I know my reputation with Generation Xers will forever be tarnished after I posted the infamous "When will Gen Xers get serious?" thread. But in a last-ditch effort to salvage my rep with my immediate seniors (oops, bad choice of words...make that...elders? No...I give up), I am counteracting that shameless display of generation-ism with a thread devoted entirely to praising Xers and their place on the leading edge of 4T societal trends.

Post here about ways in which Xers are leading the way to the 4T, ably and smartly, and why hope is not at all lost for the "just do it" generation.

No, this is not ass-kissing. I know Xers loathe that even more than Boomer preachiness or wide-eyed Millennial naivete. It is simply my mea culpa to a great generation of grungers, valley girls, entrepreneurs, and cutting-edge reformers.

I'm hanging out in the 4T dueling with the pie in the sky types, I hate America types, God sucks types, Bush sucks types, wimpy liberal types, SP types, commie types and lets give up on these American values and adopt old or new European values instead types. I swear Rani, me and a hand full of others are the only modern age Americans posting in this place.

OK - your "Xers getting serious" thread has the same content as my long-dead "Knitting up the Unraveling Locally" thread. I was looking at deeds and you at the doers. Right on!

I don't know if turning Nob Hill (Albuquerque) into a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood along Central is improvements or pork - I should ask someone in an older, poor neighborhood if we're doing it at their expense (the answer is, 'probably') - but things are happening here in Albuquerque. Whether they are things that should be happening - I'll keep an eye out and get back to you from time to time.

Which has to do with Xers how? City Councillor Martin Heinrich, first Xer on the City Council and the one responsible for a lot of this.

In my little corner of the world I am trying to enter into the 4T by being more plugged into what is happening in local and federal government goings-on. I am participating in "town meetings" with congressman, writing my Senators with thoughts on bills on the "floor", staying abrest of issues, and so forth. We have been a generation "unplugged" in civic involvement and although I totally understand why, I am realizing that being "unplugged' is not going to help us in the long run. So, I'm going to be "plugged in" even if I'm the only Gen Xer out there voicing my opinion on our behalf.

In addition and in the small way that I can now, I am doing my best to try and curb Boomer upper management from going off the deep end by creating new big jobs complete with new big salaries for themselves, re-organize the crap out of us, and minimize the affects of their ill-planned and poorly executed "big ideas". I can see why this country is going to implode under their leadership, but I'm trying my hardest to be the "hand" that stops them from totally screwing us all....in my little corner of the world.

Bria

This is a nice gesture. Not to worry, though. I think we Xers are used to getting crapped on. It's no big, but it's nice to catch a break once in awhile, so thanks!

As far as getting serious goes . . . Earlier this evening I went to our oldest daughter's high school orientation meeting.

I was feeling all sentimental. You know, "Where did the time go?" "My baby's growing up!" "How did I get so old??"

But the cold, hard reality of sitting in the crowded auditorium listing to the overly-cheerful plugs for the various booster clubs soon replaced those feelings with "When is it going to end?" "Are they going to say anything useful?" "Must. Stay. Awake."

We had got serious about five years ago. We just started feeling too old to keep up with moving all over the place and being poor. We wanted to put down roots for ourselves and the kids. I think we all feel more content and settled now. I know I do.

Our political views have changed dramatically in the last few years and we are trying to keep informed on the issues, however, we probably are not going to go super-activist or pillar-of-the community anytime soon. We have a lot on our plate just staying alive.

Originally Posted by K-I-A 67

I'm hanging out in the 4T dueling with the pie in the sky types, I hate America types, God sucks types, Bush sucks types, wimpy liberal types, SP types, commie types and lets give up on these American values and adopt old or new European values instead types. I swear Rani, me and a hand full of others are the only modern age Americans posting in this place.

You have just shown that you are sick of the majority of Americans. 30% support indicates that political moderates have abandoned Dubya; that's where the votes are, in case you didn't know.

I am indeed sick of those business executives, fundie preachers, and Pangloss-like pundits who suggest that we accept "pie in the sky when you die" as compensation for the miserable lives that they would impose upon us.

I am sick of those types who blame the American worker for the slow erosion of our economic base when it is in fact those who sell out the worker.

I am sick of those who continue to believe in the impending vindication of Dubya despite any evidence of any virtue in his leadership and fault those who have found his policies objectionable for a lack of political support for him.

I am sick of political schemers (especially Karl Rove) who adopt commie methods in the service of an reactionary ideology while bleeding the Treasury to reward political backers. Even if one sees those methods as 'only' those of the Tweed machine on a national scale -- that is itself very bad.

I am sick of people who question the patriotism of those who despise the Bush administration for its folly.

Originally Posted by pbrower2a

You have just shown that you are sick of the majority of Americans. 30% support indicates that political moderates have abandoned Dubya; that's where the votes are, in case you didn't know.

I am indeed sick of those business executives, fundie preachers, and Pangloss-like pundits who suggest that we accept "pie in the sky when you die" as compensation for the miserable lives that they would impose upon us.

I am sick of those types who blame the American worker for the slow erosion of our economic base when it is in fact those who sell out the worker.

I am sick of those who continue to believe in the impending vindication of Dubya despite any evidence of any virtue in his leadership and fault those who have found his policies objectionable for a lack of political support for him.

I am sick of political schemers (especially Karl Rove) who adopt commie methods in the service of an reactionary ideology while bleeding the Treasury to reward political backers. Even if one sees those methods as 'only' those of the Tweed machine on a national scale -- that is itself very bad.

