I don’t care if you think someone is old- you never say it to their face.
It was last year and I was doing some holiday shopping in my favorite shoe department. Now, I’m a big fan of holiday music. And the holidays in genera. I do at least wait to start playing holiday music until after Thanksgiving, but my tree might go up beforehand (but my excuse is that I work too much and sometimes that’s the only time I have to set everything up).
So here I was, waiting in line, when one of my favorite Christmas songs came on- “This Christmas” by 98 degrees.
In front of me in line were a preteen girl and her mother.
Preteen: Who is this?
Me (attempting to be helpful): It’s 98 Degrees. I remember buying this album when it came out.
Preteen(in a shocked voice): God, you must be OLD.
I stood there looking dumbfounded. I should probably also tell you that I’m 26 now and definitely not old, not even to a preteen. At least, I didn’t think I was.
Preteen’s Mother (appalled): Honey, you NEVER tell anyone that they’re old! Especially a woman! She’s younger than me!! Never! Apologise now!
Preteen (in a blase voice): Sorry, I guess.
Let me tell you, that was an awkward wait in line until we finally all checked out.
P.S. My grandfather has a rule that you can never call someone old unless they are at least 5 years older than his current age, and since he’s currently in his mid 80s, that means you’re not old until you’re in your 90s. Otherwise, you’re just “older.”
Respect Your Elders Mojito Jelly
I may not be old, but I’m old enough to drink legally
Ingredients
- 2 c mint
- 7 c water
- 1 c light rum
- 1 box powdered pectin
- 4 c white sugar
- 1 c lime juice
- Green food coloring
How-to
- Prep water bath canner and 8 pint jars with lids and rings (you might not need this many, but it’s always best to be prepared!).
- Crush mint leaves to release juices (bring out your mixed drink supplies or just use the end of a wooden spoon).
- Add mint leaves, water, and light rum to large pot. Bring to a boil and let cook until liquid has reduced to four cups (so half).
- Turn off heat. Using a skimmer, remove the mint leaves from the liquid. Add 2-3 drops green food coloring if desired.
- Add pectin and stir until dissolved.
- Add sugar and lime juice. Bring back to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
- Ladle jelly into hot jars. Wipe off tops and place on lids. Place into water bath canner and place in jars. Bring water back to a boil (make sure the bubbles are coming from the bottom of the pot and not from the jars themself releasing air). Process for 5 minutes.
- Let stand for 12-24 hours or until jelly sets.
This makes an excellent Christmas gift!
domestic diva, M.D. 
Great post! Now I know what to do when someone implies that I’m old. I’ll just make Mojito Jelly . . . and drink it. Thanks for sharing this story.
Or give it away to other people who didn’t call you old as presents.
there’s no vodka in your ingredients, but you mention it as part of the recipe. Are we supposed to add vodka?
Apologies I meant water- that’s corrected!
Vodka, water- same thing when your old and senile!! Or young and thirsty! 🙂 Great story & recipe, as usual.
Doesn’t help that I’m sick and on a ton of cold meds at the moment…brain isn’t working quite right…
Like this! Cheers!!
Thanks!
Yum…..Thanks for the entertaining & the recipe!
Thanks!
I was in an airport a month ago on one of my (too) many business trips. I was quietly minding my own business, reading my Nook on my iPhone, when right next to me I hear this, from a gum-chomping, hair-twirling teen princess who is talking to (I guess) her boyfriend on her phone, “Yah, nothing really. Just bored, waiting for my plane. Sitting here, next to some OLD guy (emphasized the word old just for an additional kick to the groin). OLD. She called me OLD. I’m not old. I’m just older than her. When did I become “some old guy?” I’m thankful for your post, because now I KNOW I’m not the only OLD person on earth, even though my new teeny-bopper friend, “Stacey-with-an-E” says so. See you in the “old-folks home.”
Yeah it’s definitely the LAST thing you want to hear! There’s no way I would ever dare calling someone old- my grandfather taught me well!
Is it bad that I read “Stacey-with-an-E” in a teeny bopper voice?
Well, with yours and Domestic Diva’s definition of old, I think I’ll join you at the “old” age home because it sounds like the kind of place to go and live it up!
