The difference between saying you don't care what other people think when you're 25 and saying you don't care what other people think when you're 40, is that when you're 40, you actually mean it.
At 25 you say it because you want it to be true. At 40 it is true.
When you get older you get more confident in yourself and forming your own opinions and you just don't care as much if they're the same opinions held by everyone else. Sometimes in fact, you'll find what you think is the total opposite of what everyone else in the world seems to think. And you don't care. Sometimes you'll even voice these opinions of yours out loud.
And so it is with no regret at all that I tell you ... I don't like Hitler. I really don't. I think he was a real asshole.
I also don't like jabbing my eye with an infected needle, drought, monsters, really long lines at the grocery store or being stuck in traffic when I have to pee.
At this point you're nodding your head up and down in validation. YOU feel the same way about these things! That's because I tricked you. You thought I was going to voice an opinion on something that was different than yours. I didn't. But I'm going to now.
I don't like Game of Thrones. I not only don't like it, I think it's stupid and cheesy. And stupid.
NOW we're getting somewhere. Game of Thrones has gained cult-like status the likes of which haven't been seen since somebody dropped a piece of chocolate in peanut butter.
And I don't like it. Game of Thrones I mean, I LOVE chocolate and peanut butter.
I also don't like most desserts, porn, Shakespeare, chain restaurants or sunflowers. And I don't really like hockey unless it's being played by 6-9 year olds.
I'm guessing you disagree with at least one of those things and you disagree STRONGLY. But I don't care. I don't like 'em even if they are wildly popular things. And no, I'm not saying I don't like them just because they're wildly popular. That's a favourite position for some people to take as well. Saying they don't like something ONLY because everyone else likes it. Oh really? You love breathing? I don't like it, totally overrated. I prefer an iron lung.
And then there's brussels sprouts. I hate them. Everyone knows I hate them. I've mentioned many times on this site about how I hate them. By this age I know what vegetables I like and which ones I don't. Yet ... no matter what ... any time I mention my hatred of brussels sprouts someone tries to change my mind. I just haven't cooked them right, haven't used the right recipe, haven't tried THEIR brussels sprouts. I haven't tried eating your hair either, but I can tell you right now I won't like it any more than I like eating my hair.
I can't really blame people, it's what we do. If a person doesn't like something that we like, we automatically try to convince them it's worth liking. There's a certain pride we feel after we've changed someone's mind about something because it's such a difficult thing to do.
Just try it this weekend. Try to change someone's mind about something. Not even anything explosive or controversial like abortion or politics. Just try to convince someone who doesn't like John Travolta that they actually should like John Travolta. That they could like John Travolta. Betcha can't do it. If the person happens to be under the age of 20 you might have a shot (providing they know who John Travolta is) but you won't be able to budge anyone over 40.
I have absolutely no idea where I'm going with this post or in fact if I'm going anywhere with it. I guess there isn't really a point to it.
And the beauty of being over 40? I don't care.
Jane
One of the great things about being an adult was realizing I never had to eat lima beans again. Or broccoli stems.
IRS
Very true. Eat what you like. I almost regret (almost) not having had kids. It would be enormously gratifying to be able to tell a sullen 9 year old, "I hate liver too, and I don't have to eat it because I'm a grown up, but YOU do, because I said so!" Hee hee! However, I am told that the use of sadism in rearing children is generally frowned upon. Oh well.
Debbe Van Ness
Yeah, and, God love ya. Liver isn't so good for us to eat. Sadism is probably less good for us to project on kids.....just saying. My parents loved liver. My mom would cook it for her and my dad and make something else for us kids, knowing that you either love it or hate it. My mom was awesome like that.
Kim
Actually, whether you love it or hate it, liver is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat (if it comes from a humanely/properly raised animal)
Ann Brookens
IRS, I love your comments. You are a wicked person.
IRS
:D
IRS
I have many opinions, and voice them often, but I never try to force them on anyone. I have never much cared what other people think, but when I was younger, I was much nicer and more tactful about dealing with people who tried to impose their opinions on me. Not anymore! Nowadays, the pushier someone tries to be with me, the sharper my retort. Like the guy who wanted me to sign up for a 7 day a week subscription for a newspaper I have no respect for. When he wouldn't take no for an answer, I informed him that I was not presently house training a puppy, nor did I have any fish that needed wrapping. But my biggest pet peeve is religious proselytizers; I am well aware of where your various churches are, and if I ever want to drink your particular flavour of Koolaid, I will come knocking. Until then, f*** off! The current bane of my existence is real estate agents. I live in an area where houses are very much in demand, and any that go on the market always sell before the "for sale" sign is driven into the lawn. I am tired of weaselly agents who accost me while I am working outside, and try to convince me that I need to move out, just so that they can make a whopping commission selling my home out from under me. F*** off! As for the ongoing argument of liking/hating Brussels sprouts, or anything else, eat what you damn well like, and stop trying to shove it down my throat. I promise to show you the same respect. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who tries to tell me that "you will love it", just because they do, has a serious deficit of brain cells. The current rage for salted caramel anything totally revolts me. I refuse to eat it, but happily watch others consume what I consider an abomination. We are all different. We can voice our opinions without needing to be pushy, or agreed with.
