It’s official. Fo’ bucks.

Some economists (I can’t remember which - there are so many) predicted that the $4 mark would be the tipping point.

“What do you a call an economist with a prediction?”

“Wrong.”

I couldn’t agree more with that statement (not the “joke”). This is definitely a tipping point.

But what tipping point are we exactly talking about? Are we talking about gas prices? Or are we talking about the American people?

Are the American people ready for to change?

Remember the New Balance 992’s instead of the Mercedes Benz keys? The spacious backyard for the public green space? The 2-car garage for one assigned parking space?

Before we attempt to answer any questions, let’s take a brief look at post-WWII American history through the eyes of the generations sociologists spend lifetimes analyzing.

Baby Boomers

The first group to be raised with a television (1 set for the entire family), fought Vietnam, protested the draft, burned bras, witnessed the assassinations of Martin Luther King and the Kennedys, consumed heavy doses of Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD or simply “acid” to those who never passed General Science 3), read Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, listened to Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Supremes and Marvin Gaye, and leave us with a “monumental preoccupation” for which we have to find some fixes (social security, mounting debt, etc.) fast.

Generation X

The first group to be raised by a television (at least 5 in 1 home), fought in Kuwait (and is fighting in Iraq), protests about the long wait to get a Miller Genuine Draft, burns JOB 1.25’s, witnessed the assassinations of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. (you think Puffy/P. Diddy/Puff Daddy had anything to do with it?), consumes methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or simply “ecstasy” to those who used to skip General Science 3), reads US Weekly, People Magazine, The Enquirer and Star Magazine, listens to what radio programmers tell them they should be listening to, is a product of Reaganomics, is filled with doom and disease, is totally lost, has absolutely no identity, stands for nothing, falls for anything and will leave a huge burden on Generation Y if the tipping point passes us by.

Sorry Gen Y. I really do like you guys. I try.

Generation ñ

See Generation X and multiply that by at least 50. That’s how lost this generation is. They can’t complain about their identity because it doesn’t even exist.

“Generation ñ.”

I can’t even begin to say that without busting out hysterically. Especially when the image that comes to mind is of he who was born in Miami to Cuban parents who immigrated - excuse me, sought refuge - in the 1960’s and feels Cuban when he wears his guayabera, plays domino and smokes boutique cigars at “Cuban-themed” parties, but couldn’t put a sentence together in Spanish (or English for that matter) if his communication skills depended on it. He has no idea why Castro’s revolution came to exist either.

Don’t tell him he’s not Cuban, though. He likes the hyphen.

Credit Generation ñ with one major contribution to local society: the birth of a dialect. Allow us to overhear a conversation in the dialect known simply as Miami:

“Bro, tu sabes, outta hand. That chick was riquisima. Yo le tire la muela and she fell for it, bro. Fer sher! She’s a major heat-up, though. She knows Susy’s sister, Jacky. But la jevita is outta control, bro…”

Excuse me while I regurgitate.

OK, where was I?

Change. Right. Change.

Why the history/sociology lesson?

Well, as you can see, history has shown that Generation X (automatically include Generation ñ when I refer to Generation X, but don’t forget to multiply it by at least 50) has taken a back seat to cocaine, crack, AIDS, divorce, single-parent households, racial injustice, xenophobia, homelessness, the political process, economic hardship, ___________. However, the time has now arrived (whether Gen Xers know it or don’t is a whole ‘nother issue) for Generation X to step up to the plate and accept the challenge for to change.

We don’t need to swing for the fences. We just need to do the little things that produce W’s. Move the runner over. Square up and lay down the bunt. Go opposite field and move the runner to third. Hit the ball hard in the air if there’s less than two outs. Consistently make the routine play.

It’s OK to flash some leather every now and then. Just make sure you make the routine play first. That’s all.

It’s station to station, boys (and girls). That guy (or girl) in the dugout is depending on you. It doesn’t matter if you hit 4th or 9th in this lineup. There’s only one common goal - and that’s to play it hard, play it right and play to win.

Welcome to the game of life. It’s only the biggest game we’ll ever play.

The first pitch was thrown earlier today. You ready?

Adrian Salgado is a Realtor Associate with RED I Realty in Miami, FL and can be reached at 305-491-7179 or SalgadoA@gmail.com