Thursday, April 7, 2011

Want to Feel Real Old?

Today is my youngest sister Shelby's 17th birthday. She is every bit the shit-head snarky know-it-all teenager that you and I and everyone else was or will be at some point in their lives. She loves to call me old (I am 9 years and 4 months older) and otherwise make fun of me. I am not too saddened by this because I know once she hits 24 the realization will set in that she's going to be old someday too. Maybe she'll even have her first gray hairs (like I did at that age.... FML).

Anyway, in honor of Shelby's birthday and her penchant for making me feel old, I'm going to pass on this story to you, my dear readers, so you may share in my pain as well.

One day a few months ago Justin was having conversation with Shelby. It went like this:

Shelby: Oh, I love Band of Brothers!

Justin: Yeah, it's so awesome when what's his name gets what's coming to him... who was that guy... uh... you know...

Shelby: No?

Justin: DAVID SCHWIMMER!

Shelby: Who?

Justin: You know, Ross?

Shelby: Ross?







Now this might seem crazy, I mean, who hasn't heard of 'Friends'? Seriously. Even if you didn't watch the show (like me) you heard everyone else and their mothers and brothers talking about it all the time. You heard the Smelly Cat song. Jennifer Aniston's haircut made national news. The Friends had babies and got married or something. 

Friends was on the air for ten years, from September 1994 to May 2004. Here's the thing though. Shelby was born the same year that friends debued and was 10 years old when it went off the air. 

She really has no idea what "Friends" is.

Feel old? I fucking do.




67 comments:

  1. I won't say I feel old for that because someone is ignorant about pop culture. But yea I really do feel old because I am 10 years older than you.

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  2. I honestly can't even wrap my head around the thought of someone not knowing Friends. For real. It's right up there with the time I mentioned "Woodstock" and this girl went "Snoopy's friend?" (Really? Seriously?!) She knew who Snoppy and Woodstock from Peanuts were, but NOT what one of musics most seminal events EVER was? (yikes! & I wasn't even born till the 70's...)
    Friends is still HUGE in the UK. You can not go a full day w/out flippin' on a tv there and seeing at least 3 or 4 episodes. I even found myself looking forward to it while living there. I think I found it comforting to have it around... annoying as the show could be (though sometimes, I'll admit, hysterical)... even when I felt alone in another country, I still had Friends :)

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  3. Oilfield - Yeah, but it's not that she's ignorant of pop culture. She was just too young to know about it at the time. She was still watching cartoons. And 10 years ago I would have said 36 is old. Now I don't think so. Haha!
    Goofy - I know right? I was born in 84 and I know what Woodstock is. Actually, I'm pretty sure even Shelby knows about Woodstock. So this isn't quite as bad as your story, but pretty damn bad.

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  4. I remember when TV was about 5 channels with a dial you had to get up and turn manually. Seriously, that was what TV was in the early 60's when I was a kid. Sso yes, I'm feeling a bit aged right now!

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  5. LMAO. And I thought I felt old since my baby sister turns 21 this year...and I'm the same age as you. This reminds me of a story my lawyer friend told me recently. A hs student was shadowing him at his job and he was discussing Google Chat with her, however she she didn't understand what it was and to explain it he said "It's like AIM..." and she gave him a confused face in return. AIM...AOL? How the mighty have fallen.

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  6. Miss Tsa - Oh come on now, AIM is still on Gmail! Plenty of people still use Aim... I think...

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  7. Everything makes me feel old - your baby sister is younger than my son (18). BUT he knows about Friends (has never seen it, I don't think and wouldn't know a character from it- BUT knows the name, sorta - at least enuf that I don't feel too ancient). Of course he still can't remember how old I am...carbon dating might help...

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  8. My youngest nephew knows what friends is. I wouldn't say it's a matter of age. I always hated friends. never understood why my older sisters watched it.

