A generation lost in space...

Generation Y seems to be a generation lost in space. I think that particularly applies to those born in the 80's and the 90's.

Today at work people were captivated with in an article in the Melbourne tabloid paper, the Herald Sun. The article was about a car crash that kill 4 teenagers. It started a conversation about teenagers generally and all the issues that seem to emerge. It seems that very few weeks go by without similar reports emerging.

- STI's are on the rise amongst Gen Y and there is reportedly a chlamydia
- There is massive attention paid to youth violence. With particular emphasis with fights being posted on Youtube.
- Youth drug and alcohol use
- Bullying and cyber bullying at schools
- Massive increase in young people with mental health issues

Why has Generation Y lost its way? We are the best educated, most tech savvy and probably verging towards the wealthiest generation to ever live. Yet...this seems to have lead to a generation that takes less responsibility, more over-entitled, and lazier. If you add in the obesity epidemics, growing insecurity about body image, and more isolated generation.

Generation Y appears to be a generation that takes greater risks and has the attitude that it wont happen to me. There also seems to be an expectation that we should get the things that we want, without having to work to get them, the have to have it now generation.

I know I have only presented very limited evidence to back this up. Anecdotal evidence from working with young people seem to point to this all happening.

Welcome to...

As it has just clicked into 2010 I have decided that I will actually attempt to start a blog. I have tied several times before, but rather unsuccessfully. However, this time i think it will stick. I am not going to pretend that this will be any different from the millions of other narcissistic blogs that just drone through my opinions and the mundane day-to-day activities of my life, but the difference is that it will be my narcissistic, droning blog. I have already made the decision that after a hit and miss 2009 that 2010 will be an awesome year.

2009 wasn't all bad...here were the highlights:

- I saw heaps of amazing bands, including Pearl Jam, The Swell Season, Tex Perkins, Okkervil River, Michael Franti, The Whitlams, Ben Kweller, Simon & Garfunkel and The Flaming Lips. On top of that I went Meredith and Blueprint Music Festivals and Port Fairy Folk Festival.

- I went to three fantastic weddings. A camping wedding at a winery, a more conventional chapel wedding and then my sisters low key, but beautiful wedding. I event felt compelled at my sisters wedding to stand up and say a few words, I think it was a combination of wanting to express my happiness for the couple and also the fact that the wedding has been so low-key that I had been able to drink throughout the ceremony.

- I got to attend a book launch of my grandmothers poetry in Hobart. She passed away tragically 10 years ago. It was a beautiful occasion to remember such an amazing person. We also spread her ashes in a stream on Mount Wellington, a moving little ceremony.

- I got a computer for the first time in 5 years. My last computer (which was so old it didn't even have a USB port!) crashed several days after I submitted my thesis. I haven't really needed on since.

- My sharehouse finally settled down. With Sarah moving in to join Sean and I, the house has really come to life. Its been done up to look somewhat funky and we have had many thrilling adventures and couple of kick-arse parties.

- I also made some fantastic new friends and reconnected with some old friends.

- Also, for better or worse for the first time in my life I established career ambition. Previously I hadn't been too concerned, but this year i found myself working harder than ever and thinking about where my career will go.

The 2009 low lights:

- The house getting robbed twice! Fortunately not owning much of value, very little was taken from me. Though I did have my Maton acoustic guitar stolen. I bought it when I was 15 years old and had spent a few months working nights in a bakery to save up. They also stole my jeans! Basically it also just had a bad effect on the vibe in the house for a few weeks.

- The Lucksmiths broke up. This had a massive impact on me. Essentially this band had been a staple in my life since I was 14 years old! I had probably seen them every year since then, up to a dozen times some years. It was the soundtrack to my youth. Their final gig was fantastic though, unfortunately it fell on the same day as my sisters wedding adding to the occasion.

- I had an awful break up at the start of the year and another frustrating one at the end of the year. The one at the start of the year came after an intense 5 month relationship that had been wonderful in small patches by so messy and soul destroying the rest of the time.

- I seemed to find myself in a lengthy space in the middle of the year where I had what i guess you would call a mid-youth crisis. I think I felt that I lacked a bit of direction and identity. Also, everyone around me was growing up quickly, through getting married, having children and buying houses. I just couldn't see where my life was going...so I regressed back to acting like an 18 year old and spending most of my time on unproductive pursuits.

- Some friendships came to end. I wouldn't say I was entirely to blame, but I contributed. In hindsight it was for the best, but still pretty sucky at the time.

- I reached the end of my time on SYN radio station. I had such a great time there and met a lot of great people. I wont be able to say that I talk about sex and relationships on the radio. I am hoping to have one final show on this year.

Whats going to be awesome in 2010:

- More fantastic music. Datarock, the Pixies, and Golden Plains Music Festival (Dinosaur Jr.!) for starters.

- I will have a new nephew born in mid-January. His middle name is going to be Nicholas last that I heard.

- I have a wedding in early-Jan, which will be great to catch up with a lot of people that I haven't seen in a long time.

- And possibly an overseas trip. At this stage America...but we'll see.