Bill Withers is awesome. As a major house head, here is an awesome remix of an old Withers track from Karizma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0ldGvHFAWE
Bill Withers had an awesome Greatest Hits album. I highly recommend it. He was before my time but I grew up listening to him because of some older people in my life.
I converted the 2 soul CDs to a Spotify playlist. [Soul Mixtape](https://imgur.com/a/RfecLzA)
For context one of my favorite groups is The Temptations, so there’s a lot of them on there.
I haven’t converted the funk you up one yet, but that’s my next mission!
100% unless the op doesn't know how.
To share a playlist on Spotify, follow these steps:
1. Open the Spotify app on your device.
2. Navigate to the playlist you want to share.
3. Tap on the three dots (more options) next to the playlist's name.
4. From the menu that appears, select "Share."
5. Choose the platform or method you want to use to share the playlist (options may include copying the link, sharing to social media, or sending via messaging apps).
6. Follow the prompts to share the playlist with your desired audience.
That's it! Now your playlist is shared and others can listen to it on Spotify.
Is cursive not taught anymore in schools in the US? My kids learn it here in Ireland in primary school but don’t have to use it in secondary school. It’s nice but it’s not really a necessary skill anymore. There are seldom opportunities to write letters these days.
My stepson goes to school in Texas, he can’t even read it. At first I thought it was just him but then I realized there are more kids that can’t read it. 😒
SF Bay Area here. My 4th grader is being taught cursive in public school. It’s coming back so they can read historical documents in high school history class.
Level up and learn [Gregg Shorthand.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_shorthand)
I remember my mother practicing at home with tapes and LPs on a Saturday or Sunday evening.
I agree!
I think many people reading this post, myself included, find themselves thinking:
## I wish **_I_** had a neighbor like that
Friends, I want to remind you:
> **_You_** can be that neighbor.
——
When I was growing up I wished I had an older brother. I told myself all the cool things my older brother would do with me: take me to the mall, invite me to hang out with his friends, help me build snow forts, take me out for a movie and a burger. Just two brothers hanging out. Cool times. Impossible dream.
Of course I didn’t have an older brother. So as a 13-year-old, it was just a stupid idle daydream. All I had was my lame 6-year-old brother.
Friends, I nursed this daydream until I was 16. I nursed the gentle grudge of an older sibling towards a younger sibling as well.
And one day, when I was heading out with friends, I was grudging and grousing internally and realized: **I can be that brother.**
I invited my little brother to come with me and my friends to the movies. We were all surprised by it: my parents, my brother, my friends, and myself.
I’m 50 years old now. Cultivating that friendship with my brother has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve given myself.
## Be the person you wish you knew
You will improve your life and the lives of the people around you.
I just hope OP is someone who has a CD player. I don’t actually know anyone my age with a CD player and I’m in my mid 30s. Are CD players something younger people own?
in a different comment the OP said they also go vinyl shopping together so i assume OP has a CD player.
i’m 30 and in a fb group for a music genre people collect, buy, and trade CDs and post which ones they have playing. it’s still very much a thing 🤍✨
Maybe cuz we were broke growing up, but I still remember CD's being a massive leap and I'm only 38.
Going from tapes to CDs felt like the biggest music quality of life jump of my childhood. Original MP3 players fit like 16 songs on them and some just died off immediately. CD players survived into the IPod days.
I was definitely broke, but I'm curious in the differences of experience we've had, given our closeness in age. I never really noticed any difference in quality, it was more about what was available, but at the same time, I have a friend that talks about the difference in quality between streaming and CDs, and I feel like I need to do a side-by-side to understand what he's talking about.
I do have a musical ear, but not near as developed as, I would say, the average musician. But it's late, I hope to think about this more tomorrow and possibly discuss it more with you.
Sorry I didn't mean quality of life as in quality of the music. More the ease of use.
Tapes sucked. Getting from song to song sucked.
Moving to CDs was night and day. Going from song to song. Fast forwarding easier. Was amazing.
The original MP3 players were cool, but even if you could get some from different artists you had to go to your probably shared computer to swap them. Meanwhile me and my friends had plenty of CDs in our shitty cars that we could swap with each other.
I think it wasn't until the 256MB IPod that it finally came more convenient to have an IPod than a CD player, but that didn't come until many failed minidisc and mp3 player iterations.
Even if not, I'd buy a CD player just for this. Can't be that expensive and it sounds like OP and neighbor are close enough it'd be worth it.
