Generation Gap

I actually wrote this a couple of years ago, but it still makes me giggle so I'm reposting it here.  My son is now almost 20 and his feelings about this particular song have not changed.  He also will not admit, despite major brainwashing efforts on the part of his father and I, that Led Zeppelin is the greatest band in the history of music - so his musical opinions are on somewhat shaky ground around here.

There is not enough of a gap in my house. This would be according to my 17 year old son.

I love music - all kinds. Currently, I am addicted to an African group called Tinariwen. They are not new but I have just discovered them. I can't understand a word they are saying...but I love them! I'm not a music expert but I know what I like and my tastes range all over the board.

However, my first love has always been, and still is, rock. Classic, new, heavy metal, hard, etc. - I love it all. My son has always been tolerant of this, even though, growing up, his tastes ran more to country. And it was not unusual for him to tell me to turn the music down. In the last couple of years, his horizons have broadened and he now likes some rock and rap. This means that we have been able to share music. It tickles me when he likes something I like or that he will ask me to download a song on iTunes and say "you'll love this." And I usually do. Music is a great communication bridge.

All this was fine until I discovered Eminem's song Shake That. Apparently mothers are not supposed to like songs that contain "raunchy" (his word) lyrics. He let me listen to a CD that one of his co-worker's had made for him and it had this song on it. I suppose I should be outraged, what with it being demeaning to women and all that. But....I like the damn song! My son couldn't believe it. ha!

It seems to have warped his mind. Just a couple of weeks ago we were on our way somewhere and the CD with this song was playing. It was turned down low and I wasn't really paying attention. This is the conversation:

"I still can't believe you like that song."

"Why?"

"Because that's my generation's music. You're not supposed to like it. And you shouldn't like music with those kinds of lyrics...you're a mom."

"What should I like?"

"You know...old stuff, your generation's music - from the 70s and 80s."

I was laughing so hard I could hardly drive. I told him I liked that stuff too but that music didn't stop for me when I turned 25 or whatever his threshhold is.

So I guess liking the same music is okay as long as it doesn't contain raunchy lyrics. Although, come to think of it, he doesn't seem to have the same problem with the Nine Inch Nails song Closer. Go figure.

I can't wait until I'm about 70 and we're driving somewhere together. I'm going to pop Shake That in the player and ask him if he remembers the song. Then I'll probably have to drive him to the emergency room.

First Post

This is my first post on my new blog.  Since I have no idea what I'm doing and even less of an idea of what to write about, I'm going to post a picture showing my favorite time of the year.  This was taken in my backyard.  I love snow, maybe because we don't get very much of it.  We've had snow once this year, about 5 inches.  Woohoo.  If you're in one of the areas that has had 40 feet of the stuff dumped on you, you have my sympathies; I know it's not an easy thing to deal with.  But really I'm a little jealous (as long as the power stays on).