I'm a 30-something, and havent experienced much more than the general membership here, I'm sure, but I get the most amazing "stop and think about this for a second...." moments when I consider how much our world has changed over the lives of us all.
For me - I've lived without a cell phone. I was in high school when people who had pagers were considered to be drug dealers. I grew up with Oregon Trail in my teens. Most people didn't have computers at home. The mountain I lived on didn't have cable TV, so we had only 3 channels. Our roads weren't paved, and Saturday afternoons were spent jumping into the river swinging off vines. Call waiting and caller ID were a really big deal, but we didn't get them because they cost more money.
My grandma tells me they didn't have wheelchairs. She was a nurse in her white cap and skirt and tights. She had an alcoholic, abusive husband at a time when that was shameful to even mention. My grandpa tells me no one on his street had a TV. It was a really big deal when someone got one, and everyone whispered about it.
My 90-something patient told me about how so much of healthcare took place at home because you really, really had to be messed up for mom to go get the horses and carriage ready to go to the doctor. She got in big trouble once when she broke her arm falling from a tree.
What have you lived through? What pieces of history stay with you?
80s baby here...kind of creepy but NO ONE from the 80d commented on how the doll My Buddy looked liked Chuckie when Child's Play came out.
LadyFree, do you remember the commercials for the My Buddy doll? My brother and I would run around the house, singing "My buddy, my buddy, wherever I go, he goes!"
LadyFree, do you remember the commercials for the My Buddy doll? My brother and I would run around the house, singing "My buddy, my buddy, wherever I go, he goes!"
The challenger explosion was terrible. My elementary school felt like it was appropriate to bring in firefighters and discuss with us (kindergarteners) what happened. I had nightmares after that.
I was in kindergarten and watched the explosion on television. All the teachers left the classroom and left the older kids in their to watch us. I did not understand what was going on until my mother explained it to me later that night.
Memorizing every lyric to Savage Garden's "I want you" AnytimeIneedtoseeyourfaceIjustclosemyeyesandIamtakenToaPlaceWhere....lalalalalalal HUMAN CANON BALL
LadyFree, do you remember the commercials for the My Buddy doll? My brother and I would run around the house, singing "My buddy, my buddy, wherever I go, he goes!"
Well fawnmarie..I don't know if LadyFree remembers that jingle or not...I didn't until you mentioned it. Now it's stuck in my head, so thanks a lot[lol]
LadyFree, do you remember the commercials for the My Buddy doll? My brother and I would run around the house, singing "My buddy, my buddy, wherever I go, he goes!"
Yes, I do!!! I so remember the Kid Sister one from the two for one Buddy/Sister commercials while watching Saturday morning cartoons.
There was NO "going out to eat" - Friday or Saturday nights we'd get pizza.
...
I was born in 1975, and every single thing on your list made me nod my head!!
BTW, I'm glad someone else has noticed the no "going out to eat" thing. We never went out to eat growing up! It was very rare, and a big deal when we did. I don't know if it was a financial thing for my parents? It just wasn't something we did, or even really thought about. There was, however, the occasional take-out pizza.
I'm guilty of declaring myself too exhausted to even think, let alone cook, far too often...
Memorizing every lyric to Savage Garden's "I want you" AnytimeIneedtoseeyourfaceIjustclosemyeyesandIamtakenToaPlaceWhere....lalalalalalal HUMAN CANON BALL
Sorry..... I'm ok now.
I.Hate.Shaggy.
There. I said it. We can move on now. 😂
I love this thread and thank you all for sharing on it. I think it's absolutely amazing to consider how different each generation has been. It's hard as a younger person (gen X and younger) to imagine life without so many conveniences. We've experienced war, but that war is on tv for many of us. It's not "real". 9/11 made the threat of it real, but even since then, we haven't practiced hiding under our desks at school. We've always had cars, and for many of us, lack of a/c in them is, at most, a distant memory. So many major historical events that shaped America really didn't happen that long ago, but those not in our lifetime seem like they were. Hearing what others find relevant from their own lives reminds me how short our country's history is, and how young our "modern day conveniences" are.
Many Moms sewed at home on the good 'ole Singer sewing machine. Clothing for Mom and kids & home furnishings. Of course in the day, all Moms and daughters went through Home Economics in high school. Sewing was a core essential. I remember all the Butterick tissue dress patterns. Some of my Mom's old patterns costed 20 cents!!! Does anyone sew any more?
As the Northeast prepared for more snow, I remember getting dressed in our winter outdoor wear - looking like the StayPuft Marshmallow Man on steroids. (I love Ralphie's kid brother from Christmas Story who can't move in his winter snowsuit!)
To OP - yes, the world has changed but some of are still around that do remember our generation being involved in Vietnam. I had cousins and schoolmates who served. I remember the mandatory draft callups - am fuzzy about some of this (it was 40+ years ago but the last draft was based on birthdays or a lottery. I remember that I would have been called up except that I was female.
I remember all the draft dodgers fleeing to Canada and Hanoi Jane (Jane Fonda )appearing in anti-war rallies and badmouthing our government/country and its servicemen. To this day, I DO NOT LIKE Jane Fonda.
I was born in 1975, and every single thing on your list made me nod my head!!
BTW, I'm glad someone else has noticed the no "going out to eat" thing. We never went out to eat growing up! It was very rare, and a big deal when we did. I don't know if it was a financial thing for my parents? It just wasn't something we did, or even really thought about. There was, however, the occasional take-out pizza.
I'm guilty of declaring myself too exhausted to even think, let alone cook, far too often...
I love this thread! :)
I think it's because maybe a lot of moms did not work? Or the kids did not have a zillion sports things after school so everyone was home.
I didn't go out to eat much, either, but we had steak, so we weren't poor. Friday night was pizza take out, Saturday night after Church was Chinese food. Sunday dinners. Now Sundays are all about lacrosse.
Farawyn
12,646 Posts
YES!!! Which brings us to slasher movies! Don't go to camp, kids!
Anna S, drinking out of a hose! Now everyone has in ground sprinklers,