i was a child of the ’70’s.  the first new year’s eve i can remember was 1971.  the tv shows that left impressions upon me were all in the family, the odd couple, m*a*s*h, f-troop, get smart, happy days, welcome back kotter, and i’m sure i’ve left out other very good ones.

more important than television was the music of the 70’s.  led zepplin, CCR, springsteen (who transcends several decades), tom petty, the who,  the punk era, early disco, and everything now known as “classic rock.”

when i was a kid in the ’70’s, my parents listened to “oldies,” which was and still is the four seasons, the supremes, the coasters, dion and the belmonts, the everly brothers, jerry lee lewis, the del vikings, and anything that falls under “doo wop.”

let’s do the math:  i was 13 in 1975, the middle of that decade.  to me, of course, my parents were old.  their music was 15 to 25 years old at that time.  my older child is now17.  my music  dates back 20 to 30 years.  i am now officially old.  not because my kids constantly say so or because my students call me “granpa.”  i’m old because my music says so.