Saturday, June 23, 2012

Passing the Torch....

So it begins i guess???We give our children options to help them make choices in life that will help them succeed in life....It's like certain Decades or era's though...I'm sure these memorable Era's per say have been assuring their place in time way before i can remember but for me i guess i most identify with the 80's..Funny how these kids are still wearing the Ray-ban sunglasses like it's something new & Hip...I gaze in the mirror and see the grey in my goatee that i just can't hide anymore..I used to be able to shave it closer & it barely showed a silver strand..I watch my hairline fade further & further back and my eyes have lines under them that scream out evidence of past years gone by...I mean even people who didn't like the 70's really would have had to be a part of it to really see the birth of the 80's.I have read & watched many stories of the 40,s 50,s & 60s but today i have still never seen a bigger footprint then the 80's left on our side of the world or California at least...I look around now & watch the youth steal bits of different era's & i don't really see any defining time since those crazy 80's...the 90's basically made no statement & the 2000's era is just a bunch of technology and smart phones that in the end we will come to realize is more detrimental to us then it's worth...Most everyone's kids are indoors now..When i was 10 you couldn't beg me to stay inside...Technology and our world evolving unsafe streets have made all the kids go inside...It used to be so lovely too...Outdoors all day in the summer coming home only to eat pee & get some kool-Aid...We would be picking teams for wiffle ball or choosing hot wheels and GI joes down the block at the end of the street at Edna Park...Those little kid days turned into Break-dancing day's & then the 80's past & left it's scattered identities mixed with things we read watched & heard about well throughout today...I look on Facebook & my friends are everything from Lawyers to teachers to UPS guy's......All products of the 80's....The friends or people i knew after the 80's have much different professions..Quite a few are doing Life Sentences,Dead or have heavy Addictions...Not just drug or dangerous life choice addictions but also technology addictions..My son for instance is for the most part a good boy but at 19 years old he is online either gaming or whatever it is for over 15 hours a day and identifies mostly with whatever he see's that goes Viral...this has been going on for over 10 years now with only small breaks to skate by in online high school and some community College...This generation has no identity whatsoever..I guess these days you can just get by with fronting like something your not and hope people buy it..We were building identities in the 80's with the weather it was day glow or parachute pants...Mods Preps or gang-bangers with Raiders hat's...Pretty in Pink Or Boyz in the hood!!I have been a Dad for over 20 yrs now and recently I'm a Dad again..The options will be different this time though...I feel a little intimidated by Facebook and YouTube but i feel us older new dads are becoming wiser..My new baby daughter will be outside in the Sun defining her generation i hope...I guess all Old people say their generation was the Best & for the most part I'll buy it except for everything so far after the 80's :)Hopefully our kids wont screw it up for their kids & the whole damn world end up indoors.....I was at dinner with my family the other night & the lady at the next table had 3 kids..one watched his cartoons from his Ipad the next kid played a handheld Nintendo and finally the 3rd kid was text messaging or something with his iPhone and i shook my head....Can't go to dinner and just have some conversation and good times? Naw we have to bring gadgets to raise our Kids? We have our work cutout for us don't we Boys & Girls??