How Times Change

[WillowTheWhisp]

My cousin in the USA just sent me this in an email :

How old is Grandma?
Stay with this -- the answer is at the end - it will blow you away...

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.

The Grandma replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees and the Pill. There was no radar, credit cards, laser beams or ball-point pens.

Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man hadn't yet walked on the moon.

Your Grandfather and I got married first - and then lived together.
Every family had a father and a mother. Until I was 25, I called every man older than me , 'Sir' - and after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir.'

This was before gay-rights,computer-dating,dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.

Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense. We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.

Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege.

We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.

Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.

Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening breeze started.

Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and we never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings. Long hair meant classical music.

We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios. And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.

The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.

Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of. We had 5 & 10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.

You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600 but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day, "grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink, "pot" was something your mother cooked in, and "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.. "Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office, "chip" meant a piece of wood, "hardware" was found in a hardware store, and "software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a woman needed a husband to have a baby.

No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap..... and how old do you think I am ???....

I bet you have this old lady in mind...

How old is this woman?? Make a guess before you page down.








This Woman is only 58 years old!

[ShortStuff]

That's a good one - just think how different things are gonna be in another 58 years!

[janet]

All the above very true willow, my nephew who is now 16 asked me a few years ago if i used a slate board and chalk to write with when i was at school, i did'nt know wether to laugh or cry as i'm only 51 now.

[JohnW]

Hey Janet,

I am only 10 years older than you, but I used a slate board and chalk from being 3 - 5 years old at St. John's Baxenden. So it wasn't such an outlandish question really!

JohnW.

[Doug]

I'm 45 and I can remember having a slate board and chalk at Church Kirk, I got ragged by Mrs Ogen for breaking mine, twice!!!!.

[Darby]

Nice story Willow...but will it change anything?

We've just had our grandson over from Scotland. He talks about the fair being in Campbeltown and how there were no adults around, no trouble, and all the kids went home by 10.0 clock - unaccompanied, and all walked home. The nearest town is 120 miles away, so that maybe contributes to the local attitudes. It's safe for little kids to play out, unsupervised. There's not any fighting or drunks leering out of the pub doorways, and very little litter.

So some of todays kids are good, are sensible, and have a sense of responsibility. It may mean that they should all live in an isolated community, and be dependent on their own initiatives to make their own entertainment.

On the other hand, he did ask for his Game Boy, and DVD's. But he did get fed up of watching German TV (took him all of 3 minutes). So we sat down and played board games, Garden Bowls, dominoes, and sat and talked in the evenings until it went dark.

He flew back on Sunday. Before he left he said that he'd never enjoyed himself so much and was so surprised what he had learnt....just by talking....!!

[Mik Dickinson]

Well i am 42 and must have missed out on the slate boards.Thank god for that.

[Ifty]

Things have changed not all for good not all for bad. Its people made it worse in some ways but inventions are great.