Sam Cooke to Ed Sullivan - what ever happened to Family Night? (originally posted January 9, 2009)
So I was sitting at work doing the usual, WORKING, and at the same time listening to my iPod with my headphones on. (For the record, any of my co-workers who may be reading this, I actually am working and listening at the same time..... multi-tasking, you should try it). My co-workers tend to be loud (yes, they're loud), and as much as I would love to join in on all the ruckus, I tend to be very business when it comes to being in the office. I think it's that immediate ability to turn off one part of my psyche (and for the psych majors out there, don't get mad I used psyche in the wrong way) that makes me able to really work. It also keeps me sane. I don't take work criticism personally which I think is a good trait to have when dealing with corporate politics. Anyways..... I digress - back to topic.
So I was sitting, working & listening to music, when Sam Cooke came on. I let took my headphones off and let my iPod play out of my computer speakers. My friend and coworker Gabriele turned around said, "I love that song!" She couldn't remember who the original artist was and I said it was Sam Cooke. She got up and walked around our the wall that separated our cubes and said how much she loved that genre. I told her I grew up on this and others. I went on, telling her what it was like a Saturday ritual for my dad to wake up and after breakfast sift through his collection of vinyl records and put a couple on the old record stereo (yes, stereos actually had record players! Ours had that and an 8-track player, classy..... I know) and let them play while we did our weekend things around the house, whether it be having a party or cleaning. I grew up listening to Sam Cooke, Elvis, Englebert Humperdink (not sure if that's spelled right and not sure if he was even cool), the Sgt. Pepper Album, etc.. It was like any old country, classic rock, english pop, motown or folk music record there was, he had. I mean the guy was a music fiend I guess in his time.
Gabriele looked at me and said, "Isn't it sad how the generation nowadays doesn't get that type of opportunity with their parents - sharing one united culture?"
She caught my attention, since I knew that she had a good point stirring.
She said, "Back in my day, we all shared the same cultural phenomenons. I remember sitting and watching the Ed Sullivan show with my folks and seeing the Beatles play, then Robert Goulet do a show from the latest musical on Broadway, then the Bolshoi Ballet, with anecdotes from a film actress and actor, and a magician. I mean, it was like these great variety shows of those years that really defined what we considered American culture at that time."
"You would find out in a matter of an hour who the latest singing group was and at the same time learn about some famout nobel prize winners' thoughts on the country. It was like everything that you ever needed to know to be hip and cool all occured in that one hour and your parents' would be on the same page. I mean, we as one family, separated by years, and different in generations in regards to experiences, had one cultural education at this time - we were all learning about what was 'cool' and we all got it. Nowadays, kids have televsisions in their rooms, one is watching BRAVO and the other is watching ESPN, while Mom and Dad are watching CNN or 60 Minutes, all because they don't have to. It's like each one is missing out on the other's life and thoughts just because they're not sharing that same cultural experience. I mean, you learned about your parents' lives just by listening to their music back in the day, and now not only do you have a wider range in regards to your musical taste, but it's now what is part of your parents is part of you."
All of a sudden I had the sudden urge to schedule family dinner night......
It's true though. When do we take the chance to really enjoy things as a family anymore?
I always make sure to buy my parents tickets to shows when I'm eager to see one. I recently took my parents and brother to see Spring Awakening (and as if you haven't noticed I'm a HUGE FAN!). If it hadn't been for my mom and dad playing King and I on those Saturday Mornings, or my mom Giving my first Miss Saigon tape set to play in the car while we all drove on road trips, I probably would have never been who I am.
It's kinda funny to think that if people looked at my brother and I, they would have never known we have, generally, the same taste in almost everything. Yeah, we are still different from each other, I'm soft - He's rough (lol). But in every other way, we are our Mommy's boys and our Pappa's "sports".
So when is the next Family dinner?
So I was sitting, working & listening to music, when Sam Cooke came on. I let took my headphones off and let my iPod play out of my computer speakers. My friend and coworker Gabriele turned around said, "I love that song!" She couldn't remember who the original artist was and I said it was Sam Cooke. She got up and walked around our the wall that separated our cubes and said how much she loved that genre. I told her I grew up on this and others. I went on, telling her what it was like a Saturday ritual for my dad to wake up and after breakfast sift through his collection of vinyl records and put a couple on the old record stereo (yes, stereos actually had record players! Ours had that and an 8-track player, classy..... I know) and let them play while we did our weekend things around the house, whether it be having a party or cleaning. I grew up listening to Sam Cooke, Elvis, Englebert Humperdink (not sure if that's spelled right and not sure if he was even cool), the Sgt. Pepper Album, etc.. It was like any old country, classic rock, english pop, motown or folk music record there was, he had. I mean the guy was a music fiend I guess in his time.
Gabriele looked at me and said, "Isn't it sad how the generation nowadays doesn't get that type of opportunity with their parents - sharing one united culture?"
She caught my attention, since I knew that she had a good point stirring.
She said, "Back in my day, we all shared the same cultural phenomenons. I remember sitting and watching the Ed Sullivan show with my folks and seeing the Beatles play, then Robert Goulet do a show from the latest musical on Broadway, then the Bolshoi Ballet, with anecdotes from a film actress and actor, and a magician. I mean, it was like these great variety shows of those years that really defined what we considered American culture at that time."
"You would find out in a matter of an hour who the latest singing group was and at the same time learn about some famout nobel prize winners' thoughts on the country. It was like everything that you ever needed to know to be hip and cool all occured in that one hour and your parents' would be on the same page. I mean, we as one family, separated by years, and different in generations in regards to experiences, had one cultural education at this time - we were all learning about what was 'cool' and we all got it. Nowadays, kids have televsisions in their rooms, one is watching BRAVO and the other is watching ESPN, while Mom and Dad are watching CNN or 60 Minutes, all because they don't have to. It's like each one is missing out on the other's life and thoughts just because they're not sharing that same cultural experience. I mean, you learned about your parents' lives just by listening to their music back in the day, and now not only do you have a wider range in regards to your musical taste, but it's now what is part of your parents is part of you."
All of a sudden I had the sudden urge to schedule family dinner night......
It's true though. When do we take the chance to really enjoy things as a family anymore?
I always make sure to buy my parents tickets to shows when I'm eager to see one. I recently took my parents and brother to see Spring Awakening (and as if you haven't noticed I'm a HUGE FAN!). If it hadn't been for my mom and dad playing King and I on those Saturday Mornings, or my mom Giving my first Miss Saigon tape set to play in the car while we all drove on road trips, I probably would have never been who I am.
It's kinda funny to think that if people looked at my brother and I, they would have never known we have, generally, the same taste in almost everything. Yeah, we are still different from each other, I'm soft - He's rough (lol). But in every other way, we are our Mommy's boys and our Pappa's "sports".
So when is the next Family dinner?
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