# In which I am made to feel old **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 1, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469 "2004-12-01T08:23:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/81 "2004-12-02T19:06:33Z")
I had my first feel old moment two years ago when I was student teaching a class of high school sophomores. Out of the blue one day I realized that these kids did not remember the Challenger explosion because they were either infants or embryos. I was in kindergarten when that happened. I had just turned six. I just made someone else feel old, didn’t I? Sorry. I remember the Challenger explosion very vividly if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/82 "2004-12-02T19:14:10Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > I get to feel old all the time, thanks to my 18-year-old students. > > I’ve learned not to make Monty Python jokes in class, because my students don’t get them. In fact, most of them don’t know who or what Monty Python is. Most of them don’t know about Rocky and Bullwinkle, and many of them remember seeing Ren and Stimpy “when they were little kids.” > > I turn 31 this January (the horror! The horror!), and I’m feeling pretty ancient. They don’t know MONTY PYTHON!?! :eek: These children have had insufficient education! I blame standardized testing and No Child Left Behind. When children don’t know about Monty Python, _every_ child is being left behind. _grumbles_ Why in MY day, we talked my Latin teacher into showing us all of “Life of Brian” IN CLASS instead of just the “Romans go home” scene. And that was in 1997! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/83 "2004-12-02T19:20:31Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > They don’t know MONTY PYTHON!?! :eek: These children have had insufficient education! I blame standardized testing and No Child Left Behind. When children don’t know about Monty Python, _every_ child is being left behind. > > _grumbles_ Why in MY day, we talked my Latin teacher into showing us all of “Life of Brian” IN CLASS instead of just the “Romans go home” scene. And that was in 1997! LUXURY! When I was a wee child, we didn’t get so much as “How Not To Be Seen” in school! They made us watch “Are You Being Served?” as a study in British culture! Tell that to these children today and they won’t believe you… ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/84 "2004-12-02T19:22:20Z")
I was just reminiscing episodes of Sea Hunt, where the special effect was to shake the camera to make it look like a giant octopus was hanging on the ship. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/85 "2004-12-02T19:24:10Z")
I got an invitation to join AARP a few years ago when I was in my mid twenties. I figured they’d just found a way to evaluate my old fart state of mind. 😃 Looking back, I really wish I’d filled the thing out and sent it in. Just to see what their response would have been. I’d be bummed to know that I could have been getting the senior discount all these years. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/86 "2004-12-02T19:30:08Z")
I had one of those moments earlier today, mixed with a _eeewww_ I’m feeling like a dirty old man, moment. I was at a store waiting in line and heard two clerks casually talking. One was a little older than me and the other younger. However, since both were in their work attire, it was kinda hard judging from fashion the exact age, which otherwise tend to clue me in. I was checking out the younger girl, who’s kinda cute with a really friendly face. Of course, I knew I had to be at least ten years her senior,but I can still look, can’t I. Their conversation drifted to plans for the weekend and Younger Girl said she was happy this was her weekend off, since she was gonna celebrate her dad’s birthday. He turns 50. I’m 43. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/87 "2004-12-02T20:05:31Z")
I was adopted at a late age, 11, by a couple who were 23 at the time. Of course to an 11yr old, 23 is ancient! I remember teasing them that I would put them in an old folks home!! Of course now im 34 and they are in their late 40’s, and it has occured to me that if I do put them in a home, I better make sure a bed is next to them since I wont be far behind! The other day I visited my “mom” at the hospital and one of the nurses asked if i was her husband!!! ACKKKKKKK!!! The look on her face was priceless tho when I said “no, im her son”. No I dont look that old, but my mom looks great. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/88 "2004-12-03T00:15:22Z")
Just today I had my Officially Old moment. I tuned in to the local classic rock station at work. They played “Back in Black”. They played “Sweet Home Alabama”. They played “Break On Through”. And they played…“Betterman”. The Pearl Jam song. The Pearl Jam song that appears on their _third_ album, so it’s not like it was even their earliest work! **Vitalogy** only came out in 1994, and that was just… Ten years ago. It’s not that I didn’t think this day would come. No, when I was a young lass I predicted that someday my favorite _new_ group, Pearl Jam, would be featued on classic rock radio stations. And I knew that when this happened, it would be a clear and unmistakable sign that I had become old. Today, my friends, I am old. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/89 "2004-12-03T07:10:57Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I just now received in the mail an invitation to join AARP. > > I am now damn old. When I was 19, Mrs. Cardinal got an invitation to join AARP, with the sample membership card. I put it up in my college dorm window for display. If only they’d put the first name, it would have helped me a lot… ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/90 "2004-12-03T09:29:12Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > I was at the laundromat this morning, where they play a radio station that advertises istself as “ **Today’s best music**.” In between the commercials, traffic reports, and prank phone calls, I heard exactly two songs. The first was a remake of “I’m a Believer.” The second was a remake of “American Woman.” > > Everything old is new again. > > Except us, dammit. I like both of those remakes, despite being OTD (older than dirt :D), as well as the originals. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/91 "2004-12-03T10:58:33Z")