Reblogged this on runwritedig and commented:
I had to reblog this story from my new friend Megan, for reasons that will become obvious when you read my comments at the bottom. She had an unpleasant experience much like my own. It really doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman, hearing someone call you “old” is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Great story Megan!
Why thank you!
Well, with yours and Megan’s definition of old, I think I’ll join you at the “old” age home because it sounds like the kind of place to go and live it up!
Some people really have no filter. Especially preteens and teens. Ugh.
It’s why I regularly call up my parents and apologize for whatever I may have done to them as a teenage girl
Kids today…it’s all the fault of women’s magazines, don’t cha know. They have 18 year old models selling wrinkle cream and everyone dyes their hair, so the poor teeny boppers have no idea was “old” looks like. If you’re old enough to predate iTunes you must be ancient. (Never mind that iTunes is only 11 or 12 years old.)
Personally, I feel young every time I pick up liquor at the store–since they have to card anyone who looks under 40 I get carded (almost) every time. I’m 42.
Oh dear, I had to start using eye cream just because I work too much and look too tired all the time…THAT made me feel old.
Yeah I get sad when I don’t look carded…I certainly don’t think I look older than 30 (the law here!).
I went to the midnight release of the 4th Twilight book (which I know leaves me open to public mocking, but still…). The girl in front of me in line turned around, looked over my 28 year old self, and said “Oh my god, you’re like the only old person here.” I was completely mortified that she would say something like that to me. Then I was even more mortified when I realized that she was completely right, and I was in fact the oldest person in line. All of the other adults were standing out of the way and around the bookcases, and were obviously the parents who drove their kids to this event. I now stick to age-appropriate events, and order my YA books online.
I feel like that was something that was far more appropriate for us to do with Harry Potter (or at least maybe I say that because I did).
No comment on the Twilight though…can’t bring myself to read them. Maybe because I’ll forever associate the books with the horrible movie previews…
I think I was the oldest person buying Harry Potter book 7 (at ..25, I think?), and I felt all the kiddies’ eyes on me … But we were still cool, no worries.
Love this jam idea! I eat jam by the spoonful (sad, yes), and this would be so delicious. I really like the fact that you’re 26 and can things. Personally, I don’t think that’s old – it’s just mature, educated in domestic areas, and practical. Most kids these days can’t do that!
I think I was the oldest person buying Harry Potter book 7 (at ..25, I think?), and I felt all the kiddies’ eyes on me … But we were still cool, no worries.
Love this jam idea! I eat jam by the spoonful (sad, yes), and this would be so delicious. I really like the fact that you’re 26 and can things. Personally, I don’t think that’s old – it’s just mature, educated in domestic areas, and practical. Most kids these days can’t do that!
I think everyone has their own ideal mental age, that they stick too regardless of actual age. My own ideal age is 28, I fully intend remaining that age for the rest of my life, in spite of the fact that my body is apparently 44…! I know kids who are mentally already in their dotage, and grannies who remain perfectly sprightly. It’s all in the mind!
Haha my friend yearly celebrates her 22nd birthday, so I know what you mean.
I always joke that I belong in the 50s- I’ll bring knitting to work in winter!
What I like most about the whole story is the mother’s response. Even if the preteen has no filter and is quite rude, at least the mother is trying to teach her better. Too many parents these days aren’t, so there’s at least hope she’ll manage to instill some manners in her daughter eventually.
I’m really hope that it was just because she was at the bratty teenage girl stage in life…
We’re ALL old coz there’s always someone younger than us 😉 Kim*
http://www.100days100ways.wordpress.com
I’d call that “older” but not “old” 😉
I work at a high school, so I feel your pain. I get reminded just how “old” I am on a daily basis.
I’m going to have to try making that jelly. I have some friends that would love it!
I mostly treat patients older than me (and I look far too young to top it off), so on a regular basis I get asked if I’m old enough to be a doctor- which is why getting called old was so shocking!!
Ugh. At least the mother made her apologize! What a jerk. Someday she will be 26 and feel bad! Crazy whipper-snapper!
