Days of Old

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Use this thread to provide examples of how life used to be much simpler, easier, and when people actually cared about others. I'll start off with two examples:

1. Every Easter my Dad would cook ribs for the family. Now he only bought his ribs from this one specific butcher in our town. Every Saturday before Easter, it was like clockwork. Well there was an Easter weekend where my Dad had some work emergencies, and he wasn't able to pick them up. So Easter Sunday comes, we go to church and my dad asks me if I want to take a drive to the butcher (who was normally closed on Sundays), just on the off chance he might be there. Turns out he was, he SPECIFICALLY opened just on the off chance that my father might stop by.

2. Every Friday for the past three years, I treat myself by getting my lunch at this hoagie shop down the street from my school. The people there know my name, I know their names - we talk shop about the Bulls, the Bears, whichever Chicago baseball team that is doing better at the time. The last couple times I've gone in there, they'll always pile on extra meat for me, and my pops have seemingly been free the last three times I go in there. Go into a Subway, and the weigh the amount they put on your sandwich.

Not sure why my two immediate examples deal with food - perhaps the roast in the oven should cook a bit faster - but I'm sure some of you have similar stories probably outside of the food world.

 

[Urblock]

Thanksgiving with my family with 40 to 50 people. I was the first kid to have a car so all the kids wanted to go for a ride. Not one business open and you might see a couple of cars every 30 min. Times were different.

 

[BNB]

Before my grandma was officially diagnosed with lung cancer, my mom wanted to take her to a pulmonologist who she met at the doctors office she works at. She said he seemed like he genuinely cared about his patients and would trust that he would do whatever he can to help my grandma. Problem was, my grandma didn't have health insurance. My mom scheduled an appointment anyway. The doctor told them that the consultation alone is north of 800 dollars, and the tests he's going to order will amount to over 5 grand. My mom said it wasn't going to be a problem, even though she had no way of really paying for it. My grandma went along with the tests and my mom was told she would be billed through via mail. The bill didn't show up for a while, and in this time the doctor diagnosed my grandma with stage 4 lung cancer and told her there isn't much that could be done. The bill still wasn't showing up, so my mom called the office to ask them how much it was going to be exactly, and she was told not worry about it and that the doctor covered the entire bill.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Before my grandma was officially diagnosed with lung cancer, my mom wanted to take her to a pulmonologist who she met at the doctors office she works at. She said he seemed like he genuinely cared about his patients and would trust that he would do whatever he can to help my grandma. Problem was, my grandma didn't have health insurance. My mom scheduled an appointment anyway. The doctor told them that the consultation alone is north of 800 dollars, and the tests he's going to order will amount to over 5 grand. My mom said it wasn't going to be a problem, even though she had no way of really paying for it. My grandma went along with the tests and my mom was told she would be billed through via mail. The bill didn't show up for a while, and in this time the doctor diagnosed my grandma with stage 4 lung cancer and told her there isn't much that could be done. The bill still wasn't showing up, so my mom called the office to ask them how much it was going to be exactly, and she was told not worry about it and that the doctor covered the entire bill.

Doc is a quality dude. Sorry about your grandmother.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

The woman I take my dry cleaning to never charges me full price. I got there all the time, have her tailor some of my stuff, always great her with a smile - and I always get it done on the cheap. Or as cheap as that could be.

 

[Ares]

I am being entirely honest when I say I cannot think of one instance to contribute here..... I guess in part due to the fact I am not as old as some of you, but even if I look back 15-20 years when I was a kid.... shit wasn't good.... I won't go in to details, but family life was bad when I was a kid and from age 9 to age 17 I was having surgeries to fix my damned leg so I never led a normal life as a kid or teenager.

Now that I am an adult and out on my own things have gotten way better.... can't say the world around me is better, but when shit is crazy at home you don't really experience nor would you care about local business owners giving you a break cause they know and like you. In no way am I attempting to invalidate the examples you guys gave, just saying based on my circumstances there were no "Good Old Days" for me.

