Comments on: Splitting “Hair” http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair Austin, Texas novelist Ruth Pennebaker, who's old enough to call herself "fabulous," writes about family, politics, marriage, friendship, feminism, aging and whatever else occurs to her. Her latest novel, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough, was published by Berkley in January 2011. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:24:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SimplyForties http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5749 SimplyForties Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:02:13 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5749 I think each generation has its own angst.  That was ours.  I'm surprised to read Winston's comment about the quietude on campus.  The youth involvement in the Obama campaign was pretty active and very inspiring.  I like to think our issues were bigger and more important but I suspect they only were more important to us. I think each generation has its own angst.  That was ours.  I’m surprised to read Winston’s comment about the quietude on campus.  The youth involvement in the Obama campaign was pretty active and very inspiring.  I like to think our issues were bigger and more important but I suspect they only were more important to us.

]]> By: Anne Gibert http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5748 Anne Gibert Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:51:11 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5748 I took my mother to see a local performance of Hair  about 12 years ago, when she was well into her 90's.  She was excitedly anticipating the nude bit.  When it ended she looked puzzled and disappointed.  "I thought they were going to be naked," she said.  Alas, I think she nodded off at the crucial moment. I took my mother to see a local performance of Hair  about 12 years ago, when she was well into her 90′s.  She was excitedly anticipating the nude bit.  When it ended she looked puzzled and disappointed.  “I thought they were going to be naked,” she said.  Alas, I think she nodded off at the crucial moment.

]]> By: Meredith http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5747 Meredith Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:38:01 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5747 I fell in love with Hair as a pre-pre teen - the music anyway. Then as a teenager I saw the movie and fell in love with the story. Recently, one of my friends took her young adult children to see the show recently. The kids didn't get it - they couldn't relate, the mom told me.  They couldn't see beyond, somehow, their own experiences. Weird. I fell in love with Hair as a pre-pre teen – the music anyway. Then as a teenager I saw the movie and fell in love with the story. Recently, one of my friends took her young adult children to see the show recently. The kids didn’t get it – they couldn’t relate, the mom told me.  They couldn’t see beyond, somehow, their own experiences. Weird.

]]> By: Gungadun http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5746 Gungadun Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:14:52 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5746 I saw HAIR at the National Theatre in DC.  It was my first really big show.  I've been telling people forever that I saw it in 1969, but after reading your piece, I did a little research and found that my memory was wrong--try 1971.  But!  HAIR was a defining moment in my life.  I'm not sure what that means, but it was.  One of its characters said something like this:  Go where you want to go and do whatever you want to do... just don't hurt anybody.  I like that. I saw HAIR at the National Theatre in DC.  It was my first really big show.  I’ve been telling people forever that I saw it in 1969, but after reading your piece, I did a little research and found that my memory was wrong–try 1971.  But!  HAIR was a defining moment in my life.  I’m not sure what that means, but it was.  One of its characters said something like this:  Go where you want to go and do whatever you want to do… just don’t hurt anybody.  I like that.

]]> By: Duchess http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5745 Duchess Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:03:12 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5745 My parents, and indeed grandparents, were actually quite badly behaved and had rather interesting lives, though my father did serve in WWII.  I imagine that young people acting in Hair now see it as some historic artifact.  That feels odd to me.  My parents, and indeed grandparents, were actually quite badly behaved and had rather interesting lives, though my father did serve in WWII. 

I imagine that young people acting in Hair now see it as some historic artifact.  That feels odd to me. 

]]> By: Winston http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5743 Winston Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:28:30 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5743 <em>Hair</em>, 1972, tug-o- wars with political ideologies and generation gaps.  Turn-on!  Tune-in!  Drop-out!  Sit-in!  March!  Heady times for us youth.  I understood my contemporaries , yet also understood and appreciated the values of my parents and their contemporaries.  I only clashed once with my father:  When he threatened to yank me out of college when that institution hosted a lecture by "Hanoi Jane" Fonda.  But I patiently  explained to him the educational value of being exposed to and studying both sides of every issue.  The 1930s had gotten in the way of my father's road to higher learning, yet he grasped what I meant, and thereafter backed my right, against his own Southern cronies, to discover, analyze and hold any viewpoint I chose rather than just blindly follow his.  And he was willing to learn.   What I miss most about those times is the loud, active participation of college students across the land about current issues and events in the world in which we were preparing to live.  Campuses have been silent so long, it frightens me. Hair, 1972, tug-o- wars with political ideologies and generation gaps.  Turn-on!  Tune-in!  Drop-out!  Sit-in!  March!  Heady times for us youth.  I understood my contemporaries , yet also understood and appreciated the values of my parents and their contemporaries.  I only clashed once with my father:  When he threatened to yank me out of college when that institution hosted a lecture by “Hanoi Jane” Fonda.  But I patiently  explained to him the educational value of being exposed to and studying both sides of every issue.  The 1930s had gotten in the way of my father’s road to higher learning, yet he grasped what I meant, and thereafter backed my right, against his own Southern cronies, to discover, analyze and hold any viewpoint I chose rather than just blindly follow his.  And he was willing to learn.
 
What I miss most about those times is the loud, active participation of college students across the land about current issues and events in the world in which we were preparing to live.  Campuses have been silent so long, it frightens me.

]]> By: Kate http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5742 Kate Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:19:48 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5742 I can't wait to see HAIR.  As Cindy notes above....it's "on my list" to do when I come to NYC. I'm hoping to be there for Blogher this summer.  Glad you enjoyed the show.  The music must have been fabulous. Hard not to love it. I can’t wait to see HAIR.  As Cindy notes above….it’s “on my list” to do when I come to NYC. I’m hoping to be there for Blogher this summer.  Glad you enjoyed the show.  The music must have been fabulous. Hard not to love it.

]]> By: Cindy A http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/splitting-hair/comment-page-1#comment-5741 Cindy A Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:30:25 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2463#comment-5741 Going to put "Hair" on the top of my list when I visit NYC! I don't think there will ever be another era quite like that, although we might be having something like it if a draft had been pursued for the Iraq-Afghan-whatever-comes-next wars.  Also, back then, I don't even remember herpes being a problem, much less AIDS.  And heroine and LSD were considered mind-opening instead of life-shattering. My son is a born-again Republican.  So guess that's his little rebellion. There are worse ways for him to rebel.  Can't think of any off hand, though.  :-) Going to put “Hair” on the top of my list when I visit NYC!

I don’t think there will ever be another era quite like that, although we might be having something like it if a draft had been pursued for the Iraq-Afghan-whatever-comes-next wars.  Also, back then, I don’t even remember herpes being a problem, much less AIDS.  And heroine and LSD were considered mind-opening instead of life-shattering.

My son is a born-again Republican.  So guess that’s his little rebellion. There are worse ways for him to rebel.  Can’t think of any off hand, though.  :-)

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