Summer of 2010, I was flabbergasted when I saw a girl of about ten at the American History Museum in DC who was asking her dad "What is 9/11?" Then I did the math...and realized that there are people today in high school who have no first-hand memory of the events.
Similarly, when I saw this exhibit and realized that I was old enough to go to a history museum and visit an exhibit of something I experienced firsthand. Also, when I saw The Muppets and none of the kids knew what the dial up sound was that their robot friend was making. Also, when I mentioned something about doing research for school projects before the internet around my little cousin and she yelled "YOU WERE ALIVE BEFORE THE INTERNET?!"
I was reading an article in the paper about the local high school graduating class, and one of the students being interviewed mentioned that they started kindergarten in 1999. I graduated from high school in 1999. That whole class can stay the fuck off my lawn.
When you quote great movies like Major League or Top Gun and nobody knows what you're referring to. "Where did he go?" "Where did whoooooooooooooo gooooooo?"
The lifecycle of athletes these days makes me feel slightly older. Some guys playing professionally are finally younger than me, and guys who I remember being drafted are starting to retire after long, productive careers. For some reason I previously always viewed them as Capital-A Adults.
Gas prices. My first year of college I could drive back and forth four days a week (30 miles one way) on $10. This was in a four wheel drive truck. I also remember not wanting a cell phone. I thought it was crazy to be that accessible. Now it feels as necessary as having both hands.
I've said this before and I'll say it again, teenagers today have not been affected by John Hughes movies. The cast of "Boy Meets World" are all in their 30s. My 10 year old brother doesn't know how to use a VCR
Dallas is being revived on TBS starting next week. I remember when the original series began. Larry Hagman was younger than I am now when the series started. Fuck.
Anti-focus: Went out with some coworkers for post-work beverages today and two of the dudes were talking about how Debbie Harry was the hottest thing when they were in college. Cue the particularly old guy coming over and saying "Debbie Harry? Shit, the sweetest piece of ass when I was in school was Ava Gardner".
A couple of weeks ago when I was DJ'ing, I was playing Snoop's "What's my Name" when a girl came up to bitch about the selection: "Can you not play any more old music, please?" 1994 is apparently old to kids nowadays with bad taste in music.
Dude, music from 2007 is apparently old music. At least, according to this kid I talked to at work a few weeks ago who referred to Soulja Boy's "Crank That" as a "really old song."
The day I realized all those big guys on the college football field are younger than me. And then again when I realized the same was true about most professional players too. Also, dubstep.
I got high school graduation party invitations from 2 different girls I went to high school with, both had kids graduating.
There's different tiers of old music. If it's a seven year old song that should just fade into obscurity, then it's old, if it's a well known artist who has an extensive back catalogue, it's still acceptable. I feel old when I realize no player being drafted into the NHL has been alive for a Canadian team winning the cup. I also feel old when I realize Half Life 2 came out eight years ago. Or that people in fifth grade today weren't alive when Pokemon came out and was a thing.
Was driving past my old high school the other day and got to thinking - when I graduated (1995), the people then who were as old as I am now had graduated in 1978 (the year after I was born).