The Grumpy Persons Nostalgic Thread

[Mark One]

In this modern age the.Big Man/Woman likes to tell us that we've never had it so good.  But they are so wrong!

 

Take cars with inbuilt computers which are supposed to streamline the performance & repair of your motor.  What about that cold morning when your car won't start because the computer has crashed!  Back in my day such a problem meant sparkplugs, oil or water.  These days, you need a young IT man with spots and a laptop to get the bloody thing working again?!!!

 

So if there's something that you remember from your past which was far better in the 1960s/70s...90s etc than it is today - have a much needed grumble about here.

 

 

[Mark One]

Back in the day these snacks tasted far better than they do today.  

 

The pot noodle of the 21st  century is a veteran of the anti-salt police.  And the king-size potnoodle contains a sauce sachet which is exactly the same small size as the one found myself n the standard pot.  (Feeling grump dot com)

[+ouija ouija]

Loving the subject of this thread, Mark! I'll be back with some examples.

[Stiff]

Wagon Wheels. They were much bigger when I was a kid. Yes, my mouth is much bigger than when I was a kid but they're still nowhere near as big as they used to be.

 

[RoofGardener]

20 minutes ago, Stiff said:

Wagon Wheels. They were much bigger when I was a kid. Yes, my mouth is much bigger than when I was a kid but they're still nowhere near as big as they used to be.

 

That is DAMNED true. I remember it. I was chatting with my Sister a while ago, and SHE remembers it as well !!! 

Mind you.. WE where smaller then ? 

Edited December 31, 2019 by RoofGardener

[Stiff]

30 minutes ago, RoofGardener said:

That is DAMNED true. I remember it. I was chatting with my Sister a while ago, and SHE remembers it as well !!! 

Mind you.. WE where smaller then ? 

Yep, we were but comparatively they're nowhere near. As a kid you would struggle getting a full one into your mouth. Now, I could probably fit three in one go. (I've not yet tried it but I may have to in the name of confectionary science).

[+Desertrat56]

3 hours ago, Mark One said:

In this modern age the.Big Man/Woman likes to tell us that we've never had it so good.  But they are so wrong!

 

Take cars with inbuilt computers which are supposed to streamline the performance & repair of your motor.  What about that cold morning when your car won't start because the computer has crashed!  Back in my day such a problem meant sparkplugs, oil or water.  These days, you need a young IT man with spots and a laptop to get the bloody thing working again?!!!

 

So if there's something that you remember from your past which was far better in the 1960s/70s...90s etc than it is today - have a much needed grumble about here.

 

 

I remember I used to be able to fix my own car, I could replace the parts, diagnose carburator issues, etc.  I even changed my own radiator on my jeep cherokee, and while I was at it I had to change hoses, and the thermostat.  I did it myself because I had enough money to buy the part, not enough to pay someone to fix it.  I also used to change my own brakes.  Now, that is double edges because I am an old woman and do not have the stamina nor desire to do that all myself, however the cost of fixing even minor things is outrageous.

Thanks for this thread.  I love to gripe.  I love a lot of things about the present technology, but I do not want it in my automobile.  And I am one to leave my phone at home when I want a break.  In the olden days we did not know who called us when we were out.  In the late 80's I finally got an answering machine and found that no one calls me when I am gone.  What a waste of money that was.    I even spent almost a year without a home phone in the early 80's because I could not afford the $15.00 a month to have one.  My sister had a phone and people could call her and leave messages, and if I needed a phone there was a pay phone on the corner.  So, now I am just reminiscing, instead of griping, I have a good salary now and I can't gripe about that, so I do have a cell phone (no reason to have a land line anymore). 

