In June of 1999, Blink-182 released the album “Enema of the State.” The hit single “What’s my age again?” from that album had been receiving huge amounts of radio time since April. I liked it immediately. I learned the words and sang along…
“Nobody likes you when you’re 23.”
I was 17 at the time.
As it happened, my older brother had a friend who was 23. We made fun of her, appropriately. She seemed old at the time. 23 seemed so far away. It was one of those golden moments of youth where our immortality and invincibility blind us to the simple truths of the world, even as we are singing it at the top of our lungs.
“Nobody likes you when you’re 23.”
I turned 18 a few days after the album was released.
I couldn’t see far enough into the future to realize that I would be 23 one day, and it would come and go in a flash. Those 5 years would slip away from me as I completed college, joined the rest of the real world in the rat race, and went about turning into the a contributing member of society. I remember joking on my 23rd birthday that I’d finally reached the age when nobody would like me anymore. And, still, I sang along.
“Nobody likes you when you’re 23.”
The years spun away faster and faster. Advancements and setbacks at work. Loves gained and lost and found again. A new family started. Life has been a rollercoaster. Life has been good. Which is funny, considering that I’ve now hit 10 years of nobody liking me.
And, if this is how it is when nobody likes you, I guess I’m okay with it. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, because I keep on singing.
“Nobody likes you when you’re 23.”
That came out in 1999?! Yikes. That is hard to believe….
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
I know!!!!
and
Thank you. 😉
It’s so interesting how things and perspectives change as time passes. 🙂
Yep. It’s also interesting how quickly time does pass.
Happy birthday, and thanks for all the fish…
Thank you… and you’re welcome?
I don’t remember having anything to do with all the fish… but, it’s been that kind of year.
Happy Birthday! 🙂 Funny. I saw the title pop up in my inbox and immediately this song came to mind. I can’t believe it’s been that long either. I used to work for a syndicated college radio show when it came out–had to interview and record blink a few times. Crazy boys…
Crazy, yes. 😀
“Had to” interview them? “Got to” sounds better!
Six degrees of separation. My dad works with Mark’s dad, and I got a signed record of Dude Ranch once upon a time.
Ok, you’re right bad choice of words there, ha ha. And SMALL world indeed! 🙂
Yep! That’s a good thing, though. I like that it is truly such a small world.
Well nobody likes you when you eat their cake! Happy Birthday which I wished you already via FB. 😉 I hope that you have a great day and stop eating my cake
My cake!
And thank you.
And what is this book of faces you speak of? I don’t do that, do I?
mmm did someone say cake?
you’re welcome. me tinks you know the book of faces for which I speaketh
Cake? Where? All the cakes are belong to me!!
The book of faces sounds kind of creepeh. Are they, like, people sticking out their tongues and stuff, making funny faces, or what?
no my cakes
yes faces people sticking things out, making funny faces..
Yum, cakey goodness. I eats the cakes.
pft
we’ve been here before you and I
pft icus
nooooicus
Truthicus
why yes of courseiscu
courseiscu?
aha i knew you’d see that. That’s what happens when lies are being told 😉
hahaha
fair enough
heh heh hehicus
Oh and just wait until your 43…
Ew.
That sounds bad.
Luckily, my older brother will always be older. So, I can feel young that way. Every new year I hit, he’s already been there, done that. Heh heh heh.
pft it’s not that bad…
heh heh heh
wait, did I already evil chuckle?
I think I did, but don’t remember for sure.
Oh noes! I’m losing my memory already!
The end is near.
Heh heh heh
icus
for sure icus!
exactlicus
happy birthday and oh boy, 23 was a ways back for me. enjoy your day!!!
Thank you!
I have that song on my iPhone…..still love it! Happy birthday. 🙂
Thank you!
Can’t help but sing along. 😀
Every time! (and my friends still say I should act my age!)
That sounds boring. Besides which age are we supposed to act? The arbitrary number that corresponds to how many times the earth has gone around the sun since we’ve been alive, or how we feel in our hearts?
Exactly!!
😀
Just to show you how dense I am, I didn’t notice the hidden message in this post until I read the comments. Happy birthday!
Hahahaha
No worries. It wasn’t my best post, that’s for sure.
And, thank you!
Happy birthday, your jesterness.
Thank you! 😀
Happy birthday!
I don’t think I heard this one. The only age that jumps out of me is thirty: “Your mind gets dirty / as you get closer to thirty”
I’ve never heard that before! I love it!
And, thank you!
I may be older but I look younger! 🙂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! (Yes, I’m yelling that)
Hey, keep it down, my old ears can’t handle all that shouting. And, you only look younger because your hairline isn’t receding as fast as mine… I don’t know how you lucked out with that.
