Boomerdom defined.

I am a boomer. But when did I actually qualify to become one?

I was thinking about this just recently. At what point in my life did I become a boomer? I have been discussing the advantages and adventures of being a boomer in previous blogs.

The term ‘boomer’ has another meaning in Australia. It is the term given to our magnificent kangaroos. Glad to introduce you to them. They are marsupials (meaning the mothers have a pouch to carry their young and they boom across the ground as they leap.

I never have carried my young in a pouch (well not that sort of pouch). I did carry a young Joey named Susan once. She happily curled up in a pouch of sorts from a sweatshirt I was wearing. She was orphaned and needed to be kept warm – I took my turn on the roster.

But I digress; back to generation thing.

I found this handy reference list in a discussion about generational labels.

I’ll summarise it here:

GI generation 1901-1924

Silent generation 1925-1942

Baby boomers 1943-1964

Generation X 1965-1979

Millenials 1980-2000

Generation Z 2001-2013

When did I start being a boomer?

Was it the moment my parents held me for the first time and said:

‘Welcome Frances – our new little girl boomer?’

I don’t think so.

My Mum did tell me in my teens, that she and Dad had decided they weren’t having any more kids after Mary (my older sister)! Way to go Mum – yet there I was 4 years later!

That point is for me and my therapist to explore.

I was born a boomer because of the date of my birth. But when did boomerhood begin.

Was it when I become a mother to millenials?

I’ll save you doing the math. Yes, I had my kids at 35 and 41. 40% success rate with my pregnancies.

Instant millenials I guess but I didn’t know that until the label was invented.

As an aside, more math work, boomers giving birth to millenials mean we end up achieving menopause and puberty around about the same time! Magic!

Was it when I got a divorce?

Nope, that was more a mid-life wake-up call, not a crisis per se. He is a boomer too. Single boomers still retain boomerhood – right? Or are they forever categorised as grey nomads?

Was it when I got tattoos on my feet?

My 60th birthday gift to myself were feet tattoos. I researched carefully what I wanted, took advice from friends and prepared myself for the ordeal by taking along a friend (also a boomer) as my tattoo doula. I know a shocking misuse of the term but I needed someone to be there!

A sunflower, a frangipani, a flamingo and a cat were (and remain) the images chosen.

I went along feeling very out of place at the Body Canvas Tattoo Shop with many young macho men waiting their turn. My doula and I took our places on the plush red sofas. Elliot Crombie was my artist – a charming young man who took my age and bravado in his stride.

I took my place on the bed. The owner of the shop came over and asked kindly, is this your first time?

YES!

And ON YOUR FEET? Brave woman. I have seen grown men cry when they get them on their feet. GULP.

I think it is universal that tattoo shops/parlours around the world have a Dave, Stevo, Johno, Mitch, Chip on staff – who is charming, heavily muscled and tattooed to provide a welcome and inject some realism into WHAT I WAS DOING!

Anyway with much lip biting and breathing through it from me (see the relevance of the doula reference now?) Elliott completed the work.

I will need to go back and have a spruce up of the colours…. I am thinking that will be when I turn 64 this year …… song references welcome.

No conclusions reached?

I still don’t know when I actually qualified as a boomer. Do you? Please let me know your thoughts below.