When I was a kid parents were not so afraid of loosing their children and we were allowed to roam free.  In the country we would wander miles in a day, only heading home when we knew we could make it before dark from where ever we were.  My aunt, who is 86 years old now, even told me that she and her friend rode their horses so far from home it was closer to go to her friend's aunt's hotel in Durango than to go home.  They had to call my grandmother and let her know where they were and ask if she could call the diner to give them a meal on credit.  (even when I was a kid that would not have happened).  They ended up spending the night in her friend's aunt's barn because she didn't have a spare room.  My aunt had a very wild child hood and those really were the good old days.  If those girls had disappeared no one would have noticed for 24 hours and then would have had no way to know which direction they had gone.

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by Desertrat56

[Taun]

When I was a kid (late 1950's to late 1960's) a typical candy bar cost 5 cents ("Jumbo" sized bars cost 10 cents) One candy bar was enough for a kid back then (size wise - not desire wise ) but then I noticed the packaging getting bigger and the candy bar getting smaller and the price increasing... Now a typical candy bar is about half the size they were back then, and costs more than 20 times as much....

[Mark One]

Children's comics costing well over £5 these days.  In my day it was 10p out of you pocket money.

[+ouija ouija]

21 hours ago, Stiff said:

Wagon Wheels. They were much bigger when I was a kid. Yes, my mouth is much bigger than when I was a kid but they're still nowhere near as big as they used to be.

 

I think everyone agrees that Wagon Wheels are the epitome of what is wrong with the world today. When I was a nipper/tacker, I could barely hold one using both my hands!

20 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

I remember I used to be able to fix my own car, I could replace the parts, diagnose carburator issues, etc.  I even changed my own radiator on my jeep cherokee, and while I was at it I had to change hoses, and the thermostat.  I did it myself because I had enough money to buy the part, not enough to pay someone to fix it.  I also used to change my own brakes.  Now, that is double edges because I am an old woman and do not have the stamina nor desire to do that all myself, however the cost of fixing even minor things is outrageous.

Thanks for this thread.  I love to gripe.  I love a lot of things about the present technology, but I do not want it in my automobile.  And I am one to leave my phone at home when I want a break.  In the olden days we did not know who called us when we were out.  In the late 80's I finally got an answering machine and found that no one calls me when I am gone.  What a waste of money that was.    I even spent almost a year without a home phone in the early 80's because I could not afford the $15.00 a month to have one.  My sister had a phone and people could call her and leave messages, and if I needed a phone there was a pay phone on the corner.  So, now I am just reminiscing, instead of griping, I have a good salary now and I can't gripe about that, so I do have a cell phone (no reason to have a land line anymore). 

When I was a kid parents were not so afraid of loosing their children and we were allowed to roam free.  In the country we would wander miles in a day, only heading home when we knew we could make it before dark from where ever we were.  My aunt, who is 86 years old now, even told me that she and her friend rode their horses so far from home it was closer to go to her friend's aunt's hotel in Durango than to go home.  They had to call my grandmother and let her know where they were and ask if she could call the diner to give them a meal on credit.  (even when I was a kid that would not have happened).  They ended up spending the night in her friend's aunt's barn because she didn't have a spare room.  My aunt had a very wild child hood and those really were the good old days.  If those girls had disappeared no one would have noticed for 24 hours and then would have had no way to know which direction they had gone.

 

@Desertrat56: I love your comment! It IS a b***er when you get to the age where you have to pay people to do things for you that you are used to doing yourself. I don't have a cell phone or an answering machine. That's a lovely story about your aunt and her friend riding over the horizon on their horses! When I was a child, during the school holidays we too used to wander off for miles, not returning until we were hungry or it was nearly dark. Our parents had no idea where we were. We played in woods, in bomb sites, derelict buildings and the local refuse tip! Plus, it wasn't deemed necessary for a child under the age of 12 to have a watch, never mind a cell phone!

Okay, Mark, brace yourself! Keep in mind that I am a veteran of the 'Things That Make You Go GRRR!' thread. I could gripe, whinge and complain for England! Here we go:

* In the 1950s all fruit and veg were sold loose; no wrapping ... not even stickers. Shoppers had cotton bags(often homemade from old clothes), that the shopkeeper tipped the goods into after weighing them. These bags would last for decades.