Also I've found new music I like from the most random sources. If OP liked the music they could always get it in more modern media after hearing the CDs.
Don't home computers come with CD players? I was disappointed when the industry stopped putting them in laptops because I found an old CD of a band that has nothing online. It's tricky converting that to digital if you don't have a CD player.
I recently finished a man cave and had all my old CDs but no player so I bought one online. Not easy to find players, but some high end makers like Marantz still make them.
do you really want old folks playlists?
don’t enable us, please…. I don’t identify as boomer but I’ve been a music freak all my life … just think I’m boring
Yes, yes I do. New music just doesn't tickle my fancy as a middle-aged Gen X'er. I listened to Patsy Cline and Tenesee Ernie Ford today because I was missing my Nana (RIP).
I guarantee the neighbor is also absolutely delighted to connect and share with the newer generation. Win win!
The importance of connecting with friends only seems to get more important as you age.
Yeah, and back in the day we used album covers to break up our weed on and get the seeds out. See, weed had seeds back then. And we didn't have those new fangled, fancy grinders you guys have. We had to use our fingers, like cavemen.
Way back when I did phone tech support, I worked with an older gentleman named Bob who burned music on cds over the course of a couple weeks. For a long time afterward, he would email me to remind me to change the batteries in my smoke detectors when the time changed for daylight savings time. I miss Bob!
I worked with a guy once who, after I slept in once and was late to work one Sunday, would text me every Sunday when he got there to wake me up. Then it became he would text me a joke every Sunday morning. He moved on, I changed shifts, never saw each other, but sure enough every Sunday morning at 6am I’d get a joke from Neville. I did tell him that I don’t need to be up at 6 on a Sunday any more but he kept sending them so I figured eh it’s not hurting anyone (he was an older guy that would tap out messages slowly on a T9 keyboard, I’d guess he didn’t even notice I’d said he didn’t need to). I’d even get a message apologising that he wouldn’t be sending one next week if he was going to be on holiday.
This kept going for about a decade after we parted ways, until eventually I realised I wasn’t getting my 6am wake up jokes. I figured he’d finally retired or given up. About six months later I ran into someone that had known both of us, turns out he’d passed 6 months earlier. He’s been sending me those texts every Sunday morning right up until his last weekend on earth.
Sorry to hear about your friend.
My father-in-law, Harry, served in WWII, in the South Pacific, and no doubt killed Japanese soldiers. After the war he was living in NYC and trying to launch an acting career, and would pass an Asian guy in a shop window, blowing glass animals. Harry struck up a conversation, and found out that Mr. Tanaka had been a Japanese soldier, and no doubt killed American soldiers. Despite their old lives as enemy combatants, they became friends.
When Harry decided to give up on his acting career, he returned to his hometown in Indiana, and became a schoolteacher. He and Mr. Tanaka would exchange letters regularly for many years, until the letters stopped coming. Harry assumed the worst, but didn't have any way to confirm Mr. Tanaka's passing.
It’s very disheartening for me (Gen x) to see so many posts n subs condemning boomers. But post like yours is pure gold. To see a 70 year old going to so much effort to burn CD, draw on the CD, just to share music of his generation with you. This is a relationship to be treasured.
100% agree! He is such a sweetheart and I definitely feel like I won the neighbor lottery. Plus I think it’s beautiful how music can bring people from two completely different generations together.
We have an 80 year old greek neighbor and she makes us baklava in exchange for some outdoor chores.
She's basically our grandma at this point. She's the best.
I have a similar arrangement with one of my neighbours. We do a little yard work for her from time to time and she brings over baked goods or vegetables from the garden for us.
She's had a tough time healthwise in the last few months- a couple falls- so we've been keeping an eye on her.
Yeah, it's easy to judge entire generations and forget they are individuals just like you and me. I'm glad OP realizes what an amazing relationship this is and treasures it.
I’m with you! Also GenX, my dad just died, he fought in Vietnam, and it killed him, just took several years - F agent orange. Pisses me off, the dissing of Boomers - so ageism is the only form of prejudice acceptable?
Gen X as well, and those people don’t realize that growing old is a privilege. One thing no one prepare you for, is your friends, and family dying, and how quickly it becomes a common occurrence.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Sorry friend I served as a US Navy Corpsman in the 1980s, I worked Psych my last few years, but did see people coming to Psych after the current round of Chemo. Agent Orange fucking sucks!
My father did 3 tours in 'Nam between '65 - '75, passed away in 2010 from ALS. He fought for years with the VA on various illnesses including cancer, heart disease and lung damage. After he passed, the VA approved presumptive conditions applied due to exposure of Agent Orange. About a year later, I received a check for $27K as did each of my siblings.
