As Gen Xers enter their 40s and 50s, it feels as though we were never meant to age. We were the trailblazers of grunge and tech innovation—the generation behind giants like Google, Amazon, and YouTube. We grew up with “Friends” and “The Office,” and we pride ourselves on being perpetually relevant.
Yet, here we are, grappling with the realities of middle age: aching backs, reading glasses, and the realization that our kids are now in college. How did we get here?
Reaching this stage of life is a strange experience. It’s not that Gen X is old—after all, 50 is the new 30—but it’s clear we’re not as young as we used to be. Every day brings new reminders of this shift: unexpected hair growth, a newfound aversion to night driving, louder restaurants, and skin that seems to be losing its firmness.
Penn and Kim Holderness from The Holderness Family have perfectly captured this midlife crisis in a hilarious video that resonates with Gen Xers everywhere. They humorously address the denial we feel, with scenarios like Salt-N-Pepa playing in the doctor’s office or Nirvana being classified as Classic Rock. It’s a comical reflection on how our once-youthful selves are confronting the inevitable.
Watch:
It’s like we’ve taken a wrong turn in our “Choose Your Own Adventure” and ended up in a time warp. Thirty years ago was the 1970s, and now we’re seeing our high school trends come full circle. Is this real life?
Rather than dwelling on our age, we can choose to laugh about it, and the Holderness Family helps us do just that. Many Gen Xers have shared their own amusing encounters with nostalgia, feeling validated by the Holdernesses' take on our shared experiences.
“I heard The Cure in the grocery store and nearly started crying,” one commenter wrote. “How ‘alternative’ can you be if you’re playing in Kroger? Thanks for making us laugh!”
“Bohemian Rhapsody in Walmart? That was edgy in my day,” another shared.
“Bon Jovi at the grocery store was my wake-up call!” added another.
“Long live Gen Xers! We can get through this together!! #NKOTBmeetsAARP,” wrote one enthusiastic fan.
For more of their humorous takes on life, check out the Holderness Family on their Facebook page, podcast, and their website, theholdernessfamily.com.