* All buses had a conductor as well as a driver. All the driver had to do was drive. When the bus stopped, everyone piled on and found a seat. There was no delay while people fumbled about finding the right fare/argued with the driver about the fare/asked for directions as to which stop they should alight at etc.etc.. The conductor dealt with fares and queries, broke up fights and entertained the passengers with merry banter and songs. The driver could shut it all out and just focus on the road ahead.

* We had cotton(washable), not paper(single use), handkerchiefs that we kept stuffed up our sleeve or knicker leg.

* It breaks my heart when I watch small children staggering past my house on their way to the Primary school, buckling under the weight of stuffed full rucksacks that are as tall as the children themselves. What on earth is in these bags that they need with them every day? When I was at Primary school we hardly ever carried anything with us. It is so sad to see children weighed down like that. 

* What a lovely quiet world it was before there were electric and petrol powered lawnmowers. The sound of a push mower was unobtrusive and even pleasant.

* Extortionate vet's fees. What the hell is that all about?!! Why did our furry chums suddenly need all the treatments vets say they do? (And need them on a monthly basis!)

* Light bulbs! GRRRR! Currently, you're lucky if a light bulb lasts as long as it takes you to get down from the ladder you used to install it. Ye Gods! What a con 'green' light bulbs are. Five times the price of an ordinary bulb, give out a fraction of the light and last a fraction of the time.

* Electric toothbrushes! When did we stop being able to concentrate long enough to properly clean, manually, such an important part of our person? When did we lose the ability to judge whether or not we were using the 'correct pressure' of toothbrush against molar? Why is there suddenly a 'correct pressure' anyway?!!  Suddenly we 'need' a brush that lights up when we press too hard! Is it even possible to see the light when the brush is in one's mouth? Are you only able to use them in front of a mirror? £100 - £200 for a toothbrush?!!!!! Are you chuffing kidding?! The world has gone mad.

* Moving house. There was a time when people, once they had bought a new house, repainted some bits and that was it. Now, the alterations go on for months and months, driving the neighbours mad with the noise and dirt flying around and lots of extra traffic and worker's vehicles parked out front. If you feel the need to make so many alterations ..... DON'T BUY THE DAMN HOUSE! Buy one that is how you want it!

* "Made in Chelsea" .... what the heck happened? When the programme first started it was lovely: pretty young things having fun at gorgeous locations.Good Heavens! some of them were actually quite likeable! What was there not to like? Now, it's embarrassing to watch their puerile behaviour. They're too old to be making the same mistakes over and over again(Jaimie and Sam being the worst offenders). Plus, when did it become a 'thing', that to date your best friend's ex was a sin? That's the ex your best friend hasn't seen for three years ...... the ex that she's moved on from and has been dating someone else for a year ...... the ex that she has always claimed she no longer has an interest in. 

* Everyone mentions Wagon Wheels, but what about Digestive biscuits? There was a time(50s), when just one of them could be a meal replacement. You had to struggle to get them in and out of the biscuit barrel!! (Do biscuit barrels still exist? We used to have one that a neighbour made for us!). And what happened to buying loose broken biscuits if you couldn't afford unbroken ones? Or a bag of cheap 'mis-shapes' chocolate pieces from Thorntons?

* 'Special K'. That used to be the best cereal ..... stayed crunchy to the last flake. Now it's all gone to mush before you have a chance to pick up your spoon!

* The Christmas/New Year edition of the Radio Times. This used to be a wonderful magazine, full of festive cheer and colourful, seasonal drawings on every page. It covered 2 weeks worth of programmes and that was all they charged you for. A few years ago, I noticed there were even less pages in the so-called 'double' issue as there were in a single issue! AND .... they were charging more than twice the price!!!!! (We will draw a veil over the stiff letter I wrote to the editor!).