My old moment came the day my son asked me about a box of “big CDs” he found at my dad’s house. “Big CDs,” I repeated blankly. “You know, the big CDs! Grandpa said they were yours; there was, like, something called “Shirley and Squirrely” or something.” At that point I realized he had found a box of old LPs. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/92 "2004-12-03T12:20:20Z")
> [@Marlitharn](#): > > My old moment came the day my son asked me about a box of “big CDs” he found at my dad’s house. > “Big CDs,” I repeated blankly. > “You know, the big CDs! Grandpa said they were yours; there was, like, something called “Shirley and Squirrely” or something.” > > At that point I realized he had found a box of old LPs. Heheheheheheheheeee… _Hello, Shirley! This here’s Squirrelly!_ It’s got squirrels! And CB slang! How can one not love it? ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/93 "2004-12-03T14:06:06Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Just today I had my Officially Old moment. > > I tuned in to the local classic rock station at work. They played “Back in Black”. They played “Sweet Home Alabama”. They played “Break On Through”. And they played…“Betterman”. > > The Pearl Jam song. > > The Pearl Jam song that appears on their _third_ album, so it’s not like it was even their earliest work! **Vitalogy** only came out in 1994, and that was just… > > Ten years ago. > > It’s not that I didn’t think this day would come. No, when I was a young lass I predicted that someday my favorite _new_ group, Pearl Jam, would be featued on classic rock radio stations. And I knew that when this happened, it would be a clear and unmistakable sign that I had become old. > > Today, my friends, I am old. This reminds me of the time when I heard the local “new rock” station refer to Nirvana as “old school.” If by “old school” they meant “better than the crap that’s being recorded today,” I agree. If they meant “old” then I guess I need those AARP memberships everyone else is getting. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/94 "2004-12-04T00:25:42Z")
> [@davmilasav](#): > > My “Oh, God, they think I’m ancient” moment happened when I told one of my coworkers how cool the Bicentennial was. He had never heard of it. :eek: I further freaked him out when I told him I slipped into the world before man landed on the moon! (Okay, only by 4 months but still…) Crap. I remember who my date was, the night we sat up and watched the moon landing. (Her name was Carla, my first love). Crap. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/95 "2004-12-04T00:41:22Z")
I’m 31, and my “I feel old” moment came a couple of months ago when I started going to a new place to get my hair cut. The little cutie-pants who cuts my hair and I were talking about Halloween, and she confessed that she’d gone trick-or-treating as late as high school. Jokingly, I asked “which was what, last year?” and she huffily replied “No! It was like _three_ years ago!” I then realized that if she thought being three years out of high school was a long time, the fact that I’d been out of high school for 13 years that and she was just finishing second grade when I graduated, made me, by definition, ancient. Kids today, I tell you! When we were young, we didn’t try to make our elders feel old! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/96 "2004-12-04T00:58:16Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Just today I had my Officially Old moment. > > I tuned in to the local classic rock station at work. They played “Back in Black”. They played “Sweet Home Alabama”. They played “Break On Through”. And they played…“Betterman”. > > The Pearl Jam song. > > The Pearl Jam song that appears on their _third_ album, so it’s not like it was even their earliest work! **Vitalogy** only came out in 1994, and that was just… > > Ten years ago. > > It’s not that I didn’t think this day would come. No, when I was a young lass I predicted that someday my favorite _new_ group, Pearl Jam, would be featued on classic rock radio stations. And I knew that when this happened, it would be a clear and unmistakable sign that I had become old. > > Today, my friends, I am old. I hate to break this to you but I heard Pearl Jam being played on a classic rock station over a year ago. So, you were officially old _then_. You just didn’t get the news until a few days ago. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/97 "2004-12-04T01:01:47Z")
If the music is too loud… you’re too old. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/98 "2004-12-04T05:12:41Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > If the music is too loud… you’re too old. What if the music that’s too loud is Britney Spears? ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/99 "2004-12-04T06:39:11Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Crap. I remember who my date was, the night we sat up and watched the moon landing. (Her name was Carla, my first love). > > Crap. Oooh, oooh, can I point out that that the moon landing was **17 years** before I was born? It was only 14 years before my sister was born (almost to the day, actually), and she just turned 21 this summer? Sorry. I just…had to. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469/100 "2004-12-04T06:40:18Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Oooh, oooh, can I point out that that the moon landing was **17 years** before I was born? It was only 14 years before my sister was born (almost to the day, actually), and she just turned 21 this summer? > > Sorry. I just…had to. 😃 _glares_ You’re first against the wall when the Silverhaired Revolution rises, missy… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-i-am-made-to-feel-old/277469.md?page=6)