Funky, Fresh and Forty!
I recently turned 40 and it’s been a bit of an identity shift…
Growing up I always had older friends (and still do) so being the “young” one has been a cornerstone of who I am since I can remember. But I’m starting to notice that I am not always the young one (or even close) anymore lol.
Turning forty was kinda starting to play on my mind until this thought popped into my mind.
For those of you that were born in the ‘80’s like myself, you will be familiar with the good old cassette tape.
For those of you that have only seen one of these in the museum, this is how we listened to music.
It came with two sides to play from. Side A, and Side B.
Side A was usually stacked with the albums feature songs, the predicted ‘hits’, ones the record producer was hoping would receive radio airplay. The B-side or the ‘flipside’ tracks more often showed a greater depth to the artist - a space where they could explore their creativity, tracks that may have been looked over by the mainstream but embraced by the true fans.
The week of my birthday, it dawned on me that turning 40 is not the death of “youth” but a transition, a mere flipping of the tape, a switch - to the B’side of life. Yes, the ‘hits’ may have passed, the big moments of life, cool career, finding your soulmate, birthing a new generation etc but it’s not all down from here. The B-side of life is where you can really come into your own, you can give yourself permission to unmask, unapologetically and embrace your authentic self.
The best thing about the B-side is that generally it ends with an epic, it ‘goes out with a bang’ - so it’s only onward and upward from here.
Playing on the words of Missy Elliott I’m “Funky, fresh, dressed to impress, ready to Forty!” Let’s go!
And of course have share some of my fave B-side tracks, enjoy…
