What Was It Like When The Beatles Came Over?
Have you ever been mistaken for someone who remembers when the Beatles surfaced in 1962 then had to explain that you were only 5 years old at the time and barely knew about not wearing white after Labor Day? Even if you're at the end of your 50s you were only about 11 or 12. Another event we barely missed was the Vietnam War. I'm constantly confused for someone who protested during the Vietnam War. Not because I look older but, because most people don't realize that people in their 50s weren't even ten years old yet. Just for the record, the war started Nov. 1, 1955. I wasn't born until 1967. It ended in 1975 (April 30th to be exact) and the U.S. troops were pulled out in August 15, 1973. In August 1973 I was only 5 orn 6. So when I'm asked about the Vietnam War as if I experienced the protests and that I cried as my boyfriend or new husband left to fight in it, I'm a little insulted.
Tweenee Boomers
But that aside, we are the group of baby boomers that lived out our teen years without the country being involved in a major war. I feel bless for that. We got the chance to enjoy our adolescence somewhat stressfree and we might be the last generation to do so. We're also computer technology "tweeners". We were raised using typewriters and then later, were catapulted into the age of computer technology and we were expected to be computer savvy to the point that not being so threatened our job security. We, my friends, are the "tweenee boomers"!
Credit Cards
Remember when we were growing up? Hopefully you do! Just joking! Our parents used revolving store credit cards. My mom had a Sears, Macys and some furniture store credit card. There were not many universal credit cards in the 50's and 60's. I also remember cards were given liberally and parents would pay them off immediately. Then, in our generation, when we were raising our kids, credit cards were a neccessary evil. You couldn't rent a car or take a vacation without them. It was as if our money wasn't good enough. It was almost insulting! Then without warning, not only did our lives depend on our cards but our credit card scores determined our lives! We were caught between a rock and a hard place! So, the new rule became, pay the cards off or lose the respect of the car rental companies, hotels, vacation resorts, airlines and other entities.
The generation that came after us was prepared for the transition into a credit card society much more than we ever were. Society held their hand throughout the process. I felt sorry for the single moms who were trying to keep it together and raise their kids in safe, family-oriented neighborhoods. I even knew some two-parent families who were having trouble.
Older, But Not Old
Well that's my take on "tweenee boomers". I will be referring to to this in the future because it has been a pet-peeve for me. We're older, but not old. We're stuck in the middle but we're paving the way for those who'll follow in our wake. We're a formidable generation and we'll be a tough act to follow. I love being fifty-something. In future blogs, I'll be talking about people who are fab over 40 (without noticeable plastic surgery, of course), and people who became millionaires after 40 and 50 (without the internet). Some of those include Lymon Frank Baum, who wrote the Wizard of Oz books, Henry T. Ford the automobile king, and Colonel Harlan Sanders founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken who wasn't a millionaire until he was 74!! years old! I was shocked! Just for the record, he died at 90.
We'll share how we are fabulous. Let me know what you think about this entry. So until the next time stay funky, fab!!
Have you ever been mistaken for someone who remembers when the Beatles surfaced in 1962 then had to explain that you were only 5 years old at the time and barely knew about not wearing white after Labor Day? Even if you're at the end of your 50s you were only about 11 or 12. Another event we barely missed was the Vietnam War. I'm constantly confused for someone who protested during the Vietnam War. Not because I look older but, because most people don't realize that people in their 50s weren't even ten years old yet. Just for the record, the war started Nov. 1, 1955. I wasn't born until 1967. It ended in 1975 (April 30th to be exact) and the U.S. troops were pulled out in August 15, 1973. In August 1973 I was only 5 orn 6. So when I'm asked about the Vietnam War as if I experienced the protests and that I cried as my boyfriend or new husband left to fight in it, I'm a little insulted.
Tweenee Boomers
But that aside, we are the group of baby boomers that lived out our teen years without the country being involved in a major war. I feel bless for that. We got the chance to enjoy our adolescence somewhat stressfree and we might be the last generation to do so. We're also computer technology "tweeners". We were raised using typewriters and then later, were catapulted into the age of computer technology and we were expected to be computer savvy to the point that not being so threatened our job security. We, my friends, are the "tweenee boomers"!
Credit Cards
Remember when we were growing up? Hopefully you do! Just joking! Our parents used revolving store credit cards. My mom had a Sears, Macys and some furniture store credit card. There were not many universal credit cards in the 50's and 60's. I also remember cards were given liberally and parents would pay them off immediately. Then, in our generation, when we were raising our kids, credit cards were a neccessary evil. You couldn't rent a car or take a vacation without them. It was as if our money wasn't good enough. It was almost insulting! Then without warning, not only did our lives depend on our cards but our credit card scores determined our lives! We were caught between a rock and a hard place! So, the new rule became, pay the cards off or lose the respect of the car rental companies, hotels, vacation resorts, airlines and other entities.
The generation that came after us was prepared for the transition into a credit card society much more than we ever were. Society held their hand throughout the process. I felt sorry for the single moms who were trying to keep it together and raise their kids in safe, family-oriented neighborhoods. I even knew some two-parent families who were having trouble.
Older, But Not Old
Well that's my take on "tweenee boomers". I will be referring to to this in the future because it has been a pet-peeve for me. We're older, but not old. We're stuck in the middle but we're paving the way for those who'll follow in our wake. We're a formidable generation and we'll be a tough act to follow. I love being fifty-something. In future blogs, I'll be talking about people who are fab over 40 (without noticeable plastic surgery, of course), and people who became millionaires after 40 and 50 (without the internet). Some of those include Lymon Frank Baum, who wrote the Wizard of Oz books, Henry T. Ford the automobile king, and Colonel Harlan Sanders founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken who wasn't a millionaire until he was 74!! years old! I was shocked! Just for the record, he died at 90.
We'll share how we are fabulous. Let me know what you think about this entry. So until the next time stay funky, fab!!
Feel free to post your opinions and ideas about my "misunderstood" post. Do you agree? disagree? Let me know.
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