That was us

Help Support CattleToday:

greybeard

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
27,847
Reaction score
16,726
Location
Copperas Cove Tx
The milkman used to drive a truck
And go from door to door,
And it was just a few cents more
Than going to the store.


There was a time when mailed letters
Came right to your door,
Without a lot of junk mail ads
Sent out by every store.


The mailman knew each house by name
And knew where it was sent;
There were not loads of mail addressed
To "present occupant


There was a time when just one glance
Was all that it would take,
And you would know the kind of car,
The model and the make


They didn't look like turtles
Trying to squeeze out every mile;
They were streamlined, white walls, fins and skirts ,
And really had some style


One time the music that you played
Whenever you would jive,
Was from a vinyl, big-holed record
Called a forty-five


The record player had a post
To keep them all in line,
And then the records would drop down
And play one at a time.


Oh sure, we had our problems then,
Just like we do today
And always we were striving,
To find a better way.


Oh, the simple life we lived,
Still seems like so much fun.
How can you explain the game,
Just kick the can and run?


And all us boys put baseball cards
Between our bicycle spokes;
And for a nickel, red machines
Had little bottled Cokes?


This life seemed so much easier;
Slower in some ways.
I love the new technology,
But I sure do miss those days.


So time moves on and so do we,
And nothing stays the same;
But I sure love to reminisce
And walk down memory lane.



With all today's technology
We grant that it's a plus!
But it's fun to look way back and say,
Hey look, guys
, THAT WAS US!
 
I personally don't find the majority of this knew technology better compared to the way things used to be. It a lot of ways life is easier no doubt this day and time compared to the way they used to be. And really only those who lived back in the old days can compare the way things are now to the old times. That's some the new generation can't do because they wasn't born yet to live through the olds days to compare now to back then.

If I had to use one word to describe the most notable thing that made the old days better in my opinion than things are today. That word would be quality. The quality of about everything you can name. And like I said this is just my opinion. I personally don't think we have much better health care compared to the old days. Outside we have bigger facilities, but those facilities are only as good as the doctors that work out of them. And I don't think today's doctors could qualify as a veterinarian.
 
I personally don't find the majority of this knew technology better compared to the way things used to be. It a lot of ways life is easier no doubt this day and time compared to the way they used to be. And really only those who lived back in the old days can compare the way things are now to the old times. That's some the new generation can't do because they wasn't born yet to live through the olds days to compare now to back then.

If I had to use one word to describe the most notable thing that made the old days better in my opinion than things are today. That word would be quality. The quality of about everything you can name. And like I said this is just my opinion. I personally don't think we have much better health care compared to the old days. Outside we have bigger facilities, but those facilities are only as good as the doctors that work out of them. And I don't think today's doctors could qualify as a veterinarian.
I'd have to agree that quality has gone up in a lot of cases, but we can't repair anything. And I actually avoid buying things because everything needs to be programmed instead of just plugged in and turned on.
 
I always feel a little guilty to sit in front of a screen and keyboard and complain about how things are not as good as they once were, but maybe just one example:
I pay $100 a month so my wife and I can carry a cheap smart phone and can be "in touch" with the world. Mine gets at least a dozen calls a day from scammers who act shocked if I actually answer, and then mumble something about Social Security plans. It is so bad I turn down the sound and miss the calls that I purchased the phone for.
My ability to read directions is not what it once was, any many of the new gadgets my kids get for me just sit unused. I can still go out at daybreak and marvel at the beautiful sunrise as I walk to the barn. It is the best part of my day.
 
The word to define the "old days" is "Simple". So much exists today that did not in the old days. We have more "stuff" today.

Wonderful things we have today - cell phones, computers, email, internet, automation, gps, etc. Immense possibilities for their use. But did they make life simpler overall? Not easy to answer. In the old days, a person did not worry about losing their phone, having enough storage, responding to emails and texts, bandwidth, cars did not nag and talk back, could repair most anything with vise grips and screwdriver, vacation meant you were not available for work. We even sent men to the moon using not much more than slide rules, so we thought we were doing well.

The modern stuff has made life easy and contributed greatly to frustration, deadlock, anxiety, and excuses. Were we happier in the old days? I will need to google that to find the answer.
 
The quality in the old days was better.
In some things. not everything. As we look at vehicles, the old ones didn't last as long as a new one. Who would have ever thought in the 70's you would describe a pick up at 100,000 miles as "low mileage" Sure they're harder to work on and need stuff we can no longer do ourselves, but everything has not gone down and some of it is pretty darn good and makes life easier. Have you been reading the posts about the "portable" panels to build a facility with? We couldn't do that in the 70's and 80's that I was aware of. I had never seen one. Our pens took longer to build and lasted less time. They were made of wood and wire in most of the country. Not everything has gotten worse, our perception of how things have changed has caused us to look back at things in life when life was far different
 
The quality in the old days was better.

For many products, I agree, but automobiles are much better now. I started driving almost 50 years ago, and you never knew when you turned the key if it would start or not. Many components, like alternators, brake boosters, and starters, needed to be replaced every 30,000 miles or so. Now they just go forever. While it won't be much longer, I'm still driving a 2006 Silverado with 190,000 miles on it. I'd say it's in about the same condition as one would have been with half that many miles on it 30-40 years ago.

