h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have quite a few brothers and sisters who all have kids of various ages. Although I get on quite well with my nephews and nieces they have a habit of ridiculing my taste in music which is a quick way of testing my patience. It's irritating because their musical preferences seem so shallow to me; they're fixated with gangsta rap which I can't help thinking lacks imagination, intelligence and creativity. I also think most rap artists have no distinctive talent. So, to be told what is good music and what is not by obsessive gangsta rap fans doesn't sit well with me.

Browsing through my CD collection I came across an old favourite, 'Hatful of Hollow' by The Smiths (I know now BTW its not brilliant!). Looking at the CD case I suddenly realised just how old this album was, around twenty years old! I already knew it had been released in the 1980's but it was a shock to see it there in black and white. Twenty years of my life had disappeared somewhere since this CD was released but for some reason my mental time line had not made this connection.

It also occurred to me that when I was in my mid teens and the same age as most of my nephews and nieces, Elvis Presley's hey -day would have been little more than twenty years ago. I also thought of those middle aged men I used to see with their failing hairlines desperately trying to hang on to their DA's! The worst thought of all was the knowledge that this must be how my nephews and nieces see me with my ageing taste in music, and worst still, they are probably right to ridicule me for it. The sad fact is I am out of date!