By the way, never mind "Game of Thrones" (which I don't watch), years ago I saw the first episode of "Breaking Bad", found it quite boring, and never watched it again. How's THAT for "sacrilege"? Cue the outrage. *cackles*
Debbe Van Ness
Oh, I saw the first episode (is that the one where he kills the guy with the bicycle lock while the guy is chained to a pillar in his cellar?) can you tell I never got intimate since I don't know anyone's name? Anyhow.....personally, I didn't find it boring, but it was definitely disturbing. I never watched it after that.
Ann Brookens
Salted Caramel! What is the current fascination with the stuff? I tried it and I don't like it. Also, sweet and savory together just don't do it for me.
And I don't like Breaking Bad, either.
Or Game of Thrones, series or books. Too violent.
Or pretzels.
I'm done, now.
Cindy
Wait…porn? You don't like porn???? But it's so amazingly tasty and so good for you. Have you never tried it hot and covered in butter? Porn on the cob, it's like my favourite.
gabrielle
Well, I was going to say that not caring what other people think is the first sign of the slippery slope of dementia, but I actually have NEVER cared. EVER! It's a developmental thing, I was raised with the opportunity to try many things, but I was told precisely what my reaction should be each time. Now I just crave peace and quiet in which to discover my own opinions.
And, while Game of Thrones may have many faults, it is NOT cheesy.
Walking Dead - now THAT'S CHEESY!!!
Cathy
I loathe capers. They look like rabbit turds.
I hate being awake @0410 when I volunteered to take an unpaid low census day
and I could've slept in till 0700!
Marna
Funny! :)
Grammy
Never seen Game of Thrones and have no interest in doing so. But I still very much like Brussels Sprouts. I would, however, not serve them if you were coming to dinner and I'm happy that you don't give a darn if I eat them myself.
whitequeen96
I LOOOVE brussels sprouts, but only when they're covered in peanut butter and chocolate! :)
Silvie
i dont like hockey. julia roberts or papaya.
Auntiepatch
Wait until you pass 60! I can say and do whatever I please and just ignore everyone else. Unless, of course, they want to join me. I'm always up for company. I'm going to be the Auntie Mame of my generation.
I'm going to have to take a long hard look at my brussel sprouts in the future. I love them roasted with garlic, olive oil, and butter. Then served with mayo on top. The veggies I won't eat are lima beans and turnips! Ughhhhh.
And how could someone NOT know who Hitler was? Is WW2 not being taught in school any more? Did they throw out History along with Music, Art, and Theatre? I'm stepping off my soap box now........
Karen
Milton was just kidding Auntiepatch, lol. I had a typo and had spelled it "Hiltler" in the post. I've since corrected it. If you notice he's spelled it the way I did in the post. :) ~ karen!
Auntiepatch
Ah - I thought he had the typo! LOL! You must have changed your text before I read it. Sorry Milton -
Melissa
You don't like hockey? And they let you stay in Canada?
gabrielle
Yup. They even allow you to immigrate if you hate hockey.
Erin
Hockey is a stupid game.
BaconBleuCheez
Q: Name two sports that don't involve a ball
A: Hockey and Boxing
Q: OK, that's one, name another.......
trish
Boy do i hear you sister but its not just not caring once you hit 40 and upwards but also the realisation you've really GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT !! Yay for ageing dsgracefully
Christina
Psst. I'm Scottish and I don't like haggis. Don't tell the others.
Auntiepatch
LOL! My FIL was from Scotland and he didn't like haggis either. So he came to America where we don't have anything like haggis!
Jacquie
Oooh, I'm telling. I love haggis and I'm English (don't tell the others I'm English).
janni
I live on the Oregon coast in a drinking town with a fishing problem. Salmon season is right up there with Christmas for some people here. So, the fact that I hate salmon like you hate brussel sprouts really perturbs a lot of people. I don't care (anymore). The first couple years I lived here, and I was in my thirties, I fell for the
"If you only try it my way" lines. Baked, boiled, barbecued, jerkied, or in a dip I hate salmon! It took me awhile but I finally stood my ground.