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  9. This is just another reminder in a depressing string of things 10+ years old, that I am not getting any younger and that my ovaries are drying up.

    Heard two songs on the radio last night that were 12 years old. FROM COLLEGE DAYS.

    I now have to get all-over hair colour done before I get married to cover the motherfecking grey.

    Thanks for reminding me. Thanks a lot.

    Jeez.

    *sobbing in corner*

    StephanieC
    _

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  10. Here in the UK Friends is still being shown. My 12 year old daughter is a fan - it looks dated but is still funny.
    Good writing is good writing.

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  11. laughingmom - Lol my sister told me she had 'heard of' Friends after she read this post, she just has never seen an episode.
    TS Hendrik - Yeah I was never a fan of the show. I'm not a big fan of sitcoms though; I hate having to always be in the same place at hte same time to watch something. I watch reruns mostly.
    StephanieC - Don't feel bad girlfran, I have gray hair too. My hair is blonde so it's harder to see but I know it's there. It's probably multiplying too. And there is also an 'oldies' station that is the music I was listening to in HS and college. Sigh....
    Gary - Goofy told me that too. There are shows that are big here now that were big elsewhere so I'm not super surprised. It totally does look dated though.

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  12. Even though I've only been 18 for a week, my brother has really shown the changes in generations.

    Ex: he can't remember not having a dial-up modem, not having cell phones, and when games lasted for years as opposed to weeks.

    Then there's the whole thing where we have to tell him that conversation topics must start with things that happened in REAL life...

    Oh the times, they are a changin'....

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  13. Oh yeah? My little bro just turned 32!

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  14. What does it matter Shelby is a bitch anyways. And a skanky one at that

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  15. Oh dear- I love Friends.
    I feel old now...:(

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  16. Issac - And these gaps are just going to get bigger and bigger. There's a ton of stuff I remember that you wouldn't :-) Welcome to old age my friend! It just goes downhill from here!
    Riot Kitty - Okay you got me beat. I'm not that far away though; 10 years from now my middle sister will be 32.
    Chelsey - Haha sorry my dear. It happens to the best of us.

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  17. I distinctly remember a point where I felt 30 was old.

    Now? My concept of "old" has moved well into the 70s. Or better yet, how someone acts, because I personally know some people who, in their early 30s, have settled firmly into middle age. Boooooring!

    Pearl

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  18. Pearl - I agree. I remember thinking I'd be married with children when I was 24. <~~ Hahahahaha. I do think that you don't have to act your age and I appreciate that quality in people.

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  19. I feel old but it was worth it just to see the kitchen with the animated Shelby and Justin...oh, and David Schwimmer too...I guess...he was my least favourite though.
    Ok, the subscription thing, I think it's also called an RSS feed. You're tech savvy, google it. I have it on my blog (obviously I had no part in putting it there because I'm technologically retarded) but you can get an app that allows us, your faithful readers to subscribe to your blog, so it actually appears in our email when you've posted. Hope this helps. I do follow you but it's easier to have you pop up in my email inbox...well, not you personally, and that would be ok too...:)

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  20. Sandra - I am really not tech savy, otherwise I would probably have gotten around to using Twitter 10 years ago and creating a background for my blog. I'm really bad about this stuff. But just for you, I'm going to go figure out that RSS feed thing right now.

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  21. I still don't get how she doesn't know what it is...it still comes on TV.. People still joke about "being on a break." I bet she was pretending just to make him feel bad!

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  22. OMG! Now, I'm sorry but I knew about shows that were on BEFORE I was born, so I find it hard to believe she never saw Friends or a rerun of it. Todays youngsters... humph!

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  23. Jules - I don't know either because for a while she was totally obsessed with The Doors. I think she's just not into tv that much.

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  24. I'm on the other side. I AM old, but don't feel old. I guess there are worse things than "Friends" to not know about!
    Love the post!!!

