A Simpler Time

So, I obviously am not doing so well on my blog anymore. It has been more of a chore to keep up with, I feel like I just always have other things to do. No harm I guess but I regret that too because I LOVE going back through my blog books and reading the craziness that was and is our life.

But for the last several months I've wanted to write several entries, none of which are about our crazy life. They are more about thoughts that I have. I want to write about what I feel I've been enlightened on regarding sacrifice. I want to write about girl drama. I want to write about the state of the world. And I want to write about lamenting over a simpler time.

Sometimes I feel almost sad about the complexity of our lives. We're busy, and that's fine. But it's all the excess of everything. Everything is over the top. Over done. Parents wanting their kids to do all the fun stuff before they are ready. Because I think it is the parents who just can't wait.

I took our older girls who are 11 to the recent Taylor Swift concert. Our 7-yr-olds, who like Taylor Swift, were left at home. Why? Well, for 4 girls plus 2 adults that's a lot of money. But also do they really care if they miss a Taylor Swift concert? No. They will barely remember it and doubtfully appreciate it. We got home at 12:30 on a school night. Um, that would not have worked out too well for those little girls. There was a child that looked to be about 4 not far from us at the concert. At 10pm the child was crying and so miserable. Of course they were! What did the parents think? Not trying to judge others - I'm sure they were well-intended, but really it was poor judgment to bring a young child to a late and very loud concert. How about the many groups of elementary age girls who came together with their moms in limos? Seriously? And at the same time, if my daughters had a group of friends who all wanted to do that and someone put it together, I'm not sure I wouldn't let them. But I would think it was silly and excessive. I might make them pay for their share of the limo.

I know it's all in fun but why do people get so caught up in this kind of thing? Why are many 40-year-olds STILL obsessed with going out and having a good time, constantly? We all like to have fun, but you know what I mean - the ones who it seems every weekend they are going to some place and posting about and they're all decked out. Is this lifestyle really this important to them?

Why must in some sporting games the snack parent of the week have two bring two snacks per child? Why must we provide pizza and dessert in girl scouts unless it's a special event? Why must a birthday party at 2pm provide pizza? Why must a holiday party at school provide an entire meal with chicken nuggets and 2 capri suns per child when it is after lunch? Why must we have more stuffed animals than a zoo has animals (because everyone keeps giving them to my kids)? It is insane.

And there's technology. Ugh. I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I LOVE social media. I was hooked on email before most people had email. What can I say - I was in college and a boy at a different college talked me into getting set up with an email account. I was the only one of all my friends that had one at first. Facebook - hooked. Candy crush - hooked. Not a huge texter but do it plenty. Do not care for iPad. Staying away from Twitter, Instagram and all other similar stuff, for now. Thankfully pinterest only frustrates me and I really only like it if I'm looking for ideas for something specific. But I check my phone now all the time. I hate it. And I can't stop. At every red light I look at it. Why?? We watch TV now and play on our phones at the same time. What are we doing? I carry it around in my pocket all the time. Is that what my children constantly see of me? Me looking at my phone or me at the computer. I hate it but I don't know how to not have it. And now my older girls have phones. I think it is the smartphone that I hate. I hate what it has done to our society. I hate trying to figure out how to monitor all this with my kids.

I want to go back to the 80's. Not because those were my coming of age years, but I honestly loved that decade. Yeah it definitely wasn't perfect, but it was awesome. I miss the culture. I hate the "anything goes" culture of today. I'm tired of looking at women on TV with their dresses cut down to their belly button. I hate all the piercings. I hate all the tattoos. I hate the division within our country. I hate the disrespect. I hate the apathy of so many. I hate what's on TV. I hate the movies. Everything pushes the limit and goes beyond what I ever dreamed would be a reality. Tried watching the new Muppet Show with my kids this week. Had to turn it off after 7 minutes. Not only was it not funny but I found about 5 inappropriate moments that quickly. Did I miss something? Was this marketed to adults? And if not, then what are these writers thinking? The lines were subtle, many of which would go over a kid's head, but it was like slowly infiltrating the kids without them knowing it.

I hate all this terrorism crap. Who doesn't? I hate the political correctness. And don't get me wrong - I am not one to be insensitive and offend people but our country has lost its marbles. And what about now the city of Houston is voting whether or not men should be able to go in women's restrooms? Are you kidding me? Are there no limits to anything anymore? Are there no boundaries?

I truly lament a simpler time. Yes we have made progress in areas that I'm so thankful for. But I don't like all that comes with it. All I can do is teach my kids what's important in life, how to stand up for what's right. I feel sad that they are growing up in this insanity that now is. Yep. I miss the 80's. I miss 20-foot long phone cords and answering machines. I miss call waiting. I miss rock bands. I miss appropriate TV and good family shows (not the stupid crap that comes on Disney and Nick now). I miss patriotism. I miss simple VCR's and even DVD players. Now we have 5 different ways to play movies and half the time can't get it to work right. I miss there being no such thing as iCloud (which I'm pretty sure comes from Satan). I miss getting filmed developed and not taking over 1500 pictures per year. I just miss a simpler time. And the 80s had really cheesy but awesome music.

I'm sorry if this post was really negative. It is frustrating to me. I think every generation kind of misses the way things once were, or thinks the generation before was maybe a little better. At least I have my memories, but it gets to me. Ever wonder what things will be like when we're old? What a crazy world we live in. I am thankful though - our new home is on this huge lots and has dozens of super tall trees. It is so serene out here, and yet we are right in the suburbs. I feel like our move has at least brought a little bit of good old USA back into my life. My kids get off the bus stop with about 20 kids and they all play and moms bring out cookies and cupcakes. It's like a little slice of heaven. So I will end there. But my life is blessed. I'm happy and I am thankful. But miss a simpler time, for sure.