Small Talk: "I'll Take Non-Show Chat For $400, Alex."

[gonzosgirrl]

14 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

One of my best friends and I were born in the early 50s, but she was the 2nd of 8 kids, so the last 2 were born in the 60s. I'm sure a lot of Catholic families whose fathers were WWII vets had 1960s "cabooses" (what I call my youngest who is 10 years younger than her sister).

My understanding of the 'baby boom' though, is the increase in births (nine months or so) after the return of the soldiers from war. I don't think "cabooses" born 10-15 years later really qualify as part of the boom.

[ProudMary]

Yes. When you think about it, there were eighteen year old baby boomers, born in 1946, who themselves gave birth to "baby boomers" in 1964!

[30 Helens]

Interesting conversation. So I guess I’m a GenJoneser then? I can’t really say I like the term— Wikipedia connotations for the name include yearning, materialistic striving, and anonymity, none of which are exactly flattering. Personally, the name makes me think of Jim Jones and Jonestown, so maybe we’re the Drink the Koolaid generation? (I did drink a lot of koolaid as a kid.)

I think of my generation as being on the cusp between two eras: Born too late to belong to the post-WWII Ozzie & Harriet Traditional Family Values generation, born too early to be part of the post-hippies revolution Youth Society. The 1960s and 1970s were a period of transition, and I agree that those of us born in those years have more in common with each other than the eras that came before or after. But I would have given us a better name. GenEvolution, maybe? Generation Delta?

On 5/21/2025 at 8:54 AM, SomeTameGazelle said:

That's similar to how I found out that I was technically Gen X, except it was over Alanis Morissette and I wouldn't say I couldn't stand her, 

I’ll say it for you, then. I find her to be perhaps the most annoying singer of her generation. And I’m not being ironic.

[Browncoat]

56 minutes ago, 30 Helens said:

And I’m not being ironic.

Neither was she, though I guess she thought she was -- I don't think any of the examples of "irony" in her song were actually irony.  

[30 Helens]

3 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Neither was she, though I guess she thought she was -- I don't think any of the examples of "irony" in her song were actually irony.  

Which is kind of ironic, in a very meta way. Maybe she was just messing with our minds.

[possibilities]

I understood the possibility that she didn't know what "ironic" meant, but it drove me crazy that nobody in the pipeline stopped it. Didn't she have a manager, or a friend, or anyone in her entoruage at any point along the way who realized the song made no sense?

[MrAtoz]

I'm not sure that "Do the lyrics of this song make sense?" is a question that anyone in the music business ever asks themselves.

[DXD526]

It floors me to this day that not one of the examples listed in the song actually counts as irony. With a little extra information any of them could, but as written, nope. None of 'em. 

Quote

Didn't she have a manager, or a friend, or anyone in her entoruage at any point along the way who realized the song made no sense?

A question I've asked many times, and never got a satisfactory answer. No one said, "Hey Alanis, these things all suck, but none is ironic. Maybe you should change the title?"

Unless, as stated, she was just trolling us. But I doubt it. 

Which has given us a generation that thinks a black fly in their Chardonnay is 'ironic.' Instead of, you know, merely gross. 

[shapeshifter]

If I was prepping for Jeopardy!, I'd want to learn these:
“Land Snorkeling? Townsizing? A User’s Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo.
Here are eight terms, some brand-new, others recently resurfaced, that match today’s travel trends”
Gift link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/travel/new-travel-terms.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Kk8.9gLj.-C2zxf3cG8Go&smid=url-share

• Detour destinations

• Townsizing

• Land snorkeling

• JOMO travel

• Live tourism

• Mystery tour

• Noctourism

• Phenomenon chasing

As usual, the top readers' comments are often the best part.
These words might also pop up as answers on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.
Or you might start a flame war with them on the Grammar thread here, LOL.

[Prevailing Wind]

Back when I could afford to go on Road Trips, I would take all winter to plan them. My major source for tourism advice was RoadsideAmerica.com - all the weird shit on the side of the roads - Giant Pencils, Muffler Men, weird museums, etc. You miss a lot of crowded places doing that instead of the normal tourist stuff.  The first time I went to West Virginia, I went because of the bridge on the back of their "statehood" quarter - probably one of the most tourist-y things I've done.