Maybe because I’m younger at heart!
I’ve always been an old soul.
Happy birthday. I too remember when 23 seemed old.
BTW, I saw Blink live once. They were AWFUL.
I saw them live once too, and, yes, they are awful. Love their music, but won’t ever pay to see them live again. On the other hand, at that same concert I saw Green Day too… and they are amazing live. I’ve seen them again since then, and should the opportunity arise, I’d probably go see them again.
Oh, and thank you! 😀
Oh man, Blink 182. I heard that song on the radio a year ago and couldn’t help jamming out. I had a poster of them up on my wall (correction-it was taped on my pull down blind because my mom didn’t allow boy posters on my walls for fear of me being “that kind of silly girl”. So she wouldn’t see it when I pulled the shade up in the morning, but in the evening I could stare at cute boys allllll night. My walls were full of Yoda, and my three beloved heroes from SW). I thought they were the coolest thing. I don’t think I could listen to a whole album of them now…
I wonder why they thought no one likes you when you’re 23? Did they ever explain that in the song? I can’t even remember now…
It has to do with the discrepancy between the expectations society places on you at that age, and how you still act and feel. You are supposed to be an adult, but you are still very much a kid.
I listen to their self titled album at least once a month still. They are very much one of my favorite bands.
Happy birthday, kid. Here’s to the next thirty three.
(The view from the next ten is pretty good.)
33 more?!? That sounds like a lot… I can’t wait! 😀
Oh my gosh, a whopping 33? I can’t remember yesterday, but I think I was having fun when I was 33. Hoppy Birdie two Ewe!
So far it’s been a lot of fun! 1 day down, 364 more to go.
Sheena the Punk Person has just informed me that you and I share the same birthday, so many happy returns to you, Mr Matticus Kingdom 🙂
And a very Happy Birthday to you, too!!
I like you! And happy birthday again. 🙂
I think you just broke the curse! 😀
Happy Birthday and many more!
Thank you!
I just realized its been way to long since I visited the kingdom.
I’m so happy I’m here for your berfday.
33 ain’t so bad. Heck, 43 ain’t so bad. I get better with age.
So do you, friend. You deserve only the happiest of birthdays! So tousle that hair and pour the Vodka and Red Bulls!
Hair tousled. Hair most definitely tousled. I avoided the VRBs today, but had a lovely beverage called “Fat Weasel” from my neighborhood Trader Joes. Yum. Tastes nothing at like a weasel, I think, I hope. But, hey, maybe weasels just taste good.
Thank you for the berfday well wishes. 😀
WHAT is a “fat weasel”?
I need to go to Trader Joes more. There isn’t one nearby, so I tend to do Whole Foods more.
Whole Paycheck. That’s what we call it.
Yes, Whole Paycheck… that’s what we call it too.
Fat Weasel is a dark beer, very flavorful, and I have no idea how it ended up in my cart the first time I took it home to try. I know I was looking for something new… and I figured if Trader Joes was selling it that it was probably pretty good. All very logical of me. And, it is delicious!
Are you into craft beers? My college BFF is. Ridiculously so.
She goes to beerfests, which are like wine tastings, only – well – for beer, obviously. They offer samples of over 200 beers. She and her friends make a list of their “most wanted” – I always tell her to make certain she tastes her top ones first, because once you’re buzzed, who can discern the difference?!
I like beer. I’m not sure I’m into “craft” beers. But, there are some microbrews that I do enjoy. And, I’m a bit picky about what I like, I won’t just drink any old beer… I’d rather not drink than have something I don’t really like.
I haven’t been to a beerfest, yet. There is a yearly one near me but the timing hasn’t worked out the last couple years. As soon as it does, I’ll be there.
Happy birthday! 23 was a long time ago for me!
10 years seems like a long time to me at the moment… even though I know it isn’t.
And, thank you!
I love Blink-182, I fell in love with that song when I was 15 and it’s only been five years since then and I sing that song LOUD and I’m perfectly okay with nobody liking me if I’m 15 or 23 or 68. 😀
Happy happy birthday!
Hooray for another Blink lover! (Do you know EndKwote? He’s a big Blink fan too.)
It’s late and I’m sleepy so my maths may be broken but, 15 + 5 = ?? Wait a minute, never mind, my maths are definitely broken. 😉
Thank you!
I do not know EndKwote, but I think I’ve heard his name here and there. Do you like Blink’s music when they were first starting out, or their middle stuff (around Enema of the State era) or their end stuff before Angles and Airwaves was started?
15+5=20. I’m 20. Haha.
EndKwote does a weekly cover song on Tuesdays (I think) and he has featured a lot of Blink, Angels and Airwaves, Box Car Racer, and +44 songs. Worth checking out when you get a minute.