 

[Dogstar]

Thanksgiving with my family with 40 to 50 people. I was the first kid to have a car so all the kids wanted to go for a ride. Not one business open and you might see a couple of cars every 30 min. Times were different.

Yep... and you had to make sure you had enough gas in your car because gas stations were closed too.

 

[Tjodalv]

In the vein of Ares post, I don't really hold much nostalgia for a happier/easier bygone era. Sure, I miss my family being alive (we've lost the vast majority of the previous two generations over the course of the last few years)...but I was never particularly close with anyone in my extended family anyhow due to growing up quite far from where I was born and where the rest of the clan reside[d].

One of the few things that I can honestly point to and say "I miss the simpler times" was the ability to be unreachable as far as communication. I avoided getting a cell phone until I was in my 20s and my ex forced me to (carried a pager for much longer than it was reasonable) -- simply to avoid people being able to contact me constantly. I really do miss the ability to disappear for a few days -- go on a hunt, do some fishing, or just drive for a few days -- without having to be harassed about "why didn't you answer your phone?" or informing people prior to doing so. Turning your phone off and wandering for a while is no longer an acceptable thing to do (without people freaking out unnecessarily). That's something I definitely do miss.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

If not for cell phones how would your buddies know you have the seats behind home plate??

 

[DMelt36]

In the vein of Ares post, I don't really hold much nostalgia for a happier/easier bygone era. Sure, I miss my family being alive (we've lost the vast majority of the previous two generations over the course of the last few years)...but I was never particularly close with anyone in my extended family anyhow due to growing up quite far from where I was born and where the rest of the clan reside[d].

One of the few things that I can honestly point to and say "I miss the simpler times" was the ability to be unreachable as far as communication. I avoided getting a cell phone until I was in my 20s and my ex forced me to (carried a pager for much longer than it was reasonable) -- simply to avoid people being able to contact me constantly. I really do miss the ability to disappear for a few days -- go on a hunt, do some fishing, or just drive for a few days -- without having to be harassed about "why didn't you answer your phone?" or informing people prior to doing so. Turning your phone off and wandering for a while is no longer an acceptable thing to do (without people freaking out unnecessarily). That's something I definitely do miss.

This is definitely my biggest gripe. I love what cell phones are capable of and they have offered some fantastic conveniences. But if I were to shut off my phone for a weekend, people would likely assume I was dead. And that seriously bothers me.

I'm part of the last generation that grew up without cell phones (they got more prevalent as I became an upperclassmen in high school) and that's something I'm for which I'm very grateful.

 

[JosMin]

Most of you know that I'm an avid turntable/vinyl enthusiast. It's been my hobby, outside of sports, for the better part of 10 years.

There are a few decent record shops in Louisville -- it's depressing that enjoying music without being a scumbag pirate that just illegally downloads stuff is such a niche thing nowadays. Over the last few years, I've seen several of them go by the wayside due to rent prices skyrocketing, people losing interest in enjoying the "tangible" aspect of music. I feel blessed that my favorite shop, Underground Sounds, is still alive and kicking. Craig, the shop proprietor, is truly one of the most unique individuals I've ever met during my musical adventures. Always has a fantastic concert story to tell when he used to follow the 'Dead' during the late 70s and early 80s -- as a teenager, nonetheless! He's always willing to go the extra mile to score cool bootlegs or imports and I'm one of the few customers he'll special order stuff for. Whenever he gets something rare in, I'm always the first to know.

I always appreciate his candor about music. Craig is quick to recommend stuff and it's fun blowing through Saturday and Sunday afternoons eating snacks, smoking grass and tearing through a stack of records. My only hope is that the community continues support local businesses like this that truly are a staple to our society.

 

[DMelt36]

Most of you know that I'm an avid turntable/vinyl enthusiast. It's been my hobby, outside of sports, for the better part of 10 years.