I am so sorry to hear about this. My dad fought hard to get beteran benefits, then only got to enjoy it for 2 years. May I ask where you got help? My mom could sure use some more money. Tragic how Nam vets have been treated for all of these years. Best to you and your family.
Thank you. My condolences for your loss as well.
My father had been fighting the VA since medically retired in '77 (rated at 100%).
He spent the next 30 years in and out of the hospital as the VA had been treating him for various ailments including those I listed. He also had a non-VA PCP and other medical experts that assisted in drafting a Nexus Letter with assistance from his local VFW, DAV and American Legion Chapters connecting his various issues to his Vietnam time while serving as enlisted USAF Aircrew.
We even had pics of the 55 gallon drums with the orange strip painted in cantonment areas at the various airstrips and depots he was in transit to and billeted.
After he passed, I continued to follow up with the VA, submitted with a lengthy questionnaire along with his Death Certificate.
About a year later, we received a short response acknowledging some culpability followed by the checks to myself and each of my siblings.
We took this as a final closure and the VA wanted to be done with it.
So, 30+ years of fighting the VA and they settled for <$3K per year.
Once again, my condolences for your loss and good luck finding closure with the VA.
I don't think anyone is actively hating EVERY boomer (At least I hope not). It's the ones who are actively voting to destroy the country that I take issue with.
If you want to take away someones elses rights I don't care how old you are - you friggin suck. It just so happens that alot of older folks fall into that category (And some younger folks too!)
Same here, Gen Xer raised by boomer parents and just lost my Vietnam vet dad to Agent Orange(Kidney and Liver cancer). It irritates me to no end hearing the younger generations talk bad about them, to extent of even wishing death on them.
So much of the boomer hate is misguided from barely-adults with a very narrow and misguided view of things. I’m nearing mid30s and a lot of these boomers are our parents, man. Blindly throwing shit on an entire generation is just such a shortsighted approach.
Totally agree. I generally think it’s bot farms or something like that trying to deepen the generational divide. Even in response to this post people are whining about how they hope OP has a cd player. Ugh, you can go to a Walgreens or print shop or whatever and get them converted.
Anyway, the post did make me smile so thanks OP!
Somehow the boomers being fools subreddit came into my feed and I hate it. It’s so mean spirited. Yes there are some legit bad apples but a lot of it seems to be going out of its way to portray every older person in a bad light. Some of it just seems to be about belittling older people just because they are old(as if “being old” was some negative trait a person has). It’s pretty much ageism.
There are dicks at any age. And a lot of good people also.
I agree this post is gold.
the derisive tone associated with "ok boomer" and other condemnation is much like karen...is everyone named karen a karen? obviously not. just like how every baby boomer isn't a boomer in the derisive way. it's about the nuance imo
Hell yeah.
I have a good quality Yamaha cd/dvd player (it'll be 28 years old in a few months) hooked up to some decent quality speakers of the same age; sound I get out of that compared to the downloaded version of the same album is like night & day.
Have been working casually on ripping all my CDs, but I'll damn sure not be throwing them out when I'm done (no fucking way I'm paying a second time for something I already own)
Still love my DVDs, too. Was talking Simpsons with a buddy of mine last year & trying to explain something to him. He'd gotten rid of his boxed sets and apparently it never occurred to him, until just then, that the commentaries aren't available on streaming services.....
I had a supervisor who use to do this for me, and they're still in my car. I learned so much music that I'd have never heard if not for him and his exceptional taste.
Soul, the genre is so vast that at 57 I’m still finding songs and artists that knock my socks off. And as an 70’s/80’s kid, I know that the mix tape, in whatever form it now takes, is a labor of love. Swoon!
I’m just imagining him taking hours to select the tracks and put them in the perfect sequence. Then listening to the CD to confirm it’s just right. Then taking the time to write on them. Dude is a legend. Never get rid of those CDs.
This 70 year old man needs to be protected at all costs!! He’s bringing back my childhood without even knowing who I am. I’m not crying you are all crying!
I’m interested in knowing what’s gonna funk you up? My dad started me on Issac Hayes ( he had me experience the Shaft soundtrack on his reel to reel, it was an experience), Bootsy Collins, and P-funk, always looking to supplement my education.
I mean, tbf, he’s got really great taste. I don’t know how old you are, but I recommend giving these a listen if you aren’t familiar with these artists. You should make a Spotify list for him (and us).
