The Boomers

 The Wonder Years.

 My parents are in town visiting. The great reverse question is how do we entertain the parents when they visit the Bay Area? They have seen it many times in the 11 odd years that I have lived here. My dad even lived in Northern California in his youth. I'm sure they are just happy to see me, as I am to see them, but it's always a chance to see the town with new eyes. Or sometimes older, rose colored ones.

 I made it all about the East Bay. We went to Spenger's for lunch, we visited the Oakland Museum, had drinks at the Claremont, picked up ice cream from Ici, ordered pizza from Zachary's, and rounded out the night with a viewing of Moneyball. Go Oakland! The interesting part was really watching my parents take in the history wing at the Oakland Museum of California. Partially, the late World War II and 60's eras.

My parents are baby boomers, though my mom would say she was born a 1/2 year before the real "boom".  Whatever, they are it. Growing up in the 50's, living through the 60's, surviving the disco 70's, suburbs in the 80's, raising teenagers in the 90's, and retiring in the 2000's. It's life alright, and it's more than an sentence. BOOM! It must be even stranger to see it on the wall of a museum. There it is, in a big room with lots of pictures. Just like the photos at Grandma's house or the family album, but there for all of Oakland to see. That must be crazy.

I think of how times have changed in my lifetime, and how I'm not always sure where my life or the world is going. How did my generation change the world? Where are my children's generation going to take it next? I don't know. That museum show has yet to be curated.

The 60's exhibit.

My mom in Huey Newton's chair.