"we can make it happen"

Yesterday, Hubby and I drove north and Offsprings #1&2 drove south so that we could meet to attend a Chicago concert. (Offspring #2 plays trumpet and really likes Chicago, so that was the main reason we started thinking about going.) No cameras were allowed, but this picture from wikimedia gives you an approximate idea of what we saw (only we were much further back):



Actually the first date for Hubby and me (back in early September 1977) was attending a Chicago concert in Portland. So 31 years later, here we were again. (Hubby the Historian pointed out last night that Offspring #1 is the same age now as I was back in '77.)

The venue was on the grounds at the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, so it was very pretty. (Didn't take this picture either; found it on google!)



It was a really pleasant day--blue skies and warm temps. Four of Chicago's original band members are still with the group, and they still put on a heck of a show. (By the way, does anyone remember good ol' Livingston Taylor? He opened.)

It was interesting to have that 31 year gap between the concerts, and I made a couple of observations regarding my Baby Boomer group.

Observation 1:
Back at the concert in '77, if a guy in his early 20's had had too much to drink, taken his shirt off, and repeatedly shouted "Woooooooooooooooo!" -- and no, I'm not talking about Hubby! -- I'm sure I would have found it mildly amusing (and perhaps a bit annoying).

However when someone in his 50's does this same thing in 2008 (again, not talking about Hubby!), it just sort of strikes one as pathetic, ya know?

As Joan Rivers would say, "Oh, grow up!"

Observation 2:
One of the "oldies" Chicago performed was Dialogue Parts I and II. (Great song!)

In part I, the question is raised:
"Will you try to change things
Use the power that you have, the
power of a million new ideas?"

And in part II is the repetitive, inspirational chorus:
We can make it happen
We can change the world now
We can save the children
We can make it better...

As I was listening (and watching the "Wooooooooooo!" man in the sea of Baby Boomers), I couldn't help but be somewhat disappointed in my demographic group. For all of our "million new ideas", energy, and idealism, we certainly seem to have dropped the ball a lot. Of course there have been some great accomplishments, but as a group we bought into the whole consumerism thing. And on our watch, we sat by as the health of our planet declined. We also managed to forget the lessons of Vietnam and are now in another unpopular war. (Of course I am generalizing about the group as a whole -- there are individuals who have been trying hard all along NOT to drop the ball.)

In any event, as many people were singing along to the "we can make it happen" part, I was thinking that to truly "make it happen", we Baby Boomers better get our collective butts in gear already.