Eclectic, or just weird?

I was talking to a friend yesterday about the different kinds of music people love and hate. She really doesn't like hip-hop or rap, but loves heavy metal. I, on the other hand, like a lot of the hip-hop and rap stuff my daughter listens to, and don't particularly care for heavy metal. It started me thinking about how different my tastes are from others "my age."

I don't know about you, but when I was in my teens and 20s, I thought people in their 50s were pretty old -- you know, staid, conservative, not open to new ideas, dressing really matronly, the whole "when I was your age..." and "I walked 15 miles to school in the snow..." mentality. Well, here I am on the other side of 50, and I am nothing like that. I have not magically become a matronly, OLD person. OK, so occasionally, my mother's voice comes out of my mouth, but for the most part I think I'm still pretty young.

Maybe it comes from having my (only) kid 10 years later than most people my age and is helped along by the fact that I am married to a man who is 5 years younger than me. Between the two of them, I've been exposed to a variety of music, books, movies, and other interests, some of which I have adopted for myself.

Because of my daughter, I love certain rap, hip-hop, and pop artists, as well as salsa music. We love the some of the same kinds of movies -- chick flicks, romantic comedies, and some animated features.

Because of my husband, I love The Blasters, Los Lobos, rockabilly music, and I'm now able to listen to some country music (yes, there is a story there...that's another blog entry). I've always loved musicals, but it was my husband who took me to see "All That Jazz", giving me a love for Bob Fosse and, inadvertently, Vivaldi concertos. It was through my husband's encouragement that I even attempted to read Gabriel Garcia Marquez books.

I am also fortunate to work in Silicon Valley and have a job that allows me to learn new software applications every year and exposes me to new technology. I work on both Macs and Windows machines and seriously miss working on Unix machines. I own an iPod (my second one because my mini was too small!), use a Palm Tungsten E2 to track my schedule, and create databases to track my stitching stash. Yes, I do geek out regularly!

In my copious spare time, I do needlework: cross stitch (I'm trying my hand at a couple of my own designs), counted canvas work, and a little embroidery. I make quilts and, in the past, have sewn clothes for my family. My latest thing is making melt-and-pour soaps and body scrubs, both scented with essential oils.

Anyway, it got me to thinking: what do you call a 50-something who

• Listens to the Black-Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera, Vivaldi concertos, Mexican music, Queen, the Beatles, Aimee Mann, and the soundtracks to Cruel Intentions, Frida, and Legally Blonde
  
• Loves movies by Quentin Tarantino, Roberto Rodriguez, and David Lynch; movies that star Reese Witherspoon, Julia Stiles, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, Steve Martin, or Richard Gere; loves all the Star Trek movies, all the Harry Potter movies, and all of the "classic" Christmas movies (White Christmas, Going My Way, Holiday Inn...)
  
• Loves the "traditional" home arts of needlework, quilting, sewing, knitting, and cooking
• Gets excited with new fonts, loves the Unix command line, and waits for the new MacWorld every month
• Reads romance novels, Harry Potter books, James Patterson, adn Lousia May Alcott
  

Eclectic, or just weird?