http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555 To a teenager, &quot;When I was your age&quot; usually signals that an adult is about to hold forth on just how different &mdash; and awful &mdash; the world is these days. But the latest version of an annual study, out today, suggests that since the mid-1970s a few key features of teens' lives have remained essentially the same. Read the USA Today story here. &nbsp; To a teenager, &quot;When I was your age&quot; usually signals that an adult is about to hold forth on just how different &mdash; and awful &mdash; the world is these days. But the latest version of an annual study, out today, suggests that since the mid-1970s a few key features of teens' lives have remained essentially the same. Read the USA Today story here. &nbsp; en-us <p>Not surprising to me. I am in that awkward phase at 29 of still be young enough to hear about how things used to be, as well as see what teens are doing and question or compare it to when I was that age. I have always looked at it as the same situation for each generation just at a different level. Teen clothing has always been looked at as pushing the limits from one generation to the next, each thinking then next is to far, but it just passes down to the next generation to push it. Same thing with the sports and activities. It wasn't too long ago when skateboarding was frowned upon, and banned from many places leaving people with little place to practice the sport, and now its a major sport with venues and big money. This generation has the same Battle with new sports such as stunt riding, which is following the footsteps of the earlier sports, same battle different sport. Guess it may fall under that whole history repeats itself but at a different level. If you look at the suicide rate, the percentage remained the same, its just seems like More cause as the population grows, so does the number, but the percentage remains. Ummm hope that all made sense lol</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_278861 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_278861 <p>Not surprising to me. I am in that awkward phase at 29 of still be young enough to hear about how things used to be, as well as see what teens are doing and question or compare it to when I was that age. I have always looked at it as the same situation for each generation just at a different level. Teen clothing has always been looked at as pushing the limits from one generation to the next, each thinking then next is to far, but it just passes down to the next generation to push it. Same thing with the sports and activities. It wasn't too long ago when skateboarding was frowned upon, and banned from many places leaving people with little place to practice the sport, and now its a major sport with venues and big money. This generation has the same Battle with new sports such as stunt riding, which is following the footsteps of the earlier sports, same battle different sport. Guess it may fall under that whole history repeats itself but at a different level. If you look at the suicide rate, the percentage remained the same, its just seems like More cause as the population grows, so does the number, but the percentage remains. Ummm hope that all made sense lol</p> <p>It did. Good post.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>To most teenagers (and myself) when I start to hear &quot;when I was your age&quot; the ears turn off. I can't stand being lectured even if the intentions are good.&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_278866 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_278866 <p>It did. Good post.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>To most teenagers (and myself) when I start to hear &quot;when I was your age&quot; the ears turn off. I can't stand being lectured even if the intentions are good.&nbsp;</p> <p>My grandmother loved to sit me down and give the &quot;what's wrong with kids today&quot; lecture. Didn't last but 10 or 15 minutes but to me it seemed like an hour and a half. As&nbsp; I got older, I got smarter. As she got older, she got crazier. By age 12 I could take it in stride. By 13 I could recognize the signs and get out the door in time; leaving my younger sister to sit and&nbsp;hear what's wrong with kids today.</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_278939 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_278939 <p>My grandmother loved to sit me down and give the &quot;what's wrong with kids today&quot; lecture. Didn't last but 10 or 15 minutes but to me it seemed like an hour and a half. As&nbsp; I got older, I got smarter. As she got older, she got crazier. By age 12 I could take it in stride. By 13 I could recognize the signs and get out the door in time; leaving my younger sister to sit and&nbsp;hear what's wrong with kids today.</p> <p><span style="font-size: small">When I was YOUR age....................I learned the twist, my mother asked how we knew who we were dancing with! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I wore the first 2 piece swim suit of the girls on our block, the neighbors called my mom at work and advised her I was &quot;displaying&quot; myself in the front yard! I was watering the lawn where the sprinklers didn't reach!!!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I wore the first pair of short shorts and halter top of the girls on our block, the neighbors called my mom....again!