I am sick of people who question the patriotism of those who despise the Bush administration for its folly.

This is serious X. Seattle was just the beginning, but activism (and the cops who beat us up) will be our legacy methinks.

I spent my teens confused, angry and alienated. I spent my 20s making a wreck of my life and most of my 30's trying to put it back together. So with that, I can say Ive finally gotten around to "growing up" a bit, and through a lot of trial and error, managed to pick up a few skills (life and otherwise) along the way, which includes my experiences in my 20s. IM not doing too bad considering, haha!

This parent wants to ban kids books with sad endings. This shouldn't be much of a problem anyway in a 4T since society should converge towards storylines with happy endings. She might not want to play my futuristic Kardashev Unus Mars Game (which will probably be the second RPG in the series), as that game will be a total catastrophe.

We want happy endings for kids' books

KATE SCOTTER
04 October 2007 09:43

A crusading mother-of-three has made it her mission to ensure children grow up hearing of only the good things in life.

Norwich woman Clare Hughes is spearheading the eastern arm of a new national campaign to put a stop to children's books that don't have a happy ending.

The 42-year-old has been appointed head of the Happy Endings Foundation's East of England Cheering Committee, which urges parents to only let their children read books with happy endings.

The group was set up after its founder, Adrienne Small, read the first book in the series A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket to her daughter.

She said the books caused her daughter to take a more negative approach to life, which only got worse when she subsequently read all 13 books in the series.

Mrs Hughes, whose children are 13, 12 and nine, said: “I've seen the way my children respond to news that goes on in real life, whether that be the disappearance of a child, like Madeleine McCann, or bombings, and that gives them enough nightmares.

“Books should give them a sense of good triumphing over evil and let them be rest assured that the goodies will come out on top.”

“It's about encouraging children to read books with positive values. Look at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there are some unpleasant characters, but Charlie wins out in the end. That's the type of book we support.”

As part of the campaign, letters have been sent out to school libraries asking them to remove Lemony Snicket books from the shelves and HEF are holding a number of activities, such as Bad Book Bonfires, where they are encouraging people on Guy Fawkes's Night to make their bonfires from “bad books”. Other reads on their “bad book” list include Villette by Charlotte Bronte, The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jeah Rhys, The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson and Shockheaded Peter by Heinrich Hoffman.

However, Harriet Cox, librarian for Norfolk's School Library Service, said the campaign was unnecessary.

She said: “It's patronising children if there are only books with happy endings and they will see through it because they know there's good and bad in the world.”

That's some gay hippie shit. Barney, Lamb Chop, Wiggles, Beanie Babies, Furbies, Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Teletubbies, yadayadayada...

Originally Posted by New_Waver

That's some gay hippie shit. Barney, Lamb Chop, Wiggles, Beanie Babies, Furbies, Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Teletubbies, yadayadayada...

Having raised two very masculine millie nephews, I can assue you that there was nothing 'gay' about Pokemon. Back in 1999, my nephews then aged 10 and 8,actually had physical fights with other boys their age over who was the best Pokemon trainer. We, the mediating adults, all happened to be jonesers as we were all born between 1958 and 1964, managed to guide our charges through Pokemon without either the adults or the children becoming permanent enimies. However, we adults in the neighborhood were all glad when that particular fad died.

Originally Posted by herbal tee

Having raised two very masculine millie nephews, I can assue you that there was nothing 'gay' about Pokemon. Back in 1999, my nephews then aged 10 and 8,actually had physical fights with other boys their age over who was the best Pokemon trainer. We, the mediating adults, all happened to be jonesers as we were all born between 1958 and 1964, managed to guide our charges through Pokemon without either the adults or the children becoming permanent enimies. However, we adults in the neighborhood were all glad when that particular fad died.

No different than poofs getting into hissyfits over who's got the better Barbie doll...

Originally Posted by New_Waver

No different than poofs getting into hissyfits over who's got the better Barbie doll...

I'll defer to your personal experence in the area. :

Originally Posted by herbal tee

I'll defer to your personal experence in the area. :

Beating them up on the playground?

Originally Posted by New_Waver

Beating them up on the playground?

Having seen your picture on the photo thread, I doubt it.

Originally Posted by K-I-A 67

I swear Rani, me and a hand full of others are the only modern age Americans posting in this place.

No, you are Nomads. Nomads become old farts and not because they are old.

Sort of explains the toot sweet response style your generation favors.

Originally Posted by herbal tee

Having seen your picture on the photo thread, I doubt it.

What picture?

Originally Posted by The Rani

He might have been beating up little girls.

That's what we called them.

Originally Posted by 1990

I know Xers loathe that even more than Boomer preachiness or wide-eyed Millennial naivete.

Wow, an exercise in humility?BTW, how truly aware are you and where did you get the ability to size people up like this?

Originally Posted by New_Waver

That's what we called them.

Nice comeback.

Originally Posted by Mr. Reed

Nice comeback.

It's easy with experience.

LOL. I knew it was coming. Yeah, I've been a Jock, Mosher, Gangsta and Redneck. Masculinity rules.

Originally Posted by The Rani

Didn't your daddy ever teach you that Real Men (TM) don't need to beat up little girls to prove it, figuratively or otherwise?

If they can't keep their fingers out of their asses, somebody's got to teach them to leave the brown eye alone.