Doin' Some Reflectin' And Stuff......

So I'm sittin' here doin' some thinkin'........... So I says to myself, Self, you've been around a long time. Hmmmmmm.......... Yep I've been around for 4-1/2 decades and stuff! Man!
Hmmmmmm................... Let's see. Those fancy Egyptians made those really cool pyramids like thousands of years ago and stuff, and like my main man Jesus C has been dead for a couple thousand years too. Hmmmmm............ maybe I haven't been around as long as I thought.......
Forty five years, forty five years.............. You know I've seen an awful lot of things change in those forty five years.
I remember when using the N-word was almost fashionable. When a black man wasn't allowed to use the same water fountain as me. Now it's a real possibility that a black man might be the next president of the USA. Man! That's pretty cool. Thank you Dr. King. (Note - there is not one bit of my usual sarcasm in this paragraph.)

I watched the Marlboro Man on TV ridin' on his really cool horse, smokin' those cigarettes and stuff, and everybody thought he was so cool. I watched The Marlboro Man die of cancer, as many ridiculed him as a fool for smokin' those cigarettes.

I watched those beer commercials on TV stating that "Shaeffers is the one to have when you're havin' more than one" Now having more than one is frowned upon and stuff.

I remember when the President of the USA always wore a top hat, and was revered almost as a demi god, and that everything he said and did was never EVER questioned. I remember my mom crying when he was murdered in Dallas TX. Today........... well let's just say that that is no longer the case with the politicians of today.

I remember sitting in my grandpops house watching Walter Cronkite wipe tears from his eyes as Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. We were all riveted watching in silence on his little black and white TV. Today the majority of people are more concerned about the froth on their Starbucks latte than viewing the astonishing advanced technology go through the rings of Saturn.

I remember that the brave men and women who fought a losing battle in a far away land were spit upon when they came home. Today? Well some things never change I guess.

I remember when flower power, and the power of love were catch phrases. When smoking wacky weed was an "Oh My God!" thing. Today it's fashionable to go to rehab.

I remember when marketing campaigns in the auto industry were how much bigger our engine is, and how much faster our cars go than the other guy. The cost of gas wasn't even an issue. Today we have electric cars. Who cares about speed, I need more miles per gallon.

I remember when Greg Brady was cool, and a real scandal was when Dennis The Menace stepped on Mr. Wilsons flowers and he didn't fess up.

I remember when I fell down off of the monkey bars at a neighbors house and cracked my head open, My buddies mom patched me up. Today? "Hello Mr. Lawyer. How much can I get?"

I remember all of our neighbors getting together in the street for 'block parties'. All the men would bring their charcoal grills out and everyone would talk all night about nothing in particular, while us kids would play hide and seek, and kick the can. Today, how many of us don't even know our neighbors names? Playing these days is a video game.

I remember riding my bike, and falling off bangin' myself up pretty good. Today kids practically wear suits of armor when they ride.

I remember when the world loved the USA. When going to a foreign country it was cool to say I'm an American. Today proclaiming I'm an American just might lead to fisticuffs.

Yep, I remember lot's of things. Some good, some bad. Amazin' how a couple of decades make such a difference.

You know. I started out hoping to write something funny here. Now I'm depressed.

i too often reflect.
i am about to turn 30 and i am amazed at all the changes that i see around me.
from how things are structured to how things are designed.

everything is looking futuristic...from the new gas pumps to the new soda machines..everything is so curvy.....

i remember when there was not a fast food joint with in eyesight in every direction.

lotsa changes...

Lombozo, while this was not one of your funniest posts..it was definitely excellent.Flagged and starred.

Don't be depressed, my friend. That was your best post. Ever.

Really made me think.

Flagged & starred from me, too.

.. star from me and i'm not even half your age.. uhh, that wasn't an insult either my friend

but seriously, excellent post.. 45 is not young at all, who knows maybe you haven't even reached your prime yet

reply to post by lombozo


Great thread. I'm older than you, and this took me back and beyond your memories. Those were the days. Hmmmmm That sounds like my Mom and Dad remarking on their youth. Time is flying. What will the future bring?

Personally, I would love to go back for just a couple of hours and catch the fire flies in my Grandpas back yard where he had a huge apple orchard. Today the old house has been reconfigured, I hardly could recognize the old place. And the orchard is gone, and there is a full scale housing development in its place. And the Terrace (Street) he lived on was so long. I can't imagine how it happened, but today it seems to be the shortest street in town. HAHAHAHAH

Depressing, in a way. But time moves on and I guess we have to flow with it. But it doesn't stop us from closing our eyes, remembering when, and dreaming of those good ole times.

