Youth is about extremes, middle age is about balance. The things that drove you in youth may not drive you in middle age, the trick is finding what does drive you now. When I was 20 I wanted FUN, FUN, FUN, now I wan't something pleasant and i can wait for it, but not too long.

Looking at other peoples art or science or sports inspires me. I've been annoyed with teenagers pretty much since birth. I am welcoming toawrd new music and new culture, perhaps partially because I think so much of the old music and old culture is crap. I don't even own a bathrobe, and I like standing. Thanks for caring.

*pictures baby box yelling at teens to get out of his crib, and put on some real music like Wee Sing*

I also have an 'R' written on my left palm. It's to remind me to buy razors since I been shaving with the same 6 Good News disposables for over a month now. I asked one of my cubies to remind me again as I left. The memory's the first thing to go.

When I was 20 I wanted FUN, FUN, FUN, now I wan't something pleasant and i can wait for it, but not too long.

I'm actually aiming for inertia, myself. It'd be kind of like me to have my middle age either early or late. I've always been off-pace with my peers developmentally.

Oh god. I had one of these "I'm old" revelations just last week....and I've completely forgotten what it was. Oh, look, there goes another one.

I think the only way to counteract feeling like other people's art/culture/youth/whatever is somehow annoying or not inspiring, is to either look to the artists who are your age or older, even, and see why they got started at the age you both share. There are numerous people who didn't get into the shit they're famous for now until well into middleage.

Also, do something yourself - start a blog (my personal choice), investigate a new medium (like I'm doing after reading Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud), or work on your memoirs and try to puzzle out your past and what the world means to you now.

Oh, I can also highly recommend completely uprooting your life, divesting yourself of any material possessions other than clothes, and moving across the country for love. That, if nothing else, will COMPLETELY get your shit straight for you in a heartbeat, on every level.

Cheers, Jon, and best of luck.

p.s. Your photos inspire ME, I enjoy looking at the way you see NYC and your friends. So there.

Oh, LT, I have no desire to actually change anything. Just wondering if the developements above are normal parts of aging or some grand new syndrome, in which case I'd take the subway up to Bellvue and make some shrinks day.

(and I'm glad you enjoy my pics, but that's just a photo album and a few jokey captions, that's not creativity)

This is a normal function of encroaching middle age, I'll assume.

No. I can vouch for that personally.

Five years ago I thought you were at least 45, going only by your comments at MF. It was a real wtf moment for me when I first saw a photograph of you. It took me time for me to adjust to the fact that you were in your early 30s then. Make of that what you will; I have no idea what the hell it means.

New music, ideas, science, art, etc. still inspires, delights, fuels, and excites me. Sports, not so much.

Hopefully that will never change.

I've been trying to keep up with new music, because that's one of my personal "getting old" signs. However I obviously haven't been doing a very good job because today I had to think of a song released this year that I have listened to a lot. And I discovered that I only own two albums released in 2006. And one of them is the Arctic Monkeys, which while kind of fun is certainly not going to be a wonderful cultural benchmark.

Thanks jon, now I'm depressed. *waves cane*

Jon, I find other peoples art can be depressing to see. Especially if they are younger. I feel like I didn't do enough to pursue creative things when I was younger. The most annoying thing I find about getting older is that hair starts growing in places you don't want hair to grow. If I don't trim my eyebrows every few days I turn into Ed Asner.

*passes 'pode some strained peaches, turns on Matlock*

Ico, I dunno either. Only for a brief period in my early to mid 20's did I feel sort of in sync with my peers and with the culture surrounding me. Nowadays, it mainly leaves me cold, and trying to 'keep up' on the off chance I'll discover something that'll rock my world sounds tiring and staying up-to-date for it's own sake just sounds like too much pressure.


And I discovered that I only own two albums released in 2006.

The last 2 'new' bands I fell in love with were the Bellrays and the Dirtbombs, both of whom have been around for a while. It just seems easier and less dicey to look for new 'old' stuff in genres I already know I'll like. Again, I'm just getting older, I guess.

If I don't trim my eyebrows every few days I turn into Ed Asner.

I have a similar thing with nose hair. Up until recently, I was afraid to use one of those electric trimmers because I figured I'd slip and lobotize myself.

mmm peaches.

Well, you don't wanna change, but if you ever did you could bookmark this.

I'd say more than ever, I can't get enough new music. I definitely know what you're talking about though, but I realized that my annoyance with some young punk's success is really just a projection of my own shortcomings. So I continue to try and find new avenues of expression. I'm still having lots of fun (I'd argue I have more fun than those youngsters, because I'm more experienced at it, and can seek it out better), and look forward to being a disembodied head that my grandchildren can take to the zoo every now and then.

and look forward to being a disembodied head that my grandchildren can take to the zoo every now and then.

By then, due to pollution and all, all the animals will be disembodied heads in jars as well, making it all very scenic or something.

I've pretty much always sat down to pee, myself.

By then, due to pollution and all, all the animals will be disembodied heads in jars as well, making it all very scenic or something.

Not to mention hilarious, in that sad surreal kinda way.

I went through a little of this when I turned 40, but I picked up a new hobby (photography) that forces me to get out of the house more- I'm a terrible homebody. So I'm finding inspiration in that. I've always been a new music hound, so that hasn't really changed, though I do go on nostalgia binges that can last from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, and I didn't used to do that.

When I was a kid, people told me I acted like a little old man sometimes. Now I often feel like an overgrown kid, so apparently my development has been a little off-kilter all along. I'm very happy in my 40s, though, so that's the main thing, for me.

That AskMe thread is an eye opener. I have a 20 year old daughter, and I'm the one who introduces her to new music. If left to her own devices she would have nothing but Tom Petty on her iPod.

