90's Kid

A friend recently asked me what decade I most identify with- "Are you an '80's kid or a '90's kid?"

Now, as much as I love the influence the '80s had on my childhood, after hearing rumors of an S Club 7 reunion, I have to firmly place my allegiance in the 90's Kid Camp. I don't think an '80's kid would have tried to simultaneously jump and make an 'S' in the air as many times as I did. 

 These rumors have ushered in a smile on my face and a healthy dose of nostalgia! Because of my age, I get the most nostalgic when I listen to mid-late '90's pop music. I'm the first to admit that this era is ripe with the cheesiest tunes around, but there's always a special place in your heart reserved for songs you know all the words to but haven't hear in over a decade. :) I've included some gems for your enjoyment.

Spice Girls-Stop(1997)

Not only do I know the words, I know the actions.

S Club 7-You're My Number One(2000*)

This was my favorite S Club video. They're just so much fun!

*I know, not an official '90's group, but because they're the reason for this post, I'm including them.

All Saints-Never Ever(1998)

I made one of the teens in my youth group listen to this song a couple days ago and his question was, "This song was a hit?" My answer? Yes, yes it was.

Five-Everybody Get Up(1998)

Me and my friends would blast Five driving home from school.

Take That-Sure(1995)

A couple of my friends and I LOVED Take That. We watched as many music videos as her VHS tapes could hold. :) You also have to love the net shirts.

Semisonic-Closing Time(1999)

Now matter how overplayed this song was(and it really, really was), you're probably a '90's kid if you've ever, after hearing someone say 'closing time', started singing "You don't have to go home but you can't stay here. I know who I want to take me home!!"

The Cardigans-Lovefool(1996)

This is the classic drives-me-crazy-because-once-I-hear-it-once-I-know-it'll-be-in-my-head-all-day-but-I-still-can't-help-but-sing-along song. :)

I could sit here for hours adding songs and memories but I'll leave it at that.

As far as music goes, I'm a '90's kid. What about you?

Lyrics Say Wha?!

I am a strong believer in confidently singing along to songs, even if you're not completely sure of the lyrics. Sometimes, when I eventually find out the lyrics, I still sing it the old way. As ridiculous as it is, I feel a bit rebellious and silly when I intentionally sing the wrong lyrics. And, honestly, sometimes I just forget the real lyrics. :) Here are just a few songs I always mix up:

Bon Iver- Blood Bank

Real Lyric: I'm in love with your honor.

I'm in love with your cheeks.

Jenn Lyric: I'm in love with Your Honor(as in Judge)

I'm in love with your cheese.

Foster The People-Hustling (Life On The Nickel)

Real Lyric: Yet again I'm hustling, hustling, hustling

Jenn Lyric:  Get my Ross on, Ross on, Ross on.

Angels and Airwaves- The Adventure

Real Lyric: I can't live, I can't breathe, unless you do this with me.

Jenn Lyric: I can't live, I can't breathe, unless Judy's with me.

If I'm being completely honest with you, the vast majority of the time, I'm not even singing words. I'm singing the sounds that I hear. Complete. Gibberish. But it's gibberish with gusto!

Stupid

I don`t like the word stupid. It seems so..harsh. And rude. There has to be a better word you can use to say whatever it is you`re trying to say. However...it`s the only word that comes to my mind when I see things like this:

I really don`t understand why people think things like this are funny. I`m even more dumbfounded when I see people claiming `that`s totally me!! hahahahahaha!`

Really, people? Really?

Table For One

  Being a "single" in a world largely filled with "pairs", once was, and still can be at times, daunting. Intimidating. Honestly, depressing. But I've learned to look for the perks and embrace my alone-ness. I used to envy the built-in adventure buddy that so many of my friends had. Another person to suggest awesome outings or memory making moments. I was left to my own devices and ideas.

  I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I slowly came to realize that my "pair" friends were having the same boring Saturday nights I was. If I wanted to go do something, I was going to do it. Was I seriously going to wait until someone came into my life and told me, "Hey! Know what would be fun? Frisbee!!" Heck no!*  So I decided to start doing things by myself-going to movies, out for dinner, exploring the city. It became a mini mission to start making adventures of my own. There have been some awkward moments of my solo journey's, but there have been some great moments too. For example, when I decided to go see my first movie alone. There was a very small voice in the very back of my mind saying, "You know what's going to happen? You're going to walk into that theater and it's going to be filled with couples and groups who are all going to be thinking-What the?! Who goes to a movie alone?? Loser!" It was just a small voice, but it was there just the same. So, it was with a bit of apprehension when I turned to corner to find my seat in the theater(the movie was just starting) only to find it completely empty, save one person. Another person having a solo movie night. Awesome. I told that very small voice to shut it, found the best seat in the house and enjoyed the movie.

