Teen Media Use, Neil Young & Blue Hair

Sometimes I feel old. I mean really, really, really old as in let’s-dye-our-hair-blue, stick in a few hair rollers and stuff our fat behind into a moo-moo kind of old.

This feeling always happens when I ask questions I shouldn’t.

When I complain  to my BFF Jennifer who lives in a necklace Annapolis, she just admonishes me to “quit asking questions. Then you don’t have to be afraid of the answers… ”

Here are two examples… 

Teacher’s Exhibit #1…A discussion regarding an article over teens and media use brought this little snippet…

Student… “I learn a lot from watching television…”

Me…    “Like what?”

Student…    “Words and stuff…”
Another student…    “Yeah me, too…”

Me…   “What words?”

Student… “Like a combination of words…”
Another student…    “Yeah…” 

What I learned…Those 7.5 hours of media use does not increase one’s vocabulary. We still need teachers for that.

Teacher’s Exhibit #2…A discussion about a humorous skit done by Jimmy Fallon impersonating Neil Young …

Me…    “Does anyone know who Neil Young is?”
One of the newspaper staffers…    “Does he play soccer?”
Another student… “Give us a hint…”
Me… “He’s a singer…”
Another student… “Oh, isn’t he the one that sang Sweet Something or Other…”
Me (getting somewhat exasperated)… “No, that was Neil Diamond… Good grief, doesn’t anyone know who Neil Young is?”
Another student whispering… “Someone just say, ‘Yes…’”

What I learned…If the singer isn’t a prominant artist on Guitar Hero, then forget it.

With my birthday less than a month away, I better start looking for that hair dye.