When I was your age.....

Okay, I'm not really that old to be allow to say that. As a working mom, living in the 'burbs, on the downside of the 30-something mountain, there are things that I use to do, but don't anymore. See, I work in a big NYC ad agency. The average age of the people sitting around my cubicle is probably 26. I overhear things. These things bring up memories, and my inside voice starts to say "When I was your age...."

1 - Bars
Then: I remember hitting a new bar every night after work. My goal was be a regular in my local watering hole and have at least one drink in a bar south of Union Square. I think I did that. I don't really remember. Side effect of drinking too much??
Now: I don't remember the last time I step foot in a bar. (more side effects??) Honestly, the last time I was in a bar was for dinner at the local bar and grill.

2 - Dating
Then: I had a healthy dating life. Had my share of heartaches and broken my share of hearts. Also had a goal of dating someone from every country Western Hemisphere. I think I got 3 or 4 down. Oh well.
Now: The Mister, end of story. He's of Russian decent and from Long Island. Maybe I can count that as 2 countries.

3 - Traveling
Then: Loading 5 friends in a rental mini-van, driving straight to Vail for a 5-day snowboarding trip. Piling 20+ people into a rental house in Lake Placid for Thanksgiving Ski Trip. Flying to London on a whim to crash at a friend's flat for New Years Eve. Trekking solo from Milan to Samos (small Greek island) for a week-long sailing trip.
Now: Vacation? what vacation? Flying with a baby and everything that goes with it?? You must be joking. Taking the baby and the in-laws to a beach rental in Maine for a week is closest thing to a vacation in the last 2 years.

4 - Living arrangements
Then: Lucky to not have to deal with roommates. But had a Manhattan apartment the size of a closet. Only used it for sleeping and cleaning up.
Now: Mortgage, property taxes, school quality, resell value, fancy kitchen, keeping up with the Joneses. At least I can fit 2 of my old apartments in my kitchen now.

All you city-dwelling young'ens. Enjoy your twenties coz your thirties will catch up with you. Your baby will guide your decisions, not just you.


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What was I Listening to?

So, I created a late '80s early 90's hair band Pandora station (love technology). Now I can listen to the music I grew up with any time I want. No more tapes. No more waiting. I am shocked and aghast at the lyrics of those songs. I was barely into my teens when my friends and I screamed along at the top of our lungs. It never occurred to me at the time to really listen to what these hair bands were singing about. Now, I'm much older and finally got around to really listen. Whoa!!! Warrant's "Cherry Pie", Bulletboys' "Smooth Up" (in ya), and Winger's "17"? Don't need to be a genius to know what those songs were about.

My mom didn't speak much English then, and she worked 10+ hours days to put food on the table. Screening what I was listening to probably wasn't high on her priority list.

Now, I'm the mom of a little girl, I will have to assume the role of censor. Granted, my little girl is only 2. Her song list consists of Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle, and ABC. But, it won't be long until she graduates to something a bit more mature. Am I prepared? What will I do? What will I say?

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Marketer Marketed

Gillette, kudos to you!  Yes, I remember from grad school marketing class, Gillette is one of the kings of marketing. But, i still give props when it’s deserved.I’m one of those women who needs to use razors but the last time I bought new ones for myself was probably in the early 2000. Not that I don’t need new ones more often, my stubbly legs would attest to that fact that I should change the near rusted razors more often. But I also know that Schick and Gillette make their money from selling the razor handles cheap and charging gazillion for the razors. Not buying new ones is my misguided way of “sticking it to the Man”.

I’ve been using Schicks’ brand razor that I think has been discontinued. It’s the one with tiny wires over the blades so that klutzes like me don’t slice our legs up and bleed to death. But, about a month ago, I ordered something from drugstore.com, and it came with a free Gillette Venus Breeze. Its one of those 2 in one things. The shave lotion is built into the razor itself.  No fuss no muss.  After using it for a month, the lotion part is gone and the blade is pretty dull.   Instead of going back to my old trusty rusty Schick, i went in search for replacement cartridges for the Breeze.  And I somewhat willingly paid $11 for a pack of 4 cartridges.  Gillette, you got me.  Too bad I’m not going to be in your high-revenue generating category of consumer.

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Saturday Morning Cartoons

I'm way past that age.  I would rather sleep in on Saturday mornings than get up to watch cartoons.  Nowadays, I don't really have a choice.  The kiddo wakes up, I get up.  But, when I look at her, I ponder, will she ever have that anticipation every Saturday morning?  I remember when I was a kid, Saturday morning was a snow day every week.  1 - No school, 2 - cartoons.

I still remember the Smurfs are from 9-10, Pac Man, Snorks, Scooby Doo, Bugs Bunny, and whatever the 5 network channels had to offer.  By 12 noon, cartoons are done and it's time to get back to the real world.  And the anticipation and gratification will begin again after the last class on Friday afternoon.  People in my age group still fondly talk about their Saturday Morning Cartoons experiences.

My little girl probably never will.  Now, she gets all her cartoon fix from her iPhone/Youtube anytime, any day.  There's no waiting for NBC to decide to put the Smurfs on at 9AM on Saturday.  There's no sitting through commercials.  Or knowing that at 12 noon, there will be no more cartoons.  She also will not sit around the kitchen table with other 30-something friends reminiscing about those many hours vegging in front of the TV with only 5 channels that you have to get off the floor to change.

Other things that she won't reminisce about:

• 1st album (those big round plastic things) she bought with her own money


• 1st tape she bought and played in the car


• 1st CD she got (CD was the awesomest thing, until iPod, iPhone, mp3, etc.)

She might reminisce with her friends about:

• The 1st silicon chip she bought and embedded into herself for easy communication.


• The 1st true immersive hologram experience (a real Holodeck)

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Energy draining

Why do I do this to myself? It's one of those things that I, probably many women, do to ourselves. It's nothing dramatic or harmful, but this hobby of mine definitely draining. It's not like I have much energy to drain after working in an office, commuting to said office, and spending time with my little girl. What am I talking about? Sad and sappy books.

Yes, books. I read religiously on my daily 45 minute train ride into NY. So I get through quite many books for someone who has a full-time job and an active toddler.  Instead of picking out fun entertaining book, I pick intense fares like Emma Donoghue's Room: A Novel.  I'm not going to reveal much about the book, but for a new mom with a young child, the book is chilling and scary.   Now I'm onto Nicholas Spark's Dear John.  It will probably end well, but it's definitely a tear jerker.  Granted, I haven't cried on the train yet, but there been times that I came very close.

Maybe the next one will be something light and fluffy.  I hear Snooki is a published author now.

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