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I was the first girl on my block to get my beautiful long auburn brown hair dyed...................platinum with hot pink and lime green streaks!!! I was a model for a local hairdresser!!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I was the first on my block to get married, have a baby and wear mini dresses/skirts WITH boots!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">Needless to say ALL the neighbors felt sorry for my mom and there was sympathy all around for the child that &quot;just wasn't going to do&nbsp;well&quot;.&nbsp; Fooled 'em all!!&nbsp; I did better then their kids! HA!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">spam code:&nbsp; SHOW M</span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279251 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279251 <p><span style="font-size: small">When I was YOUR age....................I learned the twist, my mother asked how we knew who we were dancing with! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I wore the first 2 piece swim suit of the girls on our block, the neighbors called my mom at work and advised her I was &quot;displaying&quot; myself in the front yard! I was watering the lawn where the sprinklers didn't reach!!!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I wore the first pair of short shorts and halter top of the girls on our block, the neighbors called my mom....again!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I was the first girl on my block to get my beautiful long auburn brown hair dyed...................platinum with hot pink and lime green streaks!!! I was a model for a local hairdresser!!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I was the first on my block to get married, have a baby and wear mini dresses/skirts WITH boots!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">Needless to say ALL the neighbors felt sorry for my mom and there was sympathy all around for the child that &quot;just wasn't going to do&nbsp;well&quot;.&nbsp; Fooled 'em all!!&nbsp; I did better then their kids! HA!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">spam code:&nbsp; SHOW M</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">OH YA!!&nbsp; all of this occured in the early 60's!!!!!</span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279253 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279253 <p><span style="font-size: small">OH YA!!&nbsp; all of this occured in the early 60's!!!!!</span></p> <p>Late 70's here.&nbsp;</p> <p>We had LPs, no Mtv.</p> <p>Cords on ALL our phones.</p> <p>Gas was 47&nbsp;a gallon.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>That's&nbsp; 47 cents, not $4.27...&nbsp;</p> <p>&quot; Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then&quot;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279255 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279255 <p>Late 70's here.&nbsp;</p> <p>We had LPs, no Mtv.</p> <p>Cords on ALL our phones.</p> <p>Gas was 47&nbsp;a gallon.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>That's&nbsp; 47 cents, not $4.27...&nbsp;</p> <p>&quot; Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then&quot;</p> <p><span style="font-size: small">RICKLDO:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 25 cents a gallion!!!!!!!!</span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279266 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279266 <p><span style="font-size: small">RICKLDO:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 25 cents a gallion!!!!!!!!</span></p> <p>Witters-you sound like an awesome lady and had lots of fun!!</p> <br type="_moz" /> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279269 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279269 <p>Witters-you sound like an awesome lady and had lots of fun!!</p> <br type="_moz" /> <p><span style="font-size: small">MICHELE:&nbsp; Well my mom always said I had a hell of a good time in HS..............didn't learn a damned thing but sure had a good time!!!!&nbsp; YUP!&nbsp; I have to admit, many of the things I did was just to see what the snooty neighbors would do!! It was all stay at home moms except my mom who was single raisin' 3 kids. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">One of the neighbors &quot;mentioned&quot; to my mom that if I was going to kiss my boyfriend I should be in the house or at the very least on the porch..................sooooooooo the next time he brought me home, I loudly announced to all the neighbors that the kissing was commencing!!!! ON THE SIDEWALK!!!!&nbsp; My poor mom!!! no wonder she went to gray hair at an early age. Neighbors said I was the only hell she ever raised!! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">Never did anything illegal - just ornery!!!!!</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279273 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279273 <p><span style="font-size: small">MICHELE:&nbsp; Well my mom always said I had a hell of a good time in HS..............didn't learn a damned thing but sure had a good time!!!!&nbsp; YUP!&nbsp; I have to admit, many of the things I did was just to see what the snooty neighbors would do!! It was all stay at home moms except my mom who was single raisin' 3 kids. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">One of the neighbors &quot;mentioned&quot; to my mom that if I was going to kiss my boyfriend I should be in the house or at the very least on the porch..................sooooooooo the next time he brought me home, I loudly announced to all the neighbors that the kissing was commencing!!!! ON THE SIDEWALK!!!!