New Jen's Horde


Thursday, June 01, 2006

Thursday Thirteen

 

Thirteen Thoughts about THE PASSAGE OF TIME


1. We all went to the Zoo last night. They were holding an after-hours picnic for members. The topic was "bugs" and they had the Butterfly Pavilion folks come and set up booths.

2. They also released 140,000 ladybugs into the zoo's foliage, as natural protection against aphids. They gave the kids handfuls of ladybugs and allowed them to carry them over the to the trees and let them go. Everyone was covered with ladybugs, they were in our hair and on our clothes, and one even made its way up Anya's sleeve.

3. At one point, the gum I was chewing suddenly crunched. I just threw it away without looking at it, I have a feeling I know what happened.

4. Ugh.

5. There was also a wild gang of roaming teens there. They were dressed like a cross between the mods from Quadrophenia, and garden variety goths.

6. They were doing the usual goofy things that my friends and I did as teenagers. They all climbed on the hippo statue to get a photo taken, one girl pretended to have a British accent.

7. They even carried on loud and outrageous conversations, "Have you ever eaten anyone? Were they tasty?" etc.

8. It was sort of painful to watch. Had it been so obvious to everyone that WE were trying to be loud and outrageous? They truly seemed harmless, they didn't cause me any alarm. Just that recollection of being nearly the same way, and thinking at the time it was coming across as way cooler than I now see that it was.

9. I considered saying something, to possibly clue them in. Like, we all know she's not from England, and that you never ate anybody. You look interesting, I like the style, but you're trying way too hard.

10. Then, digging way down in the memory banks, it occurred to me that even though they were doing all of this for the benefit of the people around them, ie the families at the zoo, they really didn't care what we all thought of it. Because, of course, we are hopelessly obtuse and couldn't possibly understand their delicate nature anyway.

11. Realizing this, I came up with the ultimate zinger. It was something I know to be true from the experiences of my wild friends and I. I immediately decided not to use it, because it was a scary and mindblowing concept to consider at that age, and they probably wouldn't believe me anyway. And, if they did get it, they would lose their sense of "specialness" that allowed them to run around the zoo acting like lunatics just for the sheer joy of it.

12. What was the comment, you ask? I could march over to them, with my four kids, my stroller, my stupid "mom" purse and my comfortable shoes and say, "Someday, you will be just like me."

13. Don't get me wrong, I still think I'm cool. I still think my friends are cool. But, somewhere along the line, we realized that we don't have to be so painfully, tragically cool that we have to work on it all the time. Life doesn't have to be a stage where the world can evaluate us, to see if we're wild enough, artistic enough, different enough, just plain ENOUGH. We can just be who we are, which is the ultimate in nonconformist expression. But, it sure doesn't look like it from the outside anymore, does it?



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!




Comments:
I think I've actually done that to someone. I'm not as nice as you. But I may have been dreaming.
 
This is my favorite list today. You totally brought back memories of when I was a teenage drama queen. I'm very proud of you for not bursting their bubbles. Let 'em enjoy it while they're too young for all of life's responsibilities.
 
Teenagers really are silly, aren't they? I substitute teach (at the high school I attended) and have gotten to know some of them pretty well. It is amusing to watch them preen and show off. So silly! :)
 
I used to wear a black trench coat from the Army surplus store and pretend I had a British accent and hung around Duran Duran. But now I just have puke down my back and worry about where I can change a diaper. Perhaps when I grow up I want to be 16 again.
 
What a great TT! I remember my teen years - mostly because now I have a 16 year old son who doesn't let me forget them.. and I laugh at him constantly. :D

Happy TT! Mine are up.
 
You all sound like such a fun family! Love the picture at the top of your blog, fun, fun! My list is up!
 
Yes, isn't it painful to see--and then remember when you were that age.

My TT is up.
 
Oh my, You are so right! I started to remember my "goth" days, even though I never really got carried away with it. Then My "Sunshine" phase. I'm so glad I figured out who I am and don't feel the need to impress any more!

My TT is up!
 
I love teenagers...I swear, cause I was just like them. I never thought I would ever go down the "domesticated route," but in a way I am. You are right that nonconformism comes when you do your own thing and you don't try to be different. Great list...I guess you can find all sorts of animals at the zoo!
 
I'm so glad not to be a teenager anymore and go through the drama. The only way I would go back in time would be if I knew what I know now. Great post.
 
Wow! I found a lady bug in my bathroom last weekend. I decided to just leave it. We've had lady bug spottings (ha! pun! ha!) around the bathroom all week.

Thank goodness I don't chew gum.
 