There are a few decent record shops in Louisville -- it's depressing that enjoying music without being a scumbag pirate that just illegally downloads stuff is such a niche thing nowadays. Over the last few years, I've seen several of them go by the wayside due to rent prices skyrocketing, people losing interest in enjoying the "tangible" aspect of music. I feel blessed that my favorite shop, Underground Sounds, is still alive and kicking. Craig, the shop proprietor, is truly one of the most unique individuals I've ever met during my musical adventures. Always has a fantastic concert story to tell when he used to follow the 'Dead' during the late 70s and early 80s -- as a teenager, nonetheless! He's always willing to go the extra mile to score cool bootlegs or imports and I'm one of the few customers he'll special order stuff for. Whenever he gets something rare in, I'm always the first to know.

I always appreciate his candor about music. Craig is quick to recommend stuff and it's fun blowing through Saturday and Sunday afternoons eating snacks, smoking grass and tearing through a stack of records. My only hope is that the community continues support local businesses like this that truly are a staple to our society.

Got any good recommendations of places in/near Chicago to check out?

 

[JosMin]

Got any good recommendations of places in/near Chicago to check out?

Absolutely -- Laurie's Planet of Sound is my favorite spot to hit up when I'm visiting family in Chicago. The last time I was in there I spent $325 -- and that was with me putting five records back. Always have a fantastic selection of reissues and some of the harder-to-find blues stuff I look for.

I also love Reckless Records (Met Robert Pollard from Guided by Voices there last year), Permanent Records, Dusty Grooves and Gramaphone Records. There are tons that leaving off the list -- Chicago has some great record spots.

 

[X]

Not really having to do with "simpler times"....just being younger...but, I miss the days where my biggest worry was whether or not my childhood friend Steve could join the rest of the neighborhood kids for a round of baseball in grandma's back yard. Growing up is nice...but adulthood just isn't the same.

 

[X]

I miss real winters...but we've had one this year...so...yeah...



Sent from my phone...in my pocket...with my mind.

 

[Mr. Jones]

Not really having to do with "simpler times"....just being younger...but, I miss the days where my biggest worry was whether or not my childhood friend Steve could join the rest of the neighborhood kids for a round of baseball in grandma's back yard. Growing up is nice...but adulthood just isn't the same.

Yep me too..We'd play till we were whipped, and down bottles of ice cold pop from the corner candy store.
The good ole days for me was getting up at 7AM, grabbing my mitt, ball and bat and waking up my buddy to play fast pitch against our hirise buildings wall everyday.
Sometimes heading over to a vacant lot (at the time) at Clarendon and Belle Plaine to join other kids for some "league" ball. I remember being about 10-11, playing first base for the first time, and dreading when a kid would hit a grounder to short. The shortstop had the most vicious throw outta all the kids I ever played with..She was a bad ass ball player. Yep, SHE was an older Cuban girl. Sister of one of the older kids, with a lightning arm lol...
Later in the evening we'd play "catch one catch all" till 10-11 at night. Everyone "caught" would get his licks, (punched in the arm or thigh). Sucked to be you if you were caught last.. but somehow that was the goal...
I used to "hunt" for pop bottles and cash them in and add the tally to my $5 allowance on
Saturdays and go see the latest Kung Fu movies at the Uptown or Riviera, or take the bus to the Bryn Mawr theater and watch 2 movies for .60, and have money left over for a Gyros firies and a Coke at the Greek place next door.
We didn't have cell phones or computers and Facebook, we went out and actually did things to occupy our time. No Google.
I had a complete set of
"The New Book of Knowledge" encyclopedias that I used to help me do my homework instead.
Watched Ray Rayner over a bowl of Malt O Meal before school..and would run from Broadway and Bell Plaine all the way to Brenneman school just so I could say I did it.
I must say that my generation has seen some of the most marvelous technological advances since the car or the TV, but we lost something along the way IMO. I get a kick talkin' to my grandkids about stuff like this...but damn it makes me feel old sometimes lol..

 

[Nail Polish]

Summer vacation..Softball every afternoon and sometimes after dinner as well. Those were the days