Opinion: You all take care when celebrating
I promised myself at an early age that when I grew up I wasn’t going to be that kind of adult. Full of teenage angst and misunderstood when I reached the age of majority, I would remember how it felt to be young and full of fun.
A product of the 1970s, I thought long hair on men, bellbottom blue jeans, sandals and motorcycle boots were the height of fashion. The credo “don’t trust anyone over 30,” rang true. Another of my beliefs stated that if the music was too loud you are too dang old. Now that I am more than twice the age of 30, my views have changed. I still like my music loud, but it is more of a necessity than a desire these days. I don’t know if the volume of the music we listened to as teenagers are the cause of my impaired hearing but it is definitely a possibility.
My mom always called the music my friends and I listened to as ‘yeah-yeah,’ music. In short not really music at all. Tunes by John Phillip Souza was more her style.
Although she couldn’t play the clarinet worth a hoot, she earned a spot in the Madera Union High School marching band. Her talent was marching and keeping her fellow band members in straight lines behind her.
Her musical ability was so poor, the late Lois Worthington advised her to have her husband sing to their babies. In the case of my eldest brother Rocky, it was already too late and the damage was done. He never could sing, but since Daddy sang to Brian and me we both developed decent singing voices.
The music young people listen to these days is bad. The percussion of rap and hip-hop music makes my head hurt. If I listened to that sound all day, it could bring out my violent side. I do not doubt that some of the violence perpetrated by gangs is fueled by the music they listen to and the idols that sing it.
Pair that with a desire for celebrity, notoriety, raging hormones and a lack of parental supervision it isn’t too surprising some young people use violence as a path to fame.
I once had a friend who told me that my values at 19 years of age, the things I thought were so important, I wouldn’t walk across the street for if they were giving them away by the bucket full. I thought he was wrong and out of touch. He wasn’t.
As the holiday season approaches partygoers, need to remember the stiff penalties for driving under the influence. Presently there isn’t a roadside test to check for marijuana intoxication. Law enforcement relies on the aroma of pot as the main test for the presence of the drug. In early 2020, a roadside breathalyzer should be available that tests for alcohol and marijuana ingestion, according to npr.org.
Regardless of what a person chooses to imbibe, getting behind the wheel of a vehicle when high can cost more than $10,000. Depending on one’s occupation, a loss of employment and mandatory jail time may well be part of the punishment.
Too often driving under the influence will cause tragic consequences. If the intoxicated driver could be counted on to, only injure themselves then it wouldn’t matter. Unfortunately, the innocent are often hurt in the process.
Be smart and stay put or have a designated driver when celebrating.
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Long days and pleasant nights, have a good weekend.
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Readers may contact Tami Jo Nix by emailing tamijonix@gmail.com or following @TamiJoNix on Twitter.
