Friday, January 25, 2008

Are You Too Old??

Old age. It has a funny way of catching up to you. At some point in time, father time will tap you on the shoulder. It'll be that day you realize that you have the volume on the TV at 25...or that day when you're squinting while trying to read the newspaper even though it's 3 inches from your face. We're all over 25. And now you're "officially getting old." However, there's a difference between "getting old" and "being too old" for something.

Ask yourself this question...When was the last time you uttered or thought to yourself..."I'm too old for this". If you're over 25, then there's a good chance you've had that thought once or twice. If you're over 30, then you've probably said it on a few occasions. Was it the time you found yourself "playing games" with your significant other? And you uttered the words..."I'm too old for this. I'm tired of playing these games with her/him." Was it when you did 30 minutes on the treadmill and you were sore for 3 days. And you thought..."I'm too old for this." Was it the time when you went to a club and you're dressed very nice but everybody else in in jeans and sneakers. You spent the whole night waiting for your song to be played but they kept playing songs by some dude named Souljah Boy. And you thought..."I'm too old for this."

For me, it happened last month not long after my 35th birthday. I went to the mall and I wandered into a music store to check out the new music. When I walked in the store, I noticed that the store was empty. The only people who were in the store was the 2 young male employees who were behind the register. After being in the store for a minute or two, I overheard a conversation that they were having that was beginning to get heated. The two dudes starting slinging curse words at each other. There was no regard for each other and none for me, either. One kid walked from behind the register and almost fell down because his pants were baggy enough to fit another body and he had no belt. As they continued to curse each other out with F bombs, I said "EXCUSE ME". And they looked at me like I was crazy. They didn't realize that they were not only embarrassing themselves but their employer as well. I asked the kid to come over to where I was standing. I told him that not only was he being disrespectful to everyone in the store. I also asked him to go purchase a belt b/c "nobody in this store wants to see your underwear." He looked at me real strange. His look said "I can't believe that this old man is talking to me like this." He just simply replied "Aiiight, sir." As I left the store, I thought "I'm too old for this." I can't try to police these young dudes. To make matters worse, he called me "sir"...that really made me feel old!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

12kyle
That's funny. I felt like that not too long ago when my girlfriends dragged me to a club. I didn't want to go but I caved in at the last minute. I'm not really the "club type." I dont smoke or drink. I spent most of the night trying to keep this drunk dude outta my face. LOL. I'd rather go to a house party or a lounge. I'm definitely too old for clubs.

L. Renee' said...

You I felt that way a couple of weeks ago when I listened to a younger artists cd. I loved two songs on it so I thought I would like the whole cd. Well, the cd was entirely about getting high and profane language. Thought, I am too old for this.

Anonymous said...

12Kyle,

OMG....I feel like this everyday. Working out....knees aching from running on the treadmill. I'm too old for this....damn near running out of gas in the truck....I'm too old to be letting the tank get that low almost stranding my azz on the highway...punching the wall so I will spank my son...knuckle swollen and purple...I'm too old to be all busted up.....

Anonymous said...

12kyle
I feel say this all the time. I guess it's b/c I'm single and I don't have any kids. I'm 30 but I do feel old when I get around my friends and they start talking about being married and their kids. Good topic today

Anonymous said...

good ish, kd...

i guess my question would be, too old for what? i guess since we have gotten to this place where we are too old to act like we're 25, most of us have started to peek at the hill. some of my friends feel a since of dread as they continue to advance in this maturation process. i choose to revel in it and be thankful that i have not met with the alternative. kd, yes, u are too old not to say something to those knuckle heads. but other than that i say, too old for what? the best is yet to come...

Trish said...

I feel you 12Kyle.
I dont feel old until I talk to some of my friends about music & music artists that I love.
Chaka, Natalie Cole, Stevie, The Emotions, Whispers, etc. They can't relate, but that was TRUE music, and although Im not as old as some may think by my music choices. Ive even have some friends (which I wont mention) call me an "old head"
but I take it as a compliment.
Its music you can dance to, not do some superhero move to.
Whatever happened to Slow jams and Slow draggin' at a party? hmmmm?

12kyle said...

monica
I feel you

Lrenee
Music just aint what it used to be

rezidl
Don't resist from spanking your son...especially if he needs it. Just don't do it when you're mad.

tonya
Thanks for your post

steve-o
I had to say something to those kids. I couldn't sit back and watch them go on like that. You're right about our age. Let us relish in these days.

trish
Somebody had the nerve to call you an "old head"? WOW! The nerve of that guy! Who would do such a thing??? LMAO!!! Thanks for your post

Anonymous said...

Kyle you are older than most of us, but happiness in old age has to do more with attitude than your health. OK...the human body is made up of wear & tear parts that eventually break down and limit your mobility. However, your attitude can make the difference in how you approach any life crisis. The age of 30 should be the beginning of living & not "shady acres". So go to the club or a house party & show those youngsters how to cut a rug.

Anonymous said...

Yeah... you gettin' old man! haha. The moment you start policing kids and young 'uns on their behavior, conduct or whatever, that shows signs of old age.

I think you become mature before hand and you cease to behave in manners similar to what you described, which is the stage I am at.

And yeah, I'm gettin' to it... am I too old? Ha. I feel I'm too old to be making the amount of money I am currently making. I feel I am too old to not be successful as I should be.

