Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

5 Signs That Scream You’re Definitely in Your 40s

Author Steve Vassalotti

I’ve still got a few years before I hit my 40s, but this hashtag on Twitter jumped out at me. As we age, we begin to feel aches and pains that might not have been there the day before. You’ve probably heard people talk about how they went to the doctor and told them their ankle hurt, what can I do to make it better?  The doctor told them there is no cure you’re over 40 now. Signs you’re over 40 began trending on Twitter the other day and some of the responses are great. For all the responses head over to Twitter and search the hashtag “signs you’re in your 40s”.

1. Your social media is filled with pictures of your’s and your friend’s kids.

I think this happens quicker than your 40’s. I’m 35, and my Instagram has been my kids for the last 6 years!

2. Hangovers become an all-day thing.

Sometimes a whole 36-48 hours before you feel 100% again. I’ve had multiple hangovers like this and they are the worst. The only thing more difficult is parenting with a hangover. BRUTAL.

3. Teachers told you that you wouldn’t always have a calculator in your pocket.

You fools! Couldn’t see the technology boom coming around the corner. Not only do I always have a calculator in my pocket, but it has more computing power than the Apollo Rocket that went to the moon.

4. You get great enjoyment from watching birds at the bird feeder.

Yes. This makes me feel like a loser admitting this, but I have a clear bird feeder that is suction cupped to my big bay window. I find it awesome watching the sparrows, finches, and especially the neighborhood cardinals grabbing a seat for a bite to eat. I do not get enjoyment when the stupid morning doves come and spill all the seeds out because they’re too big.

5. You make noises when you stand up.

Already happening in my 30s.

Maybe this list should be signs you’re in your mid- 30’s. That or I should reevaluate my life at 35 years old.

 

Did “The Grand Illusion” Accidentally Predict the Future of Social Media?

When Styx released The Grand Illusion in 1977, the words “Facebook,” “Instagram,” or “Twitter” meant nothing to the world.

The band’s seventh studio album had nothing to do with predicting future flaws of society. Social media wouldn’t storm onto the scene until the 21st century. Somehow, the message of the title track applied to the dangers of social media about as accurately as anything written 30 or more years later.

The Grand Illusion  

According to Classic Rock Review, lead singer Dennis DeYoung wrote the lyrics to “The Grand Illusion” about “the struggle to overcome self-deluding superficiality in order to affirm one’s genuine value” based on the culture of the United States in 1977.

The lyrics denounced capitalism and the seemingly constant financial and social competition to achieve more than others in all walks of life.

The Grand Illusion became a huge commercial success. The wealth pushed DeYoung to point out the irony of his own lyrics. He never meant to imply that rock stars were above the grand illusion that ruled the American public.

After all, Styx and other bands turned huge profits from their own albums, concert tickets, and merchandise. They were no different than capitalists in professions that weren’t supposed to be the voices of dissent and rebellion. 

Wisdom in Lyrics

The age of social media allows for anyone, anytime and anywhere, to parade the glamor of their lives on the internet for the world to see.

The narrative, however, is controlled by the person who posted it. More often than not, it’s all just an illusion.

It’s downright bizarre that these particular lyrics align so closely with the modern problems surrounding social media.

However, the depth to the lyrics of The Grand Illusion provides the type of strength and inspiration that can make music an artistic expression of reality.

 

  • Verse 1

    Welcome to the Grand IllusionCome on in and see what’s happeningPay the price, get your tickets for the showThe stage is set, the band starts playingSuddenly your heart is poundingWishing secretly you were a star

    People scroll through Instagram looking at the lives of the rich and famous. They feel an unexplainable allure to see things that aren’t present in their own lives. Most of them secretly wish they lived the lives of the stars.

    They sometimes feel nervous and inadequate with the perception that they can’t measure up to the people at the supposed top of society.

  • Verse 2

    But don’t be fooled by the radioThe tv or the magazinesThey show you photographs of how your life should beBut they’re just someone else’s fantasy

    The mediums might’ve been different in 1977, but the ideas on the radio, the tv, and the magazines transferred pretty directly right onto social media platforms.

    Despite what modern culture might suggest, photographs on social media don’t define any one person. Don’t be fooled.

    Does a picture tell 1000 words? Not really. Try to write 1000 words in a social media post. You’ll quickly run out of characters on Twitter, or you’ll lose the incredibly short attention span of viewers on other platforms. Pictures might get much more attention, but they don’t always tell an accurate story.

    The person who posts a photograph of how your life should be is pushing an intentional narrative. More often than not, you’re meant to assume the ideal circumstances portrayed in someone else’s fantasy.

  • Verse 3

    So if you think your life is complete confusion
    Because you never win the game
    Just remember that it’s a grand illusion
    And deep inside we’re all the same
    We’re all the same

    Life isn’t a game, and there is no scoreboard. Someone with more followers than you isn’t winning.

  • Verse 4

    So if you think your life is complete confusion
    Because your neighbors got it made
    Just remember that it’s a grand illusion
    And deep inside we’re all the same

    Your neighbors might look like they have it all figured out. They might post Facebook pictures of their smiling children and their wonderful accomplishments. Be happy for them, but never buy into the perception of something meant to look completely glamorous without any flaws.

    People have no incentive to expose their own inadequacies in social media. If you compare the confusion in your own life to someone who seems happy in every social media post, you’re not seeing the big picture properly.

    Deep inside, we’re all the same. That includes the parts of you that are a little messed up. Nobody’s life is free of problems, regardless of how hard they try to convince you that’s the case.

  • Verse 5

    America spells competition, join us in our blind ambition
    Get yourself a brand new motor car
    Someday soon we’ll stop to ponder what on earth’s this spell we’re under
    We made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are

    How do you really make the grade in life? Hundreds of thousands of followers might land someone a big-time check with enough money to pay for a brand new car. However, that blind ambition only creates a race to nowhere.

    Styx told you a long time ago that this perceived competition was all just a grand illusion.

 

Steve Vassalotti is co-host of “The Matt Cord Show with Steve Vassalotti” weekday mornings 6a-10a on 102.9 WMGK. He has been with the station since 2015. For WMGK he writes about inane nonsense that surrounds our daily lives, sports, food and other various topics. Steve writes about Philadelphia lifestyle content, the Philadelphia Eagles culture and trending topics.

Sign Up For The WMGK Classic Rock Notes Newsletter

Classic Rock & entertainment news, what's happening in Philly, exclusive contests, games and more sent right to your inbox.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Author Steve Vassalotti
Category:
Tags:
,

More Human Interest

Load More