When Did I Grow Up?

I was listening to NPR on my way home today and they were talking about the passing of Nate Dogg and MP3s (not the same story... just the same broadcast). First they played the song "Regulate" by Warren G featuring Nate Dogg and the broadcaster said, "If you came of age in the 90's... you know Warren G's song Regulate. It's part of the sound track of your life." Yup.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/1plPyJdXKIY&hl]I remember dancing to this at school dances and at parties in the 90's. Then I realized... these kids in college today... they were born in early 90's. My nephew was born in the late 90's... they don't know this stuff. This is the music I will say to my kids, "Mommy used to rock out to this!" And they will say... "Eww mom! Turn on ___ (insert popular musician 10 years from now) and turn off that old stuff." And then I will think, "Kids these days, they don't know the classics... the foundation of hip hop. Back when I was in high school..." Just like my dad did with me and his music from the 60's... I can only hope that my kids enjoy my music as much as I have come to enjoy my dad's (who doesn't love the Beatles!).Then the next story was about MP3's and how hard they worked to get the music quality the same... but it never was... and it was the first revolution in music recording driven by the consumer. The transition from vinyl to tape to cd was driven by the record companies. I started to reminisce about when I was in middle school and high school when I would buy cassette tapes... Like Michael Jackson's Bad and Beastie Boys and Red Hot Chili Peppers... (I still have those) and the CD revolution, when they were charging $19.99 for a cd and man I was desperate for a diskman. Walkmans weren't cool anymore... and I had to get some cool.I sat in my car remembering the record shops in Vero Beach and buying concert tickets there (no online TicketMaster). It was just such a different time. Music for me, back then, was about community and interaction. You saw your friends at the record shop. You could still buy vinyl at thrift shops.But somewhere along the lines I grew up. Saturday I will turn 30. I never felt very old (only when my brother hit milestones did I really feel it) and I kinda always thought that I was hip. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that inevitably there is a gap between my generation and this current one. And that is okay. I think I am going to enjoy embracing my status as older and wiser and memory holder of cassette tapes.