"Next thing I knew, she was all up on me screamin'..."
I had forgotten all about this song until I heard it on the radio yesterday. Since it's the weekend and I've been dancing for most of it, I figured a good dance song would make my choice for "Song of the Day." This one just makes you wanna move, so get on up and dance...
Its 6:30 Saturday evening and it’s the end of a beautiful day. I’d like to think that my dad gave us this wonderful sunshine in honor of his birthday and it couldn’t have been nicer except if it was a little warmer. Anyway, on with today’s post…
There’s a theme to today’s piece, and its one I’ve been thinking about for awhile. I may try and tackle it one day on Examiner, but for now I’ll take it from my own first-person point of view. At the risk of dating myself, I’ve come to be really disappointed in today’s youth, especially the gay ones. The Black Eyed Peas had a song on their “The E.N.D.” album called “NOW Generation.” Though there wasn’t a video for the song, I will post the audio for it below. The song talks about the narcissism and impatience of today’s generation of youngsters and I think it speaks volumes about them and the future.
Being my age in the gay community is an aberration, and abnormality. The young ones would just as soon not have us around. Just like in the entertainment business, someone my age is considered old and left for the proverbial pasture. Well I don’t feel old. In fact I feel better now than I ever did before and I think I look a lot younger than I am, yet even I feel the effects of the loathing that today’s youth generally has for us folks and I don’t like it.
"I'm not cocky...I just love myself!" - C. Aguilera
I am speaking from experience here and I will back it up with a couple of stories below. You see, I’ve never pursued a young person anywhere, but the ones I’ve had contact with have all pursued me. At this point in time I’ve had enough bad experiences that I’m starting to feel disdain for them in the same way they do us. All I can say is that karma is a bitch and Father Time yields to no one. Those who choose to act like assholes towards older people or anyone else for that matter will get it back someday. I only wish I was going to be around to see it!
Splash Friday
Last night did not turn out well. My friend and I met up as planned and had a decent time for awhile. Around 2AM, the two of us had gone downstairs to check out the music and we were dancing. Some guy who was dancing nearby came up and started dancing with me as I had my back to my friend. In a flash, he made a beeline away from us and around the bar. When I saw this I immediately went after him, but lost him in the crowd. WTF? I looked upstairs and there he was, dancing on the dance floor by himself, oblivious to the fact that I was even there.
It was typical, strange behavior that I’d experienced before with him. As I mentioned the other day, he’s young and very young-minded, narcissistic and rude. All he had to have done was say that he was going to check out the scene upstairs and I would’ve been fine with that, but he chose to be rude about it. And to make matters worse, he didn’t even realize he was being rude.
I was pissed and went straight to the coat room and left. I texted him from the car, telling him that I had left, but before calling him a few choice words. In about five minutes the texts started flying. You see, I was his ride home and of course, being the (dumb-idiotic-jerky) nice guy that I am, I ended up going back to the bar to get him. It was a good thing he texted me when he did because I was almost at the Midtown tunnel and beyond going back.
The ride home was awkward and I think he actually made a date towards the end of the ride, for he was texting back and forth with someone and it was 3:30AM. I dropped him off and figured it was the last I’d hear from him…at least that’s what I wanted, but he texted me this morning apologizing for what happened. I think he’d like to go to Splash again with me, but believe me, it won’t be for awhile!
Vanity is an appropriate name
Last week I mentioned a Facebook friend of mine named Craig Vanity. He’s a deejay who makes a lot of great mash-ups of dance songs. I put a link to his website and mentioned doing a future piece on him, but I think that’s all done with now. Well, he turned out to be another ass of today’s generation.
After posting about him on the blog, I sent him an email telling him about the mention and asking him if he’d answer some questions for a piece. I never received a response, but he posted something on his wall that I think referred to me. It went:
“really ppl aka creeps, stop messaging me in my inbox askin for my number and dick pix, thank you and gnite”
It’s obvious that if it was intended for me, the man doesn’t read, nor can he write. He probably just saw my face and age and came up with a conclusion, a wrong conclusion…and all because he doesn’t bother to read. In looking over his wall, I can see he’s typical of young people today: he uses a lot of profanity, talks about random inane things, and he doesn’t work. Well, of course I don’t know everything about the guy, but he gave up an opportunity to possibly be seen and heard by people who might never have ever heard of him otherwise, and for that I think he’s a jackass! Remember karma!
Of course there’s much more to the story. These are but two individuals that i have come in contact with who only see the world as being centered around their young selves. Of course, every generation has had that certain cockiness and self-serving minds, but this time it’s different. In this day of instant electronic messaging from a wide ranging set of mediums, they are an impatient, me-first generation, unlike their predessessors. They are the NOW Generation.
*Of course, this post generalizes a great deal. I have to acknowledge that there are a great number of people in today's generation who do not exhibit the qualities of narcissism and rudeness I've described above. The opinions expressed are based on personal experiences with a couple of young gay men, among many others I come across in daily life and are not meant to paint everyone with this broad brush. The folks that do exhibit these behaviors, though, do deserve to be exposed.
NOW Generation
We are the now generation
We are the generation now
This is the now generation
This is the generation now
I want money
I want it want it want it
Fast internet
Stay connected in a jet
Wi-fi, podcast
Blasting out an SMS
Text me and I text you back
Check me on the iChat
I'm all about that h t t p
You're a PC I'm a Mac
I want it..
Myspace in your space
Facebook is a new place
Dip divin' socializin'
I'll be out in cyber space
Google is my professor
Wikipedia checker
Checkin my account
Loggin in and loggin out
Baby I want it..
