Recently, I have had several series of dreams that have had continuous plot lines that have gone to two or three parter’s. The common thread through all of them is that they are things I’ve done before. It was places I’ve previously worked, places I’ve already visited and things I’ve already experienced. The twist on all of them, is that I’m experiencing these things with someone from a different environment.
I think I finally figured out why I’m having these dreams. It’s because today I’m going to experience something I’ve done before, but with different people. At 43 years of age, I’m going to go back to school. I’m going to get my back to school picture that my wife will post on Facebook and I’m going back to school to learn something relatively new (Social Media) with an entirely new set of people. It’s strange to go back to something when you think you’ve already been there. It’s strange to think that when you are 43, you can learn new things, from people way younger than you. At my age, you’d think you are the one that knows everything. But really, aren’t you learning or re-learning things from young people all the time?
Like when you are trying to figure out this new fangled phone you were given at work that you give to your pre-teen and she takes it and shows you how to do everything on it in 5 minutes. Or when you were a lifelong basketball player/fan and your third grader decides to try football, and teaches you all about football and can tell you plays called motion or wedge?
How is it that when I’ve have been a blogger for four and a half years, and I can come upon a blogger that has only been doing it for two weeks and they can give me an insight into widget, or some social media site, or some promotional site that can teach me how to get more followers? How is it that I can learn something from someone so much more inexperienced than me?
In my dream I was super frustrated that someone that was so much younger than me was showing ME the ropes. How dare they? I was the one who had done this for so long. I was the one that knew all the techniques. But, really how could I dare think that the way I had done it was the only way? How could I think I knew it all? I haven’t lived a lifetime. I haven’t done it all. There are a thousand ways that something like this could be done.
Today I start my journey, a short one, but a journey nonetheless to learn something that is somewhat foreign to me, Social Media. Sure I use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube and the like. But I barely know anything about how they can benefit companies. Not really. I need training from people that know more than me on the subject, before I go begging to work for a company.
A lot of us think we know so much about something. But, even math and science, that stuff that holds the keys to the universe and how it works, the stuff that must be proved, and the answers are always the same, (IE 1+1 always equals 2) is still growing and learning and new formula’s are still being figured out.
Today, I go learn from some young Padawan’s. I learn way more about a subject than I already know. I grab an ever growing bull by the horn’s and try to tackle it and make it my calf. I bring it to my farm, brand it with my knowledge, drink its milk and then put it out on the job market, with its combination of experience and the new knowledge learned from both younger and older teachers.
And hopefully wake up from the dream having learned a trick or two about things I thought I knew.
ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH
Bitter Learning from Young Ones Ben
Good on you for going back to school! That’s a hard thing to do after a long time away. I admire your dedication. I can understand why the whole being-older-than-your-teachers thing would feel awkward – I’d feel weird too if it were me – but if it helps, I regularly saw students at my college who were over 40. Not tons, sure, but they were around. I even had a class with a guy who had to be at least 70! I fully believe that we should all keep learning for our entire lives, whether that be at school or on our own. There are always new and fascinating things to discover. And with how many people change careers nowadays, I imagine the number of older students will keep going up. Anyway, wishing you the best!
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Thanks for that. I think the hardest part is just adjusting to the whole homework and class and projects and all the crazy things that I’m not used to. And the fact that it is kind of a big change. But I will get it figured out. I’ve already learned more about Facebook than I ever thought I would know and it’s only the second week! Crazy!
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Oh, and what the heck is a Padawan?
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Padawan is a term from Star Wars that means young Jedi’s. Where the young people are teaching the old.
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I want to know what school you are attending. I’m old, and since everyone is younger than me I know they know more than I do…so, I need a teacher. It’s a bit intimidating ’cause they talk fast and I hear slow.
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I’m attending a college in Utah called LDS Business College that focuses on Business type classes like Accounting, IT, etc. and I found a program about Social Media and had to give it a try.
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You are brave. I’ve taken some free online courses and webinars to learn more about social media and the likes…but I do it safely from behind my computer screen. 😉
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It is crazy how much information there is about it, and how fast it is changing. I remember only 12 years ago my daughter being born and Facebook was just getting started.
