Life has changed. It is hard to say if it has changed for the better. All I know is that I hurt a lot more in a lot more places than I did 50 years ago.
50 years ago people used cash. To get that cash you used to have to go to work. Then you would put that money in the bank. Then you would go to the bank to get cash out. Checks were used when mailing a bill.
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| See you at the bank |
People got married much earlier in life. The median age of first marriage was 20 for women and 23 for men. Back then, close to 70 percent of American adults were married; today only 51 percent are. The modern bride is 26.5 years old on average and the groom 28.7.
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| Why yes, we did meet in high school |
The legal drinking age was 18. In 1984 this was moved to 21. In the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec you can still drink at age 18. You can still get sent off to war at 18 though. At least you will be sober.
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| Yes, it was a real thing! |
You didn't have to wear a seatbelt. Up until 1968, seatbelts were not even mandatory to be included in a new car. I can remember riding in the back of a station wagon. You could lie down and stare out the back window. You could even wave at a cop. They didn't care about seatbelts back then.
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| Beltless babies on board |
A gallon of gas was all of 34 cents. That means you could stop by the bank after getting married at age 18, pick up ten bucks, grab a case of Schlitz, fill up your station wagon with gas, and ride around with your friends in the back of the car...and still have enough money to buy a dozen eggs!
“Those were the days my friend
ReplyDeleteWe thought they’d never end.”
I used to listen to that song on my radio which had six transistors.
I now listen to it on my phone which has billions and billions of transistors.
There’s progress for you.
Time it was (back in the 60s as a kid)
ReplyDeleteAnd what a time it was, it was (I'll check my phone)
A time of innocence (before my phone)
A time of confidences (before hackers)
Long ago it must be (pops up as 'memories,' on my phone)
I have (selfies and videos on my phone)
Preserve your memories (on your phone)
(Your phone is) all that's left you
I enjoyed this piece. Gets me thinking - I remember buying a washing machine at Sears for what we paid for our cable bill last month!
ReplyDeleteGG
And that washing machine probably still works fine.
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