Just a product of my times

I just hate it when I think I'm being original and then I read in The New York Times that there are lots of other "original" people my age doing precisely the same thing.

As you know from reading this blog, I'm enjoying being part of a celtic band. I love playing, singing, performing. Truth be told, I even love rehearsing. Except for two of the guys in our band (see pictures from my June 8 post), all the other people I know in bands are much younger than I am. Therefore I thought I was doing something rather unusual for my age and was taking a bit of pride in breaking out of the mold.

Well, tonight I read an article from last Sunday's Times (6/17/07) -- in the Fashion and Style section, of all places -- about the phenomenon of older folks forming rock bands. The Boys in the Band are in AARP. "The classic American midlife crisis has found a new outlet: garage-band rock ’n’ roll." Apparently lots of middle-aged men work out their midlife crises by forming bands and playing the rock songs of their youth. From Massachusetts to California these bands are springing up. So much for originality. Who knew!

Actually, that's not exactly what I'm doing. First of all, I'm a woman. Most of the people the article described were men. Secondly, traditional Celtic music is something new for me; it's not the music of my youth. Thirdly, I don't think I'm in a midlife crisis -- even though when I'm on stage I do all I can to downplay my age.

It's just that this happens to me all the time. I get involved in something -- and I don't know of anyone else doing anything quite like it -- and then I read in the paper that people my age all over the country are doing the very same thing! It's rather humbling to realize how much, albeit unwittingly, I am nonetheless a product of my own times.

Oh well, enough of that. So I'm not unique. Big deal. Back to practicing. The band is rehearsing later this week and I want to have my part down pat.



© 2007, Linda Mason Hood
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