“Whipper-snapper” is a fabulous word choice- I call my youngest brother that!
I cringe when some one calls me Ma’am. It sounds like they are calling me old when I know they are just being polite. I would rather be called miss. At least miss sounds like a younger person.
See I got yelled at in med school for “disrespecting” someone by calling them miss…I’m convinced it was just because she was a mean, bitter woman who only got called ma’am!
Nice one – I keep talking about people being old and then I remember that I’m nearly 70. 🙂
Hahahaha that’s fantastic! I never thought that people were “old” when I was a kid- I just thought of them being more “adult” than I was as a child!
That is really funny. The never. I think people just speak before thinking about what they are going to say first. 🙂 I already started playing my Christmas music. Yeap, I am one of those people. 🙂
I started the day before Thanksgiving (but only because we were stuck working and wanted a way to cheer up!). Normally I wait until at least Thanksgiving day.
I love that Christmas song by 98 degrees! Your only as old as you think you are. That’s what I tell myself 🙂
Boy bands had some great Christmas albums!
My eldest brother is 25, and he is NOT old. So neither are you. Also, I would have gotten a jolly good beating for speaking that way to a perfect stranger.
My parents didn’t even really believe in grounding and I can’t imagine what they might have done to me if I did that!
And that’s quite nice of you for not telling your brother he’s old…my youngest brother made the mistake of telling me once that I was old!
Thanks for following my blog 🙂 I’m still so new to this that it totally made my day to see someone who blogs as much and has so many fans give my little old page the time or day!
The mojito jelly sounds AMAZING that’s going on my to do list this weekend foooooorrr sure!
Denise
You’re welcome and let me know how it turns out!
I am 24, and notorious for looking more like one of my high school students than their teacher. So it made me laugh pretty hard last year when one of my 8th grade students told me he thought I was as old as his mom. I think 8th grade boys are just really, really, clueless.
Oh dear….yeah, to kids an adult is an adult, unless it’s a grandparent.
I remember when I was helping with youth group at church and one of the girls, probably 15 or 16, was talking about someone who was “really, really old, like 26 or something.” Yes, I was 26 at the time. I laughed and said thanks a lot. I guess 26 is old, unless you’re there or past it.
I understand! I understand! I’m currently working with a bunch of 18 year old’s and every once in while they look at me like I’m an dinosaur. I’m 23 years old! I can’t even legally hire a car yet! (in Australia you have to be 25 to hire a car!) Thanks for writing this your humor went very well with my coffee 🙂
My younger brothers are 3 and 6 years younger than me, and sometimes I feel like they think I’m ancient!
You’ve just given me an idea for christmas gifts!
I’ll be posting my recipe for wine jelly soon…another good holiday gift!
Just had a chance to read some of your posts.. hilarious! I love the short stories followed by an awesome recipe! 🙂
Thanks! So nice to hear that 🙂
Good bit of wisdom and and an alcoholic recipe in one post! I like this combination.
Haha thanks!
Love this! Although, not sure about green food coloring, LOL. So glad I found your awesome blog, thanks for following mine 🙂
Green food coloring is totally optional 🙂
Maybe I’ll just give some to myself for Christmas.
I wouldn’t blame you 😉
This is a great craft, It gave me an idea 😉
Canning helps make great presents!
98 Degrees. Brings back some good, long forgotten memories. 🙂
Oh Nick Lachey…your first album predated even your reality tv debut…
this jelly is a revelation, I will add it to my growing list of preserves and jellies I must make. Thanks!
I’ll be posting the wine jelly in a few days…
Hi. I’ve got a question with regards to the jelly. I tried the recipe over the holidays and my jelly didn’t set. Any suggestions? I wouldn’t want to throw all that yumminess away…
What kind of pectin did you use?
You can also try reprocessing it again with powdered pectin (I’ve never had success with mint jelly with the liquid pectin)- I’ve had a batch or two that didn’t set the first time but set the second. Also, don’t touch it for the first 25 hours! Jelly can be so annoying to set.
I used Powder pectin. I will reprocess again and keep my fingers crossed! Will let you know. Thanks!
Sounds good! I hope it works the second time!