The thing about Gen X being in our 40s and 50s now is that we were never supposed to get "old." We were the cool, aloof grunge generation of young tech geniuses. Most of the big companies people use every day—Google, Amazon, YouTube—came from Gen X. Our generation is both "Friends" and "The Office." We are, like, relevant, dammit.
But also, our backs hurt, we need reading glasses, our kids are in college, and how in the name of Jennifer Aniston's skincare regimen did we get here?
It's strange to reach the point where there's no denying you're not young anymore. Not that Gen X is old—50 is the new 30, you know—but we're not young. And it feels like every day there's something new that reminds us of this. When did hair start growing in that spot? Why do I suddenly hate driving at night? Why is this restaurant so loud? Does that skin on my arm look…crepey?
As they often do, Penn and Kim Holderness from The Holderness Family have captured the Gen X existential crisis in a video that has us both nodding along and laughing out loud. Salt-n-Pepa in the waiting room at the doctor's office? Uh, no. That's a line we are not ready to cross yet. Is Nirvana being played on the Classic Rock station? Nope, not prepared for that, either.
Watch:
Hoo boy, the denial is real, isn't it? We grew up on "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, for goodness sake, and it's starting to feel like we made the wrong choice a chapter or two ago and suddenly landed our whole generation in a time warp. This isn't real, is it? Thirty years ago was the 1970s. That's just a Gen X fact. So what if we've lived long enough for our high school fashions to go out of style, then come back in style, and then go out of style again?
Seriously, though, we can either complain about our age and where we are in life or we can laugh about it, and people are thankful to the Holdernesses for helping with the latter. Gen X fans are also excited to see their own experiences being recognized because at this point, we've all had that moment in the grocery store or the waiting room when one of our favorite songs comes on and we panic.
"They were playing The Cure in the grocery store and I almost started crying," wrote one commenter. "I mean, how 'alternative' can you be if you're being played in Kroger? You guys are great! Thanks for making us laugh."
"I couldn't believe it when I heard Bohemian Rhapsody being played in Walmart," shared another. "That was edgy in my day."
"I know!!! Bon Jovi at the grocery store!!! That was my clue in!!" added another.
"Long live Gen Xers! We have to be strong!! We can get through this together!! #NKOTBmeetsAARP" wrote one commenter. You can find more from the Holderness Family on their Facebook page, their podcast, and their website, theholdernessfamily.com.
