having their "wifis" floating around is very bad for them.
This just reminded my of my Nana when she first got dialup internet. The whole computer had to be shut down or there was no way she would be able to get a phone call, and she would not be convinced otherwise. No sitting around playing solitaire, computer off!
Are all your boomer parents stressed out? They don’t have young children, don’t work, doing fine financially. So what are they stressed about?
From personal experience, the neighbors didn’t bring in the recycling bins quickly enough; a car parked on the street in front of their house even though everyone knows you’re supposed to leave that space for the people who live there; someone used improper grammar and must be corrected.
My mom is prime boomer age. She uses social media constantly, but somehow still has no clue how it works. Like she is always telling me how random celebrities follow her on Instagram. They *shockingly* don't, she somehow started following them and since their pictures show up she makes the connection it's them following her? She'll make comments like "ugh why would they ever show me that?!" They're not showing it to you specifically mom lol.
She has never posted on Instagram except one time she somehow loaded multiple separate videos of a tour around her house.
Once a relative posted some serious news about her child, and my mom commented with a Lady Gaga gif of her in an extreme outfit and dramatically rolling her eyes. I called her and omg the process of explaining a gif, not getting into the details of Lady Gaga, who she is and why is she in that outfit, and then getting the comment deleted was a real ordeal.
For a long time my parents had an iPhone and an iPad and both used the same Apple ID account. The iPad stayed at home with my dad and my mom carried the phone when she was out of the house. They couldn’t figure out how to set up two accounts to send messages to each other so they would text me, then the other would see it and respond.
I would finally get a break at work and have 17 messages about when my mom would be home from work, buying milk, a deer in the backyard, and fixing the brakes on my dads jeep.
Also, my H is only 44 but any time he is forced to send an email I have to sit with him and walk him through it. He gets SO MAD when companies force him into paperless billing. He also has no idea how social media works-- he recently attempted to sell something on facebook, and couldn't believe that no one responded. Except they did. He just couldn't figure out how to find the messages. Or even find his own post again to read the comments. Eventually he just gave up trying to sell it.
So what I'm saying is, he may not be the Boomer by birthday, but he is a Boomer at heart.
Are all your boomer parents stressed out? They don’t have young children, don’t work, doing fine financially. So what are they stressed about?
Similarly, my in-laws are SO BUSY. So busy. They have no jobs, friends, or hobbies. They only leave the house for dr appts and to do grocery pick up orders. They hire out all major household tasks and harass us to do the rest. But they constantly talk about how they’re “too busy” for something. Like, how??
Are all your boomer parents stressed out? They don’t have young children, don’t work, doing fine financially. So what are they stressed about?
Similarly, my in-laws are SO BUSY. So busy. They have no jobs, friends, or hobbies. They only leave the house for dr appts and to do grocery pick up orders. They hire out all major household tasks and harass us to do the rest. But they constantly talk about how they’re “too busy” for something. Like, how??
My MIL spends hours a week doing “paperwork.” Other than printing articles off the internet to mail to us, I have no idea what “paperwork” she could be doing that takes hours a week. Even paying bills on paper would only take a few minutes.
I mean, sometimes extra directions are needed lol.
They definitely are where I live. Google maps loves to say turn right when there's no road or puts me on roads that are dead ends (I've seen my Uber drivers get trapped by this in my neighborhood) or on such small roads you'd be screwed if a car came the opposite way.
Most people give directions by landmark because road signs are rare. Go right at resort x, turn left at resort y, then find this restaurant and go behind until you see the circle k....
My boomer direction tendency is from my dad in that both of us like to use cardinal directions. I did adjust for Hawaii where you say toward ocean it toward mountain and towards one town or toward diamond head. So useful.
My aunt used to send me news and magazine clippings which had things about places I talked about visiting. It was cute, but pretty sure I can find that all on the internet.
My mom still does that. She sends it to me from the States to London. It's super cute.
Post by nothingcontroversial on May 5, 2023 7:13:06 GMT -5
My husband used to work for a large research institution. He had an aunt who used to cut out newspaper stories about the department that he worked in and put them in an envelope and give them to my husband's mom to pass along to him. It was all public relations-y puff pieces and press releases (written by the university itself) about projects about which he already had knowledge.
Are all your boomer parents stressed out? They don’t have young children, don’t work, doing fine financially. So what are they stressed about?
Similarly, my in-laws are SO BUSY. So busy. They have no jobs, friends, or hobbies. They only leave the house for dr appts and to do grocery pick up orders. They hire out all major household tasks and harass us to do the rest. But they constantly talk about how they’re “too busy” for something. Like, how??
Ever since my mom died, my dad threw himself into doing volunteer work for his church. He talks constantly about how much work it is to do all of these extra church projects that he volunteered to do. I tell him that he can always refuse to do something if it is going to be too much for him. He says, "I know," and then the next time that volunteers are requested, he volunteers again.
I'm actually glad, because this means that I don't have to worry about making sure that he isn't bored and lonely.
My mom still pays by checkbook everywhere she goes. She does own a credit card but rarely uses it and doesn't use a debit card at all. My dad is the same way but he will sometimes pay with cash. They also still pay all their bills by writing checks and sending them in through the mail.
When I was looking for a job, my mom would find some job postings she'd think I like, print them at work, then scan them in and email me the PDF instead of just sending me the link lol. But it was sweet she was trying to help me out.