I like all of their albums. I would probably default to say I like their self-titled album (the last before A&A) because a lot of it’s songs spoke to me, seemed to fit, based on what was going on in my life at the time. Enema is probably second on my list… and then everything else is right behind it.
When I was a teenager, it was “Don’t trust anyone over 30.” Now I am more than 30 years past when folks will like me? Youngin’s are hard on folks!
Youngin’s are hard on folks. That’s a truth.
Also, all parents are crazy… they catch it from their kids. 😉
It seems we are the same age…almost. You’re older, waaaay older, like one half-year older. The thing I remember most about that album is the cover. I’m pretty sure it was directly meant for us at that time. Happy Birthday!
Funny. The cover. Well, it definitely appealed to boys of a certain age, that’s for sure. Though, I had no idea who she was until I was doing research for my post to verify dates and details.
Happy belated birthday and I have to admit, 23 wasn’t a great year for me either. So, the song was appropriate!
Oh no!
I hope the years since have been much better!
And, thank you.
Wow, it could be me writing this post, only I never heard that track. Even though I have a bleat every now and then life has certainly not been bad, least not up to now.
You haven’t heard the track? Go! Go now! Find it somewhere and listen! It’s not the greatest song you will ever hear, but, I just can’t imagine that Blink-182 wasn’t getting some good airtime over on your side of the pond too. Blows my mind!
They were known over here, the only track I liked of theirs if I recall was called “miss you”/ Ill give this one a listen when I can.
Oh! And give “Stockholm Syndrome” a listen too. And, “After Midnight” too! Some of their newer stuff has a bit more of a electronica feel that you might enjoy. (And, if you haven’t listened to Angels and Airwaves yet, you should do that too.)
“Where are you? And I’m so sorry. I cannot sleep, I cannot dream tonight.” “Like indecision to call you and hear your voice of treason. Will you come home and stop this pain tonight? Stop this pain tonight…”
This song was released right around when my college girlfriend and I split up (we had been engaged), and it resonated within me. My life has moved on, to a better place, but the song still holds a lot of power for me.
I will listen to those tonight when I get home 🙂 I resonated with that track too, I just thought it was sung well and I don’t really remember listening to their other stuff so actually had nothing to compare it to… weird.
I was 18 when my then fiancée broke up with me, I have a song tat reminds me of that too, although the song was not released at that same time.
Engaged at 18!? tsk, tsk Moi. 😉 So young! Hahaha, just kidding. I was only 21.
It’s amazing how much music can hold sway over specific moments of our lives.
Engaged at 17, was dumped 7 days after my 18th birthday. Yeah so many memories in the music.
You should write a song! Or a book. 😉
I dont think I have either in me really.
I listened to those blink 182 tracks, my fav was after midnight, I loved the video that came with that too. good music though, I may investigate more.
Happy investigating. They are one of my favorite bands. I had a feeling you’d like After Midnight the most out of them…
Its a great tune, i cannot stop playing it, and it gave me my post for tomorrow 😛 win/win
Hooray!
Happy birthday!
Luckily I’m still in the safe zone, everyone can still like me 😉
Hah!
Well, enjoy it while you can. 😉
And, thank you!
Hello, DJ. Belated Happy birthday. I had forgotten your b-day is only a few days ahead of mine. But I’m probably eons your senior. I have to say, in spite of the various niggly little discomforts of a body getting older, it’s been a blast so far. I’m looking forward to the next few decades of a great ride! I hope you have them too.
Cheers! Let the years keep on coming. I’m having one heck of an adventure and never want it to stop. 😀
I’m glad I didn’t really register that song back in 1999, given that I’m a year older than you, Sir Jester!! I hope you had a wonderful birthday.
It was fairly wonderful, yes, thank you! 😀
Ah, so you’ve already lived year #33. How was it? Any bumps or hiccups I should be on the lookout for?
I’m probably not the best person to ask, although perhaps I can at least suggest that if there is a person who seems to find your mere existence a personal affront, then try to spend as little time as possible in their presence, and when you do have to spend time with them, don’t speak unless spoken to, because then they can’t bawl you out for daring to have an opinion. But that applies at any age, not just 33!
Yes, good advice at any age… well, every age until you reach certain higher milestones when you are once again allowed to have an opinion, because you find yourself as the elder that others are supposed to be respecting.
I hope when I get to that age I also remember to respect the younger folks because they might actually have valid points to make,
Pfft! Unlikely. *shaking my fist* Youth is wasted on the young!!
😉
LOL!!
😀 That’s what I’m here for.
Happy Happy Birthday!!! Same age as my little guy. Enjoy this year and all the future ones!
Woohoo! 😀