Everybody was born into birth cohorts or generations. Whether it’s the baby boomers, generation X, millennials, and so on. I am a gen-X er and we are known as the MTV generation, grunge generation, the slackers, just to name a few. The nineties was a complete sense of differentiation. It was finally cool to be uncool. The alternative rock and grunge movements took our young, impressionable minds by storm; only to lay the platform for a huge sub-culture of teens.

Music shaped my life in so many ways. What we wore, how we talked, and what we did (or didn't do) all came from our "I don't care if I am cool" attitude of that time. Punk rock influenced grunge and grunge gave the Gen X'ers a sense of voice and expression. The infamous Doc Martens, Airwalk shoes, & Converse became the new "uncool." The more rips you had in your jeans; the better. We destroyed our own clothing because it went against the norm and there was a sense of rebellion. You could not go to a clothing store and buy ripped jeans.

You're standing on my neck.

Feelings of angst, social alienation, and self-loathing became the "Grunge generation." I find it very strange that was the label given. Not once did we refer to ourselves as "grunge kids" or anything of the sort. It was just the way we expressed our personalities. When you see young fans of the grunge generation, you often feel obliged to explain that we didn't use labels. Labels were cringe-worthy and definitely not cool!

Time has definitely taken a flying leap since the 90s. I enjoyed the days when my friends and I went to music stores. We did not have what is known as the internet, Youtube, Facebook, and so on. The irony is; Gen-X'ers are the ones who invented most of social networking! I have heard more than once that Gen-X'ers are the quiet workers who keep America from sucking. Just ask Jon Stewart, Quentin Tarantino, Bill Gates, Beavis, and Butthead.

Pretty sure I owned this shirt.

Last but definitely not least; Music Television. MTV; I miss you more than words could ever say. How awesome you were in the early and late nineties. You touched many, many lives. All of this nostalgia is making me proud to be a grunge kid, MTV kid, slacker kid, I-don't-care-what-you-think-about-me kid, or gen-X kid.

Dedicated to the late and great MTV.

"Monkey see, monkey do. I don't know why I'd rather be dead than cool." Stay Away --- (Nevermind - 1991)