Mass changes...

I went to Mass when I was little and I went very infrequently before I was confirmed, and then I hardly went at all. So now that I'm back I am just a tad confused.

I bought the book about the GIRM, but as of yet haven't had a chance to read it. I'm hoping you guys can help out.

When the congregation does its responces, why does everyone hold up their hands? It reminds me of when we used to do the Our Father, families would hold hands and the people on the end of the family group would lift up their hands (or they just didn't hold hands) , but now no one holds hands, they all lift them.
And is it just my parish or is there just a whole bunch of singing? I remember we used to say the Our Father and not sing it, and the priest used to say many of the prayers not sing them, is there a reason or is it up to the different parishes? I'v moved from my old parish so I don't really know if its a regional thing, or if it is a change everywhere. Also many of the songs seemed to be different or changed a bit from what I remember. Or am I just in the Twilight Zone and just remembering things wrong?

(personally, the old way seemed to me much more uplifting, even when I was ignorant of a lot of stuff, or struggling with being religous, I would never leave Mass feeling empty, or without a resounding hopeful feeling.)

I hope we get a little closer to how it was when I was little. I don't know why, but I like that the best (probably b/c it was more familiar) I don't know how to explain it, but masses for me now are going a bit tough. I read the passages in the Bible ahead of time, I study up a bit and get all excited. I really understand the homilies better, I'm happy that I can recieve the Eucharist now, but I just don't get the same feeling I did whenever I was a lapsing Catholic going to mass infrequently.

I have a theory that since now I know better whats going on and why then the Lord is raising the bar higher for me. I just hope I get there, b/c I really want that old feeling back.

I sort of miss my old parish with the super nice Irish priests and their not so yelling homilies and less singing prayers and responces and not having to worry if I need to lift up my hands to say something.
Oh dear, am I making any sense?