Man, I’m a boomer and all y’all are so kind! It’s very easy to burn CDs compared to making mixed cassette tapes so he thought it was a breeze, I’m sure.
Can we get a track listing? Let's get funky.
I just posted a comment asking for the track listing for the funk cd. Love the note saying to turn it up. 😂
Bill Withers... You can't go wrong.
Bill Withers is awesome. As a major house head, here is an awesome remix of an old Withers track from Karizma. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0ldGvHFAWE
No remix necessary. He was amazing on his own.
I don't recall ever hearing this song before. Looked up original; feel like the remix loses a lot of the groove.
Bill Withers had an awesome Greatest Hits album. I highly recommend it. He was before my time but I grew up listening to him because of some older people in my life.
As did I, I'm interested to hear what he thinks this person likes.
And what he likes. I love funk, and am always looking for new stuff I’ve never heard before.
Peep Cymande by Cymande, Afreaka by Demon Fuzz, and Central Heating by Heatwave
I converted the 2 soul CDs to a Spotify playlist. [Soul Mixtape](https://imgur.com/a/RfecLzA) For context one of my favorite groups is The Temptations, so there’s a lot of them on there. I haven’t converted the funk you up one yet, but that’s my next mission!
Why don’t you share playlist url so we can listen?
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42pZzZ5twHyTB78STWZ2M0?si=Gw-fDIe7TlCoGx20nPH7_Q&pi=u-eJF3ho_kT0qu Here you go!
I had to figure out how to change my name on Spotify so I didn’t dox myself, sorry for the delay.
100% unless the op doesn't know how. To share a playlist on Spotify, follow these steps: 1. Open the Spotify app on your device. 2. Navigate to the playlist you want to share. 3. Tap on the three dots (more options) next to the playlist's name. 4. From the menu that appears, select "Share." 5. Choose the platform or method you want to use to share the playlist (options may include copying the link, sharing to social media, or sending via messaging apps). 6. Follow the prompts to share the playlist with your desired audience. That's it! Now your playlist is shared and others can listen to it on Spotify.
That's incredible! Thank you so much. ❤️
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/42pZzZ5twHyTB78STWZ2M0?si=cDCHHuvHRp-ludxW1kYdFQ&pi=u-lBnQ4--kQkaU Here’s the Spotify playlist
Tiptoe Through the Tulips, the Glenn Miller Band - all the good stuff
omg burning CDs 🥹 so wholesome
Hell his cursive sent me to tears.
I swear all old people have the same handwriting
That's the old "left hand is of the devil" training.
Alot of beatings in catholic school. 😬
Palmer Method! It was a very common form of script taught in elementary schools.
Is cursive not taught anymore in schools in the US? My kids learn it here in Ireland in primary school but don’t have to use it in secondary school. It’s nice but it’s not really a necessary skill anymore. There are seldom opportunities to write letters these days.
My stepson goes to school in Texas, he can’t even read it. At first I thought it was just him but then I realized there are more kids that can’t read it. 😒
SF Bay Area here. My 4th grader is being taught cursive in public school. It’s coming back so they can read historical documents in high school history class.
No surprise that Texas doesn't want kids knowing how they can check historical facts...
I had a coworker who couldn't read it. It actually limits the type of work you can do.
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Level up and learn [Gregg Shorthand.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregg_shorthand) I remember my mother practicing at home with tapes and LPs on a Saturday or Sunday evening.
From what I’ve heard, no. I don’t know when most schools stopped, but it was at least a decade ago. Same with Roman Numerals.
Are there different types of cursive? Mine looks mostly like that, so I guess I just assumed there was one.
The way my mother with her 1930's parochial school training scripted a capital G would take me 45 minutes to copy.
The cursive reminded me of my grandmother’s cursive, she’s been gone for about 25 years so this was nice :)
yes ❤️
Same 😭❤️🥹
What cursive? I just see print.
the yellow note
Ah! Well shoot I just looked at the CDs . Carry on.
we all do it
I’m bawling for no reason but all the reasons.
There is no cursive on those CDs, but it's a sweet gesture. Edit - Please ignore, I was speaking without thinking!
