I really enjoy 50 Happens’ blog. A recent post discussed sunsetting some of things you always envision doing when you were younger. I’m sure there are lots of people out there that start wonderful new adventures at age 60, but I think, for most of us, that feeling that the path is wide open is over. That … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Landslide – Bush
I was reading a blog recently about a woman approaching her 39th birthday. It’s only natural to reflect on life when you’re finishing off your thirties. It got me thinking about myself around that age. I remember it well. Turning 37 was the first age that made me think, Damn, I’m getting up there. I … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell
Rebuilding Rob pulled an interesting daily prompt from thecoffeemonsterzco. I think I’ll give this one a try, too. If you could live in any city for two years, where would you choose to live? At one point in my career, I began to question what I was doing. I was grateful to have a job, … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Africa – Toto
I woke up to sounds of a garbage truck hauling away our trash and the thought this was the last day of 2024, both at the same time. Odd. What does one have to do with the other? Probably nothing. But the two thoughts swirling in my head simultaneously was weird. 2024 was a good … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Sing Your Life – Morrissey
I watched A Man on the Inside on Netflix last weekend. The story begins with a retired man coping with life after the loss of his wife. Needing to find a way to carry on becomes wrapped around an amusing storyline of him going undercover in a retirement home to solve the mystery of a … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Wherever You Will Go – The Calling
I’m starting a new job Monday. I was looking for a good fit, one that would hopefully lean towards a better work life balance. I’m a realist, if nothing else. There will be times of pressure and stress. It’s unavoidable. It’s in those times I have to take deep breaths and relax. Work is important, … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Live – The Bangles
I spent some time in the mountains this past week. This is an annual trip with the guys. We’ve been going on this trip for almost 20 years. This one came at the perfect time. I needed to hang out with nature to clear the clutter in my head. Our intentions were our usual – … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Sunshine on My Shoulder – John Denver
When I saw family that I hadn’t seen in ages, they always said the same thing. Wow! Are you still growing? When I was in junior high school, I grew ten inches in one year. So if they asked me that then, I would understand. But I’d occasionally still get that same comment well into … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Tension Makes a Tangle – 10,000 Maniacs
I don’t. I mean, it’s not like I don’t try. And in my defense, I have gotten better. But I do get consumed with work. It’s a little bit of a catch-22, though. This imbalance has helped propel my career, but it seems at a cost. Unfortunately, the reward for success is more stress and … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Superman (It Ain’t Easy) – Five For Fighting
I wish there was an accurate GPS for life. Not like Waze that takes me through the most dangerous parts of LA at midnight. I need something a little more reliable to guide me away from the potholes of everyday life. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything out there so I just make sure the essentials are … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Fade Into You – Mazzy Star
I wouldn’t call myself a worry wart, but I’ve done my share of worrying. It doesn’t come from a single source. Sometimes it’s spawned by my need to be in control, when I’m not. Other times it’s being overwhelmed with an overload of responsibility, wondering how I’m going to carry the world on my shoulders. … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist : Brave – Sara Bareilles
When I was younger, I was more open to risk and adventure. I jumped out of a plane, aimlessly backpacked through Europe, lived in a foreign country. Then life began to take hold and without notice, things changed. I jumped into a career, traded my backpack for a mortgage and crossed the border into a … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: To Love Somebody – The Bee Gees
I’ve been involved in various volunteer activities over the years. Habitat for Humanity, assisting at local food banks, engaging in language exchanges to assist others learning English, helping others with interview skills when applying for jobs. While sporadic, I did enjoy them all. But the question posed is about a job that I’d do for … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: The Freshmen – The Verve Pipe
I remember once being upset with a colleague early in my career. We were working on a major project with a new client and all of a sudden she was MIA for days. I was concerned and called to see if she was alright. She said she wasn’t sick, but she just couldn’t get out … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Closing Time – Semisonic
I once headed out to Las Vegas for the weekend. Unfortunately I had to work a full day and got a late start. After filling my tank, I was off. Now, Vegas is about 275 miles from Los Angeles. I can easily make it on a tank of gas. The odd thing was, I kept … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Take It Easy – The Eagles
Hey. You made it. The big one oh oh. I know we agreed to write this letter as somewhat of a joke, but there was a part of me that secretly hoped you would actually read this. So here we are. My biggest hope is that your years have been full. You know what I … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: In My Life – The Beatles
After graduation, I moved out and rented an apartment with friends. This probably was the best experience for growing up. Everything was new. I was a blank slate. I was 100% responsible for myself and it was a nice bridge to adulthood. Probably the biggest challenge was managing my finances. How could I pay my … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Baby, I Love Your Way – Big Mountain
I sat here giving this some thought. I bounced a few titles off the walls, but none of them seemed quite right. Nothing seemed to stick. I think the hesitancy is I’d like to live a bit more before putting pen to paper. Ask me again in another ten years. I think I’ll have something … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Story of My Life – Social Distortion
My parents were always busy, but found some relief when they finished putting four kids through college. My father was still running his small business and playing basketball and tennis on the weekends. My mother had her hands full teaching third grade. Both were not grandparents yet, but that was right around the corner in … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: She – Green Day
I was reading the blog Song of the Day For Today yesterday and he hit on a topic that’s been on my mind the past few years. Time. Once I hit the big five-oh, I began to realize the time ahead was shorter than the time behind. When you really do a deep dive on … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Time in a Bottle – Jim Croce
I used to have a mental road map of my life. I think this was way back when I was in my twenties. Ah, to be young and naive. As I leaned into life, things started to happen and life seemed to veer away from the original plan. Life got in the way of . … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Once In a Lifetime – Talking Heads
Do you need time? I remember as a kid, summer days used to last forever. Sun up to sun down, there was all the time in the world. Life slowly dripped by. If you strung a bunch of those together, it felt like eternity. It was awesome. Time is so different as an adult. I … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles
“We’ve got to get out of here,” my buddy said over the phone twenty years ago. He was at a law firm and I was at a consulting firm and we were both up to our necks in long hours and stress. Then he floated out the idea. Let’s quit our jobs and travel around … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Road to Nowhere – Talking Heads
Something recently caught my ear while the TV was playing in the background. Go with your gut, but also bring along your head for safekeeping. Those weren’t the exact words, but you get the drift. I really liked this a lot and thought it was a good balanced approach to life. Initially, I said, “Yeah, … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
There is a certain point when somebody transitions from being in a hurry to grow up to wishing they were young again. If I had to spitball this, I’d say wanting to be older extends through the late 20’s. Teenagers wanting to be grow up too fast and twenty-somethings wanting to be taken more seriously. … Continue reading My Gen X Playlist: 100 Years – Five for Fighting
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