A fun thread...... Thanks

Nice thread Lombozo. Thank you for taking me back in time.

Being 15 years older than you I let my mind wonder even furthur back to the time when we didn't even have locks on our front doors.

As a small child I could ride my bike anywhere in town and have no fear.

I also remember my mother being afraid my brother and I would get polio and be in an iron lung for life.

If I might make a suggestion to you. If not already keeping a diary, please start. Keep it on paper ...not a computer link. One day in the future little Lombozo would enjoy reading of your past.

I cherish my parents writtings and keep them close to my heart. They are both dead now but live on in letters, receipts, newspaper articles, poems,and other writtings.

Write it down........you may not remember so well when you are 45 + 16.

Dizzie

reply to post by lombozo



Damn now you've made me realise how old i am too!!

What i remember most is being allowed to play outside all the time without parental supervision, riding to my friends house 5 km's away when i was 10 on my own, sleeping in summer with my bedroom window wide open to get a bit of breeze through.
Do you think i let my kids do any of these things today? :shk:

Sure there have been a lot of changes for the better but we have lost some innocence along the way.

Great post, starred and flagged.

WOW! Thanks everyone for the extremely kind responses.

After reading this thread more than once - thanks to you all - I realize just how sentimental my old bones are. As a teen I was the kid that I look at now and say, 'What a waste of skin'. I was a long haired (down to my butt), wacky weed smokin', bad crowd hangin', guitar playin', rock band singin' son of a gun. Once I turned 18 I had a DI who made me see the light. Sarge - I hated you. Now I realize how cool you really were. You've since passed, but if you can still read my mind like you could back in the day - Thanks Sarge.

Anyway...... I hope that I'm not actually hurting my sons future. I am beginning to realize that I am creating a cocoon, desperately trying to create a world that left us decades ago. Like Porcupine said - I too take my son out to catch fire flies. Hours and hours catching them, putting them in a jar, then watching in fascination on his face as we let them all go in a big fluorescent swarm.

I remember being told 'Come home when the street light comes on.'. There were no worries what I was doing, or what might happen. Jeez - I can't imagine that these days.

I remember chasing the Mosquito truck. All of us kids would run through the gigantic cloud of toxic smoke left behind by the truck. I can still smell the aroma in my nostrils and remember the laughter as we would sneak up one another in the dense cloud and say 'TAG! YOU'RE IT!"

I remember when the tragedy happened at the Olympics in Munich. Todays stories make that pale in comparison. That is one sad statement.

I remember Prince Planet, Marine Boy, Speed Racer, Ultra Man (Hyata and his Beta Capsule) - Gosh how I was always afraid that the light on Ultra Mans chest would stop blinking!
Top Cat, Gene London, Batfink, Dick Dastardly and his companion Mutt-Mutt. Thinking that putting on a broadway style show was easy like in The Little Rascals.

I remember asking a friend to pass a love note I scribbled in pencil to someone I had a crush on. Today? "R U doing n-e-thng 2nite?" on a cell phone.

I remember when my Dad would not let the radio in the car be turned up too loud so as not to distract when driving. Today I have to dodge people people talking on their cell phones while, the other ear still has the I-Pod plugged in making them completely oblivious to the rest of the world as they drive their SUV's.

I remember when Psycho was an over the top movie. 'How could they show blood going down a drain? GROSS!' Today I can watch movies that show someone kill and dismember people on many channels 24/7.

I remember when I had to wait until the next day to find out what happened in the world. Today I have ATS! Now that's a good thing!

I remember when I was SUPER dedicated to work - putting in many 15 + hour days working non stop. Now I have ATS! If my bosses only knew! I now put in 15+ hours a day to make up for my time posting!

If only we could capture the innocence of a youngster when they see something we see 10 times a day, for the first time and ask, "What is that?" When telling a silly ghost story and yelling boo is the only terror they've ever known.

I know what I want the world to be. I only wish I knew how to accomplish getting there.

reply to post by The Phantom



No offense taken my friend. Dude/Dudette - I can say with some pretty good assurance that I am indeed past my prime!

It makes me so sad to think that the freedoms I had when I was a kid, to run around the neighborhood until after dark, to go hiking in the woods a block from our house alone, coming home after school and having the house to myself (at age 8), are not possible for my kids in this world.

What happened?

reply to post by lombozo


Man I'm really feelin ya on this one. you've got a few years on me, but I have seen the changes, felt the wind!

Indoors is the new Outdoors!

I was playing football with my boy in the park the other day and another little boy ran to get the ball his mother shouted "Don't touch that it's dirty!"

I'm still not sure if she meant me, my son or the ball.

