In the real world, we've become a little less cynical (if that's possible) and a lot more of "and your point is?" And of course, dealing with the immediate family has its slight drawbacks as well. None more painfully obvious than how old our children are becoming.
For instance, my son will be turning 23(!) this coming September and he'll be graduating from Porter & Chester with a degree in auto mechanics. To put this into proper perspective, I'm doing payroll for staff members who are about my son's age and who are making almost twice my salary. So yes, it does make me feel really old. Add to that inflammable mixture that two of my co-workers are at least two decades younger than I, and you can get a good picture on how sometimes I can feel my age just a little.
Another way that I can feel my age is that my youngest went from this:
To looking like this:
Yes, my daughter, Jenelle, turned 14 (14!) this past February, and will be a freshman (Freshman?!) in high school this coming September, class of 2019. So as you can see, I'm really feeling my age in this one.
However, contrary to popular opinion, even though dear old dad still has ye olden fashioned flip-phone (because he still believes, however quaintly, a phone was made for talking to people), he's still someone hip for the times. For example, wife needed a new phone, so instead of getting a smartphone for himself as a b'day present, he got one for the wife.
Another example would be having a selfie taken. Now, even though I don't have a smartphone, I was able to have one taken because said daughter has one and as a gesture to her dear old dad, took a selfie of them together prior to her 8th grade graduation dance. For those of you who might know what I look like based on this picture, here is an update picture of myself, with my lovely and talented daughter, Jenelle (yes, I actually do have hair. I started growing it back in January of this year and the gray is only on the chin and nowhere else.).
(c) 2015 by G.B. Miller. All Rights Reserved.
My wife just gave up her smart phone to go back to a flip phone. We are both happier.
ReplyDeleteMy flip will be 10 years old this year and it's still functioning on the original battery. It's funny how flip phones are starting to make a comeback these days.
DeleteI’ve avoided cell phones. Peggy has one that we pay $10 a month for minutes on but almost never uses.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never had kids, and it scares the bejesus out of me just to look at yours. I would worry myself into a frazzle.
Smart man about the cell phones. However, it is a good thing to have one in a pinch since payphones are virtually non-existent these days.
DeleteIn regards to mine, this is why I'm preparing to channel my inner Al Bundy in the coming months/years.
Your daughter is cute.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about old. I see young ladies at the gym and I realize they could be my daughter. Another few years, maybe my granddaughter. Scary.
Thanks.
DeleteAnd yes, that is definitely scary. For me, scary is everyone in my small circle of friends who are roughly my age being grandparents.
That's a great photo of you and your daughter! Have the boys started hanging around yet? (For your daughter, not you, of course.) Get ready, Dad!
ReplyDeleteOn a completely unrelated topic, I finally watched the hockey movie "Goon" that you recommended. LOVED IT!!! Lots of lovely fights, blood and teeth hitting the ice. Plus a really sweet story, actually. And even though it was set in the eastern US and Canada, it was really filmed in central Canada in my old home province of Manitoba! I recognized the interior hockey arena shots from Brandon and Portage la Prairie in the part of the province where I grew up. Also, that dinner scene with his whole family after he scored his first goal -- Kelekis was a real restaurant in Winnipeg's fabled North End -- I've eaten there a gazillion times over the years. It was wonderful to see it immortalized in film.
Nope, no boys that I've been able to ascertain as of yet.
DeleteGlad I was able recommend a good movie for you. I was almost certain it was filmed in and around Newfoundland (or so I though when I read the IMDB info on it). Oh well, a native Canadian would definitely know more than me about where it was filmed. :D
They definitely had some exterior shots of various maritime cities like Halifax and St John's but the film was mainly shot in Manitoba. It says so right at the end of the movie's credits. I was delighted!
DeleteExcellent! It's always cool to see parts of your hometown in a movie.
DeleteShe is lovely, G! And whiskers look good on you!
ReplyDeleteThanks and thanks. :D
DeleteShe's beautiful! My stepdaughter is 15. She just got her learner's permit, so she's driving now. Only she learned quickly that her dad isn't the best person to teach her to drive. He's a bit on the panicky side! I'm just glad she lives mostly with her mom because I don't think he'd do very well knowing she was on a date!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteI think when it's time for my daughter to learn how to drive, I'll send her to driving school. A lot safer then letting my mother teach her (she taught my son and both me and my brother), plus state law basically requires it.
That's a lovely photo of the two of you! Jenelle has indeed become a chic young lady. I bet she's super-excited to be starting high school.
ReplyDeleteEven though I don't have kids, I still get the shock of realizing age differences. For example, there is a 17-year-old guy working for my brother-in-law now. He's pretty much full-grown, and I realize that he is young enough to be my son! And not even in a teen-pregnancy way. I could have had him when I was 25. Jeepers.
I believe she is. Right now, she's super excited to hang ten with her friends and just to goof off this summer.
DeleteI definitely know that feeling very well.
I love the picture of you guys!
ReplyDeleteThankee. :D
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