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  25. Pat - I really hope that I don't feel old when I'm older, but I feel pretty old right now. So.... ya. Thirty will probably be very rough for me.

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  26. By the time you hit your 40's, you get over it -- the aging thing. Well, I did. And knock on wood, I have no gray hair yet.

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  27. M Pax - Well I hope so. That's awesome though! I have at least 8 gray hairs at the crown of my head when I was 24. I dyed my hair fire engine red (ug) and when it grew out the gray was very obvious. Now that I'm mostly blond again you can't tell. I like it this way.

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  28. Hahaha your post made me laugh! "You know Ross?" Classic. I'd love to know your sister's reaction to this post. :) You are both young and have the whole world ahead of you.

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  29. And I'm older than you! Crap! That's a funny story. I wonder if my son would know who Ross is.

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  30. the pictures were a very nice touch.

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  31. Marjana - She wrote on my facebook: "Lol, I've heard Friends mentioned before but I had never seen it. Thank you slut :)" We regularly use derogatory names when referring to each other, just in case you're wondering.
    Lemmiwinks - :-)
    Clarissa - Ask him! Maybe she's just crazy.
    Ian - Why thank you :)

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  32. Ok...what?! Maybe she'd get the "he's Melman the giraffe on Madagascar"..she might get THAT...since she's so YOUNG and evidently we're old.
    *sobs*

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  33. Did you get the zombies for yuh cah?

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  34. Did you overlook my comment on purpose or what? LOL Just happened to notice I was the only one you didn't respond to. I'm not being needy or anything! Honestly...

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  35. Krissy - Aww lol! I don't know what happened! I totally did not purposely ignore your comment, but sometimes I approve them out of order and they pop in the order they were written. My apologies! :-D
    And I totally watched Welcome Back Kotter and the Monkees as a kid. She should be ashamed.
    Suzanne - Hahha I know, young and nubile. Just wait, it'll catch up to her soon enough. I thought I was all smart when I was her age too.
    laughingmom - NO! Not yet! I have to make an effort to get over to the mall where they're located because it makes me hurt inside to try to find parking there on the weekends. I am determined to go though!

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  36. It's crazy how much I agree with your posts.

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  37. theShyNarcissist - Lol you hate water too? :-D
    Rawr - Thanks for stopping by!

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  38. My fiance is 21 and I'm 27. While she's just mature enough to be on my same level and an old enough soul to understand a lot of old-timey references, she has some great ways of making me feel decrepit. Like not knowing what the A team is, or that Mr. T did more than just World of Warcraft commercials. Or who He-man is. Or even who the Three Stooges are. Yep, I'm old. :(

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  39. A Beer for the Shower - Hey bud, I feel ya, I'll be 27 in August. I never really watched the A-Team but I definitely knew what it was, as well as Mr. T, and I was a HUGE fan of He-man and She-woman. My boyfriend is turning 30 this year and he's constantly complaining that I don't get all of the references he makes even though we're barely three years apart.

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  40. wait, she really never heard of friends?

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  41. HA!!! Oh my God, I felt like a geriatric reading this!

    I remember the first time I felt old. This guy (or should I say kid) was chatting me up at the bar, and somehow we started talking about the show Degrassi.

    We talked for a good 20 minutes before I realized he was talking about the New Degrassi and I was referring to the old one.

    ps. Your pictures always make me ROFL. And I hardly ever do that!

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  42. Laughing Vault - She said she had heard of it, just never seen it.
    bschooled - Hahaha I remember Degrassi but I think that might be the newer one too :-) And thanks!

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  43. Gah! May guess is she knows less about Seinfeld. Which is just tragic.

    My boyfriend is a year older than I am and he knows NOTHING about pop culture. I am constantly explaining who Charlie Chaplin is, What star wars is about. I mean, seriously, STAR WARS. COME ON people.

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  44. Deidre - Yeah I would guess she doesn't. And WTF STAR WARS???? SERIOUSLY? You need to evaluate this man. Stat.

