Things we grew up with that this generation does not use or know about

[The Evil Genius]

The way in which we used to get flouride at the dentist.

 

On a mouth guard..left alone for those 3 ****ing painful minutes. And the attendent comes back in 10, every damn time. 

 

edit - one more. Saturday Cartoon Express on USA.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Some of you people are old.

Just a few things:

1. Horizontal and vertical hold

2. Local DJs being celebrities

3. Album art

4. Local tv shows (kids shows, dance shows, talk shows, games shows, etc). The only local stuff now is basically teamed-own sports shows and the news.

[CrypticVillain]

Freedom.

 

I remember being 9 years old catching metro from my elementary school (Pennsylvania and Potomac Avenue SE DC) to Palmer Park, Maryland Rec Center to basketball practice everyday... BY MYSELF!!! Don't get me wrong, it was risky back then, but nowadays, it is an absolute no-no. I can't even imagine my little nephew going 12 miles by himself.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Freedom's a great shout. 

 

When I think back on the totally isolated places we'd go play all day it beggars belief to how things are today. But nobody bothered as we were just being kids. Man the dangers our parents let ourselves put us in when you think back. 

 

But then there was also network of moms on the case if one kid was missing longer than he should be and not home on time, There'd be a call to one mother, then another, and another. It was like a mom army out looking for you, lol. 

 

Hail. 

[China]

Airlines that included meals and luggage as part of the ticket price.

 

 

 

Not just meals and luggage, but when I was a kid we'd get served meals with real metal knives and forks.

 

 

Oh, and as a kid they'd let you go up into the ****pit and give you a pin with wings.  And give you a deck of cards.

 

Yes to the rotary dial phones with letters as part of your phone number.  Ours (as many in DC are) started with 33 (FE) for Federal.

 

And being so old I remember before VCRs and cassettes (yes, I remember 8-tracks).

 

Before cable and remote control TVs, getting up to change the channel of which there were only a few.

 

Driving without using seat belts.

[chipwhich]

Airlines that included meals and luggage as part of the ticket price.

 

 

 

Not just meals and luggage, but when I was a kid we'd get served meals with real metal knives and forks.

 

 

Oh, and as a kid they'd let you go up into the ****pit and give you a pin with wings.  And give you a deck of cards.

 

Yes to the rotary dial phones with letters as part of your phone number.  Ours (as many in DC are) started with 33 (FE) for Federal.

 

And being so old I remember before VCRs and cassettes (yes, I remember 8-tracks).

 

Before cable and remote control TVs, getting up to change the channel of which there were only a few.

 

Driving without using seat belts.

 

Don't forget they used to give you free liquor too, adults of course, my grandparents used to stock up on the miniatures.

[Dan T.]

[PCS]

 

 

 

 

[zoony]

As recently as the 1980s, credit cards were still somewhat a novelty.  Most people carried cash or checkbooks.  Going on a trip meant either taking a large sum of cash with you or travelers checks.

 

Also, I don't think the younger generation will ever understand what it means to just be "away".  i.e. not available.  Sorry, leave a message, it will have to wait until I return.  Might be tomorrow, might be an hour, might be next week.

 

Thermal fax machines were also fun. 

[zoony]

writing a last minute report by rearranging the words out of a small entry within encylopedia britannica

[pjfootballer]

Riding in the front seat without car seats or seatbelts on. 

 

Car A/C was -- 2/55  (Meaning 2 windows down at 55 mph). 

 

55 mph highway speed limits nationwide

 

tube socks with stripes that were the same color as your shorts or shirt

 

Having an imagination as a child, meaning figuring out ways to entertain yourselves instead of artificial help

 

Knowing who your neighbors were

 

Vacations- no one hardly takes them anymore.  Everyone is so "busy" and their job is too "important" for them to be gone

 

Doctors would rarely do surgery on broken bones.  I have a left arm that was "set" in the ER.

 

Kids would actually (GASP!) get dirty and the parents would freak out that their child would die of an infection because of dirt

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Get ready to add computer mouse to this list.

[Busch1724]

Making mixtapes! 

 

Playlists just aren't the same.

anticipation of going to the record store!

[Dan T.]

[Larry]

As recently as the 1980s, credit cards were still somewhat a novelty.  Most people carried cash or checkbooks.  Going on a trip meant either taking a large sum of cash with you or travelers checks.

 

I remember being told that AmEx invented the credit card, because they had all this money sitting around, from people who had bought traveler's checks, and hadn't used them, yet. 

 

The AmEx card was the solution to the problem "is there any way we can make a short-term profit off of all this money we've got sitting around?" 

 

----------

 

Wondering if THIS is dying, now days: 

 

[Bang]

 

Baseball cards with gum in them, and more than 3 cards for $5

 

hell, anything that costs 10 cents, for that matter.

 

~Bang

[Busch1724]

The keytar!

 

What an awful invention...

 

 

[pjfootballer]

_{No High Definition shows}

 

_{Had to watch the show when it came on.  No DVR or like some channels where they repeat the show 2 or 3 times during the night.  We had VCRs, but you had to time it right and couldn't watch another channel, so you may as well just watch it.}

 

_{Non Politically Correct cartoons like the early Bugs Bunny stuff.}

[PCS]

 

 

 

[Huly]

Real Cartoons like Smurfs, GI Joe, Looney Toons, Transformers, Heman, Snorks, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Pound Puppies

 

And Real toys that do not break while playing with them.

[China]

And Real toys that do not break while playing with them.

 

Like Tonka trucks:

 

[zoony]

Made in the USA

 

Seriously, everything was made in the usa.  cheap plastic toys, refrigerators, clothes, everything.

 

I'm talking 1985 here.  That's how quickly it can all be gone.  I guess it could come back just as quickly if Americans weren't such dumbasses.

[Larry]

A space program. 

[renaissance]

Do they still make traveler's checks? My mom used to get them every time we went on vacation, even if we were just going up the east coast.

[Dan T.]

For the DC area... sports championships.