  I've become comfortable with being alone. I am by no means turning in my people-person badge, but as an overall extrovert, it's allowed me to indulge my introvert tendencies. It's given me a bit of a more balanced life.

  Some people get uncomfortable when single people talk about being single. There's a pained look of sympathy that sometimes crosses there face as if they're saying, "I'm just so sorry you have to live through this. Singleness. That is the. worst. Chin up, you'll make it through." There may be some of you reading this who are super uncomfortable with the fact that I'm drawing attention to the fact that you're uncomfortable. To you I say-I'm not living with a terminal illness. I'm not crying myself to sleep every night. I'm not constantly drowning my sorrows in Ben and Jerry's. I'm happy and always looking for the next adventure. I'm sorry if you're sad for me, but chin up, you'll make it through.

*Please don't think I try to play frisbee by myself, because that would be depressing. It was just an example.

Wasted

I know I'm not old, objectively speaking. However, as I look back over my first decade of adulthood, I often think-where have the years gone? I'll be turning 30 in a year and a half and I'm already starting to panic. Crazy, I know. But when I think of all the things I still want to accomplish and experience, the expression, 'Youth is wasted on the young', begins to resonate with me.

But then I think-if youth is wasted on the young, what is being wasted on me?

What do I have that I don't appreciate? What gifts, resources, opportunities am I squandering? What blessings in my life am I blind to?

Higher Standard

I understand that we women come with our own unique style of communication. Reading between the lines is much more necessary with us than with our male counterparts. However, I don't believe that simply because we're women, that gives us free reign to intentionally trap people with our words. So, when I read things like this, it makes me ashamed to belong to a gender that would proudly claim this as their own. Are we not intelligent people? Can we not be respectful enough to the people around us to simply state what we're thinking?

Now, I have, on many occasions uttered an insincere 'fine', 'it's ok' and alike. However, and I sometimes need reminding of this, if that's what I'm saying, I need to be accountable for my words. If I say 'it's ok' and it's not, I take responsibility for whatever the outcome is. It's my choice to close up and not be honest. I need to deal with whatever it is, so that it is ok, or I need to go back and confess what I'm truly thinking.

To see women proudly boast about the mind games they play makes me shake my head. Truthfully, the above graphic needs to be appropriately relabeled as 5 Passive Aggressive Statements You Can Say To Make Women Appear Immature and Catty. Come on women-hold yourself to a higher standard!

Less Is Less and That's Okay

A number of weeks back, I saw a commercial for a computer program that backs up your information, your "stuff". Important personal information, music, documents, photos-protected. You know the drill. I wasn't that interested in the commercial(to me, computer talk = boring) but my attention was caught near the end when these two phrases were uttered "What are you without your stuff? Better yet, without your stuff, who are you?" Honestly, I sat there for a second wondering, "Did I just hear that? Is this what it's come to?" Now, you may tell me, identity theft is not a joke. I completely agree, it's not. You need to take the necessary steps to protect against identity theft(I hear Norton's good). However, since I saw that commercial, I've been seeing that message everywhere-without your stuff, who are you? Commercials, magazines, TV shows, radio ads, everywhere. I know it's been there for years, but I had never heard it so clearly put before and it's got me to thinking. More and more, I'm seeing products, whether that be technology, vehicles, music, whatever, being promoted as identity and it's frightening. Think about that for a second. I certainly hope that my identity is not resting on my dented, rusted, run down Sunfire, or I'm in trouble.

When did we start thinking that we are owed a comfortable life? Not even that, that we're owed a convenient life. The new feature on the newest iPhone4S, Siri, is almost obscene to me. According to the Apple website, 'It’s like you’re having a conversation with your iPhone'. And that doesn't scare anyone else? Can we not function on a basic human level without our technology?

We, first world-ers, are very quick to "blame" our excessive living conditions on circumstance. For example, "Can I help it if this is where I was born? It's not my fault! I'm just trying to keep up/stay current/be relevant in my society/culture!" Did you follow all that? :)

It's true, save extreme measures, we can't help where we live. But we can help how we consume and how much we consume. Sometimes, the better choice is just not to buy that new whozit or whatzit. Sometimes the upgrade isn't necessary. Sometimes you should go without because you don't have to live with more. Sometimes, less is less and that's okay.