Remaining Faddishly in the Loop/Know

I don't watch useless tv....i don't have time. So much else i could and should be doing. I do watch the "Today" show in the morning while I'm getting ready....otherwise, i don't watch tv. If we do, it a movie as a family.

I dont really care about not keeping up that stuff, and yes, i am out of the loop and can't contribute in some conversations....but that's fine. Sometimes when they are explaining the show to me, they realize how meaningless the show sounds.

I do and watch what interests me. I don't care for a lot of the shows they're talking about around the 'water cooler', and it does not bother me if if I am not up to date on popular stuff. As far as fashion is concerned, I wear what suits me best and I have my own style. Granted, it is dictated by what is available in the shops, but I do not follow trends if they look awful on me.

Rock those stone-wash jeans girl!

i think trying to keep up with fads would age me more.
the last thing i want to do is watch oodles of bad tv that doesn't appeal to me in order to remain current. i can barely keep up with the bad tv i love as it is.
and nothing puts me to sleep more quickly than people who feel the need to explain the plots and characters of tv shows in deep detail. if i cared, i'd watch it.
since my boys moved out i don't even keep current with music any more.
so what? i'm a timeless classic!
:) khairete
S.

I don't remain current. In fact, I have never heard of any of the dvd's you bought!

I decided some time ago to not care about such stuff. I care about politics, happenings in the world, but entertainment? Not so much. I was very bummed had to miss one of my favorite operas this year since I was very pregnant at the time, but I'm sure I'll get to see it again some time.

So I have no idea! how to remain in the know. I have a newborn at home, so ask me again in 2 or 3 years. Until then, I'm busy. ;-)

I don't.
I don't care for most things that are " in " right now. fashion needs an overhaul , for some reason ugly is always in. I watch maybe 5 show right now that are on TV and I am behind on those. I have never heard of that mess that's on your list. except for basketball wives, I can't deal with that jerry springer type reality TV. That just has no appeal to me.

I don't stay current, either, but it doesn't bother me. If I'm interested in the fad being discussed, I'll ask a ton of questions -- folks love to fill in the ignoramuses :-)

Well, I'm 32, and I've never heard of those movies. My friends are mostly Hispanic, and follow a completely different set of "fads"...plus, my life just doesn't lend itself to popular media. My favorite songs are on my records, tapes, and CDs, not on the radio, my favorite movies are ones I own...and my favorite clothes are ones I like, not ones other people like. ;) It makes life so much simpler...and more enjoyable!

Don't feel bad, and don't be afraid to live your own life. You can start your own conversations about things you know and maybe those other women will feel out of the loop too! :) Seriously, you're okay!

I'm not familiar with the movies/shows u mentioned, but thought I would kick in that we now have sirius in our car and I listen to a morning. Talk show on my way into work and find now I. Atleast have a bit of a clue as to what others are talking about.

I don't think it has to do with age at all, actually. I think some of us just don't care to be trendy or don't like what's considered "in" or current.

I am not into a lot of things that society considers "cool" and it's not really that important to me. I like what I like and that's about it. Most of the TV shows, music, fashion, etc. that's out there right now just plain isn't "me".

I have a 12 yo granddaughter who tries to keep me up to date. lol I'm 70 and am a bit past the need to keep up. I find that even tho I'm dressed "fashionably" as in what everyone else is wearing that just being this age with nearly white hair keeps me separate from the younger world. I can be having a current conversation with someone in their 30's and feel in line with them when they do something like help me down the stairs and I instantly feel old. lol I don't need help down the stairs. I'm fit and independent. I'm frequently told that I look much younger but that doesn't seem to help with some people. For them I'm old. lol some more.

I think how we feel is much related to how we think. I often feel comtemporary but when I'm tired or anxious about something I feel less than comtemporary.

I listen to my granddaughter's songs and heed her infrequent fashion advice when it matches my own ideas and that's it. She helps me with technology and is very proud that she knows more about it then I do. She also tells me to not try to act young and mostly approves of me which helps me feel more "with it." She's a good example of how to help her feel good about herself. Approval just like love makes the world go around.

If only I cared.
I do watch news.
Tech, my H and kids keep me up to date and in the know.

Fashion? Tv shows? Eh. I couldn't be bothered.

You might have more of a problem because you are in a career that places you around younger people and feel pressure to be more up to date.
It's great that your body looks so fit and you feel young but your head ages and rejects fluff after a while!