* Last but not least: Angel chimes. The delightful tinkling(clanging?), centrepiece gracing many a Christmas Day feast table. I mislaid mine and bought a new one from ebay. I have used the same chimes ever since the 80s. I have constructed them every Christmas Eve since the 80s and dismantled them every New Year. I know my way around Angel Chimes, let me tell you! Or so I thought. This year I was stumped, I couldn't even get the(many) pieces to hold together. My son took over and after a while he succeeded, BUT ...... could we get them to work? Could we 'eck-as-like! Chimes on a level surface? check. Chimes not in a draught? check. Candle wicks trimmed? check. Not a whisper, not a movement. I chucked them in the bin.

Will that do you, Mark? (Time for a late lunch).   

[Mark One]

Back in my teens after passing my driving test I was told to save up for a car by working hard.  These days parents purchase a motor for their child, just to keep up with the Joneses.

 

TV channels make me grumpy.  So many channels filled with repeated movies and TV series.  Back in my day you only had 3-4 channels & you made due with what they broadcast.

 

PCs today can be a right pain in the wotsit.  Update after update,. Faster processes and bigger memory models.  Originally, home computers came complete and were designed to last.

 

Internet!  What ever happened to going outside, visiting a library or connecting with others face to face to learn new things.  When I was at school we didn't have the ability to go online and get all of the homework answers!  Nah, I would read through encyclopedias, books on the topic - and I learnt far more by doing that.

 

Track suits & jogging gear that you see bone idle morons wearing was originally only seen adorned on people who kept fit or trained for some local sporting event.  And if your parents gave you a track suit you were expected to make use of it - not casually wear it everyday of the week.

[+Desertrat56]

2 hours ago, Mark One said:

Back in my teens after passing my driving test I was told to save up for a car by working hard.  These days parents purchase a motor for their child, just to keep up with the Joneses.

 

TV channels make me grumpy.  So many channels filled with repeated movies and TV series.  Back in my day you only had 3-4 channels & you made due with what they broadcast.

 

PCs today can be a right pain in the wotsit.  Update after update,. Faster processes and bigger memory models.  Originally, home computers came complete and were designed to last.

 

Internet!  What ever happened to going outside, visiting a library or connecting with others face to face to learn new things.  When I was at school we didn't have the ability to go online and get all of the homework answers!  Nah, I would read through encyclopedias, books on the topic - and I learnt far more by doing that.

 

Track suits & jogging gear that you see bone idle morons wearing was originally only seen adorned on people who kept fit or trained for some local sporting event.  And if your parents gave you a track suit you were expected to make use of it - not casually wear it everyday of the week.

Buy a Mac, at least 10 years ago you could buy one and use it for over 10 years (I bought mine in 2009, still using it, though it is starting to have problems)  Anything running Microsoft is designed to be obsolete in 4 years.  You spend the same amount of money or more just keeping up with microsoft when you could just buy a Mac.

I do love the internet because now I can watch television when I want, what I want.  I remember paying extra for HBO just to find out they only show about 40 movies a year, rotating about 20 through the week, adding one new one each week and dropping one old one.  The commercials didn't seem to last as long in the 70's as they do now.

LOL.  I am one of those who wears the sweats and yoga pants for comfort, not style, and not to work out.  My workouts are in jeans with a shovel, digging holes.  When I was in the army we never had a track suit to run or work out in, just our fatigues.

 

[Mark One]

1 hour ago, Desertrat56 said:

Buy a Mac, at least 10 years ago you could buy one and use it for over 10 years (I bought mine in 2009, still using it, though it is starting to have problems)  Anything running Microsoft is designed to be obsolete in 4 years.  You spend the same amount of money or more just keeping up with microsoft when you could just buy a Mac.

 

 

Microsoft for me is an annoying and boring option these days.  I'm more of an Android fan these days.

[+Desertrat56]

2 hours ago, Mark One said:

Microsoft for me is an annoying and boring option these days.  I'm more of an Android fan these days.

