Saturday, October 11, 2008

~ SOME THOUGHTS FROM THE 1940'S & 50'S

I went into as search for some of the old sayings from an era that is well into the past it's it's rather neat to see what people said at that time.

 

 

 

 

 

"I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20."

"Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?"

"The Government is wanting to get its hands on everything. Pretty soon it's going to be impossible to run a family business or farm."

"If they raise the minimum wage to $1, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store."

"When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 50 cents a gallon.  Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage."

"Kids today are impossible.  Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed.  Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls."

"Also, their music drives me wild.  This 'Rock Around The Clock' thing is nothing but racket."

"I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more.  Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying 'damn' in 'Gone With The Wind,' it seems every movie has a 'hell' or 'damn' in it."

 "Also, it won't be long until couples are sleeping in the same bed in the movies.  What is this world coming to?"

"Pretty soon you won't be able to buy a good 10 cent cigar."

"I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the of the century.  They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas."

"Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball?  It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the president."

"Do you suppose television will ever reach our part of the country?"

"I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric.  They are even making electric typewriters now."

"It's too bad things are so tough nowadays.  I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet."

"It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work

"I'll tell you one thing.  If my kid ever talks back to me, they won't be able to sit down for a week."

"Did you know the new church in town is allowing women to wear pants to their service?"

"Next thing you know is, the government will start paying us not to grow crops."

"I'm just afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business."

"Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes.  I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress."

"Why in the world would you want to send your daughter to college.  Isn't she going to get married?  It would be different if she could be a doctor or a lawyer."

"The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on."

"There is no sense going to St. Louis or Omaha anymore for a weekend.  It costs nearly $15 a night to stay in a hotel."

"Anymore no one can afford to be sick, $35 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood."

"If a few idiots want to risk their necks flying across the country that's fine, but nothing will ever replace trains."

"I don't know about you but if they raise the price of coffee to 15 cents, I'll just have to drink mine at home."

"If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.  I'll have my wife learn to cut hair."

"We won't be going out much anymore.  Our baby sitter informed us she now wants 50 cents an hour.  Kids think money grows on trees."

"Cars which dim their lights by sensors, automatic transmissions, and who knows what else?  Pretty soon they will have electric motors rolling your windows up.

Some things do change...for better or for worse. Here we are now in the approaching 2009 and I ponder on where we are going. Things are not as simplistic as they were back then, yet we are what we are today - within this very moment. Where are we heading too I don't know.

All I know is what is today.

18 comments:

  1. Amazin.... 50 cents for gas... I was thrilled it was under $3.50 just a few days ago.. $20 for a weeks worth of groceries.. if only.. thanks for postin these...

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  2. I still remember those days, Jack ... see I was already a child in the 60s, and considering Malaysia was probably a decade behind in technology compared to North America, it was probably like in the 50s. 50 cents went a long long way ... can get sugar, flour and cooking oil too. I was looking at averyday prices of stuffs, and and some we are paying lots of money in extras. I think I'll write you soap stories ;)

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  3. "I'll tell you one thing. If my kid ever talks back to me, they won't be able to sit down for a week."

    I can remember all the whippings my brother got with a belt. (Not me, I was the golden child...honestly, I was...scared shitless was a far better term, but it kept me on the straight and narrow!) Today my parents would have been locked up and my brother would have been in a foster home. Know what I say? Spare the rod, spoil the child.

    Those sayings were cute.

    Takes us back...and to also look at the future, when we will hear, "What was Ninendo?"

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  4. G'day Jack,
    "If my kid ever talks back to me, they won't be able to sit down for a week." That is the only one I recall hearing way back when, but then I suppose it being directed at me made the difference, but those were the days when parents demanded respect & got it, That was then this is now & who does know about tomorrow

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  5. I really enjoyed these Jack. Some are real gems. Like this one: "Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress." We can certainly ask ourselves this question right now.

    Isn't it funny how, years later, we are still complaining about the same exact things they did years ago (taxes, gas, groceries, wages) only the prices have changed. Time goes by but like the old saying says: "The more things changes, the more they stay the same".

    In 50 years from now, I bet people will be writing similar "blogs" about things people complained about back in 2008.
    Like you, all I know is today and as far the future is concerned, well, I try to remain positive and hopeful that if things do change, it will be for the better.

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  6. Soap stories....? :) Well I remember when at the age of 7 I think and I could go and get into the movies for 50 or 75 cents...

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  7. I remember the belt! And I made sure I got one swipe once and never again. :). Yeah I wonder what kids today will say, hmm interesing thought Katherine...

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  8. So true...well I have no kids of my own so I don't have this situation and in a way I am glad I don't. But I remember my father saying to my brother whom was a bit of a rebel ( 6yrs older than me ) and Dad would what seemed to be every other day uttering to my brother "You want to be a big wheel, if you keep it up I will make you into a small wheel", I watch this and gosh Blaine broke my father in for me. As I was scared of that stern side of my father so I didn't do a thing ...........................................until I turned 17! :) But nothing stupid just girls came into the picture and getting home on the weekends was rather later than midnight. But no one knew :)

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  9. Yeah the prices Lise and the economic areas. The price of gas, what one earned. I guess it was all relative at that time...

    I am not sure what they will be saying in the future as right now we don't know where we stand in the moment or do we? There is and has been allot of things that have happened in the last ten years especially the last five. More has happened in this last five years than the last 20 years. That is something that leave one to think about the future and what lay ahead.

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  10. If I was a boy I doubt I would be able to sit for the rest of my life. :)
    They were the good old times as will 2008 be in years to come.

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  11. Yeah but what be the sayings from this era? "Your so toxic"?

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  12. Glad you said that Jack for I was lost.......but then it doesn't take much to lose me... :)
    Love the background change!!!

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  13. Yeah I kind of like this :) NO worries I am just wondering about what you said and if they will have things from this era. Hmmm :)

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  14. The most overused expression from this era??? IMHO:

    "AWESOME" so overused nothing about which it is uttered can be considered truly awesome...

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  15. I happened upon this blog and thought I might throw in my two cents worth--LOL an old saying from way back when--I am 71 now and I grew up in this time and I remember 25 cents a gallon gas and 3 cent postage stamp and when I married in 1956, we never spent more than 10 dollars a week for groceries. I know every generation has it's worries but at least I never had to worry about Indians coming over the hill and lifting my scalp. Every generation has it's own set of problems and we as a people just have to learn how to deal with it. I enjoyed reading the above sayings and what a wonderful time of life that was. Most marriages stayed together and children were taught respect. I was one of those daughters that was not encouraged to think of college and I did get married and I had 4 children but I finally made it to college at the age of 50 and earned a Nursing degree. You may ask--are we better off today? In many ways -yes -in many ways --no. Life is not as hard for most women now as it was then. Men have learned to step up and help with the home and family more but I feel we have lost so many of the good values and the innocence of that age. Thanks for allowing me to drop in on you and share a few old memories.

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