I don't so much hate the new music as recognize and grow bored with the follow-me trends. Give me something really fresh, not just another take on your indie world.

Sitting down to pee is aging thing?

I do go on nostalgia binges that can last from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, and I didn't used to do that.

I do that too, but in addition to nostalgia it's also a "listen to how well these songs have held up" or a "I still geniunely likes these guys" thing. And maybe we didn't used to do this because when you're younger, there's less to be nostalgic for.

Oh, and my disembodied penis hovering over the toilet does all my peeing.

Iconomy, you're one of my favorite sources of new music. If you post something, I'm guaranteed to take it.

I do have a 17 year old sister who I could probably look to for recommendations, but I find her tastes in music and clothing abyssmal. She'll tell you that's because I'm old, but it's really because she's pretty lame. The emphasis she and her friends put on abject conformity makes me weep. WEEP!

What makes me feel old right now is the fact that when I turn my head a certain way, my neck gets crepey-looking and the fact that I'm the same age as Rachel Zoe. (Every time I see a picture of her, I moisturize.)

Seconding jrossi there - iconomy: I love the music you post.

Not only do I stand to pee, I liked "My Humps!"

I am hip and with it.

Oh jon, it just gets fucking worse. . .these sports heroes retiring after glorious careers and them being 15 years younger than me. The feelings that I have generally done nothing with my life. . .I think that is what the media wants people to think

As far as music goes, daughter keeps me "young" at least in my appreciation for the music SHE is into. I am less bitter about my failed music career than I used to be, and stand in the mosh pit (albeit not dead center) listening to Sleater-Kinney or Tegan and Sara and enjoy it and *get* it.

And I have just been dealing with the Andy Rooney eyebrows. . .they grow out very thick and long but if I trim those wild hairs, then I have none.

(Every time I see a picture of her, I moisturize.)

And, also possibly age-related, I SO misinterpreted that at first, jrossi.

But the feelings that I am getting old and have not made my mark on this world. . . .for some sick reason, that is what most mass media want people to think.

And I discovered that I only own two albums released in 2006

I, on the other hand, have had some kind of buying crisis this year. My iTunes smart playlist of albums with a release year of 2006 currently has about 2,500 tracks in it. I'm a bit ashamed by this as I don't know enough of that playlist as much as it most of it deserves. I'm also getting nervous about throwing most of my spare cash at music again next year - I'm already seeing 4 or 5 albums due in January that I want.

Today, when I asked my students to draw their comicbook selves (we're reading Maus), one of them drew herself as "Yankee Girl"; I thought she meant the Bronx Bombers (I do teach in the Bronx) until she started talking about "marrying" Yankee. I think she means this guy.

I'm ooooolllllddddd... hehe...hehe...hehe...

≡ Click to see image ≡


(jon, my love, least you'll always have someone to cut your toenails when you can't reach : )

Maus - now there's a graphic novel. I don't read many graphic novels, but that is fantastic

This is a normal function of encroaching middle age, I'll assume.
It's got nothing to do with middle age and everything to do with a decision to grow old in your head. This is a process that the majority of people go through somewhere around that nominal "middle age" mark, but it is a decision (albeit unconscious) that you make. At 45, I don't feel any older than I did at 20 (well, except sometimes when I get up in the mornings, but I ignore that) because I choose not to allow myself to become "middle aged". As far as I am concerned, I can do anything now that I could do at 20 and a whole lot more.

I am sometimes appalled by what passes for modern music and dress sense, but I am aware that every age has had lots of crap in those respects and most of it fades into obscurity where it belongs - we only remember the good music that came out of the '60s, but there was an awful lot of very, very bad music around at the time. I continue to fight against the belief shared by many (including myself) that there will not be the same legacy from the current crop of heartthrobs that there is from earlier generations, because I think there will be (unfortunately ;-).

"You have to grow old, but you don't have to grow up" is a tired and somewhat lame statement, but it is one that I live by and it has served me well so far. If you feel middle-aged, it's because you choose to.

And Maus is only 15 years old.
Gah!

When I was 20 everything was new. That's not the case any more and my appreciation of the things others creates is much more selective. If you'll pardon the rather poor analogy - I've a huge back catalog and somedays I just feel like releasing a greatest hits anthology.

But don't worry about it. There's shit you can do. You can clear out that back catalog and start anew; you can listen to the stuff you liked and you still like. It's all good, and as it's all under your control.

And you're never too old to create. It's not going to be as good as some hot-shot new artist that's grabbing all the attention, but the best thing about creating something is creating that thing.

Maus is *only* 15 years old?! I remember buying that when it came out - it can't have been 15 years ago. Can it?

Hmph. You think YOU feel old?

I'm the same age as Madonna. She's a constant reminder I'm older than I feel.

That and the fact that in the next several weeks I'm due to become a grandma.

Truthfully I like being my age, believe it or not. But I refuse to turn into an old fart, therefore I won't be one.

Yeah, that's me sometimes.

Sometimes I resent younger people who are more successful than I am. Sometimes I shut myself off from contemporary culture and dismiss it as a bunch of trendy crap.

But I'm wrong.

These reactions are signs that I'm not living up to my potential and making the most of my life. My lack of inspiration is a sign that I need to get up off my ass and start doing things, not sit around and be all bitter and resentful -- which is something that comes way too easily to me.

I'm pretty darn with it and inspired by new art and music by younger folks. I mind it in my body - how it looks, and what it can't do so well anymore - dancing, flexibility, minor pains. That skeeves me out. So strangely, I do feel it in the sports arena. I think I'm a year older than Brett Farvre, for example, and they go on and on about his age, etc. Brrr.

So I don't FEEL old and I like people in their early twenties and even teenagers, I'm comfortable around them, but I am constatnly reminded that I'm getting older, and the whole physical decline/death thing trips with my head hard.