When Did MTV Pass Me By?

See these girls? They were THE MTV generation. And smoking hot too. Give us a microphone. And a foam finger.

Wow the MTV Music Awards show on Sunday is one hot topic this week. Everywhere I look I see posts and articles. Whether it was Lady Gaga’s sea shells, Will Smith’s entire mortified family, Justin Timberlake’s respect-restoring performance or the scandalous Miley Cyrus, if MTV was looking for press, they got it this year.

I watched the show. I have always watched the show. Every Year. I don’t care about any of that hot topic stuff though. Do you know what hit me the hardest? I feel old. I am old. I am no longer the MTV generation. When exactly did this happen?

I was a child of the 80s. I was there when MTV knocked down the door. I was watching. I used to sit through mindless hours of music videos (Yes they used to play videos) and when I couldn’t watch I stuck my VHS tape into the VCR and recorded some. Music was my escape.

I am a lover of all of music. From way back. My young mother and I use to ride around in her powder blue Mustang listening to her favorite bands on the 8 track player. (If you don’t know, Google it because you should know). Off course those bulky 8 track tapes often fell sending Mom’s bing bag ashtray crashing to the floor board, but we will save that for another post.

I was raised on music. I know music from the 50s all the way to many of today’s popular hits. Well, some of them anyway. I guess if I had to choose the 70s would be my favorite decade because those were the days. A carefree kid dancing around the house with my mother to songs like Staying Alive by the Bee Gees. Great times. We were like two kids some days.

I cannot discount though the fact that I know every 80s song ever played on the radio and just how much Nirvana changed my life. I guess that is why I say I love it all. You give me something that I can dance to and I am going to dance. Whether it is an appropriate time or not. I sing every chance I get. Much to my children’s dismay. Especially in the car where they cannot get away.

So why as I watched last night did I start to feel like I didn’t belong? That it was not my channel anymore? I recognized many of the songs that were played. Sure there were some I had never heard but for the most part, I knew my stuff.

Maybe it is because everyone on the show was younger than me. That is a strange feeling. Some of them might even consider me liking their music irrelevant. I am in the 40 and up group now. Just barely though. There are so many young people in music now. I mean sure Selena Gomez and I probably wouldn’t have much to talk about but that doesn’t mean I won’t dance with her. Just watch me.

I have talked before about the whole aging process. I find it fascinating. I just wish I could observe other people doing it and not me. I have noticed small things like the slight sag of my once supple face. My hands are looking a little bonier than I remember. Where did all of the youthful fat go? Oh that’s right. Everywhere else BUT my hands.

I knew the physical changes of aging would be a journey. But I still want to feel relevent and hip. Yes I realize hip is not a cool word anymore. And neither is cool. But you understand what I am saying. This whole music scene is passing me by. I am maturing. It was bound to happen.

There is good about aging. You learn and grow on your journey. Forty feels pretty nice. I promise. There is no way I would want to be 20 again. 30 maybe but not 20. But there is still this little part of me who wants to stomp my foot and say that is my MTV! Stop trying to leave me in the dust. If I want to download some Justin Bieber onto my iPod then I will. Don’t even try to talk me out of it.

Yeah. I am not really going to do that.

I guess at some point we have to pass the torch to our children. Luckily my kids are not old enough for MTV. And based on Miley’s foam finger shenanigans they may not be until they are old enough to pay for their own satellites.

I am realizing that aging is not just a process of the body. It is also a process of the mind. Pop culture is dictated by the young and vibrant. Sure some people fight to stay in the forefront but most of us slowly start to lose our edge. That may seem a little scary to some but there is so much to learn in this life anyway. My journey is taking me in another direction. I guess I can pass one of my torches on to the next generation.

Here is your MTV. Do with it as you see fit. If I were you though, I wouldn’t ask for Miley’s opinion on too much right now. She’s got her own stuff to work through. That’s gonna take a minute. Thank goodness when I was her age I was not on tv for all to see. With a microphone. And a foam finger.

So. Who is a Bravo junkie? Anybody? Cause they will never take my reality tv.

Tonja used to live in the grown up world, but now she has a husband, four kids and a princess dog. She refuses to lose her sanity, or herself. If she’s going to be the mother of four, she’ll do it in great shoes. You can read more about Tonja’s hilarious escapades on her blog. You can also find her Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.