Ann Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Close your eyes...And go back... ....Before the Internet or PC or the MAC...... ....Before semi-automatics and crack.... ....Before Playstation, SEGA, Super Nintendo, even before Atari... ....Before cell phones, CD's, DVD's, voicemail and e-mail.... ....way back.... ....way.....way.....way back..... I'm talkin' bout hide and seek at dusk Red light, Green light Red Rover....Red Rover..... Playing kickball & dodgeball until the first...no...second...no...third Streetlight came on Ring around the Rosie London Bridge Hot potato Hop Scotch Jump rope Duck....duck....GOOSE!!! YOU'RE IT!! Parents stood on the front porch and yelled (or whistled) for you to come home - no pagers or cell phones Mother May I? Hula Hoops Seeing shapes in the clouds Endless summer days and hot summer nights (no A/C) with the windows open The sound of crickets Running through the sprinkler Happy Meals Cereal boxes with that GREAT prize in the bottom Cracker jacks with the same thing Ice pops with 2 sticks you could break and share with a friend ...but wait.....there's more.... Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons Fat Albert, Road Runner, Smurfs, Picture Pages, G-Force & He-Man, Schoolhouse Rock Watchin' Sunday morning oldies (Abbott & Costello, Three Stooges) Wonder Woman & Super Man Underoos FONZIE.....AYYYYYYYY Playing Dukes of Hazard Catchin' lightning bugs in a jar Christmas morning Your first day of school Bedtime Prayers and Goodnight Kisses Climbing trees Swinging as high as you could to try and reach the sky Getting an Ice Cream off the Good Humor Truck A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers Jumpin' down the steps Jumpin' on the bed Pillow fights Sleep-overs A 13" black and white TV in your room meant you were RICH Runnin' till you were out of breath Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt Being tired from PLAYING WORK: meant taking out the garbage or doing the dishes Your first crush Your first kiss (I mean the one that you kept your mouth CLOSED and your eyes OPEN Rainy days at school meant playing "Heads up 7UP" or hangman" in The classroom, Remember that? Oh, I'm not finished yet.... Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer So was a swig from the hose Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars Wearing your new shoes on the first day of school Class Field Trips with soggy sandwiches When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there When a quarter seemed like a fair allowance; and another quarter a MIRACLE When ANY parent could discipline ANY kid, or feed him, or use him to carry groceries...And nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were COOL When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home. Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! And some of us are still afraid of em! Didn't that feel good? Just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that!" Well, let's keep going!! Let's go back to the time when... Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo" Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!" "Race issues" meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly" Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends. Being old, referred to anyone over 20. (CRAP! I'm officially old!) The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties. Nobody was prettier than Mom Scrapes and bruises were kissed by mom or grandma and made better It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park. Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true. Abilities were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare" Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles. The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team. Water balloons were the ultimate, ultimate weapon. Older siblings were your worst tormentors, but also your fiercest protector If you can remember most or all of these, then you have LIVED!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debi Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Wow, Ann.. talk about nostalgic!! I was just talking with someone today about how no kids play out in the street anymore, or ride a bike to their friends house... at least here where I live. I wasn't sure if its a regional thing or a sign of the times... Even after I 'grew up' I remember up home driving down streets and having to stop for hockey nets to be moved, or a batter to hit a ball. Does that still happen anywhere?? Do kids actually play outside anymore?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geri Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Remember only going home because you were hungry or it got dark? Your parents didn't know exactly where you were - you were just out playing and they didn't need to worry. Every generation loses a little more freedom but I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Thanks Ann Geri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvmydog2 Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Does anyone remember picking up soda pop bottle to sell for candy? How about collecting marbels to trade or hollering over the fence for your neighbor to come to the telephone. Remember those "party lines" and I am talking telephone now and not a party as we know it today. Who ever thought that we would be "typing" this over the telephone line today. I could go on forever but I won't because I love to reminisce the old days and if I get started I might not stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Bruce, I remember all of those things. We thought it was the greatest thing in the world to take a sack of pop bottles to the store and get money for them. Of course, we would usually spend all the money on penny candy (remember that). Oh, party lines. Yes...we had one when I was growing up in Tennessee. Where we lived, everybody knew everbody and already had a good idea everything that was going on in their lives. But...if you were lacking information you would definitely hear it with a party line. If my mom ever caught me with that phone up, eavsdropping on a conversation, she would almost kill me. I know, because it did happen. How could I resist??? I think at one time, we were on a four party line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamataca Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Wonder what my kids will reminisce about? Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Great entry! Loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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