So my first post in a year and a half... and a pretty poor pun for the title.
1. I have had a break from this blog while living the Gen X and Y thing on FaceBook, Linked In and so many other parts of the Web-sphere
2. I recently broke my leg, so find myself awake a little more, unable to sleep in a comfortable position without waking myself with a painful twinge up as I turn in bed
3. As fractures go, though, I am told it was a "good" one; "Normally," the orthopaedic doctor at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital told me, "this kind of fracture would require a plate to be inserted to fix the bone... but you are lucky, it has not shifted..." So I can say it's a "good break."
4. I reckon that I catch good breaks often, I just don't often recognise them. In my current work contract (I build and manage enterprise type websites) I'm working with a great cross section of the generations - just how I like it - and they share their language, lives and culture with this boomer, in return for which I happily help them learn some useful stuff.
Catching a good break, I'd say.
BTW, our latest twenty year project is now a full-on toddler (20 months) and fills us with joy - and breaks - as she powers towards becoming the next gen. (No name for her generation has been popularised yet!)
Showing posts with label multi-generation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label multi-generation. Show all posts
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Monday, April 16, 2007
Happy Birthday Grandma
On April 17 1891, my grandmother, Ivy Schmidt was born. She would have been 116 tomorrow. She died three months short of her 100th birthday in January 1991, a Bradmanesque age of 99.something (a little less than the famous 99.94)
On this site, we focus somewhat on generational differences. We are about living in the age of boomers, Gen-X, Gen-Y. Is there anyone born in the 19 century who:
GrandMa died about the time that the Internet was being conceived... However in her time...
GrandMa produced four children who all grew up and had families... seventeen grandchildren (including several baby boomers) who produced dozens and dozens of Gen-Xers and Gen Ys and... well...
Happy birthday GrandMa! It should be a holiday. How things have changed.
On this site, we focus somewhat on generational differences. We are about living in the age of boomers, Gen-X, Gen-Y. Is there anyone born in the 19 century who:
- is still living?
- has access to the Internet?
- is blogging?
GrandMa died about the time that the Internet was being conceived... However in her time...
GrandMa produced four children who all grew up and had families... seventeen grandchildren (including several baby boomers) who produced dozens and dozens of Gen-Xers and Gen Ys and... well...
Happy birthday GrandMa! It should be a holiday. How things have changed.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Eight weeks and 'Booming'
Tomorrow, it's eight weeks since our personal baby boom occurred. How we have been blessed.
Kaelyn has an email address - in fact three - just to be sure, and she is of the generation who will expect that whatever facilities you can access in the Internet, you do. I don't want her to be left behind. She doesn't blog - yet - although I know this is popular among her generation's parents.
I elected not to be a stage dad blogger. She can do without the pressure of such expectation.
For now, she can be contacted via her mum and dad's photo website, and retain a cloak of anonymity for a while.
Kaelyn has an email address - in fact three - just to be sure, and she is of the generation who will expect that whatever facilities you can access in the Internet, you do. I don't want her to be left behind. She doesn't blog - yet - although I know this is popular among her generation's parents.
I elected not to be a stage dad blogger. She can do without the pressure of such expectation.
For now, she can be contacted via her mum and dad's photo website, and retain a cloak of anonymity for a while.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
New Beginnings
So, as previously warned, this blogsite has taken an significant turn... It's no longer the ramblings of a late (read young) baby boomer living in the convergence of Gen X and Gen Y and now contributing to the yet to be named baby boomers of 2000 - 2010.
After a few challenges, Kaelyn came home from hospital and her mum is well on the way to recovery from what turned out to be pre-eclampsia. That really messes with you, but she is improving every day and kaelyn is blooming.
And so the generation spread of influence represented on this blogsite stetches to another level. One of the best things about living and loving and being multi-generational is that there are new beginnings every day... for one of us or another!
After a few challenges, Kaelyn came home from hospital and her mum is well on the way to recovery from what turned out to be pre-eclampsia. That really messes with you, but she is improving every day and kaelyn is blooming.
And so the generation spread of influence represented on this blogsite stetches to another level. One of the best things about living and loving and being multi-generational is that there are new beginnings every day... for one of us or another!
Monday, August 21, 2006
School Reunion, so much more than reminiscing
Still feeling the rush of the good vibes of our US visit, Martha's high school reunion provided so much more than reminiscence and curiosity sating.
Last weekend in Iowa City, I accompanied my darling wife to her twenty year High School reunion. In all our previous visits to the US, we had never ventured beyond the Minnesota border, so the road trip alone was always going to be exciting.
