Another Happy Birthday

Happy 3rd Birthday (w/Dad helping).

Today* marks another birthday for me. It's always good to be around to celebrate your birthday. This birthday, though, was rather ordinary for me: went to work at the office and didn't really do anything special. I'm saving myself for tomorrow when we go to an AHL hockey game.

I was the only one in the office today**. I called my mom and had a nice chat with her. Also, my sister Carol called. Had a nice phone call with my youngest brother, David; we don't get a chance much to talk, so I really enjoyed his call. Also a few voice messages (from my Mom, Carol, and another sister-Tina; and my sister Mary and her family). Also a text message from my sister, Sharon. Did I mention that none of them live anywhere near me?

When I got home, I found a card (Thanks Sr. Pat) and a package from my Mom filled with goodies (e.g., poppyseed roll and nut roll). Thanks Mom! These were followed a few days later by packages from Carol (nuts) and Mary (spice) and an e-card from another brother, Mark.

Since I have been around a few years, it got me thinking about what has changed over the years and what has disappeared that I once knew but that my son has little idea about.

So here are a few items that crossed my mind that were once here but are now pretty much gone:

Vinyl records (LPs, singles, 45s, 78s) & record players
8-track tapes
cassette tapes
compact discs (going away quickly)
video cassettes (VHS, Betamax)

Computer floppy discs (5-1/4 inch and 3-1/2 disc)

DVD (going away soon)

transistor radios

tube radios

radios with tuning dials

manual windows in cars

side vent windows in cars
leaded gasoline

snow tires

typewriters (manual and electric)

carbon paper

Whiteout fluid

manual pencil sharpener
paper weights
mimeographed copies
greeting cards & handwritten letters
"Thank you" notes & cards

Black & White television set

Tube televisions
broadcast television (i.e., 3 channels)
TV antennas (rabbit ears)

rotary dial telephones (and hard wired phones too)
Daily newspapers (especially the afternoon edition)
paper boys & home delivery of newspapers
party line (telephone service)
wrist watches (especially mechanical movements)
wind-up (mechanical) alarm clocks
double edge razor blades for shaving

coffee percolators

drip coffee makers

powdered laundry detergent

cigarette commercials on TV

smoking in buildings and airplanes
mercury thermometers
asbestos products (e.g., insulation, gloves, brake pads)
brown paper lunch bags

meatless Fridays

Blue laws (nothing open on Sundays)
Catholic nuns (wearing habits)
Latin Mass
No divorce
Large families (i.e., many children)

no birth control pills & devices

Stay-at-home moms/housewives

glass milk bottles
milkmen (i.e., home delivery of dairy products)

glass soda pop (& beer) bottles
photographic film (& chemical developing)
flash bulbs (for cameras)
Polaroid camera
filament light bulbs (being quickly phased out).

People actually singing the National Anthem

Chief Wahoo (quietly fading)

Let me know what you would add to the list. Some of the things on the list are still available if you know where to look. But years ago, these things were the norm rather than the exception.

* "Today" in the blog posting sense. I am actually writing this on Sunday 3/2/2014.
** On Friday 2/28/14 there were three (3) of us in the office. Eric maintained his tradition and brought in a small chocolate frosted cake. Even though it was store bought, it turned out to be surprisingly delicious. Even MAA had a piece (he normally doesn't eat sweets) and declared it very good.

Links:
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2011_02_20_archive.html