I was born on September 18, 1940 in the very small town of Cass, West Virginia. I reminisce a lot about how the good old United States has changed in all the decades I have lived through. I thought it might be fun to do some research as just how much it has changed in the decades I have lived through.
Hopefully the people in my age bracket will enjoy their own memories of those times. As for you younger folks some of the statistics from those times will blow you away.
I will start with the 1940's:
Boom! Boom! Bang!. Can you hear that? That's the sound of weapons in World War 11, it was not the happiest decade, it was actually full of killing and blood. Yet is had some interesting sports, games, and famous people. Suddenly there were headlines saying " Japs declare war. Attack U.S. " After the war the " Baby Boom " era began. If you don't know what ' Baby Boom " is I will explain. After the war the survivors came home. There were many marriages and they started to have many babies. People born in this era were called " Baby Boomers "
When I went to school our information for reports was to go to the library take down the encyclopedias, do the research and write the report. Well I am here to tell you it is much easier to find information today then it was back then. You just click on ' Google " they have done all the work for you so you just take the information you need and want and you are on your way.
World War 11 facts:
Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, 16,354 WW2 casualties ( killed, wounded or diseased )
President Roosevelt requested $ 1.8 billion dollars for national defense and $1.2 billion for producing 50,000 planes a year then requests $ 1.2 billion more.
1941- Government persuades women to take jobs during World War 11. Almost 7 million women responded, 2 million as industrial " Rosie the Riveters' and 400,000 joining the military. They were called Wac's, women's army corp.
In 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first black to play Major League Baseball. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was born on January 31, 1919 in Cario, Georgia.
In 1935 Leo Seltzer decided to fins another way to make a living. He gathered a bunch of roller skaters and convinced they would get paid big money to have people skate around and hit people and make them crash. This would be caller Roller Derby. It would remain a popular sport into the 1940's. Boxing was another big sport.
Inventions:
The Frisbee was invented in 1948 by Walter Morris, it was made of plastic. During World War 11 people had to find ways to have fun. When kids discovered that metal pie pans flew well tossing them became popular. The metal pans hurt their hands and Mr. Morris decided to make them out of plastic. They called them flying saucers. More than 20 million Frisbees have been sold in the last 50 years, more than baseballs, footballs, and basketballs combined.
Inventions:
The first computer ENIAC was invented in 1946, wonder how many of you knew that?
Headlines:
In the 1940's many of the important headlines were based on World War 11, there were hundreds of boys on the streets selling newspapers.
And now for the facts from this decade that will blow the minds of some of you younger ones.
Population 132,122,000
Unemployed in 1940 8,120,000
National debt $ 43 billion
Average salary $1,299 Teachers salary $1,441
Minimum wage was 43 cents per hour
only 55% of U. S. homes have indoor plumbing
Antarctica is discovered to be a continent
Life expectancy, are you ready for this? 68.2 years female, 60.8 years male.
Auto deaths 34,500
Supreme Court decides blacks have the right to vote
Cold way begins.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
I'm Too Busy To Grow Old
Oh yes, my body is growing old
But my mind I try to keep young
I have so much I want to do
And many songs to be sung.
So many roads I need to travel
With lots of love to express
Many friends I want to visit
That are lonely and in distress.
I pray God will help me do what I can
To brighten their day
Spreading His word all around
As I pass along the way.
This world has been good to me
God is the reason, you see
For a little while longer I can hold
Oh yes, I am too busy to grow old.
It's true now that my spinal stenosis has flared up again some days it does seem like my body is growing older. But it is also true I am trying to keep my mind young. I for sure do have a lot more things I want to do. I do hope that I can continue to try to brighten the world of my family and friends.
This world has been very good to me due in large part to family and friends I have encountered you see, For a little while longer I hope to hold, OH YES, I AM TOO BUSY TO GROW OLD.
KEEP AGE IN PERSPECTIVE:
Age does not define who you are, There are other things that do, those things we do have control over and what we do. I know some 45 and 50 year olds that are really old, and I know a lot of 75 and 80 years olds that are really young.
LIVE AND ENJOY EACH DAY:
There is always something positive or something to look forward to each day. Surround yourself with people that are positive and happy, and avoid as much as you can those that are negative and unhappy.
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME THINKING THAT YOU'RE TOO OLD TO DO THIS OR THAT:
As long as you have your health you can do just about any thing you find interest in doing. Learn new things and do things you have never done before.
DON'T LOOK BACK:
This is so, so, important, don't worry about what happened in the past. The one thing that no one can change is the past. What has been is over and done with. The future has not yet come, so enjoy today, let the past go and plan for the future.
KEEP YOU MIND ALERT:
Try new things, things that give you a challenge. Take up a hobby you have always wanted to do but were always too busy for. For those of you that have a lot of extra time on your hands, try volunteering at some thing where you can help people, it will help keep you sharp while helping others.