What OS does Android use?  I have not been in the market for a computer so I did not know Android made a computer.  Does it use LInux?

[Mark One]

15 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

What OS does Android use?  I have not been in the market for a computer so I did not know Android made a computer.  Does it use LInux?

 

Yes, it uses linux. Via a tablet, not a PC.  Mine has a detachable keyboard & pen.  It came with  something called Androffice which offers everything Microsoft office does.  File management is just as easy and in many ways quicker.  Gamewise, almost everything I've tried displays high end visuals with most games being free or a few pounds.

[Mark One]

Walking seems to be a dying art unless your aged 50+.  Everyone has to drive from A to B. One of my neighbors even pops the dog in her car before heading to the park!

 

And then when such motorists age beyond 50 they realise that they should have walked that 5 min journey to the shop, not driven there everyday.  And this results in some Bob or Mable sweating and spluttering themselves as they jog around a field.

[+Desertrat56]

4 hours ago, Mark One said:

Yes, it uses linux. Via a tablet, not a PC.  Mine has a detachable keyboard & pen.  It came with  something called Androffice which offers everything Microsoft office does.  File management is just as easy and in many ways quicker.  Gamewise, almost everything I've tried displays high end visuals with most games being free or a few pounds.

One company I worked for used Linux servers and I had to use Linux before that to write OS interfaces.  it is better than MS, and easier than Unix.  It used to be Open software that you could just down load and change anyway you wanted.

I use OpenOffice on my Mac.  It does everything MS Office does and you can convert the files to MS versions and PDF.  And it is free.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Desertrat56

[Mark One]

19 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

One company I worked for used Linux servers and I had to use Linux before that to write OS interfaces.  it is better than MS, and easier than Unix.  It used to be Open software that you could just down load and change anyway you wanted.

I use OpenOffice on my Mac.  It does everything MS Office does and you can convert the files to MS versions and PDF.  And it is free.

I've always admired Linux even way back when I worked for an IT recycle/refurbishment company.  Sadly, most folk wanted windows on a PC.

[+Desertrat56]

4 hours ago, Mark One said:

I've always admired Linux even way back when I worked for an IT recycle/refurbishment company.  Sadly, most folk wanted windows on a PC.

Windows had a much bigger budget and marketed to the non-computer people.

[Overdueleaf]

Summer nights spent playing kick the can and kickball by streetlight. 

Hard enough to get kids to play outside during the day anymore. 

[Farmer77]

Im not that old and honestly I kinda really dig technology but I do have one thing I truly miss from the past that I think our society suffers from its loss:

The general acceptance of mutual combat and the ability to punch an ******* in the mouth. Personal responsibility takes on a much deeper meaning when you know being an ******* is likely to end up being a painful experience.

[jethrofloyd]

I miss the time when people really enjoyed watching and listening to the Rock'n'Roll concerts. 

Nowadays, it is not possible due to the huge numbers of mobile phones raised in the air during a concerts.

 

A common picture at today's concerts  

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by jethrofloyd

[newbloodmoon]

Tonka trucks, back in the day these metal vehicles could be used for self defense as well as for fun.

I miss the time when being told you Couldn’t go outside and play was a punishment and during the summer as long as you were home by dinner time you were encouraged to be out all day.

 

[Scholar4Truth]

Kids went outside instead of being addicted to social media. And that you could pretty buy everything from a Sears Catalog back in the day. 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Scholar4Truth

[Scholar4Truth]

On 12/31/2019 at 6:15 AM, Mark One said:

Back in the day these snacks tasted far better than they do today.  

 

The pot noodle of the 21st  century is a veteran of the anti-salt police.  And the king-size potnoodle contains a sauce sachet which is exactly the same small size as the one found myself n the standard pot.  (Feeling grump dot com)

I still eat cup of noodles. I find them better then the Yakisoba brand.