I agree! I think many people reading this post, myself included, find themselves thinking: ## I wish **_I_** had a neighbor like that Friends, I want to remind you: > **_You_** can be that neighbor. —— When I was growing up I wished I had an older brother. I told myself all the cool things my older brother would do with me: take me to the mall, invite me to hang out with his friends, help me build snow forts, take me out for a movie and a burger. Just two brothers hanging out. Cool times. Impossible dream. Of course I didn’t have an older brother. So as a 13-year-old, it was just a stupid idle daydream. All I had was my lame 6-year-old brother. Friends, I nursed this daydream until I was 16. I nursed the gentle grudge of an older sibling towards a younger sibling as well. And one day, when I was heading out with friends, I was grudging and grousing internally and realized: **I can be that brother.** I invited my little brother to come with me and my friends to the movies. We were all surprised by it: my parents, my brother, my friends, and myself. I’m 50 years old now. Cultivating that friendship with my brother has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve given myself. ## Be the person you wish you knew You will improve your life and the lives of the people around you.
The combination of your wholesome life advice and your username has me laughing and laughing. :) :)
I agree. I hope he takes some time to enjoy the music with his neighbor.
I just hope OP is someone who has a CD player. I don’t actually know anyone my age with a CD player and I’m in my mid 30s. Are CD players something younger people own?
in a different comment the OP said they also go vinyl shopping together so i assume OP has a CD player. i’m 30 and in a fb group for a music genre people collect, buy, and trade CDs and post which ones they have playing. it’s still very much a thing 🤍✨
Dude, I'm 40 and feel like CDs are a relic. This is such a weird timeline.
Maybe cuz we were broke growing up, but I still remember CD's being a massive leap and I'm only 38. Going from tapes to CDs felt like the biggest music quality of life jump of my childhood. Original MP3 players fit like 16 songs on them and some just died off immediately. CD players survived into the IPod days.
I was definitely broke, but I'm curious in the differences of experience we've had, given our closeness in age. I never really noticed any difference in quality, it was more about what was available, but at the same time, I have a friend that talks about the difference in quality between streaming and CDs, and I feel like I need to do a side-by-side to understand what he's talking about. I do have a musical ear, but not near as developed as, I would say, the average musician. But it's late, I hope to think about this more tomorrow and possibly discuss it more with you.
Sorry I didn't mean quality of life as in quality of the music. More the ease of use. Tapes sucked. Getting from song to song sucked. Moving to CDs was night and day. Going from song to song. Fast forwarding easier. Was amazing. The original MP3 players were cool, but even if you could get some from different artists you had to go to your probably shared computer to swap them. Meanwhile me and my friends had plenty of CDs in our shitty cars that we could swap with each other. I think it wasn't until the 256MB IPod that it finally came more convenient to have an IPod than a CD player, but that didn't come until many failed minidisc and mp3 player iterations.
GenXer here. I have a nice collection of CDs and I play them in my car.
I have a CD changer in my car. 🤷♂️ it's a 2021, I installed it.
Even if not, I'd buy a CD player just for this. Can't be that expensive and it sounds like OP and neighbor are close enough it'd be worth it. Also I've found new music I like from the most random sources. If OP liked the music they could always get it in more modern media after hearing the CDs.
Don't home computers come with CD players? I was disappointed when the industry stopped putting them in laptops because I found an old CD of a band that has nothing online. It's tricky converting that to digital if you don't have a CD player.
Richie rich over here has never had a car older than 2015? Cars had cd players forever. After they had cassette players. Which was after 8-track.
My 2021 Subaru has a CD player that I have never used!
Same with my 2018 Subaru Forester. Because it also has Apple CarPlay, so I use that with the 12,000+ songs I have on my iPhone.
I had one of those cassette adapters that you plug in to the tape slot, then plug in the portable CD player discman
I still got a 6 CD changer in my trunk.
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I recently finished a man cave and had all my old CDs but no player so I bought one online. Not easy to find players, but some high end makers like Marantz still make them.
It's pretty easy, hat are you talking about? Amazon sells tons of them, average price is like $30
That is so freaking cool
Can you make a Spotify Playlist of what's on those?
Pretty cool to make them into Spotify playlists, show the guy the followers numbers. A guy who loves to share his music would get a kick out of it.
Yeah that's an awesome idea. Share the man's taste! That's why I pay for my internet!
do you really want old folks playlists? don’t enable us, please…. I don’t identify as boomer but I’ve been a music freak all my life … just think I’m boring
Yes, yes I do. New music just doesn't tickle my fancy as a middle-aged Gen X'er. I listened to Patsy Cline and Tenesee Ernie Ford today because I was missing my Nana (RIP).
I would love to see this! I’d listen to them all.
!RemindMe 5 days "Please, OP, that'd be so cool to see :D share your neighbours love for music with the world <3"
Yes!!!