The same kid wasn't allowed on the play equipment! Why even go to the park!!

Crazy world!!

It's no different on the otherside of the world, it's a sad thing to see, but I dare say when our kids grow up they'll look back and wonder why things can't just be the way they were.

Change is not always for the best!?!

Monkey

I can't really say much here, as im only 13, but i can still remember when my dad would take me out for hours in the afternoon, just to teach me how to ride a bike. I can also remember the first time I saw a mobile phone (cell phone to some of you) I was amazed, and I had no idea what it was.

I can still remember the smell of my great-grandfathers house, sadly, he passed away when I was around 5 years old. after reading and hearing about other people, I realise just how lucky I am to have my Nana, Pop, Grandma and Grandad still alive. (Nana, Pop - mums parents / grandma, grandad - dads parents)

as for world renound incedents, princess Diana is as far back as I remember.



Roswell.

[edit on 19-10-2007 by roswell1]

reply to post by lombozo


It started out sounding like a suicide post, but in the end, it turned out to be a great post.

I'm not even 20 yet, so I never really experienced all the stuff you and others have mentioned, but I've lived it through what my parents, my dad especially, have said. And, frankly, I hate that I wasn't born earlier.

I'd sacrifice youth to be able to say that I lived in a time where everyone wasn't a damn wuss when it came to their health, or there wasn't forty thousand channels of reality shows and Hollywood tramps being shoved in our faces.

I mean, nowadays, everybody is so weak. Everybody has to go to the hospital for the slightest thing. Everybody needs medicine when they get sick. Everybody has to wash their hands every time they shake hands with someone. Everyone freaks out and is ready to jump off a cliff when someone coughs in their general vicinity.

You can't let your kids go outside without worrying about kidnappers, rapists, murderers, drug dealers etc.

You can't turn on the TV without being bombarded by commercials that make you feel like you're worthless and you need to buy their product to better yourself - otherwise you're in the trash bin of society.

We can't just get along with other people in other countries. Imaginary lines drawn on pieces of paper and globes have spawned generalizations, racial tensions, insults, stereotypes, and worst of all - wars.

People can't just live together. People can't just work together. It's all about what's in it for them. It's all about greed.

So dude, I apologize for hijacking your thread here. My post diverted from a reflecting on the past to reflecting on humanity.

But sadly, in the end, we're only going to keep progressing forward through time, and those good times back then will only become distant memories. So the only real prospect is to look to the future. So personally, I'm looking to the future in the hopes that humans, as a society, will be cleansed one of two ways:

Either A, we, as a society, will realize the errors of our ways, and bring about a change which humans have not seen, possibly ever in their existence, and we are able to actually live together, work together, work towards a common goal of assured mutual existence and prosperity, with no war, disease, poverty, starvation, or greed.

Or B, we kindly exterminate ourselves in nuclear war and rid the planet, that we've trashed, of our existence.

I hope for A, but I wouldn't shed a tear if it were B.

reply to post by roswell1


Trust me when I say to you cherish those memories, hold onto them with both hands. Those are the memories that get us through the bad times.

Great OP, as is usual from you, Lombozo.

Just turned 44 my self. It is truely amazing the things we've witnessed in those few years, isn't it? How much more amazing for our parents or grandparents?

My father remembered seeing the Wright Flyer fly over his home. He saw Neil Armstrong take that one big step, I was sitting right beside him. He listened to the LoneEagle land in Paris, now he flys not much short of that distance every Christmas with hundreds of other people. He lived the birth of the Atomic Age, saw the raising of the Iron Curtain, and lived to see it fall, helping it to do so for close to thirty years in the Air Force through a world war, a police action, and the early days of Vietnam, not to mention the Cold War.

From Wright Flyer to the International Space Station, from reverence of our Presidents to outright distrust. I saw a good half of what he's seen, it's sometimes been depressing, sometime exilerating, but never has it been boring, or at least not for long. Not always a good thing, lol.

I might be only 26...can relate in certain areas...

I remember when marketing campaigns in the auto industry were how much bigger our engine is, and how much faster our cars go than the other guy. The cost of gas wasn't even an issue. Today we have electric cars. Who cares about speed, I need more miles per gallon.

Can say from my love of muscle cars, I'll be holding off for a while with investing in a new one.

Being a kid in the 80s(growing up on computers) and a teen in the 90s(retro decades and some new fads), with doubt I'd trade that for another time. With that and sadly seeing the end of a more sociable society(knowing your neighbors).

I'd go back to the late 90s any day, less problems, neutrality, and my life was better.

[edit on 23-10-2007 by dreamingawake]