FIND WAYS TO INTERACT:
Even if you have no close friends or family around there are still lots of ways to talk to people. Join a fraternal organization like The Elks Club, The Moose Lodge, etc. Join a bowling league, people who love people are the luckiest people around.
STAY POSITIVE:
Try to avoid negative thoughts as it will get you no place except sadness. For example trying to figure out why a spouse died and left you alone will only bring you sadness, instead remember all the wonderful years you shared, and how you both brought such wonderful children into the world. Go out with a smile on your face and enjoy the rest of your life. There may even be a new mate on the horizon. Thank God that happened for me.
CONTINUE TO DO THINGS YOU USED TO DO:
Continue to do all you can while you can. Tim McCraw had a song called Live Like You Are Dying, now I am not going to be jumping out of any planes, rock climbing, etc. LOL but I do want to continue to live until the day I die. Finally for some of my dear friends and you know who you are see a doctor for a checkup at least once a year, more often if you have passed the 50 year old age. Catching problems early is the best way to keep them from becoming serious. You can't do that if you never go for checkups.
Finally spend time with children younger than seven, and friends over 70, LOL that would be me. LOL You can learn a lot from both of these age groups.
We all want to go to Heaven, we just are not ready to go. LOL
Love And Best Wishes To You All,
But my mind I try to keep young
I have so much I want to do
And many songs to be sung.
So many roads I need to travel
With lots of love to express
Many friends I want to visit
That are lonely and in distress.
I pray God will help me do what I can
To brighten their day
Spreading His word all around
As I pass along the way.
This world has been good to me
God is the reason, you see
For a little while longer I can hold
Oh yes, I am too busy to grow old.
It's true now that my spinal stenosis has flared up again some days it does seem like my body is growing older. But it is also true I am trying to keep my mind young. I for sure do have a lot more things I want to do. I do hope that I can continue to try to brighten the world of my family and friends.
This world has been very good to me due in large part to family and friends I have encountered you see, For a little while longer I hope to hold, OH YES, I AM TOO BUSY TO GROW OLD.
KEEP AGE IN PERSPECTIVE:
Age does not define who you are, There are other things that do, those things we do have control over and what we do. I know some 45 and 50 year olds that are really old, and I know a lot of 75 and 80 years olds that are really young.
LIVE AND ENJOY EACH DAY:
There is always something positive or something to look forward to each day. Surround yourself with people that are positive and happy, and avoid as much as you can those that are negative and unhappy.
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME THINKING THAT YOU'RE TOO OLD TO DO THIS OR THAT:
As long as you have your health you can do just about any thing you find interest in doing. Learn new things and do things you have never done before.
DON'T LOOK BACK:
This is so, so, important, don't worry about what happened in the past. The one thing that no one can change is the past. What has been is over and done with. The future has not yet come, so enjoy today, let the past go and plan for the future.
KEEP YOU MIND ALERT:
Try new things, things that give you a challenge. Take up a hobby you have always wanted to do but were always too busy for. For those of you that have a lot of extra time on your hands, try volunteering at some thing where you can help people, it will help keep you sharp while helping others.
FIND WAYS TO INTERACT:
Even if you have no close friends or family around there are still lots of ways to talk to people. Join a fraternal organization like The Elks Club, The Moose Lodge, etc. Join a bowling league, people who love people are the luckiest people around.
STAY POSITIVE:
Try to avoid negative thoughts as it will get you no place except sadness. For example trying to figure out why a spouse died and left you alone will only bring you sadness, instead remember all the wonderful years you shared, and how you both brought such wonderful children into the world. Go out with a smile on your face and enjoy the rest of your life. There may even be a new mate on the horizon. Thank God that happened for me.
CONTINUE TO DO THINGS YOU USED TO DO:
Continue to do all you can while you can. Tim McCraw had a song called Live Like You Are Dying, now I am not going to be jumping out of any planes, rock climbing, etc. LOL but I do want to continue to live until the day I die. Finally for some of my dear friends and you know who you are see a doctor for a checkup at least once a year, more often if you have passed the 50 year old age. Catching problems early is the best way to keep them from becoming serious. You can't do that if you never go for checkups.
Finally spend time with children younger than seven, and friends over 70, LOL that would be me. LOL You can learn a lot from both of these age groups.
We all want to go to Heaven, we just are not ready to go. LOL
Love And Best Wishes To You All,
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
LIFE IS LIKE A TRAIN RIDE
Wow, I am flattered, a few people told me they went to my BLOG to see if I had posted any thing new as they looked forward to reading it. That is very humbling.
Most of my BLOG's are out of my own head but this story I borrowed from some one else, It is very good and oh so true. Hope you enjoy.