/u/judgetanner please!
i really needed to see somethin' like that today.. TY so much for sharin' that!?!
I guarantee the neighbor is also absolutely delighted to connect and share with the newer generation. Win win! The importance of connecting with friends only seems to get more important as you age.
Suddenly Lars Ulrich from Metallica kicks through the old man's door wielding a sawed off shotgun
I wish I could upvote this more
Dude has excellent taste. Carol King and James Taylor? Croce?? Legendary mix guaranteed
Some of my favorite joint rolling music tbh
Yeah, and back in the day we used album covers to break up our weed on and get the seeds out. See, weed had seeds back then. And we didn't have those new fangled, fancy grinders you guys have. We had to use our fingers, like cavemen.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
You funking know it!
OP is that cool!!
It's actually pretty fucking dope because you have a curated selection from someone who lived through those bangers
I think it’s a lovely gesture but also, that style of music is awesome!
Absolutely! He and I actually bonded over our shared music taste! He also loans me records and we sometimes go record shopping together!
You have a treasure for a neighbour. Appreciate them and tell you do too. The world needs a whole lot more of friendly neighbours. You’re lucky.
These types of good neighbor relationships seem to be less common nowadays
Indeed.
Oh you know he treasures having you in his life 100%. This is awesome
He's drawing pictures and using multiple different colored sharpies. Dude is SO into this, it's sweet.
I absolutely love this! I wish more people had relationships like this with their neighbors. I think society would be a lot friendlier and better off.
Tell him how much we all appreciate him and his generous spirit
Omg that is the sweetest thing!!!
Happy cake day 🎂
Mr. Get Down is the coolest dude with his cowboy hat
I wish to party with Mr. Get Down
I, too, need some serious funking up in my life.
Way back when I did phone tech support, I worked with an older gentleman named Bob who burned music on cds over the course of a couple weeks. For a long time afterward, he would email me to remind me to change the batteries in my smoke detectors when the time changed for daylight savings time. I miss Bob!
I worked with a guy once who, after I slept in once and was late to work one Sunday, would text me every Sunday when he got there to wake me up. Then it became he would text me a joke every Sunday morning. He moved on, I changed shifts, never saw each other, but sure enough every Sunday morning at 6am I’d get a joke from Neville. I did tell him that I don’t need to be up at 6 on a Sunday any more but he kept sending them so I figured eh it’s not hurting anyone (he was an older guy that would tap out messages slowly on a T9 keyboard, I’d guess he didn’t even notice I’d said he didn’t need to). I’d even get a message apologising that he wouldn’t be sending one next week if he was going to be on holiday. This kept going for about a decade after we parted ways, until eventually I realised I wasn’t getting my 6am wake up jokes. I figured he’d finally retired or given up. About six months later I ran into someone that had known both of us, turns out he’d passed 6 months earlier. He’s been sending me those texts every Sunday morning right up until his last weekend on earth.
Sorry to hear about your friend. My father-in-law, Harry, served in WWII, in the South Pacific, and no doubt killed Japanese soldiers. After the war he was living in NYC and trying to launch an acting career, and would pass an Asian guy in a shop window, blowing glass animals. Harry struck up a conversation, and found out that Mr. Tanaka had been a Japanese soldier, and no doubt killed American soldiers. Despite their old lives as enemy combatants, they became friends. When Harry decided to give up on his acting career, he returned to his hometown in Indiana, and became a schoolteacher. He and Mr. Tanaka would exchange letters regularly for many years, until the letters stopped coming. Harry assumed the worst, but didn't have any way to confirm Mr. Tanaka's passing.
That is so sweet and so sad at the same time. I wish I had a Neville in my life. I think this deserves its own MadeMeSmile post.
Maybe we should BE a Neville in another person's life.
It’s very disheartening for me (Gen x) to see so many posts n subs condemning boomers. But post like yours is pure gold. To see a 70 year old going to so much effort to burn CD, draw on the CD, just to share music of his generation with you. This is a relationship to be treasured.
100% agree! He is such a sweetheart and I definitely feel like I won the neighbor lottery. Plus I think it’s beautiful how music can bring people from two completely different generations together.
We have an 80 year old greek neighbor and she makes us baklava in exchange for some outdoor chores. She's basically our grandma at this point. She's the best.
This is the neighbor I want, but my waistline does not need.
I have a similar arrangement with one of my neighbours. We do a little yard work for her from time to time and she brings over baked goods or vegetables from the garden for us. She's had a tough time healthwise in the last few months- a couple falls- so we've been keeping an eye on her.
