August | 2011 | The Adventures of Shuey

Forewarning: All of these pictures were taken with my iPhone because SOMEEEBODY forgot the digital camera.

So on August 9th, my Dad turned 62 years old. He is now eligible for social security checks, but anyone that knows my dad will tell you, he’s not the typical 60+ kind of guy. He rides his bike across America, he travels to foreign countries, climbs behind the shed down the shore to pull weeds and gets poison ivy on his face, drives a motorcycle, and has just started learning to play the guitar. So because of his adventurous nature, I decided to take him to see The Beach Boys.

The reason I bring up my Dad is because, I consider him and my mom to be pretty “hip.” They know the new music, the celebrities, the trends. And I guess it took going to The Beach Boys concert at Longwood Gardens yesterday to really notice that a lot of other 60+ are the polar opposite of hip.

When I say, this was quite the crowd, I literally felt as though I had stepped into an alternate universe. There were several Hawaiian themed outfits, which is to be expected at such an event. Since my Mom made fun of my Dad’s Charlie Sheen attire, he snuck over to this gentleman so I could snap a picture for comparison. See Mom, it could be worse…

So, we went into the show and got ourselves some Amstel Light and a soft pretzel to share. Before we knew it, we were on the only ones sitting in the garden courtyard. Never a good sign. This super friendly and feminine man came to let us know that we needed to take shelter because they had been tracking the storm and lighting was headed our way. The concert was postponed to until further notice. I will give them credit, Longwood has a stellar communication system. They had someone tracking the weather and anticipating the delay/estimated start time of the concert. And, lots of walkie-talkie action. I was impressed.

Most people headed back into the lobby, but not us! We put our speed walking skills to the test and raced up the hill to the gardens to have a more pleasant place to wait. Not too shabby:

Obviously beer + the sound of rain = pee break! We asked this silver-haired lady to guide us to the bathrooms and she whispered as we walked that we were headed to a place where the walls were alive! That’s sounds like a horror film to me, but this could be my late induction into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so I followed silently. She took us to these bathrooms, which my Dad and I agreed upon, was the highlight of the trip so far. My Dad declared “if I were homeless, I would live in here.”

So we waited….and waited…..and at 9pm the show finally started!

Let me just say, I know where all the Baby Boomers go to get funky. The crowd was a mixed bag. Naturally our row was filled of lifeless wet blankets who sat quietly in their seats with not so much as a head bop. But the ladies of row 5? B-boppin’ as if they hadn’t been out since the Beach Boys were popular 4 decades ago.

After the 5th song I had never heard of, I started asking myself some questions.

What about BA BA BA BA BArbara Ann?

Where is Uncle Jessie and the Rippers? Aunt Becky? Who’s watching the twins?

Being the youngest person in attendance by a long shot was an eye-opening experience. The tickets were a little pricey for the younger folks I guess, but IT’S THE BEACH BOYS. Classic surf jams. I did think it was very strange to watch a 70-year-old-man sing about surfing, california girls, his room, and what he’s going to look back on and regret as an old man. Although, he did have a great sense of humor and teased himself for being old and washed up. At one point in the show, he asked everyone to raise their “cellular devices” into the air instead of the classic lighters method. Talk about showing your age, buddy.

On the way out, I thought I might have to break some hips. These elders were aggressively trying to make it to their cars first so they could get to bed before 11p.

So today, I leave you some Beach Boys classics: in this Party Time Volume 5 CD:

listening to Beach Boys Medley by Beach Boys on @Grooveshark: http://tinysong.com/IFV1 #nowplaying

Enjoy!

xoxo shu

I got to spend a lot of time with my grandmother this weekend. She is 85 years old today (when I wrote this sentence on July 28th 🙂 It just amazes me, the life she’s led. All of the major events she has been alive for. Makes me so curious for the future and what my lifetime has in store for us.

Obviously, we live in a technologically advanced era. I’ve grown up thru the invention of the internet, the transition from tape to CD to mp3, the introduction of smartphones, blogging, social networking sites, identity theft, HD TV and wireless printers. Just when you think they’ve thought of it all, they think of something else.

So when the simple things are missing from any given situation, it makes me wonder if people are shooting for the next Facebook, when really, they can make millions with a simple invention that could be of use to the general population.

For example, I was at the Borgata a few weekends ago. They give you free drinks as you gamble. Lots of drinks lead to lots of bathroom trips. There are NO cup holders in the bathroom. I have to hold my plastic cup in my teeth. There are hooks for purses, why shouldn’t there be cup holders for drinks? Adapt casinos, adapt!

I turned to my good friend GOOGLE, and sure enough, they do in fact exist for your own home. But the best one I found was a big clip that can hang on your desk. Not that you’d need this for any reason because…..you have a desk which is like one big cup holder, but check it out!

Moving on!

I had a bad experience at the CVS Minute Clinic this past week. After spending the weekend traveling for hours, sleeping on down pillows, drinking alcohol, and being exposed to lots of germ breathing children, I found myself feeling under the weather upon my return home. It being a Sunday and all, the doctors of the world where home with their families in their lavish mansions enjoying the day. So I was forced to use the CVS Minute Clinic.

After I waited a while, this elderly woman emerged and SCREAMED my name. Embarrassed by her lack of volume control, I got up and went into the ~~office~~ glorified closet space. She seemed flustered right off the bat with statements like “I’m not really an insurance person” and lots of “I don’t know, hmm’s.” After her brief assessment of my medical history, and my reassuring her that I was indeed who I said I was a solid 4 times, we spoke about how I had my tonsils out two years back. She grabbed her fancy flashlight and looked into my throat and ears. She nearly punctured my ear drum with her $500 light stick and then asked me if I had my tonsils removed. UHHH, #1 yes we just discussed this about 40 seconds ago, and #2 didn’t you just look at my throat? Do I want you to diagnose me now that you can’t even tell if I have huge balls in the back of my throat with your old eyes?! She then handed me documents from the Mayo Clinic about sore throats and what causes them.

So to the minute clinic I say, thanks by no thanks for now.

One of my best friends got married this past weekend in ITHACA. Was so good to be back in that area. In the summer, there is no place like it! Lush greenery, plentiful wineries and a sweet lake breeze. In the winter, it’s more like dirty snow, guaranteed slips, canceled classes and hypothermia. But below is the video I made for her with alllll the wedding pictures. I actually saw some late additions, so I might re-edit it — but check it out along with some pictures of the beautiful bride!