Am I becoming my dad?

[nelslus]

Ponchi: First of all, this thread and your posts are genius here.

Am I becoming my dad? I think that one of the secrets of life is that I've had to recognize that a bit of this pheonema is inevitable. You can't live your formative years with people and not expect some profound impacts. And fighting to the death to not come off like your parents doesn't always quite work- although, in cases such as mine, it is well worth the effort. I've found that it's best at times to be able to chuckle at yourself when your parents come out of you. Particularly in times of stress, and when I'm ape-s**t angry, I can find the words of my parents coming out of my mouth. (What's great is, I can always apologize and- horrors- admit when I'm just flat-out wrong.) Every now and then, it can be a matter of even embracing parts of yourself that are like your parents- as for many you get to the point of, well, they were right about SOME things, and some of the lessons are worth accepting. Nevertheless, IMO the great news is- you can read, listen to any song you want, go to any show and concert, grow to love an insane sport such as- oh, I don't know, tennis?!?!?!, think your ass off, come up with your own family of friends, and come to the conclusion of.....

Am I becoming my dad? God bless you, dad- but- no.

[nelslus]

Alternate post:

And AS for music and all the rest.....

Hell, I do love Gaga. And Kelly Clarkson. And, I enjoy plenty of music these days. But, I do tend to agree that music and literature ain't where they need to be at the present time. My huge gripe about music as of late is that singers aren't expected to truly sing anymore. Don't have to put yourself out there. No real effort. Sing like you regularly talk-level is far too often the norm. Forget about any silly need for something like belting. IMO it is far too easy to have a hot single out there these days- just open your mouth and let Auto-Tune do your work for you.

On the other hand, there is much about film that I find exciting these days, and television- especially cable- has IMO never been better.

Most importantly, good Lord in HEAVEN people, we truly are a bunch of Old Farts. Just let us proceed with our hot game of Spin the Depends, and close the door on your way out so that we don't have to disturb y'all anymore.

[ptmcmahon]

I guess my post didn't really answer the am I becoming my dad part. I'm a lot like my dad (with a little of my mom in there.) I drive my wife nuts by turning any question into a quiz. I have a mind full of useless information - mostly sports related. I've even been told I walk exactly like my dad.

Some pluses though...he started balding at 25, and I've still got a huge set of thick hair. I also got my mom's sense of humor (very silly, like stuff like Leno's headlines, writing funny notes on her calendar to make fun of stuff), lots of bad puns...not many people appreciate it!

But I've always been this way, even as a teen...so I don't know if I'm becoming my dad, where as maybe I always have been partly him!

[ponchi101]

I decided to revisit this (my) thread because I saw the signature of one esteemed fellow TAT, and saw that Rebecca Black song. Found it in Youtube and only one thing to say:
I am so glad that I will die way sooner than these kids.
I set my Random Music Search in my music player to CLASSICAL for the next 5 hours. Just as an antidote....
(It was like having root canal surgery performed by an epileptic).

[Jessie181]

lol was it my signature? or Nelslus'?

[ponchi101]

Both. I did not understand your signature, nor Nelslus, but they were so weird I searched "we we we so excited" and bumped into Ms Black. A couple of minutes of research and YouTube and I was faced with this musical mass extinction.
Still shaking, but Miles Davis has helped sooth the injury some. I just need to listen to The Four Seasons (Vivaldi, not the group) and I will be ready for the Rafa/Nole show.

[owendonovan]

Ok, I still don't drink scotch whiskey, and if I die being half the good man my dad was, it would not be bad. But I am getting this feeling that I am becoming him, simply because of my relation with the "new generation" that is coming of age.
It is about originality. For the last few months, I turn around and I see that this new generation can not do anything original. Or is it that I can't find it? Are they making things that are truly new and original, or have we reached the point of the song in which we say "there is nothing new under the sun".
It makes me wonder if my dad was right: "Music/Films/Art (take your pick) was much better when I was young".
I am writing this rant because all I see is remakes and little silly pre-fabricated music stars making "covers" of music from my days (now, is there a better euphemism for "plagiarism" than calling it a "cover"? Please let me know, because I am getting the feeling I simply can not appreciate the art thess kids are making). But I will select three examples just to see if I have a point or, as I say, I am simply becoming my dad:
1. We are the world. Hey, I am all for helping Haiti. Charity has to become a standard practice in this world or we are doomed. But in 1985 when M. Jackson and L. Ritchie decided to help those in Africa, at least they sat down and WROTE something new. I hated the song, but the motives behind were exemplary. Geldof and others started the BAND AID tours, and it was all original. So now they decide they want to help Haiti and they can't even write ONE SINGLE SONG? Not one? And they call themselves singers and songwriters?
2. Fame. Yes, Fame the film. Remember it? Well, if you don't, don't worry because they are going to make a new one. Saw the previews. They suck. But even if it is only my taste, why is it that this generation can only make, well, covers?
3. Every time I go to Yahoo! I am getting an ad about an idiot called Will. I. Am. "covering" The Who. Can you write something from scratch, Mr. Will. U. R. Not? Can you?
I forget who was the guy that plagiarized Led Zeppelin's Kashmir for the soundtrack of Godzilla. I am not impressed by the Twilight saga and their refresh of the old, old story of young beauty falls for really bad, bad boy (in this case a vampire). It got to the point that a while back I was with my nephew, a really cool 20 year old kid that I love and have a great time with him, and we were comparing the music in our laptops and he ended up copying ALL my music (I got a couple of albums from him, two of which were from the 80's and which I didn't have).
So I worry. Am I just so old now that I can't see the quality stuff out there? Am I stuck with Duran Duran, Pink Floyd, Kubrick and Fellini, Philip Roth and John Updike? Am I my dad, finally?
Because if he was right, and the sage collective voice of TAT can help me to decide, I should go out there and get hammered with a bottle of Chivas. Just to honor him.

I have a 14 yo niece that continues to be amazed at the songs I know from "her" era, I then play the original that is either the song or the song sample which is more than 50% of what she listens to, and she realizes it's actually "my" era. I find the warhol-esque art being cranked out these days a bit unoriginal and not the best flattery of 60's 70's art. I do feel we're overdue for a "To Kill a Mokingbird", "In Cold Blood", "One Flew over the CooKoo's Nest" kind of cultural piece of literature also.

[mwoods]

I have a 14 yo niece that continues to be amazed at the songs I know from "her" era, I then play the original that is either the song or the song sample which is more than 50% of what she listens to, and she realizes it's actually "my" era. I find the warhol-esque art being cranked out these days a bit unoriginal and not the best flattery of 60's 70's art. I do feel we're overdue for a "To Kill a Mokingbird", "In Cold Blood", "One Flew over the CooKoo's Nest" kind of cultural piece of literature also.

So, you're not counting Twilight?

[ponchi101]

I guess we all kind of knew this, but...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...86P0R820120726

I am going to get me a gun, and one single bullet. Not today, but some time soon. I swear...

[ptmcmahon]

Betcha it was a bunch of old people doing that study!

[Kirkus]

Not everything can be "crunched". I'm sure they didn't take personal preference into consideration.

Michael Bublé. Pink. So similar.