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  45. that's BULLSHIT! who does she think she is???? gah! 17! gah! no, but seriously, teenagers, amirite? oh, dude, the other day this girl at work was all like, "you know, that old movie? from the 90s?" #mouthgun

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  46. mylittlebecky - Lololol you totally win for your hashtag. And urtotesright.

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  47. Friends got me through some tough times. Before I discovered... ThE InTerNet.

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  48. that's ridic. i can't imagine anyone not knowing what Friends is. you clearly haven't done a thorough job of re-watching the seasons every night before bed, as i have sadly done.

    but, i was an only child so, it was all for nothing.

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  49. Chelle - Ahh, the magic interwebz. All are beholden to its majesty and glory.
    blunt delivery - Yeah I actually didn't like the show so I never watched it. I mean, I saw some episodes and what I didn't see I heard about from everyone else. She couldn't have gotten it from me, but at least I know what the show is.

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  50. I love how OLD progresses...as kids--our parents were OLD....at 20--40was old....at 40--65 was OLD.....at 57-- 90 is Old!!!

    At ANY AGE 100 id OLD! I mean Smuckers Old. Too get your ass on a Jelly jar on the news--you are 10 days Older than water!

    Great stuff my FRIEND!!!!!


    J

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  51. John - I know, you just keep bumping the bar up and up depending on your stage in life :-D

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  52. And I was out of high school when Friend premiered, so I feel ancient.

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  53. thekeithmiles - Aww Keith, you are so cute. And trust me, you're not ancient.

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  54. Haha, I have no idea how I haven't run into your blog until now. It's hilarious!

    These damn kids and their damn....hell, I don't know what the popular sitcoms with laugh tracks are these days.... How I Met Your Mother?

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  55. Rico Swaff - Iknowright? So is yours! You gotta love a man who's man enough to sport a mullet (even if it's just for pictures). And I have no freaking idea; I'm too cheap to pay for cable cause I never watch it so we just watch reruns of X Files, Trailer Park Boys, The Office, and The Tudors on Netflix.

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  56. Damn Friends.

    I'm still growing out my Rachel hairdo.

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  57. Mrsblogalot - LOL! I never really liked her hair that much but my hair is kind of cut like her shoulder-length bob.

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  58. Yeah that makes me feel old.
    You know what else makes me feel old? I'm 16 years older than my brother and 14 years older than my sister.

    They're both little assholes right now ( I say that with love). I can't wait till they get over themselves.

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  59. Oh and PS...is that your kitchen and can I have it?

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  60. CkretsGalore - Oh man and I thought there was a big difference in age between me and my sisters. Shelby is just 10 years younger than me and she's totally a shit. I can't WAIT until she starts feeling old. It'll be awesome. And noooo that's not my kitchen. My kitchen is small and dark and retro looking. I just got a stock kitchen image. Haha!

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  61. Everyone, no matter how old you are, should know who Ross is from friends! It makes me really sad that the younger generation doesn't know what quality television is anymore :(

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  62. Kickboxing Los Angeles - You know you are totally pegging yourself as an 'old' person by saying that the younger generation doesn't appreciate quality television. Hahaha! Didn't your parents say the same shit to you? I know MINE did, about EVERYTHING.

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  63. I had a similar experience from the other end when a couple vapid co-workers referred to Twilight as some vampire movie or something. I'm no fan (Anne Rice represent!), but how do you live your life in 2011 and you are unaware of a literary and cinema and cultural phenomenon like Twilight? You have NO ONE that you know that made any mention of it?

    Sorry for the rant. I've decided they both live in caves. Amen.

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  64. Ricky - WOW!! Seriously. I'm not a fan either but that is really crazy. If they're women I'm even more afraid.

    And ranting is totally fine. That's basically all I do.

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Talk to the Cake Betch - I'll always respond. Unless you're a dick, then I'll just be mad.