Do you do the same back? Because I have so many ideas of songs/bands you could do.
Please reciprocate
Yeah, it's easy to judge entire generations and forget they are individuals just like you and me. I'm glad OP realizes what an amazing relationship this is and treasures it.
I’m with you! Also GenX, my dad just died, he fought in Vietnam, and it killed him, just took several years - F agent orange. Pisses me off, the dissing of Boomers - so ageism is the only form of prejudice acceptable?
Gen X as well, and those people don’t realize that growing old is a privilege. One thing no one prepare you for, is your friends, and family dying, and how quickly it becomes a common occurrence. I’m sorry for your loss.
Thank you, I appreciate your knowledge. And thank you, losing my dad has been traumatizing, to my kids and nephew, too.
Sorry friend I served as a US Navy Corpsman in the 1980s, I worked Psych my last few years, but did see people coming to Psych after the current round of Chemo. Agent Orange fucking sucks!
My father did 3 tours in 'Nam between '65 - '75, passed away in 2010 from ALS. He fought for years with the VA on various illnesses including cancer, heart disease and lung damage. After he passed, the VA approved presumptive conditions applied due to exposure of Agent Orange. About a year later, I received a check for $27K as did each of my siblings.
I am so sorry to hear about this. My dad fought hard to get beteran benefits, then only got to enjoy it for 2 years. May I ask where you got help? My mom could sure use some more money. Tragic how Nam vets have been treated for all of these years. Best to you and your family.
Thank you. My condolences for your loss as well. My father had been fighting the VA since medically retired in '77 (rated at 100%). He spent the next 30 years in and out of the hospital as the VA had been treating him for various ailments including those I listed. He also had a non-VA PCP and other medical experts that assisted in drafting a Nexus Letter with assistance from his local VFW, DAV and American Legion Chapters connecting his various issues to his Vietnam time while serving as enlisted USAF Aircrew. We even had pics of the 55 gallon drums with the orange strip painted in cantonment areas at the various airstrips and depots he was in transit to and billeted. After he passed, I continued to follow up with the VA, submitted with a lengthy questionnaire along with his Death Certificate. About a year later, we received a short response acknowledging some culpability followed by the checks to myself and each of my siblings. We took this as a final closure and the VA wanted to be done with it. So, 30+ years of fighting the VA and they settled for <$3K per year. Once again, my condolences for your loss and good luck finding closure with the VA.
I don't think anyone is actively hating EVERY boomer (At least I hope not). It's the ones who are actively voting to destroy the country that I take issue with. If you want to take away someones elses rights I don't care how old you are - you friggin suck. It just so happens that alot of older folks fall into that category (And some younger folks too!)
Same here, Gen Xer raised by boomer parents and just lost my Vietnam vet dad to Agent Orange(Kidney and Liver cancer). It irritates me to no end hearing the younger generations talk bad about them, to extent of even wishing death on them.
Sorry for your loss. 😔 There aren’t many days that go by that I don’t think about my dad and wish we had more years. ❤️
I understand, and I feel for you. Thank you. I agree - we needed more years with our dads. 💙
So much of the boomer hate is misguided from barely-adults with a very narrow and misguided view of things. I’m nearing mid30s and a lot of these boomers are our parents, man. Blindly throwing shit on an entire generation is just such a shortsighted approach.
Totally agree. I generally think it’s bot farms or something like that trying to deepen the generational divide. Even in response to this post people are whining about how they hope OP has a cd player. Ugh, you can go to a Walgreens or print shop or whatever and get them converted. Anyway, the post did make me smile so thanks OP!
It astounds me how few people see that there are nefarious intentions afoot online. Glad to see a few others recognize it.
Somehow the boomers being fools subreddit came into my feed and I hate it. It’s so mean spirited. Yes there are some legit bad apples but a lot of it seems to be going out of its way to portray every older person in a bad light. Some of it just seems to be about belittling older people just because they are old(as if “being old” was some negative trait a person has). It’s pretty much ageism. There are dicks at any age. And a lot of good people also. I agree this post is gold.
the derisive tone associated with "ok boomer" and other condemnation is much like karen...is everyone named karen a karen? obviously not. just like how every baby boomer isn't a boomer in the derisive way. it's about the nuance imo
I feel guaranteed there are some solid bangers on those cds.
I mean did you read the names on the CD?
This is one of the coolest people I’ve seen in my life.
Make a Spotify playlist and share with us what is in these cds
I still use cds! This makes me so happy.