And they've also made some big improvements in safety. I know people complain about big body shop bills for minor accidents, but those big body shop bills are caused by damage to components that are designed to collapse, absorbing energy. I'd rather pay the body shop than the hospital (or funeral home).
 
In some things. not everything. As we look at vehicles, the old ones didn't last as long as a new one. Who would have ever thought in the 70's you would describe a pick up at 100,000 miles as "low mileage" Sure they're harder to work on and need stuff we can no longer do ourselves, but everything has not gone down and some of it is pretty darn good and makes life easier. Have you been reading the posts about the "portable" panels to build a facility with? We couldn't do that in the 70's and 80's that I was aware of. I had never seen one. Our pens took longer to build and lasted less time. They were made of wood and wire in most of the country. Not everything has gotten worse, our perception of how things have changed has caused us to look back at things in life when life was far different

My father always said great minds think alike. Apparently we were both typing at the same time.
 
Autos are about the exception if you're talking bout big ticket items tho. Ovens, refrigerators, air conditioners, pumps, freezers, washers, dryers..none last as long as they used to.

The reason auto collision repair is so expensive now its that a high percentage of panels are now plastic, cannot be straightened back out and used again. The pretty outer covering on the bumpers are more expensive than the bumper itself. They have to be replaced.
 
It is -5 here this morning and I did not have to bank the fire last night so it would take good this morning. The bathroom is inside and if I do go out I have proper clothing and foot ware. I miss family and friends but I can do without the most of the good old days,


PS
Maybe that is because ''old'' reaches further back for some of us.
 
We sold cull cows yesterday and it took 2 trips. Everytime we got in the pickup to head out I had to clear the following alarms, TPMS, Trailer Connected, Driver door ajar, Passenger door ajar, 4x4 engaged, Auto trac off, and TPMS again. Some of this new technology nearly makes me have a stroke. Oh yes I forgot phone not connected and 911 disabled. This was on the XL Ford, the Larait might have locked me down. I like technology but jeez do the engineers think we're that dumb?
 
We sold cull cows yesterday and it took 2 trips. Everytime we got in the pickup to head out I had to clear the following alarms, TPMS, Trailer Connected, Driver door ajar, Passenger door ajar, 4x4 engaged, Auto trac off, and TPMS again. Some of this new technology nearly makes me have a stroke. Oh yes I forgot phone not connected and 911 disabled. This was on the XL Ford, the Larait might have locked me down. I like technology but jeez do the engineers think we're that dumb?
They certainly have dumbed down society. Your basic owners manual told you how to adjust your valves and set your points. Now it tells you not to drink your washer fluid.
 
Autos are about the exception if you're talking bout big ticket items tho. Ovens, refrigerators, air conditioners, pumps, freezers, washers, dryers..none last as long as they used to.
My mother purchased her first clothes dryer in the 60's. A coppertone Sears dryer. Before that, it was all clothesline outdoor drying. Still works, just needs a bearing for the noisy belt idler pulley. Still available part a few years ago. I have it in stored away. Not sure why, memories maybe. But if anyone has a 60's era Sears coppertone washer and needs the matching dryer, I will donate it. That coppertone color was popular back in the day.
 
years ago someone told me that students that failed veterinary school would go on to become medical Drs. This is just my opinion but I think the worst thing about this new technology is social media. although it is great in some ways, I feel that it is the major factor in younger (teens) suicides. back in the old days, if someone was constantly picking on you, at some point you got tired of it and punched him/her in the face. problem solved. now bulling is mostly done on line.
 
My mother purchased her first clothes dryer in the 60's. A coppertone Sears dryer. Before that, it was all clothesline outdoor drying. Still works, just needs a bearing for the noisy belt idler pulley. Still available part a few years ago. I have it in stored away. Not sure why, memories maybe. But if anyone has a 60's era Sears coppertone washer and needs the matching dryer, I will donate it. That coppertone color was popular back in the day.
Fifteen years ago we found a set of old school Maytags at Home Depot for $500 for the set. We jumped right on them. An amazing deal for the units with the old school washing machine transmissions. My brother bought some new Samsung front loaders at the same time and kind of made fun of our "cheap" washer and dryer. If I remember right his were $1800. They lasted about three years and were replaced by something else front loader that cost even more. And those units lasted longer but they've been replaced too. The quality may be better as far as built quality but if the design and engineering are bad it doesn't matter.
 
years ago someone told me that students that failed veterinary school would go on to become medical Drs.
I wonder about that also. Sometimes, when my wife and I go to the doctor with an issue, my vet/daughter tells us that what they said makes no sense. And maybe they do too many referrals due to fear of legal action. Between our doctors and daughter, I am certain that she is way more competent and knowledgeable of animal medicine. And people are from the animal family. She graduated vet school with high honors in the same year she turned 23 years old. I am more confident in her opinion than theirs sometimes. That is a little scary.
 

Latest posts

Top