how you know you're old

Exhibit A:  You are watching the movie 17 Again (the reason that particular Netflix gem showed up just as all of the Oscar-nominated movies are finally available is a story for another time.  Probably entitled "how you know you're lame").


Anyways, you are watching and realize the first scene is a flashback scene - and then you ask your husband, "Is this a flashback to when he was in high school?  Why aren't they all dressed in 70's clothes?"  And your husband laughs and reminds you that the main character - the washed-up middle-aged guy who goes back to his youth - is YOUR AGE.  And therefore went to high school in the late 80's/early 90's just like you did. And that you are now the age of the PARENTS in teen-angst movies.

Exhibit B: You are discussing a recent injury your brother-in-law undisclosed friend sustained at a recent Bad Religion concert. Your husband chimes in with a story about how he got a black eye at a concert once.  To which you reply, "What concert?  When did you go to a concert?  You don't go to concerts.  Was this a real concert?  That you actually paid for?  Not just one that [concert promoter friend] got you into?  I don't believe you."

And he replies, "Yes, I did.  I totally used to go to concerts.  And I got a black eye in the mosh pit.  It was that band with three letters.  What was it . . . ?"

REM?

"No.  Harder than that"

ACDC?

"No.  More mainstream.  Three letters. I think they were called NPR?"

Oh dear.

[Upon further reflection, grandpa Mark was able to deduce that he sustained a black eye at a POD concert back in the glory days of 2001.]

Exhibit C: You hear the Supertones are making a comeback tour, so you go in search of a photo from the vault, back in the days when the band traveled in a little van and crashed on your floor in Cincinnati.  You barely recognize the young people in that little studio apartment.

Exhibit D: Your nephew GOES  TO PROM.