Now!
This is the now generation
This is the generation now
We are the now generation
I want I want I want it now
I want the cold hard cash
I want I want I want it now
And I just can't wait
I need it immediately
And I just can't wait
I want it immediately
Cause time can't wait and
I sure can't wait
I ain't got no patience
I sure can't wait
We are the now generation
We are the generation now
This is the now generation
This is the generation now
I want money
I want cold hard cash
I'll take your dollar and your euro
And you'll have a blast
So take your day and your credit
And stick it up your ass
And do it now!
I want it now!
Big money, give me mo' money
(Yeah I want it now!)
I need cas.. oh I need it bad
(I want it now!)
Quick in a hurry
Like your name is Flash
(I want it now!)
You make me wait?
And Im'a whip your ass
(I want it now!)
I want it now baby!
(Now!)
I want it
(Now!)
I want it
(Now!)
Now!
Fast, rapido
Really quick like torpedo
Need for speed is my credo
You need to feed this negrito
Sender, buyer, brother boat
Rapid like a thunder bolt
Activated rock the boat
Just ask Barack who broight the hope to
Now!
It was a now generation
And I just can't wait
I need it immediately
And I Just can't wait
I want it immediately
Cause if time can't wait then
I sure can't wait
I ain't got no patience
No I just can't wait
Not again
Expedite
No time for procrastination
Expedite
Improve my sensation
Today's "Song of the Day" is a special one. You see, today is my father's 70th birthday, but unfortunately he's no longer with us to celebrate it. Dad passed away suddenly on May 6th, 2009. I tried to think of a song befitting to his honor, and this one came to mind. It's such a heartrending song, it always makes me cry anyway, but as I listen to it now I'm crying for a different reason.
My dad was a unique person. He was a dreamer, a gentle soul, misunderstood much of his life. He fathered seven children during his lifetime, 3 boys and 4 girls. The first one, Kenneth, died only three days after being born, and I was the next of the six remaining children. Though he never got along great with any of us during his lifetime, we all knew he did the very best he knew how and that he loved each and every one of us.
Dad is an angel now, spending his days with Kenneth, my two grandmothers, my grandpa, Aunt Vi, and the many others who have gone from our lives. They say we never appreciate the things we have until they're gone and that couldn't be truer. I never could have imagined what life would be like without him, and I miss him very much every day, but especially today. I wrote a special poem on this day last year that I'd like to share here, as well...though the number is different, the sentiments are the same:
Happy Birthday Dad
Sixty-nine years ago today you were born
Into a world that never quite treated you right.
Still you managed
You came here at a very young age
Moving around from place to place
With no one to guide you but your own experiences
Before you knew it,
You were a grown up father of six
The head of a family
Never really sure how to do it
Still you managed
Your inexperience took its toll
Alienating you from your family
But time heals old wounds
And those bitter memories faded to dust
As you got sick and shed your gruff exterior
You suffered for a very long time,
Never complaining, always smiling!
Still you managed
Though there were many times we thought we'd lose you
The time that we did was still a shock
They say you don't know what you've got til it's gone
So happy 70th birthday dad, our angel. I look forward to seeing you again someday...
Angel, by Sarah McLachlan
Spend all your time waiting For that second chance For a break that would make it okay There’s always one reason To feel not good enough And it’s hard at the end of the day I need some distraction Oh beautiful release Memory seeps from my veins Let me be empty And weightless and maybe I’ll find some peace tonight
In the arms of an angel Fly away from here From this dark cold hotel room And the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage Of your silent reverie You’re in the arms of the angel May you find some comfort there
So tired of the straight line And everywhere you turn There’s vultures and thieves at your back And the storm keeps on twisting You keep on building the lie That you make up for all that you lack It don’t make no difference Escaping one last time It’s easier to believe in this sweet madness oh This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
In the arms of an angel Fly away from here From this dark cold hotel room And the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage Of your silent reverie You’re in the arms of the angel May you find some comfort there You’re in the arms of the angel May you find some comfort here
TGIF! It’s Friday night and the weekend’s just getting going. As I mentioned yesterday, I kind of have a ‘friend’ date tonight with someone who I’ve known for awhile, but never went to a club with. I think the nerves are going away and I’m just looking forward to having a good time!
Kona, in the Flesh
Shhh, please don’t tell, but these are shots of my good friend Kona from Wellington’s (from the Johnny Driver series). The second is her latest Facebook shot and even though I’ve told her a million times that she needs to shave daily, she never listens to me! Poor thing's always had a problem. The second shot was from her communion day a long, long time ago. Actually, it’s a great likeness, my poor friend!
Weekly Roundup of Writing
I’ve penned several articles on Y!CN in the past week and here they are:
I wrote a couple of pieces for Examiner and Textbroker, but the Examiner ones are just informational pieces that don’t need to be shared here. I’m hoping to begin working on the new season of Johnny Driver soon, as well as some personal pieces which I haven’t done in a long time, so stay tuned.
Photos
Here are a couple of cool photos I found around while browsing the Internet this week:
A Nice Slow Jam…
Here’s a song for you to enjoy. This one’s a rap song by lesbian rappers God-Des and She. I first heard it on LOGO’s weekly countdown last year and I just love it for its old-school groove and just about everything else! It’s in my iTunes list of All Time Favorite Songs and if you like a good, slow jam, then check it out. It just might make yours, too!
Doesn’t the object of God-Des’ affection look like J-Lo? Have a great Friday night!