[NOTE TO DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE TWIN CITIES: I love spending time with you, and most of my time in the USA in Minnesota. The chance to learn more about Martha's past in Iowa is just too enticing]
Here are a few of my experiences and observations:
Our hosts, Bret and Val, are a couple of the world's best quality and nicest people. Bret, a long term P&G company man (and Martha's class mate) represents so much of all that is good about the USA and peace-loving Americans. He is a seriously good guy, and had he not been such good friends with Martha, probably would have married or at least, dated her.
His wife Valerie, also a native Iowan and a damn fine theatre nurse, exudes intelligence, compassion, empathy and love. She is someone who has accepted some challenges, including those associated with having a brain injured child. She lives her life in a way that brings joy to many, especially Bret, Orion and Aiden, and leaves no doubt in anyone else's mind that they can participate, co-operate, share it... or get out of the way. She makes good decisions. As a couple, Bret and Val support each other and could epitomise the good stuff we scarcely hear about Americans these days.
The reunion of West High's Class of 86
The fact that there were two high schools - "City" and "West" in Iowa City speaks volumes. No stories of when "we beat City" or claims of victorious raids or other rivalry, just a calm recognition that, although City won everything, we are proud of our West heritage.
Bret, surrounded by classmates, some who had travelled a long way to be there and some of whom still live locally but with whom he had lost contact, could not stop beaming. This was infectious.
"Brian," and you know who you are, re-introduced himself to my increasingly beaming wife as the boy she had kissed - his first snog. Martha later told me that there were at least five classmates there that she had snogged.
As a classmate's spouse, I felt welcome and increasingly curious to learn about what such a significant part of my significant other's life represented. It was fun to meet other people in a true spirit of friendship and celebration, and where most were able to check any remaining high school insecurities at the door.
As the only Australian present, it was easy to converse with everyone. My name tag, like all of the name tags of the classmate spouses, was inscribed with the name of the respective classmate to whom I am married. It gave me a good sense of authentication, and secretly, I was thinking "well she night have dated or snogged you, but she married me!" Perhaps not all of us checked their insecurities at the door, after all!
High school crushes, friendships renewed, contact details updated, reminiscing complete for now, the ripple effects of the event will continue. Who knows what will happen to this remarkable group of people who happened to form the graduating class of West High 1986 in the next twenty years? If I am invited, I for one want to know. What a wonderful collection of Gen-X, and now, all with a permanent link with this Boomer.
More about the road trip and our reunion visit with a great friend in North Dakota in the next post.
Last weekend in Iowa City, I accompanied my darling wife to her twenty year High School reunion. In all our previous visits to the US, we had never ventured beyond the Minnesota border, so the road trip alone was always going to be exciting.
[NOTE TO DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE TWIN CITIES: I love spending time with you, and most of my time in the USA in Minnesota. The chance to learn more about Martha's past in Iowa is just too enticing]
Here are a few of my experiences and observations:
Our hosts, Bret and Val, are a couple of the world's best quality and nicest people. Bret, a long term P&G company man (and Martha's class mate) represents so much of all that is good about the USA and peace-loving Americans. He is a seriously good guy, and had he not been such good friends with Martha, probably would have married or at least, dated her.
His wife Valerie, also a native Iowan and a damn fine theatre nurse, exudes intelligence, compassion, empathy and love. She is someone who has accepted some challenges, including those associated with having a brain injured child. She lives her life in a way that brings joy to many, especially Bret, Orion and Aiden, and leaves no doubt in anyone else's mind that they can participate, co-operate, share it... or get out of the way. She makes good decisions. As a couple, Bret and Val support each other and could epitomise the good stuff we scarcely hear about Americans these days.The reunion of West High's Class of 86
The fact that there were two high schools - "City" and "West" in Iowa City speaks volumes. No stories of when "we beat City" or claims of victorious raids or other rivalry, just a calm recognition that, although City won everything, we are proud of our West heritage.
Bret, surrounded by classmates, some who had travelled a long way to be there and some of whom still live locally but with whom he had lost contact, could not stop beaming. This was infectious.
"Brian," and you know who you are, re-introduced himself to my increasingly beaming wife as the boy she had kissed - his first snog. Martha later told me that there were at least five classmates there that she had snogged.
As a classmate's spouse, I felt welcome and increasingly curious to learn about what such a significant part of my significant other's life represented. It was fun to meet other people in a true spirit of friendship and celebration, and where most were able to check any remaining high school insecurities at the door.
