Saturday, November 15, 2008

It's Official....

It's official....at 37 years old, I am from the "other" generation.

Today was an afternoon for the youth worship band to come over and practice for a couple of hours. After that, we had a monthly youth "chill" time at our place. It was technically supposed to be at someone else's home but all the residents of that home had contracted a nasty 3 day stomach bug. So hubby and I figured that if half the group will be here anyway for the music part, we might as well open it to everyone for the evening and give them all a chance to "hang". We enjoy providing the opportunity and giving the youth something to do.


It was a great evening. I had 21 people in my living room watching Kung Fu Panda. (This picture to the side is a horrid shot for color and lighting but maybe it gives you an idea.) Not everyone is in the picture and more came in the door after I snapped it.


They happily ate through 8 boxes of pizza, drank 5 bottles of soda pop, 2 bags of tangelos, a bowl of pretzels, a plate of cookies, and sour heads candy as they watched the daring courage of a cartoon panda pushing the societal envelope of expectations and dreams.

After that, the board games came out. I don't remember what they played. I only remember timers, noises, and lots of bravado remarks.


While all of that was happening, I found myself at the dinning table with two young men discussing the ins and outs of heavy metal music. All of their talk made my head spin. I remember as a teen that I chose to like or dislike a band because of simple reasons. Could I relate to it? Did I like the beat? Was it a good dance tune? Those were the high priorities for me. These boys were different though. They spoke rather philosophically about how bands choose to further their image by focusing on a key element. For example they will make sure their singer is appealing to the eye, or their electric guitarist has finger speed that no one can match. They talked about something called "comedy death metal" with appreciation. Apparently it is when heavy metal type groups create songs that make fun of something like .....like a popular big name coffee shop or national eatery. They discussed similarities and differences between the groups Nine Inch Nails, Demon Chasers, and Led Zeppelin.

Then the older young man told me that when he is ready to relax for the evening he usually will "put on the soothing sounds of Smashing Pumpkins".

Now please rescue me here..........am I the only one who sees the instant and problematic irony in the words "soothing sounds" and "smashing pumpkins"?

I pointed it out to him along with my obvious ignorance to the music group and asked if they were indeed soothing or did they demonstrate more of a calling to their name sake. My question made him stop, think, and then admit that he had never thought of the group's name as an actual description. I had humored him with my different look at things.


*****
On another note, thank you so much for your concerns and encouragements with me not being around much and feeling up to par.
I think I am gaining ground. I am still awfully tight and tense but doing my stretches several times a day whenever I feel the head thing come on, sometimes every hour, seems to be making slow improvements. So far I haven't had a relapse of that last 5 day head bender. Everything has a season so I know eventually this will be a thing of the past.

12 comments:

  1. You've just begun to walk the road labeled "Out of Touch." Just wait until a 13 year old has to teach you some new electrical gadget -- an "new improved" model of something you thought you had mastered.

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  2. Absolutely, everything has a season.

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  3. Jules in the 1950s anyone over 50 was middle. aged,65 was a O.A.P. Over75 what are you doing being alive. Today you are middle aged at 35,O.A.P.at 50. and at 75 what supplements are you taking.you are as young as you feel.keep with the rookers.bless you all.keep rocking with Jesus and His Band.Just thinking why not take up the drums.

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  4. Quilly...you are right. It took me forever to wrap my brain around the idea and purpose of an IPOD.

    Mae....Praise God for seasons.

    Alan....Actually Rosie-girl is the drum player in this house. As for me, I have been contemplating taking up piano again and when I can handle the fees....I want to take up the cello.

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  5. Hello Jules, only 37? still very young..well, at least younger than me by a few years hehe...It looks like fun with everyone bunking in and eating pizzas..wish I was there too. Maybe...not for kungfu panda, when I had a fall recently, i was forced to see the same show repeatedly with my son. Have a great week ahead :D

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  6. Your get together sounded very civilised. And much fun too. Glad to read that you have been feeling better recently.

    Crystal Jigsaw xx

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  7. I remember my first brush with age a few years back when I told a young kid riding his bike, "You look just like Evil Kinevil jumping hi motorcycle."

    I was greeted with a blank stare and a, "Who?"

    Arrrrgh!!!

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  8. LOL and any group with the name Garden in it is not necessarily soothing either, as I found to my request a few years back! Fun post and hope you're feeling in top form!
    Sandi

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  9. m.kate...yikes! Kungfu Panda is a cute movie. But I don't think I would want to watch it over and over again like you had to. Sorry about that.

    Crystal...thank you for your kind words and glad you could swing by for a hello.

    Jeff...Wow I never thought that name would become obsolete.

    Sandi...thank you so much. I am getting there.

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  10. Your get together sounded great fun.
    Hope you are feeling better now.

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  11. I love to get into those philisophical discussions with youngsters...I always learn something! Your livingroom looked like mine did sunday night when my daughter invited "a few" friends over for a movie after college group at church...I love it!

    Enjoy these days...

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  12. maggie mae....thank you so much. These kids are always a hoot to get together with.

    Joni...you are right. It is a give and take relationship where we learn from each other the most interesting things.
    How fun that you were doing the same thing!
    I love that our house is the "fun" place to be and the youth are comfortable. My girls say I am "mom" to the whole youth group and strangers sure look at me funny when we are on outings and kid after kid calls me mom.

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