Sunday, January 13, 2008

Man, I'm Gettin' Old!

I woke up this morning, trying to think of a topic I could blog about, and it hit me …. Actually, a culmination of things over the past few weeks helped in this (like, my mom talking about technology exploding over the past 20 years when I dropped off my shirts) … So, I decided to put together a short list of … well … observations. Please add to them, if you want.

* I remember a time when a video game console had a controller (joystick) with only one button.
* I remember a time when postage stamps were only 13 cents.
* I remember a time when I had to get up and turn the knob to change tv channels.
* I remember a time when there were two “frequencies” for tv – VHF and UHF … and, we only had about 6 stations to view.
* I remember a time when a cable box had buttons and knobs on it to push (again, one would have to actually get up and change the channel on the box), and this box had a tuner on it, as well (this helped when trying to descramble the Playboy channel).
* I remember a time when fast food restaurants didn’t have “value menus.” I also remember a time when Wendy’s had a taco bar.
* I remember a time when cassette tapes were cool.
* I remember a time when phones had cords as well as not having pushbuttons (took forever to dial), and when the first two digits of a phone number were pronounced as letters.
* I remember a time when one had to make popcorn on a stove (I’ve seen Jiffy Pop bring this back, but most people probably microwave popcorn at this point).
* I remember a time when Billy Martin was making commercials for Captain Black, and Joe DiMaggio was making commercials for Mr. Coffee, and Pete Rose was making commercials for Wawa.
* I remember a time when cans of soda (and beer) had that annoying pull top – this system would always seem to produces cuts on my fingers.
* I remember a time when kids would go outside and play sports (heck, my friends and I would go out and play sports almost every day … even with the Atari 2600 or Commodore 64).

There, I feel better.

11 comments:

snowelf said...

lol Los!! We have to be very close to the same age because I remember all of these things too!! Even the changing the channel on the cable box by pushing the buttons...too funny!

Have a great weekend!
--snow

Jeff said...

I remember a time without Boston sports fans.

I also remember being allowed to buy gas only on Tuesdays and Thursdays in 1979.

And I remember when Penn State cheerleaders actually led cheers during games.

The Rev said...

I remember a time when drug stores were actually owned by a person who lived in the same town, or even in the same building in the apartment above.

I remember a time when not only would mom let you sit in the front seat of the car without a special car seat, she would also let you sit there with no seat belt.

And I also remember how to descramble the Playboy Channel. If you got the tuning knob in the exact right position, you would get the scrambles out. It would be a little fuzzy, but it was watchable.

Steph said...

I remember some of those things and I'm not old!! Well, turning 27 this year.......thats close to thirty *cries*

Lisa said...

I remember my parents' giant Buick station wagon with side-paneling and 4 rows of seats (the 4th row in the back faced the rear window). The radio had 5 buttons for presets, each had a letter on it --B-U-I-C-K. Pushing the button (which wan't easy) made the slider scoot up or down the dial.

I also remember paying 68 cents a gallon to fill my car with regular gas when I was at Penn State.

Ahhh, the good ole days! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

sirgeb said...

"I remember a time when cans of soda (and beer) had that annoying pull top – this system would always seem to produces cuts on my fingers."

- I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about on this one.

El Padrino said...

tis is true
our generation is starting to reflect

great. just another reason to blow your brains out next birthday

minijonb said...

how much of this nostalgia do you have in a box in your attic? you could make a few bucks selling it all on eBay.

Superstar said...

I remember when I could go to the neighborhood store and my only "fear" was the bully down the street being there at the same time! Now we can't let kids go to the corner store without an adult due to the nutso's out there...

I remember when beta and VHS machines cost more than a weeks salary.

Damn we are old!!!!

Ink and Stone said...

I remember a time when light pollution wasn't everywhere, you could still star-gaze in a rural neighborhood. Now? Go to a park. :(

I remember when the Colts were the Baltimore Colts.

I remember when Los had hair... wait, no I don't! ;-P

I remember a time when our government was still run as a democracy, not a corporatocracy.

I remember Captain Kangaroo!

I remember a time when getting into a fight didn't mean worrying if your opponent would pull a gun on you.

I remember when it was OK to smack a kid for being bad/bratty and not getting called on child abuse for it. (My mom swatted me often!) heh.

I remember when radio-based music still had some spirit or soul to it.

Los said...

Snow - I'm guessing we probably are around the same age.

Jeff - Ah, the days when Boston fans weren't like New York fans ...

Rev - I remember those days without children's seats in cars - we woul crawl all over the cars ... amazing more of us didn't get hurt!

Steph - I remember when I was 27 ... sigh.

Lisa - My uncle had one of those station wagons ... I think it got 7 miles to the gallon ... seriously.

Sir Geb - You should thank your lucky stars you don't!

ElP - I think I'll hold off ...

Minijonb - I have an Atari 2600 in good working order with a bunch of the original games ....

Superstar - I remember going to the supermarket with my friend, buying his mom cigarettes ...

Ink - Captain Kangaroo was cool, but so was Captain Noah (for you Philly folks!).