As the only Australian present, it was easy to converse with everyone. My name tag, like all of the name tags of the classmate spouses, was inscribed with the name of the respective classmate to whom I am married. It gave me a good sense of authentication, and secretly, I was thinking "well she night have dated or snogged you, but she married me!" Perhaps not all of us checked their insecurities at the door, after all!
High school crushes, friendships renewed, contact details updated, reminiscing complete for now, the ripple effects of the event will continue. Who knows what will happen to this remarkable group of people who happened to form the graduating class of West High 1986 in the next twenty years? If I am invited, I for one want to know. What a wonderful collection of Gen-X, and now, all with a permanent link with this Boomer.More about the road trip and our reunion visit with a great friend in North Dakota in the next post.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
History of Generations - between Malls
I am posting this from Minnesota, USA where my wife and I are catching up with family and friends, and preparing for her school reunion a few hours drive South in Iowa City.
Not only is our partnership one that transcends generations (this boomer is married to a Gen X), it is one that traverses the great and often misunderstood cultural divide between Australia and the USA. Her twenty year school reunion will offer great opportunities for me to examine these divides!)
Over lunch today, a dear friend Lynn, who also happens to be expert in the Enneagram and has counseled many people in relationship matters spoke about her recent developing interest in figures of history.
As well as seeing the Ben Franklin as a wonderful example of a seven for instance, she has noted that these generational divides are not merely an invention of the 20th century but offer perceptive students of history opportunities to see the patterns we may otherwise believe we Boomers, Gen Xers, Gen Ys and Norties invented.
“Not so,” says Lynn, and she piques my interest to read more about such notable figures of history in the last couple of centuries. Ironically, it might be very boomerish of me to be interested in an historical aspect framed by enneagramatic modeling.
My Gen-X wife, true to her tribe, simply processes the notion that these generational patterns may be being repeated, dismisses it or gives it cursory attention, and gets on with her current project (today shopping for our new year baby). My well-educated Gen Y sons would scarcely see the relevance, as they know that nothing of any value has been developed or discovered prior to the PC, the Internet and SMS.
Just as I convince myself of my trans-generational, cross-cultural position, I am confronted with this boomeristic interest in history… to see what we can learn from patterns of out past viewed with yet another lens. How boomer-like and how culturally arrogant of me to discover this notion.
I find the Enneagram to be a most useful model for seeing ourselves and each other. I celebrate that there are boomers like Lynn who are not only expert in it, but who are also able to see subtle patterns in people. [Lynn, after all, is an important part of our story.] She will, I am sure, challenge our rising power generations to learn from history or be bound to repeat it.
Meanwhile, this trans generational boomer will get on with his trips to the malls – be they outlet, mega or regular. What a wonderful place is Minneapolis. More about my observations at my wife's school reunion will follow.
Not only is our partnership one that transcends generations (this boomer is married to a Gen X), it is one that traverses the great and often misunderstood cultural divide between Australia and the USA. Her twenty year school reunion will offer great opportunities for me to examine these divides!)
Over lunch today, a dear friend Lynn, who also happens to be expert in the Enneagram and has counseled many people in relationship matters spoke about her recent developing interest in figures of history.
As well as seeing the Ben Franklin as a wonderful example of a seven for instance, she has noted that these generational divides are not merely an invention of the 20th century but offer perceptive students of history opportunities to see the patterns we may otherwise believe we Boomers, Gen Xers, Gen Ys and Norties invented.
“Not so,” says Lynn, and she piques my interest to read more about such notable figures of history in the last couple of centuries. Ironically, it might be very boomerish of me to be interested in an historical aspect framed by enneagramatic modeling.
My Gen-X wife, true to her tribe, simply processes the notion that these generational patterns may be being repeated, dismisses it or gives it cursory attention, and gets on with her current project (today shopping for our new year baby). My well-educated Gen Y sons would scarcely see the relevance, as they know that nothing of any value has been developed or discovered prior to the PC, the Internet and SMS.
Just as I convince myself of my trans-generational, cross-cultural position, I am confronted with this boomeristic interest in history… to see what we can learn from patterns of out past viewed with yet another lens. How boomer-like and how culturally arrogant of me to discover this notion.
I find the Enneagram to be a most useful model for seeing ourselves and each other. I celebrate that there are boomers like Lynn who are not only expert in it, but who are also able to see subtle patterns in people. [Lynn, after all, is an important part of our story.] She will, I am sure, challenge our rising power generations to learn from history or be bound to repeat it.
Meanwhile, this trans generational boomer will get on with his trips to the malls – be they outlet, mega or regular. What a wonderful place is Minneapolis. More about my observations at my wife's school reunion will follow.
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