Seven things I remember from my childhood

I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival of Words 
from September 1 - 7. 

Today I'm revelling in nostalgia and thinking back to my childhood during the 1960's and 70's. 

Do you remember any of these or are you too young?




I loved my portable record player and spent many an angst-filled moment listening to records in my bedroom, both 33s and 45s when I was a teen in the 1970s. I’m glad to see record players are making a comeback again. I used to love my records.






I’m glad these aren’t making a comeback. They were a trend that didn’t last too long, thankfully as they were quite hazardous and sometimes would break and shards would fly in peoples’ eyes. I recall having a pair of clackers and I still wince thinking about my poor swollen wrist covered in bruises.




I learned to type on something similar to this one, a rather imposing and unforgiving machine. You had to pound so much harder than a computer and use the return lever. Tching! Many a time I’d make a mistake and I’d have to start again. Computers are so much better!





In the days before photocopying, schools had these machines to run off copies which were usually purple ink and very faded. I will never forget that stinky ink smell they had when they were just printed.




I remember these in the classroom when I was in elementary school. They would come with a record that the teacher would put on for the sound part. I always remember the cheery sound of the bell signalling that the film strip should be advanced to the next frame. Ding!




We used to love crowding around our black and white TV to watch shows like Star Trek and Bewitched in the 1960s. TV shows were so good back then even if they were in black and white and the reception not always that clear. We often had to get up to adjust the rabbit ears aerial and we would have to get up to change the channel. No such thing as a remote back then.




I used to love going to drive in theatres with my family when I was a kid. My parents would pack my brother and me in the back with treats and sleeping bags. Often we would fall asleep during the movie but it was still fun and would save my parents having to get a babysitter. 

There are still a few drive in theatres around but not near me, unfortunately. I miss them.

Comments

  1. Ah! The non-digital days and those cantankerous machines!

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    1. Some things we miss and some we don't, eh, Suresh? I'm glad typewriters and mimeograph machines are gone but I still miss record players. Guess I could get one though.

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  2. As Suresh says it perfectly... one can never quite forget the non digital days with much fanfare (read noisy gadgets) :D :D what a wonderful way of bringing it back to us :-)

    Richa

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    1. Thanks, Richa. I get so nostalgic sometimes. Does that mean I'm getting old? ;)

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  3. Hi...I can imagine how you miss those...Nostalgia..emotions they evoke are amazing aren't they.

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    1. Nostalgia always paints a pretty picture. I wonder if it was that way really. Thanks for stopping by, Aparna.

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  4. I remember so many of these things!! I especially loved my record player. I could listen to those records for hours and Barbie literally wore herself out dancing to all that music!!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

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    1. You're so funny about Barbie dancing to all that music. Record players were great, weren't they? I miss mine.

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  5. ohh man that was a nostalgic journey down the memory lane :)

    you can check out my post here:-
    Karan - Grand Mother

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  6. Oh boy do I remember ALL of those things! Thanks for this wonderfully nostalgic journey! Remember the milk boxes on the front porch and waiting for the milkman to bring fresh milk every day? Wonderful post!
    Penny
    http://pennymcdanielspiritualguidance.blogspot.com

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    1. I remember having a milkman deliver milk in the glass bottles, too, Penny. Wish they still did.

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  7. I remember every single one :)

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  8. This was great! I remember all but one, the little machine for the classroom. And I fondly remember the smell of the mimeograph, it was oddly appealing.

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    1. It did have a distinctive smell, didn't it? Ah, nostalgia.

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  9. I remember the typewriter and the black and white TV, and just like Suresh says, those wonderful non digital days...

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    1. Fun to think back, isn't it mahabore. Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. gosh this was beautiful to go back memory lane...i remember each one of them :)

    loved this!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Ruchira. Fun that you remember them, too.

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  11. I had a type writer when I was in 3rd grade. I still don't know why my Dad bought me that then. But it was my first intro towards typing words and keyboards.

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  12. Oh yes... what a trip down memory lane... there are so many things tho that I am happy we have now... I do miss the drive in's... I remember seeing Ben Hur on the big screen wow... and then seeing the James Bond movies with all my girlfriends all stuffed in to one car so we paid less... I don't miss that tiny old black and white tv... or the manual typewriter... I hated that teachers would take off points for typo's.... and to try to correct a spelling error... Recently I was at a college class and two young people were talking about e mailing a paper to their professor and I mentioned that we had to use carbon paper and type by hand and correct with an eraser and hope it would come out and not rip thru the paper.... and the young man said to me... well why didn't you just use white out..... after thanking him for thinking I was younger than I was... I explained that it was not yet on the market...... I don't think he believed me...

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  13. Oh my you took me back in time down a very enjoyable memory lane. I had a little red record player that I carried around everywhere. Made the most awful sound but it was mine. Loved this post.

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  14. Oh my you took me back in time down a very enjoyable memory lane. I had a little red record player that I carried around everywhere. Made the most awful sound but it was mine. Loved this post.

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    1. Glad you had a nice journey back in time, Suzy and thanks for mentioning me and this post in your latest blogpost. Very kind of you!

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  15. Loved this post :) Brought back a lot of memories...In India the concept of Drive in theaters is not common. But when I was a 5-6 yrs old we were posted in a city called Ahmadabad and there was a place called Drive-In, I watched few movies there. It was always so exciting!! :)

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    1. So interesting to hear about life in India as there are many similarities to Canada and yet it's so different. Drive ins were big when I was a kid in the 60s but have died out. There are still a few around but not like before.

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