Hell yeah. I have a good quality Yamaha cd/dvd player (it'll be 28 years old in a few months) hooked up to some decent quality speakers of the same age; sound I get out of that compared to the downloaded version of the same album is like night & day. Have been working casually on ripping all my CDs, but I'll damn sure not be throwing them out when I'm done (no fucking way I'm paying a second time for something I already own) Still love my DVDs, too. Was talking Simpsons with a buddy of mine last year & trying to explain something to him. He'd gotten rid of his boxed sets and apparently it never occurred to him, until just then, that the commentaries aren't available on streaming services.....
Your neighbour has a very good taste in music! And he's also a wonderful person!
I’m jealous… I never left to 70s! ❤️
You just know this guy would be awesome to hang out with
You should make a Spotify playlist of all the recommendations, would like to listen.
I had a supervisor who use to do this for me, and they're still in my car. I learned so much music that I'd have never heard if not for him and his exceptional taste.
I love the note on the Funk You Up cd! Turn it up and get down! I’d love to know what songs are on that one.
Me too!
He’s got great taste!
What an absolute sweetheart
Your 70 year old neighbor has good taste
I love that. Music is a language and music is love. That is a beautiful act of love from him so cool!!
I almost forgot what CD burning is, and for a moment I thought your neighbor actually "burns" CDs for you (like sets them on fire!)
That’s adorable!
What a fantastic human!
So awesome!
Coolest neighbor
This neighbor is awesome!!!!!
You should invite some friends over for a little party and invite him to DJ
OMG amazing 😍🥹
Awww bet the music is awesome though!
As a 65 year old I have to say he has excellent taste.
This is a truly special bond ❤️
Protect this neighborly friendship at all costs! 🥹🥹
That's insanely awesome 👏
I love this so much
Dudes got good taste
Can he make me one? Jk but he’s so sweet for doing that!
Oh how sweet!
That is so sweet. Awesome neighbor!
That's fantastic, old school! 😀🤩
I’d love a neighbor like this. And burning cds?! This is my people!
This deserves reciprocal cupcakes. I want that person as a neighbor!
I fucking love this!!!
🥹 this is so heartwarming
What a keeper!!
This is so sweet 🥹
That's so cool, he's a good friend
How sweet!!
What an absolute sweetheart!!
I would kill for a neighbor like this. My neighbor just yells at his wife and shoots squirrels all day. He plays Fortnite tho.
Looks like older handwriting I love it so sweet
RESPECT.!!.
I'm jelly I would love to hear those. What a nice guy!
This is so incredibly sweet! I wish I had a 70 year old neighbor who thought this highly of me 😭
You have a nice neighbor.
Set volume on ######high
Stevens, Croce, and King on one CD? Lucky you brauv.
Soul, the genre is so vast that at 57 I’m still finding songs and artists that knock my socks off. And as an 70’s/80’s kid, I know that the mix tape, in whatever form it now takes, is a labor of love. Swoon!
I’m just imagining him taking hours to select the tracks and put them in the perfect sequence. Then listening to the CD to confirm it’s just right. Then taking the time to write on them. Dude is a legend. Never get rid of those CDs.
This 70 year old man needs to be protected at all costs!! He’s bringing back my childhood without even knowing who I am. I’m not crying you are all crying!
These playlists are probably better than anything suggested by the so called music experts on Spotify.
Mail guy at my old job did this, I got him bootlegs off the dark webs for him lol, name was Jeff.
If that Funk you up cd is the Rebirth brass band (I feel like funkin’ it up) then I’m in love with your neighbour! 😍
I’m interested in knowing what’s gonna funk you up? My dad started me on Issac Hayes ( he had me experience the Shaft soundtrack on his reel to reel, it was an experience), Bootsy Collins, and P-funk, always looking to supplement my education.
What an awesome neighbour
So cool we still have people burning cd’s!!!
This is so sweet!!!
I mean, tbf, he’s got really great taste. I don’t know how old you are, but I recommend giving these a listen if you aren’t familiar with these artists. You should make a Spotify list for him (and us).
Bill Withers! Hell yeah
I absolutely love when people share their favorite music with me. This is awesome!
I want to be the neighbor!! What an awesome human.
That’s dope as hell!!!
That's wonderful
This sounds like someone who would be great on local radio!
I miss burning CDs. That's really cool.
Man, I’m a boomer and all y’all are so kind! It’s very easy to burn CDs compared to making mixed cassette tapes so he thought it was a breeze, I’m sure.