What I do love is your blogs, Karen. Thanks for all the laughs :) ~Janni
Gillian
I can't say that I don't like Brussels Sprouts because I've never had them....because my tiny little girl mind decided that I didn't like them and I trust her. I also don't like broccoli. It stinks, can't stand the smell of it. I will eat it though....if it's chopped up and hidden in something else. Won't eat cauliflower either. It reminds me of broccoli. I also don't like apple pie. I just prefer my apples cold and crunchy and uncooked. Finally (the one I'll probably be stoned for...) pumpkin. I dislike everything about pumpkins. Pie, latte, scooping out the guts for Jack-o-Lanterns, seeds, everything.
On the topic of Game of Thrones. I keep getting told that I would like it because it's my "type of thing". My entire family who do not have that same "thing" all enjoy it however, the first 15 seconds of the first episode of the first season was so violent I got up and left the room and haven't watched much more since AND what I have happened to glimpse has been just as violent so. No for me. I can't even bring myself to read the books which I'm assured are not as violent. So, I can't say that I dislike that either because I've never really seen enough but, it doesn't interest me and I don't care how people feel about that(and I'm only a little bit over 40). ;-P
Anon
Do not read the books. I repeat, do not read the books. Just as violent as the TV series with the addition that the characters are way younger. Not a pretty image.
Erin
You don't like apple pie! Now that is just plain weird. However I don't get that American thing, apple pie with cheese on top.
Lindy
Ah Game of Thrones. The reason you don't like that annoying series is because you are not a hormone raging 16 year old boy who is getting his jollies watching the sex scenes. It's particularly bad in the first series. And Sean Bean dies. Who would do that? In the business we call it a sexposition: when you need to move the plot along but you can't come up with a creative way to do it. Stick some naked women simulating sex with each other while your dull character laboriously moves the plot into the right orbit and no one will notice.
lavacha
Linda, you may be right. I guess when you're a certain age you know which clichés and tropes you enjoy , and which just bore or anger you. No amount of actors I enjoy or fabulous costumes could make up for the aggravation of misused or overused tropes. I read the first book decades ago and was bored, watched a few episodes to placate friends and started knitting again.
Ditto the walking dead, I rooted for the zombies....
Karen
Yes, that's pretty much how I would have summed it up if I were better with words, lol. ~ karen!
Evalyn
I was finished with Game of Thrones as soon as they killed off Sean Bean. I was still traumatized from Lord of the Rings, so the second death was just too much for me. Long live Sean Bean, Brussels sprouts and pickled okra, not necessarily in that order. Howsomever, I do not like pomegranates.
JulieD
HaHaHa! All so true! There is a certain freedom that comes with a certain age. I happen to like brussels sprouts well enough, but I've never wanted to watch Games of Thrones.
Stephanie Hobson
Game of Thrones the tv show - no
Game of Thrones the books - yes
If Martin dies before he finishes the final book he'll probably be dug up and hung or something equally final. Not that anything could be more final than being buried.
Kim
I think I have felt this way most of my life. It actually infuriates people to an extent. And only now that I'm older am I finding people to be more accepting of my eccentric and vocal opinions. I think younger people feel threatened when they are not agreed with, even over minor things. As a young adult I once had some OFFENDED because I dared to mention I did not like their favourite ice cream flavour...as if their self worth was tied up in this particular preference!!!
Also that worm Brussel sprout story basically sealed the deal for me. I will never eat them again. I never liked them anyway. I agree with the person who said hair would be preferable!
trish
wish i'd gone down the ice cream route . . . 30 odd years ago i saw princess di on telly doing her look up from under her fringe thing and thought oh o that looks posed and practised unfortunately i followed up this thought about media manipulation by saying these things out loud. the reaction would have been less offended and violent if i'd declared i loved Hiltler and worm-infested brussel sprouts sprinkled with hair ! whaddaya gonna do :)
Jacquie
Agreed. I was never a fan of Princess Di but if you said it out loud (I'm British), you might as well have said Santa was a paedophile. Very clever lady.
MaggieB
Brit also and never took to Princess Di - that look she used to do always reminded me of Myra Hindley. And yes, people did get upset if you said you didn't like her - but mention the Myra Hindley picture it got them thinking. The only thing I thought good on you was the landmine effort.
Do brusssel sprout worms count as protein or carbohydrates by the way? That must be the reason for the extra poundage that has crept on being a lady of a certain age over 40!
kate-v
Ah Ha! I was wondering what happened to the hated Brussels sprouts - why we hadn't heard of them for so long - now they rear their little heads.
I still like 'em, though and their season is upon us