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I sensed your inner Luddite surfacing on occasion …
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What? How could you sense any Luddite in me? So weird…
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I could imagine a handloom worker objecting to new machines by saying, ‘I was super frustrated that someone that was so much younger than me was showing ME the ropes. How dare they? I was the one who had done this for so long. I was the one that knew all the techniques.’ To be fair, you then go on to admit you’re happy to learn something new. I only said ‘on occasion’ …
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Stupid machines and all their data trying to take over. It’s funny because I just watched Terminator Genysis last night and it was basically set in 2017 when everyone was on their devices and that was how the Machines took over because people were just happy to be controlled by them. I’m like I guess the machines aren’t too far off from taking over.
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They’re probably just waiting for us to fall into line …
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Tell them if they want me to fall in line they will have to come and get me off my couch.
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You will do fine at school. I’m sure of it.
Patience, Padawan…bitter learning patience.
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But learning is so hard. Especially from someone you aren’t used to learning from.
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Can’t wait to read about your adventures, maybe you can teach this old dog something, too
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I’m still learning the old dog tricks myself. I think beg will really help when it comes to getting a job in all this.
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Good luck and you’ll love it.
I turned 50 in May this year and decided to start piano lessons. I’m absolutely loving it, but the music theory is hard going to this old brain of mine.
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I enjoy it for sure. I’m just not sure I should have done so much in one semester. But we will see how much fun it is soon!
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I’ll send my kids over. You’re paying them right?
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They will get paid as much as I pay you.
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I just consulted with them and they are demanding a 1000% raise!
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Wow, they are getting so demanding. I will give them a raise, but only a one percent. Next year I’m going to see a little more performance.
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I’ll have to talk to them. They’re pretty mean negotiators.
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Just don’t let them see you sweat or it will be over in no time.
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But, they’re so intimidating!!
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Yeah, they can be quite horrible sometimes. And especially manipulating.
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Yay! I am excited for you. I think you will kick butt!! I can relate to the awkward feelings of being taught by people younger than you. I struggle with that, too. My husband has a black belt in a martial art called Hopkido. He got me to sign up for a martial arts school so we could do it together. I went without him to a class one day, and I was the only person over the age of 10 who showed up. HA! AND, most of the 10 year olds had more experience in Martial Arts than I did, and were higher ranked, so I had to learn how to do some of the moves from them. It was super humbling. REALLY REALLY humbling… borderline humiliating kind of humbling 😀 But, I guess in the end, we all just have different sets of experiences that don’t always correspond with age. It still felt pretty awkward, though!
Hope all goes well today!
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Well, I’m glad to see that people can relate. It has been quite interesting and very humbling trying to keep up with not only the young people, but all the ever changing data as well as all the course work. I don’t ever remember taking all this classwork at once. Should be interesting though!
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My dreams are just frustrating and annoying. Mostly bathroom oriented which means my bladder is asking me to get up. Otherwise I stuck in some rotating dream hell with old employers, old friends and old boyfriends.
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My dreams have been pretty scary lately. So I would call them nightmares. They mostly have to do with all this anxiety about school and being way older than all these people.
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Oh, I have had them too this week and I am 56 years old! I still think I am failing exams…and wake up panicked that I don’t have a diploma.
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Yep, I still have dreams about school and everything, and I get so mad when I wake up and realized I was thinking about something so long ago. Until this week when I realized I was actually in school when I woke up.
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LOL!
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Ever watch that movie, The Internship? It offers a good reminder that each generation has something they can contribute to one another. Also, that it’s never too late to learn something new or sharpen your skills. Here’s to you and your new learning adventure. *raises glass*
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I do have something to offer that younger generation. A guy to be in the group that will make bitter statements.
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Good luck! You are very very brave. I’ll be 43 on Monday, and I feel waaaaay to old and stodgy to go back to school.
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Believe me, I feel old. And now I’m wondering if I am going to regret this. Because they are all so young. But even if I fail, it will make great material for bitter blogging.
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Best wishes on the new start! It’s always humbling to have to learn from people who are younger or less experienced, but at least humble pie is PIE. Maybe you can eat a humble pizza pie while the young padawans teach you new stuff.
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Yeah, I will be glad to teach these little Padawan’s how to eat pizza.
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Well, since you are set to learn things today… Bringing a bull home to be s calf and then milk it, you’re doing farming wrong.
Haha, sorry! It was just sitting there waiting for someone to poke at you. Great post tho, as I’m getting older myself, I am constantly reminded of how little I understand when I listen to my young cousins use the newest slang or tell me what the heck the cool new app they are using is. Sigh. I just don’t have the patience or the brain capacity to keep up with technology! Good luck on your first day.
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It’s kind of funny because so many of the students and even teachers are younger than me, and know so much more.
Kind of like how you know so much more about cows and milking than I do.
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