Life Is Like A Train Ride
Life is like a train ride.
We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more. There are accidents and there are delays. At certain stops there are surprises. Some of these will translate into great moments of joy; some will result in profound sorrow. When we are born and we first board the train, we meet people whom we think will be with us for the entire journey. Those people are our parents!
Sadly, this is far from the truth.
Our parents are with us for as long as we absolutely need them. They too have journeys they must complete. We live on with the memories of their love, affection, friendship, guidance and their ever presence.
There are others who board the train and who eventually become very important to us, in turn.
These people are our brothers, sisters, friends and acquaintances, whom we will learn to love, and cherish.
Some people consider their journey like a jaunty tour. They will just go merrily along.
Others will encounter many upsets, tears, losses on their journey.
Others still, will linger on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need.
Some people on the train will leave an everlasting impression when they get off….
Some will get on and get off the train so quickly, they will scarcely leave a sign that they ever traveled along with you or ever crossed your path…
We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on our own.
Then again, there’s nothing that says we can not seek them out anyway.
Nevertheless, once sought out and found, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken.
That’s okay …everyone’s journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, setbacks and goodbyes.
We must strive to make the best of it… no matter what...
We must constantly strive to understand our travel companions and look for the best in everyone.
Remember that at any moment during our journey, any one of our travel companions can have a weak moment and be in need of our help.
We too may vacillate or hesitate, even trip… hopefully we can count on someone being there to be supportive and understanding…
The bigger mystery of our journey is that we don't know when our last stop will come. Neither do we know when our travel companions will make their last stop. Not even those sitting in the seat next to us.
Personally, I know I'll be sad to make my final stop…. I'm sure of it! My separation from all those friends and acquaintances I made during the train ride will be painful. Leaving all those I'm close to will be a sad thing. But then again, I'm certain that one day I'll get to the main station only to meet up with everyone else. They'll all be carrying their baggage… most of which they didn't have when they first got on this train.
I'll be glad to see them again. I'll also be glad to have contributed to their baggage… and to have enriched their lives, just as much as they will have contributed to my baggage and enriched my life.
We're all on this train ride together. Above all, we should all try to strive to make the ride as pleasant and memorable as we can, right up until we each make the final stop and leave the train for the last time.
All Aboard !!
Life gives you the opportunity for a new adventure, a new challenge. Set you goal and go for it. Be persistent, Trust In God, trust in Life, trust in Yourself All aboard!
Safe journey!!
Most of my BLOG's are out of my own head but this story I borrowed from some one else, It is very good and oh so true. Hope you enjoy.
Life Is Like A Train Ride
Life is like a train ride.
We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more. There are accidents and there are delays. At certain stops there are surprises. Some of these will translate into great moments of joy; some will result in profound sorrow. When we are born and we first board the train, we meet people whom we think will be with us for the entire journey. Those people are our parents!
Sadly, this is far from the truth.
Our parents are with us for as long as we absolutely need them. They too have journeys they must complete. We live on with the memories of their love, affection, friendship, guidance and their ever presence.
There are others who board the train and who eventually become very important to us, in turn.
These people are our brothers, sisters, friends and acquaintances, whom we will learn to love, and cherish.
Some people consider their journey like a jaunty tour. They will just go merrily along.
Others will encounter many upsets, tears, losses on their journey.
Others still, will linger on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need.
Some people on the train will leave an everlasting impression when they get off….
Some will get on and get off the train so quickly, they will scarcely leave a sign that they ever traveled along with you or ever crossed your path…
We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on our own.
Then again, there’s nothing that says we can not seek them out anyway.
Nevertheless, once sought out and found, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken.
That’s okay …everyone’s journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, setbacks and goodbyes.
We must strive to make the best of it… no matter what...
We must constantly strive to understand our travel companions and look for the best in everyone.
Remember that at any moment during our journey, any one of our travel companions can have a weak moment and be in need of our help.
We too may vacillate or hesitate, even trip… hopefully we can count on someone being there to be supportive and understanding…
The bigger mystery of our journey is that we don't know when our last stop will come. Neither do we know when our travel companions will make their last stop. Not even those sitting in the seat next to us.
Personally, I know I'll be sad to make my final stop…. I'm sure of it! My separation from all those friends and acquaintances I made during the train ride will be painful. Leaving all those I'm close to will be a sad thing. But then again, I'm certain that one day I'll get to the main station only to meet up with everyone else. They'll all be carrying their baggage… most of which they didn't have when they first got on this train.
I'll be glad to see them again. I'll also be glad to have contributed to their baggage… and to have enriched their lives, just as much as they will have contributed to my baggage and enriched my life.
We're all on this train ride together. Above all, we should all try to strive to make the ride as pleasant and memorable as we can, right up until we each make the final stop and leave the train for the last time.
All Aboard !!
