You know you're getting old when...

I go into this post with some hesitations; with risk of sounding like an old lady. However, it must be said!

Were we THAT DUMB when we were teenagers?

I don't recall ever ripping my pants on purpose - especially in winter. If I went home with rips in my jeans all up the leg, my mom probably would have shot me.

I never put 20 holes in my face to "look cool" (FYI - it doesn't look cool, at least not on everyone).

I NEVER wore clothes that showed off my underwear (alright, this one, isn't just teenagers).

I didn't do drugs - I didn't smoke - I rarely drank.

I didn't dye my hair funky colors and cut it weird...

I mean, maybe it's the small town girl in me coming out. But perhaps it isn't. Are teenagers really getting weirder and weirder?

I always used my manners as I was growing up. I didn't jay walk (mostly because there's nowhere to jay walk where I come from). I certainly didn't give any adults the finger! The only adult I used attitude with was my mother, but, come on, that's NORMAL. And my step-dad. Oh, wait, I called one of my teachers an asshole once. I got suspended for half the day. But he WAS being an asshole. But other than that - complete and utter respect.

I stole a car when I was 15. In my defence (partially), I was under the influence of peer pressure, and it WAS my car. Well, it was to be my car. My great uncle Ron still won't let me live it down...

OH! I didn't write all over my shoes!!! Especially expensive shoes! I think I wrote on some $5 shoes, in fact, I'm sure I did. But IF my mom had bought me really nice, expensive shoes, I am sure I would not have written on them.
I was not a perfect teenager. So, that's not what this post is supposed to be about. It's not supposed to be me "touting" my own horn.

I will say this, though - maybe I'm just noticing it more, because I live in the city now - but kids these days seem to have it harder than our generation did. You know, if you're different, you can't just go home to get away from it all - because the bullies follow you. They text, Facebook message, tweet, email, until the whole world knows you are "different", even if that "different" is good.

The more I think about it, the more I realize, it's really the adults with the problems. WE are the ones who are raising our children to think that different is bad. When, in all actuallity, different is good. Different is unique. Can you imagine if we were all the same? How boring would life be!?! If we all wore the same clothes, had the same hair, the same attitudes, you know? My son is learning acceptance from me. Just because someone looks different or acts different doesn't make them a "black sheep". It makes them human.

Anyway, I've gotten off topic. And since I am already off topic, I will post one of my all-time favorite songs. Great message, great Canadian musician.

Classified ft. Chad Hatcher "All About You"

Chad Hatcher

Life’s not what you take, it’s not about the promises you make.

It’s not about the friends you might of made or love that is gone.

Life is what you give, it’s not about the stupid things you did.

Its not about the way things could have been, it’s about moving on.

It’s all about you.

So every morning when you wake before the first step that you take,

Just think it’s all what you make it, and you’ll make it through.

Classified

This life will leave you stressed out, left out, with your neck out, ain’t nothing changed.

Real life, so we deal right, but it feels like it's something strange.

We wondering, the dumbest things, and let every thing get under our skin.

Trouble again, trying to impress somebody else is fucked in the head.

So do you. You’ll never make every one happy, it just won’t happen.

But the end of the day when all say is said, you better be ready to go back at ‘em.

I learn slow, my verse show’s my growth my wisdom.

If your positive or you negative, It don’t make a difference not when you living.

‘Cause some of the most successful people on this planet, will kill them selves or somebody else. Life they really couldn’t manage.

Then we got bums, alcoholics on the streets. With no stress, no where to rest, no where to dress, no where to sleep.

And they say: fuck my morals, I'm drinking away my sorrow, I’m living life and I’m happy, I ain’t thinking about tomorrow.

Chad Hatcher

It’s all about you.

So every morning when you wake before the first step that you take, just think it’s all what you make it, and you’ll make it through.

It’s all about you.

So every morning when you wake before the first step that you take, just think it’s all what you make it, and you’ll make it through.

Life is what it brings, it’s not about cars and fancy things.

Or hair salons and diamond rings girls. Don’t you lose no sleep.

Life is all about, the things you’ll never figure out.

It’s all about the people you love, and memories you keep.

Classified

This here is life, so tell me who chooses what’s wrong and right.

Is it what we see on TV, get a job raise a family.

That’s how I was raised, how I was brought up, get a wife a son and a daughter.

That’s how I was taught to be proper, never thought anyone can get caught up.

But slowly I grew up, and the fairy tail quickly vanished.

Realized that life’s a bitch, and shit you gotta be able to stand it.

And you gotta be able to handle it, the stress and the pressure you channel it.

And you learn to cope at the end of your rope, anyway that you can with liquor or dope.

Or work hard raise your kids, strip clubs what ever it is.

Smoke weed, shoot hoops. What ever you find your happiness through.

It’s your life. Just make sure you know what you want when you go to get it.

Keep doing this shit for you. Not your crew, or the dude you tryin' to impress kid.

Life is simple, life is hard, and yeah life is fun.

So enjoy the things around you. Before your life is done.

Chad Hatcher

It’s all about you.

So every morning when you wake before the first step that you take, just think it’s all what you make it, and you’ll make it through.

It’s all about you.

So every morning when you wake before the first step that you take, just think it’s all what you make it, and you’ll make it through.