'80s Girl in a Millennial World part 1

Age-outed. At work. It’s a constant dance to avoid this predicament.

Maybe you were smart, picked a career that you could age in. I didn’t. In my creative field it is all about youth. If you think that doesn’t matter, then you must be in an age-secure job. Those of us who aren’t know the daily deceit we must go through.

I want to be honest at work, share stories of my favorite roller skates and Tiger Beat mags, but instead of chatting with co-workers about silly things I just stay quiet. I need this job. I can’t do anything to stand out. Sounds counter-intuitive. You should want to stand out: be a superstar, show your boss how great you are. I can’t show off or shine.

I figured out awhile ago that my managers were gradually becoming younger than me (same with doctors- ah!). In my experience (and it’s just my experience) younger bosses can seem intimidated by someone older. Not that they are, just that they can. A boss wants to seem like they know everything and they don’t want anyone one upping them. I learned to be quiet, try and blend in.

This loud mouth who dabbles in stand up comedy is quiet at work. The upside of silence: won’t age-out yourself by saying you saw Nirvana in concert (Kurt Cobain died in 1994). The downside of silence: you could be perceived as rude or not “fun” by your co-workers.

I know, I should be moving up, being in the management position, then this probably wouldn’t be an issue. Trust me, I’m trying.

I tell myself: Go to work. Do the work. Don’t make a scene.

But…sometimes co-workers make the mime routine hard. “George Clooney was on a TV show?!” Millennial Kylie shouted from her desk. I’ve learned to think before responding. What I want to say: “He was on several! ER, Roseanne, Facts of Life. Every heard of them?!?!” I don’t dare say anything. I let the millennials sort out Clooney’s IMDB background while I bite my Gen-X tongue.

You take the good, you take the bad, you work with people who weren’t born when you graduated college and now you’re sad. The Facts of Life.