Xennial

Today’s prompt: “Describe your demographic group. Describe the stereotypes of your group that you confirm. Describe the stereotypes you subvert.”

When I first heard of the concept of the micro-generation Xennials, it immediately made sense to me. I’m part of the cohort that grew up without the Internet, got our first email addresses in college, and didn’t get a cell phone until we were in our early 20s. We remember life before the Internet, but we adapted to technology easily. I used dial-up modems, rotary phones, dot matrix printers, Ask Jeeves, typewriters, analog library card catalogs, 1-800-COLLECT (from the pay phone at the mall when I didn’t have a quarter), and floppy disks that were actually floppy. I had a Walkman. I made mix tapes. But there are a few things that, though they were a big deal for my generation, didn’t really fit me. I was never really into New Kids on the Block, didn’t have a crush on Corey Feldman, and was not a loyal viewer of My So-Called Life. I didn’t use AOL or anonymous chat rooms. And, despite the fact that I’m part of the Oregon Trail Generation, I never actually played Oregon Trail. But I was at least aware of it, so your death from dysentery this week made me oddly nostalgic.