Oh man... that certainly does bring back memories. I find myself doing that, too: looking at teenagers and thinking "Heh. Enjoy it now baby cause you'll be old like me someday."

The crunchy gum - Jen, seriously, you crack me up. lol

My list is up.
 
Jen you crack me up.
I love the ultimate zinger.
Mainly because of the truthfulness it holds.
Man. Isn't that scary?
Someday that WILL be just like you/me.
 
What a 13! Its really making me think. Did I try that hard? Possibly and Probably, and it was probably just as obvious. But I don't think I would have changed a thing...

My 13 is up!
 
Oh my god, your gum! Ewww. And you should have said the ultimate comment :)
 
Heehee... a ladybug in your gum?!? That is great! I think I would have totally flipped out. Anywho, how very cool of the zoo to let the kids release the little buggers!
 
LOL I love how your trip to the zoo became a flash back of how you were as a teen. :) I'm glad you didn't give them your zinger. They may have been loud and awkward while trying to appear cool but they were having fun and making memories to look back on someday when they are just like all of us. :)
 
Oh BTW we purchase about 2000 ladybugs each year to release in our garden (and I suppose the neighborhood). It works!
 
#3 and #4 cracked me up! EWWWWW....

This is a great list. I still FEEL cool. Too bad I am the only one who thinks so.

My TT is up. :)
 
I remember being that kid at the zoo... except I was at the lake. :)
 
You are such a cool lady, and you have achieved that without looking goth. How is this possible??

The lady bugs thing had to be fun... except for the crunching part. YUCK! Poor lady bug is all gummy now. Oh, and dead too.
 
I used to love the old SNL skit in which the cable TV show of the prententious Goth kids was always ruined by the mundane appearance of the down-to-earth older brother. He would spoil the Goth kid's dramatic, doom-laden talk by saying, "Hey, get ready, Mom says we have to go meet Grandma and Grandpa at the Golden Corral," or something to that effect. :)
 
OK, first, the 140,000 ladybugs freaked me out. I don't like 140,000 of any kind of bug.

About the cool part, believe me, the time will come when your children will have friends who think you are cool. Then you will get your revenge on your own kids who are virtually programmed by their DNA to think you are the most un-cool things on the planet. Those are the days I live for. Bwa ha ha ha.
 
Yeah, as a teenager, that comment doesn't really have the impact that we as adults would like it to have. It's like trying to tell someone who's not married yet just how hard marriage can be. Ah, well! We all have to grow up. Or not. :-)
 
I have a 14 year old one right now, plus I have an 8 year old wanna-be;-) DS is 12 and unfortunately caught in the middle. Great observations! Thanks for visiting my TT.
 
You are subtle at that. I would have done it differently.
My T13 is up too.
 
Sometimes I wonder when I see teenagers acting like that, did I act like that when I was that age? The answer is probably. I'm just glad I'm not one anymore.
 
What zoo did you go to, we have a butterfly area too, my daughter is in love with butterflies, we actually have several, that we got as larve, we gotta let them go!
 
I'm now reliving these teenager years through my oldest. He's fourteen and he's taking me back to when I thought I knew everything and everybody else [especially my parents] knew nothing. It's nice to see that nothing changes through the generations. :)
 
You are such the cool mom! And its so true that one day they will all be just like us...can you believe it that we were just like them???
They sure wouldn't, even if we could flash out the pictures of our formally "too cool for you" selves. *sigh*

I’m so sorry that it took me so long to drop by today. Darly & I were planting stuff and then I got involved in a book…I know…not really a good excuse for not blogging…huh?
 
I don't think I was ever them.
 
We have a song about teens, they are not adults and not kids anymore, they are somewhere in between. That's like being between worlds- no wonder they act so strangely at times! I have two classes a day with teens, and believe me, they have no idea how weird they seem to others! (and they smell - you can almost cut it with a knife when walking into a room!)
Great TT.
My Thursday Thirteen is up.
 
My son has been begging me to take him to the zoo...but it's been raining here. So, we will try again next week! :-)
 
I just wanted to say that I am sorry I hurt your feelings with my TT, that was not at all my intention, I am sorry you did not get to do all the things you wanted to from birth but its wonderful that dispite that your children are beautiful and you all have a wonderfully strong bond!
 
oh so true... but even if you did do that, they would probably laugh at you and say 'yea, right'... they wouldn't understand or have any concept of growing up and having responsibilities... seems like it's jsut something we all learn with time and age... there are times when i get annoyed with teenagers too and wonder if i was that goofy!
 
Hehe, that comment would have eaten them up; glad you din't use it. As long as they're not hurting anyone or damaging things around them, it's nice to allow them to feel cool and in control, just for that moment ;)
 
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