I think the best way to stay "in the know" is to be around kids. My mom said that her "street cred" was WAAAAAY upp'd when me and my daughter moved in. She's a director at a college (and also very active / traveled - she's 72, but hears all the time that she looks and acts in her 50's), but when she teaches it tends to be lecture and not very often. Her ring tone was always Dave Brubeck "Take 5".

Then my daughter and I had to move in after my divorce and my daughter started playing "her" music / tv shows etc. My mom liked one of the songs and my daughter changed her ringtone. One day in class my mom's phone rang.... .and all the students were like "Hey Dr X - what's up with the cool ringtone?" All of a sudden my mom could have conversations with her students about what was happening on Glee or Grey's Anatomy because WE were watching it when she was in the room so she would pick up on it.

I would say if you can volunteer at a high school?????? you would get to know what is popular really fast!!!!!!

I don't.

My friends are mostly in Film, International Schtuff (NGOs, State), Military, Medicine, & Academia.

Pop Culture is almost never a topic of conversation.

Ages span from 20s-60s

I never heard of any of those movies but I am 43;).

For fashion pick up a few magazines. It's usually over the top stuff but you can get the jist. Walk the malls and see what's in the stores. Right now it's skinny jeans where I live and it's looking like high waist jeans are coming back - which I will never ever ever ever wear. Fashion is ugly right now.

For politics I stay out of those conversations, news I listen to the radio, technology from my DH, and TV shows - I watch TV LOL I have no interest in the shows that you got. I like Modern Family, Raising Hope, & The Middle. I don't have time to watch much more. When Dexter is on Showtime it's my fave and a lot of others fave too.

Rhonda, I have not even heard of any of the shows you listed. Don't feel like you are the odd one out. I am in my 30's.
It sounds like the people in this social situation watch a lot of tv. Why should you feel bad that you don't? Or that you prefer different shows? I do watch some tv and do have a few shows that I love and it is fun to discuss them with friends. However not ALL my friends watch those shows, so when we are all together we find something to talk about that we can ALL relate to.
I guess my suggestion would be- rather than trying to find ways to keep up with the fads, spend that energy trying new things + spend that energy on things you already KNOW you love.
And as a side note, pretty much I just go based on friend recommendations. They might play an album in their car that I end up liking, or they will mention a show they enjoyed or a class that they like.

I am nowhere near current on those sorts of things. I prefer to think of it as 'fashionably unfashionably not in the know", being that I have hit a point in my life (42) where I just don't care. I like what I like, love old tv shoes, find clothes which work for me (I think a LOT of fashion is more or less ridiculousness on a hanger) and could care less about a lot of it.

Like others, the only show in your list I recognize is Scandal, which I haven't seen. I like the comedies (RIP 30 Rock, how I loved thee, Parks and Rec, The Office, Doc Martin, Burns and Allen to fall asleep to) and we like Bones. And PBS. That's about it. Otherwise, I'll watch a dvd. When we stay at a hotel, I'm always surprised how much "nothing" there is on cable.

As for books, there's the library and I DO enjoy indulging in some new good fiction or nonfiction! And older jazz is my favorite, unless you are offering up some really good vintage Frank Zappa or XTC... I have a friend who passes on cds he thinks I'll like, and our tastes are very eclectic.

Oh, I guess I should say that I adore Downton Abbey, and I'm pretty sure those of us are in a whole slightly Anglophile niche of our own. Tea, anyone?;)

Kudos to you for trying to remain youthful but don't take it too far. I think its ridiculous when older ladies try to be too young.

TV.

But it depends on which shows you watch. Out of the ones you mentioned, I've only 2 of the 5 but have never watched any of them.

Good Morning America, the Today show, unlimited talk shows are how I glean most of my up to date information. Am I behind on some? I'm sure
but I see all of the younger stars on shows that I don't watch, mentioned
on the two morning shows I listed.

Yahoo's main page will list stories about news & celebrities. Sometimes I
click on the star's info to see what's going on out of curiosity.

I don't even recognize any of those dvds you mentioned.

I don't give a flip about trendy fashion. The key to looking great is to do what works for your body and makes you feel great. When you feel good, you're confident and it shows.

I really don't care about keeping up with fads or not.
Doesn't matter what age I am.
I just do what I do, get or wear what I like. And that's it.
If a "fad" interests me or I like it, then fine... I can get or wear or know about it. My choice.