A BRAVE NEW WORLD

Hubby and I recently took a little weekend getaway with our oldest son and his girlfriend. They are MILLENNIALS. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, this age group numbers 83.1 million and we went with two of them to Asheville, North Carolina. We are 64 and BABY BOOMERS. There are generational differences, but I guess you’ve heard.

 

The trip was really different. I enjoyed our expedition but I experienced several firsts (I will put an asterisk beside the firsts). We drove and Hubby and I took our car. It is bigger. They both drive small Volkswagons. They really don’t drive their cars much. Living in Reynoldstown in Atlanta, they catch MARTA to go to work. So, we drove.

Another reason we drove is because oldest wanted to take his boxer. We love our grand dog and have kept him many (MANY) times while our son traveled. Not just short jaunts here or there, but big jaunts – South Africa, New Zealand, Iceland, Europe, Hawaii, etc. Millennials like to travel if they can. And when they travel they stay in hostels, AirBNB, or outside. Millennials are fond of camping (and so are their pets). So, we took his dog.

Our entire entertainment involved visiting Asheville’s breweries and pubs. Because Son and Hubby have a common hobby – brewing their own homemade beer – this was the point, really, of the entire trip. Millennials love their beer. I have become quite fond of the craft beers, but when you’ve seen one mash tun, you’ve seen them all. (That’s how Hubby feels about trips to countries with castles). With outdoor seating, some brew pubs welcome dogs. So, as I said, we went to outdoor breweries for the dog.

The AirBNB house did not have regular TV like your would find in most of our homes. Some Millennials (like our renter who is one, too) do not even have a  TV and will watch media over the internet using smartphone, tablets, or a monitor connected to the internet. Luckily our son has the same media setup so he knew how to operate the remote. We also used our iPhones a lot. Remember, this group was the first to grow up with computers in their homes and the first generation of kids to grow up with the Internet.

small group of people using cellphones together.

Because we were visiting local brew pubs that were close in proximity, we walked everywhere. Son made sure our rental was near the action in downtown Asheville. We also walked to an outdoor concert sponsored by a brewing company that gives their proceeds to cities to enhance bicycle paths. Millennials appreciate GREEN causes. If we were over served, we called UBER*. We called UBER.

 

 

It was a grand weekend exploring Asheville through our Millennials eyes. It was worth what we shelled out to pay for the trip (Oopps – did I just say that? Well, Son did pay for all the expensive craft beer he wanted us to try). We enjoyed being with him and his girl even if we couldn’t discuss politics – Hubby and I had already learned that lesson.

“In 2016, the Pew Research Center found that Millennials surpassed Baby Boomers to become the largest living generation in the United States.” – Wikipedia. If by the standards of the U.S. Census Bureau and based on Pew’s definition of the generation which ranges from 1981 to 1997, we Boomers only total 74.9 million to their 83.1 million.

It’s a brave new world.

P.S. Don’t get me started how Millennials NEVER ANSWER THEIR PHONE CALLS! Incoming and outgoing texts only. You know what I am talking about.