Remember When?
Part of the fun of growing older is comparing the present with the past. See if the following doesn’t trigger some memories.
Remember when:
• Gay meant you were happy?
• You could phone a business and talk to a real live human being?
• Something bad was undesirable?
• A joint was a part of one’s anatomy?
• Kids respected their elders, the flag, and the law?
• A man and a woman fell in love, got married and then began producing children?
• American ingenuity?
• Physical intimacy between a man and woman outside of marriage was considered a sin?
• Personal hygiene was a private matter not to be discussed on T.V or in mixed company?
Remember when:
• Wrapping was something one did to a gift?
• There were only three networks on television?
• Television programming was clean and wholesome?
• When the speed limit was changed from 70 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour and then changed back to 70?
• Horses under the hood?
• Sales clerks who weren’t courteous and helpful were fired?
• Coke was something you drank, not snorted?
• Taking a trip had nothing to do with taking mind altering drugs?
• People waved and spoke to each other whether they knew one another or not?
• Making out meant you were getting by?
• The cost of admission to see a movie was 25 cents?
• You could understand the movie rating system?
• You could take your children to a picture show and not worry about the content of the film?
• Heroes and tough guys on the movie screen didn’t swear?
• The word ain’t couldn’t be found in the dictionary?
• When doh wasn’t a word?
• People weren’t afraid to help a stranded motorist?
• You could compliment someone of the opposite sex without the fear of sexual harassment charges being filed against you?
• Men stood behind their word?
• Sunday was a day of rest and businesses were closed?
• Clothing was for covering the body, not for making a fashion statement?
See if you remember these:
• Drive-in-movies.
• Car hops.
• Vinyl records—45,33,78.
• Eight track tapes.
• Wire recorders.
• Being taken to the woodshed.
• “A little dab will do ya.”
• Girdles.
• Gas wars.
• Opening doors for women.
• Full-service gas stations. You know, “You can trust your car to the man who wears the star….” (And don’t forget having your windshield cleaned and your car fluids and tire pressure checked at the full-service station.)
Yes, reminiscing over the past can be a lot of fun, but be careful, it can also give your age away.
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16 comments:
What a walk down memory lane...wait, I mean, I remember reading about those things! Yeah, that's right. And didn't they behave like that on the show 'Happy Days'? Yeah, books and TV, what a way to learn about things you never actually experienced. :D (Kids today don't know what they are missing, do they?)
I remember and experienced every one of those on the various lists. - Signed Over the Hill
Yep, I remember most of those. Things sure have changed haven't they, and certainly not always for the best.
Great stroll down memory lane! (I don't think I'm over the hill, but I think I can see the top up there!) :)
Do you know the Tim McGraw song "Back When"? You could add a few verses with this list.
Oh mercy. I'm old. Thanks for reminding me Doug, just when I'd recovered from the big 4-Oh. :)
Great post........as usual!!!!!
Doug, great post. I thought you may like to read this. I didn't write it but I am sure you will relate to it as I did:
"To all the kids who survived the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's & 70's".
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. (and who ever heard of an epidural!)
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets.
And when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a ute on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter.
We drank lemonade with sugar in it.
But we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on or when dinner was served.
No one was able to reach us all day. Yes no mobile phones and we were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.
After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no Internet or MSN....WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth (no orthodontists) and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt.
And the worms did not live in us forever.
We made daisy chains and ate plum puddings (purple flower) played skippy, poison ball, hopscotch, tiggy and hide 'n' seek.
We were given cowboy guns for out 10th birthday.
We made up games with marbles, sticks, tennis balls, slingshots and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house.
We knocked on the door or rang the bell.
Or, we just walked in and talked to them.
The town football club had enrolment for the junior team and not everyone made the team.
Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Imagine that.
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.
They actually sided with the law.
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility.
And we learned how to deal with it all.
Makes you wonder how we managed.
What are we doing to the current generation?"
Men stood behind their word?
Yeah, those were the days....
I do remember my brother owning an 8track tape player and my Dad had one in his truck.
Remember..... when you grew your own vegetables but not because you liked to... but had to..
Cute post.
I have to drive about 15 mins to find a full service gas station! ugh..how frustrating.
Great post!
I enjoyed the post, Doug!
I lived in those times...I miss them!
(I thought I had responded to this post but I don't se it!)
JunieRose
the only saying I hadn't heard in these terms was "making out meant you were getting by." I'm also not sure what wire recorders are, I'll have to think about that one. We still have a live/active drive in movie theatre just down the road, less than ten minutes outside of the city and my girlfriend just had an 8-track player put into her sixty something malibu after she won a bid on ebay for some fabulous 8-tracks. She requires you to wear oversized sunglasses when you ride in the car.
And I was sad when the last full service gas station in my town in the late 90's went out of business. It was very sad. I haven't checked my own oil and tires since then. Is that bad?
I was going to comment on some items specifically...but I wouldn't want to give away my age now, would I? ;)
Seriously...great post. I enjoyed the trip through the past. Many of your points hit a direct mark with me...as in some of my pet peeves.
Thanks Booger...
Yeah, my kids have no idea how different their childhood will have been from mine. I remember almost peeing in my pants waiting in a gas line with my Dad when I was little. My first 8 track was Fleetwood Mac! It sucks and it's fun to get older all at the same time!
Those were the good old days. I could add a few, like.....rotary dial phones, high beams on the floor, milk & Charles Chips delivered to your front door....but I don't want to give my age away. LOL Enjoyed the post Doug, thanks!
I so love your blog. It's refreshing and comical. Although I don't some of what you're talking about, I do recall someone at sometime saying something about a little dab'll do ya. I can hear the music now :)
You've been remembering when a very long time.
Welcome back Doug. Good to hear from you! ~ jb///
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