Triple Celebration
In celebration of the President’s birthday –
and in celebration of me taking a couple of days off –
and finally –
in celebration of my one year blog anniversary –
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Here’s a post from last year when I first started blogging.
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A PRESIDENTIAL – BUT NONPOLITICAL – MILESTONE
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Disclaimer: As the title indicates, this is not a political post. There is no agenda. This essay is, as always, just about me and my vanity.
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Barack Obama’s election to the Presidency was historic in all the ways that have been celebrated, discussed, and debated for the last few years.
But his election also set a personal milestone for me too – although I didn’t realize it until a few weeks ago.
I am older than the President of the United States!
And not just a little bit – as the pundits discussed the President’s fiftieth birthday, I was stricken with the fact that I am a decade older than the President of the United States.
I mean, THAT”S OLD!
In my childhood, presidents were wiser, older. Think Eisenhower. Wasn’t he about eighty?
And young presidents, like my beloved Jack Kennedy – well, he wasn’t young to me. I was twelve when he was killed. And Johnson aged before my eyes in the mid-sixties.
Presidents were old. And you believed in them because of all their vast experience.
But now I have crested that moment when suddenly I am on the other side of the age mountain, and there is no going back. I don’t think there will ever again be a president older than I.
Gradually, but steadily, my life is being overtaken by youth.
First was that all-important person, my hairdresser. I didn’t mind; I told myself that a younger woman will be hipper, and that will be good for me.
Then it was my doctor. Okay, I thought, just out of med school means he is up to date on all the latest scientific knowledge, and that will be good for me.
Then there was the police. Here certainly youth is a good thing – ensuring that our cops have the strength and reflexes to respond to dangerous situations. Like the young trooper dude who helped me break into my house when I locked myself out.
Then it was my boss. I’ve tried to look on the bright side here too. My young boss still has young kids; she’ll understand the difficult balance between work life and home life.
So I’ve given it my best shot to be philosophic about the whole thing.
But the truth is: I’m annoyed.
Government and work and medical care –and my hair – are going to be decided by people less experienced than myself. More and more over the years, more and more pieces of my life will be ruled by WHIPPERSNAPPERS. No, let me change ‘whippersnappers’ – because that makes me sound even older. My life will be ruled by PUNKS.
God, I hope they are wise punks.
- Posted in: Aging ♦ Humor ♦ Memories
- Tagged: Aging, Barack Obama, Humor, middle-age, President, President of the United States
notquiteold 
older = more fabulous
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Happy Anniversary!! Long may you continue delighting with your writing!
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I am exactly 3 weeks older than Barack Obama. I have always felt a certain connection. We are both part of the weird in-between generation – not quite baby boomers, not quite Generation X. We were the generation that came of age during stagflation and the switch to the extreme selfishness of the Reagan years. There is another connection as well – we both grew up in vaguely counter cultural academic families. We both moved constantly as kids, and spent time overseas. But…I didn’t end up at Harvard Law, and I didn’t end up as President. Oh well.
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I completely relate to this. I’ve been the older one at work since age 28 when I made peanuts at the local newspaper and worked with young whipper snappers fresh out of journalism school. Let me tell you, I only slightly wanted to annihilate the little 23-year-old cutie pies who would say shocked “OH my god!! YOU’RE 28!!?!!” Now that I’m older, I hate it even more. “Oh, I was 3 when you graduated high school! Isn’t that funny?” No. No it’s not.
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Happy Blogiversary! You’re a fine wine my dear, your vintage is in demand. =)
You’re not the first to call me a Punk lol
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Happy anniversary!
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I remember reading this last year. I like it even more the second time around. Happy 1st anniversary.
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In the past two years, I’ve had two managers that are only as old as my son. It’s kinda funny. They were brought up correctly by their mothers and have a nice healthy dose of respect for their elders, so are uncomfortable “managing” direct reports older than themselves. I think it’s cute.
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Happy Anniversary. What a great first post. I remember when I realized that my Dad was born the same year as JFK and how odd it must be to have a president the same age. Dad would have turned 95 last week.
But you know, there is hope for you and me. Maybe Hilary will run in 2016! Or Elizabeth Warren who is currently 63. There is hope. We are not dead yet. Nor are we older than everyone. (Of course I stopped the clock at 54.5.)
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A little anniversary gift for you in the form of a Liebster Award nomination. Follow the rules or skip ‘em but know that your writing is appreciated and enjoyed.
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I’m so happy you re-posted this, as I didn’t see it the first time. Funny…in a sad way. Thanks!
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I tell you the whipper snappers (aka: punks) are taking over the world! It makes me a little bit crazy, as they continually refer to me as “Mam”. When exactly did that happen? I just woke up one day and everyone I had to deal with was younger than me and calling me “Mam”. Punks!
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Yeah, that was quite the revelation to me. I am older than the President, no wonder I hate all the politicians I am older than most of them and they are still so arrogant they need a good azz whopping.
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Happy Blogiversary! Great post. I feel the same way about the teachers I work with! How can they possibly know what they are doing if I am older than them?
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Congratulations. Great first post.
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So much better to be ruled by punks rather than whippersnappers.
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Happy anniversary!
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classic notquiteold. and – happy anniversary!
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Happy blogversary! Let us rail against the punks together. For some reason, the young newspaper reporters and arts reviewers bother me more than my kid doctor. How can people critique our culture when they don’t get any of MY references? *shakes cane*
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I remember being horrified when I realized I was older than every player in the Super Bowl. All those guys were always so OLD. And now it’s my turn.
Happy blogoversary! Let the good times roll.
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Congrats on your 1-year mark! And thanks for the re-post–enjoyed reading it….. and I’m well beyond a decade older than the prez……… But, seriously, this is what blows me away: a good many of the 20 and 30-somethings are MUCH more conservative than I am!! Can’t you believe that? Radical grandma, here– I guess. And really, really proud of it!! Woo Hoo!!! (Or, woot! I guess) 🙂
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