On the other hand, when it comes to the other joys of life, like clubbing, sports, playing games... etc., I never think I'm too old, I just wish I would have kept it up and stayed in shape enough to hang like i use too. :O) hahaha

But at the same time, a new life comes from the current state of being... a new life of deeper understanding, clarity... knowing what matters most to me personally and in a nutshell, knowing who I am!

Anonymous said...

12kyle
It is funny that you are older than most of the individuals that responded and i am twice the age of some of them. Time, age and space are all relative. I over heard 2 people discussing if Pastor Troy was old school!!! In relation to the Whispers the answer is no in relation to Chris Brown, yes. I am proud to say that I work out regularly and some workouts are harder than others, but with proper conditioning you can get in better shape than you were when you were younger. I am not too old to turn heads of younger men as I walk down the street, but I am too old to have "juicy" etched across the butt of my jeans and sweats. You are never too old to learn. You are never too old to improve yourself or your status in life. As a boy becomes a man he must give up his foolish ways (become responsible). Then yes you are too old to spend $230 on the latest Jordan’s if you don't have gas in your car, food in the house, etc...
www.deliveringonthepromise.com/rcvmoore

12kyle said...

Simply Travis
Good post, bruh. Don't act like you're that much younger than me. I've got you by 9 months, playa. LOL

Weja
I feel where you're coming from

Ms. Moore
You are definitely a lot younger than your age. You also have a youthful spirit. You're not old...but you're right...you're too old to have "juicy" spelled out across your butt. LOL. Thanks for the post.

Anonymous said...

This topic hit home. I am a 41 year old single black woman without kids. Perhaps, because of my childless state, I had a case of "arrested development". I don't "look" 41 which helps to keep the self-delusion alive and didn't feel like "I thought" a woman in her 40's would feel. The "Are you too old?" blues hit me when I was hanging out with my friends...younger friends (late 20's and 30's)and I realized that I had no clue what the latest "Flo-Rida," or "Soul-ja Boy" song was. I think there is this funny "tween" period when you are too old to be hanging out with the hip-hop scene and yet too young for "putting out to pasture." There is this quote by George Eliot that inspires me: "You are never too old to be the person you would have been." That's my affirmation when I get that "too old" feeling.

Denise

Anonymous said...

It's funny that the only time I feel old is when I am asked my age. To hold onto my youth I often respond that I am twenty twice. Yes I might be fighting arthritis and other stiffening ailments but I feel that my youth still courses strongly within my spirit.
Despite the fact that I may just be kidding myself, age is still a state of mind to me.

12kyle said...

GYH
Age is only a number. You are correct. It is merely a state of mind.

Denise
I really think I'm at that "tween" stage. I've found myself asking my boys..."who's this rapper or that rapper." And I'm a ole skool hip hop head. I just can't keep up with all of these newjacks. I don't listen to the radio b/c it's too commercial. Good post. Thanks.

Unknown said...

I think you are only as old as you feel. Sometimes I see others getting caught up in this “age thing”. Those who retire and slow down there day to day activity seem to begin to deteriorate so much faster. I say as long as I keep active, not over doing the stress, and eat well, things should go well. My situation is very different from what I have been reading. I am 31 with 3 kids and I know my kids keep me young. Not only do I know the latest Soulja Boy song, but I can do the dance better than they can. I can Kranck that anything at this point. However, my daughters sing Etta James with me to wind down. My husband also has 2 kids and they are constantly amazed at the fact that this 37 year old man can leave them in the dust in a race. So to this I say, bring it on. The only thing that can beat me is this stupid FCAT. Now that is stressful.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahha... Souljah boy?!?!?! Don't feel about that, Denise. I actually was talking about that with Kyle not too long ago. I think its more preference that getting too old. Souljah Boy is wack, and that type of music does and should appeal to an audience that hasn't begun to really use that organ we all possess, called a brain!

Its like when you meet a person in their early 20's that loves oldies (Marvin Gaye, The Supremes.. hell, pretty much all Motown). Would that 23 year old be called an old kat, or just a person that appreciates a certain type of music?

As far I see it, the radio sucks, now! So, I will never be on the up with what is hittin' with Souljah Kid, "My Lipgloss", and some of that other crap... but I can tell ya what's going on in the Electronica scene! :O)

OH yeah.. no kids? AWESOME... you go girl! Its called FREEDOM!

12kyle said...

Nicole
You are funny. You are right, though. You're as old as you feel. When you say that you dance better than your kids...for some reason...I can see you doing that! LOL

Weja
You make a good point. I wouldn't call Souljah Boy wack. His type of music has it's place in rap. Just like there was room for the Fat Boys when we were younger. I wouldn't consider him hip hop but his appeal is to a much younger crowd. I don't begrudge him for that. You know that if somebody offered us an opportunity to rap when we were 16, we would have jumped at it. Remember that rap song we made? LMAO!!! I wouldn't consider myself a threat to Rakim or LL but I was much better than Souljah Boy. Haaaaaa

Anonymous said...

I read through several of the blogs and I completely sympathize with the
group.

On the other hand, the music industry giants are recruitng younger & younger talent. Today's Hip-Hop music is geared toward the 15-26 year old crowd. Think about it...American Idol's cut-off age is 26, ironically they make the contestants sing mostly old school songs...go figure!

Now, what if the artist was an individual in their late 20's or early 30's? They would actually produce music you could normally relate too without feeling old. My parents still listen to the music they grew up on & maybe we should go back as well.

The Jaded NYer said...

Dude! I got "Ma'am"-ed at a TGI Fridays last year... that was it for me...

12kyle said...

@ Jaded NYer
LMAO!! That's funny