&nbsp; My poor mom!!! no wonder she went to gray hair at an early age. Neighbors said I was the only hell she ever raised!! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small">Never did anything illegal - just ornery!!!!!</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>ROFLOL!!!</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279274 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279274 <p>ROFLOL!!!</p> <p><span style="font-size: small">I'm 63 and haven't changed a bit!!!!!!!!!!!!&nbsp; Decided there was no future in growing up!&nbsp; Getting old is mandatory..........................maturity is optional.................I opted out!!!</span></p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279275 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279275 <p><span style="font-size: small">I'm 63 and haven't changed a bit!!!!!!!!!!!!&nbsp; Decided there was no future in growing up!&nbsp; Getting old is mandatory..........................maturity is optional.................I opted out!!!</span></p> <p>My dad does the When I was your age to my kids.&nbsp; Mainly my 17 year old.&nbsp; He brings him with him to &quot;work&quot; sometimes.&nbsp; My son does all the work, that is.&nbsp; Then he takes him to Zingo's to hang out on the smoking patio with all of his crusty codger friends and makes my son get them all more coffee like he is their waiter!!!&nbsp; He tells him he is going to pay him before hand.&nbsp; Then he complains when he does pay him saying &quot;When I was your age I woulda had my lil' butt whupped if I didn't help my grandpa and he durned sure didn't pay me&quot;&nbsp; Then he will tell him he is coming to pick him up to help him and he does not show up for two or three days...so Mike will go to hang out with his buddies and my dad will show up and gripe and moan &quot;When I was his age I didn't get to play...I was drivin truck by then.&nbsp; That boy is lazy!!!&quot;&nbsp; Which is totally not true, but my dad likes to gripe and moan alot and noone is immune&nbsp;to his pissy attitude.&nbsp; Him and his roommate remind me of Grumpy Old Men.&nbsp; I love him but boy is he a pain...</p> <p>Myself, I just get upset when I think about when I was my kids' ages.&nbsp; Bakersfield was a different place back then.&nbsp; You knew most of your neighbors and they would watch out for your kid and you would watch out for theirs.&nbsp; Now you have to watch out that their kid does not stab your kid.&nbsp; I had one grown woman threaten to punch my son who was 12 at the time while he was at the bus stop because he was throwing sticks at a sign.&nbsp; I went out there and showed her my best redneck side...nearly diving through her car window when she called my 11 year old daughter a nasty name.&nbsp; I told her that if he was doing something so bad...call the cops...but don't threaten to hit my son.&nbsp; WTF is up with that kind of stuff???&nbsp;Bakersfield was great when I was a kid but it is a horrible nightmare now...gangs everywhere you look...just makes me sick.&nbsp; The place I grew up in is now considered the ghetto......and it was brand new when I was a kid............Sad Sad Sad</p> http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279294 http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Blog/talkofthetown/30555/#c_279294 <p>My dad does the When I was your age to my kids.&nbsp; Mainly my 17 year old.&nbsp; He brings him with him to &quot;work&quot; sometimes.&nbsp; My son does all the work, that is.&nbsp; Then he takes him to Zingo's to hang out on the smoking patio with all of his crusty codger friends and makes my son get them all more coffee like he is their waiter!!!&nbsp; He tells him he is going to pay him before hand.&nbsp; Then he complains when he does pay him saying &quot;When I was your age I woulda had my lil' butt whupped if I didn't help my grandpa and he durned sure didn't pay me&quot;&nbsp; Then he will tell him he is coming to pick him up to help him and he does not show up for two or three days...so Mike will go to hang out with his buddies and my dad will show up and gripe and moan &quot;When I was his age I didn't get to play...I was drivin truck by then.&nbsp; That boy is lazy!!!&quot;&nbsp; Which is totally not true, but my dad likes to gripe and moan alot and noone is immune&nbsp;to his pissy attitude.&nbsp; Him and his roommate remind me of Grumpy Old Men.&nbsp; I love him but boy is he a pain...</p> <p>Myself, I just get upset when I think about when I was my kids' ages.&nbsp; Bakersfield was a different place back then.&nbsp; You knew most of your neighbors and they would watch out for your kid and you would watch out for theirs.&nbsp; Now you have to watch out that their kid does not stab your kid.&nbsp; I had one grown woman threaten to punch my son who was 12 at the time while he was at the bus stop because he was throwing sticks at a sign.&nbsp; I went out there and showed her my best redneck side...nearly diving through her car window when she called my 11 year old daughter a nasty name.&nbsp; I told her that if he was doing something so bad...call the cops...but don't threaten to hit my son.&nbsp; WTF is up with that kind of stuff???&nbsp;Bakersfield was great when I was a kid but it is a horrible nightmare now...gangs everywhere you look...just makes me sick.&nbsp; The place I grew up in is now considered the ghetto......and it was brand new when I was a kid............Sad Sad Sad</p>