My Gen X Playlist: What’s My Age Again – Blink 182

I read a post from the Singing Gecko and it reminded me of a thought that often crosses my mind.

I can’t believe I’m an adult in my fifties.

It just seems my age and frame of mind don’t always line up with me being a fifty year old adult.

I look around at my friends, family, peers, even random people I meet and think they’ve somehow cracked the code to maturity and wisdom. And I’m sure many people may assume the same thing of me, but I’m sure they would have a completely different view if my thought bubbles suddenly appeared above my head like in the Sunday funnies. Thank god that’s an impossibility. I’d be embarrassing if people could see my random thoughts, opinions and sophomoric humor.

I once sat next to a foreign diplomat at dinner. It was a low key graduation gathering and he was one of the fathers of the graduates. He was nice and pleasant, but I felt the stark contrast between us just being in his presence. And I know I was internalizing this more than it needed to be, but what the hell, man. How did I pick the winning ticket for the hot seat. This happened about three years ago, but my mind occasionally drifts back to that dinner when I’m second guessing my adult status. I’m sure a therapist would have a field day with this one.

As I sit here thinking about this rationally, I know I’m probably one of many and not some guy embarrassingly on the fringe. There are times when the rational side of my brain goes into hiding in a Where’s Waldo picture and that’s when the irrational side sneaks in to fill the void. And even though I logically know I’m not the only one to question my adult status, it sure feels like it sometimes. So maybe I do want those thought bubbles to magically appear above everybody’s heads. That way I’d rest reassured I’m in good company and might be able to sleep a little bit better at night.

Not that I can add this to the playlist, but this post made me think about those old Toys R Us commercials. And no, I’m not against growing up. I rather like it most of the time. If I’m being honest, I don’t like being a responsible adult all the time.

I’ve intentionally tried not doing repeats, but Blink 182’s What’s My Age Again kept coming to mind. Here it goes for round two.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

I took her out, it was a Friday night
I wore cologne to get the feeling right
We started making out and she took off my pants
But then I turned on the TV

And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're twenty-three
And are still more amused by TV shows
What the hell is ADD?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again? What's my age again?

Then later on, on the drive home
I called her mom from a payphone
I said I was the cops and your husband's in jail
This state looks down on sodomy

And that's about the time that bitch hung up on me
Nobody likes you when you're twenty-three
And are still more amused by prank phone calls
What the hell is call ID?
My friends say I should act my age
What's my age again? What's my age again?

And that's about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you're twenty-three
And you still act like you're in freshman year
What the hell is wrong with me?
My friends say I should act my age
(What's my age again? What's my age again?)
That's about the time that she broke up with me (Please stay with me)
No one should take themselves so seriously (Please stay with me)
With many years ahead to fall in line (Please stay with me)
Why would you wish that on me?
(Please stay) I never wanna act my age
(With) What's my age again? (Me) What's my age again?

What's my age again?