Life gives you the opportunity for a new adventure, a new challenge. Set you goal and go for it. Be persistent, Trust In God, trust in Life, trust in Yourself All aboard!
Safe journey!!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Trying to navigate our way through troubling times. Hopefully some of these hints will help any one having a rough go of it.
We definitely cannot deny the fact that these are difficult times. Everyone is feeling the stress, in one way or another, of the struggling economy, the unrest overseas, and basic every day stress. Some deal with this stress better than others. I am writing this BLOG to hopefully help those having a tough time staying positive these days. A lot to these ideas I have learned the hard way and I sure wish I had applied them a lot sooner, sure could have saved me a lot of years of anguish. They help me to manage most of the time to keep a smile on my face and mostly be happy.
Number 1:
Stop letting negative people get close to you. It's true that misery loves company but so does happiness. It is impossible to avoid negative people completely but limit the time you spend with them. Attitudes are contagious and you can catch what they have. LOL Hang out with people with positive attitudes, they tend to be happy people too.
Number 2:
Live with the essence of a positive attitude every single day. Focus your mind to think about all the good things in your life rather that dwelling on the negative. If any thing negative tries to infiltrate your mind push it out of the way immediately, Overtime this can become normal practice and every day you can be filled with positive thoughts.
Number 3:
Put your thoughts on paper. I was going through a terrible time years ago, I took off a couple of days went to a cabin on a lake with my Grand Dog Spunky, no phone calls, no interruptions just me and the dog. I took a large sheet of paper, drew a line down the middle of it. On one side I listed all the bad things happening in my life and on the other side I wrote down all the good things going on in it. After a couple days of deep thought and contemplation the things on the good side far outnumbered the things on the bad side. Then I read a quote that said for every bad thing that happens to us on the average about 18 to 21 good things happen, and most of us, I for sure was one that would dwell on the one bad thing instead of the good things.
Number 4:
Find humor, let yourself laugh a lot, find humor in the simple things and have fun. Learn to laugh at yourself, people enjoy being around others who find humor in embarrassing moments. Laughter helps to elevate moods. If you find yourself having negative thoughts, read jokes, watch some thing funny or just be silly sometimes. I just read where a study was done and showed that people who laughed for 15 minutes a day for three weeks had an increase in optimism and positive emotions.
Number 5:
Counting your blessings is another positive thinking technique. Everyone has some thing to be thankful for. Ask your self what you have to be grateful for. In my case just a few things that are wonderful are a wonderful family, great friends, and two little guys, Carter and Griffin that think their Papa is a cool guy, a part time job that keeps me in contact with people all day long, as I am a people person, and a lot more things I could think of. Make a list of the things you are thankful for and write them down. Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have. Before you got to bed at night or when you are feeling down, take out your list and review your blessings. Another way to practice gratitude is to thank people who have helped you out in your life.
Number 6:
Avoid watching news just before you go to bed. We need to stay informed but the news is usually filled with awful stories, about the war, the economy, and other tragedies that have occurred during the day. Who wants to go to bed with all that on your mind. Instead think good thoughts, what you want to accomplish the next day and try to go to sleep relaxed and ready to wake up refreshed the next morning, not tired and stressed because of a bunch of depressing stories.
Number 7:
We can't control every thing that happens to us in our life but we can control how we react to it. We are all going to make a lot of mistakes as we travel the road of life, but always try not to make the same mistakes over and over. Reading the Serenity Prayer once in awhile helps also. It's easy to be positive when things are going good, not so easy when things are going bad, although it is hard to do, try to remember that tough times don't last forever.
Number 8:
Brilliant in its simplicity, The Serenity Prayer is one of the key spiritual tools used by virtually all 12-step recovery support group members.
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
Number 1:
Stop letting negative people get close to you. It's true that misery loves company but so does happiness. It is impossible to avoid negative people completely but limit the time you spend with them. Attitudes are contagious and you can catch what they have. LOL Hang out with people with positive attitudes, they tend to be happy people too.
Number 2:
Live with the essence of a positive attitude every single day. Focus your mind to think about all the good things in your life rather that dwelling on the negative. If any thing negative tries to infiltrate your mind push it out of the way immediately, Overtime this can become normal practice and every day you can be filled with positive thoughts.
Number 3:
Put your thoughts on paper. I was going through a terrible time years ago, I took off a couple of days went to a cabin on a lake with my Grand Dog Spunky, no phone calls, no interruptions just me and the dog. I took a large sheet of paper, drew a line down the middle of it. On one side I listed all the bad things happening in my life and on the other side I wrote down all the good things going on in it. After a couple days of deep thought and contemplation the things on the good side far outnumbered the things on the bad side. Then I read a quote that said for every bad thing that happens to us on the average about 18 to 21 good things happen, and most of us, I for sure was one that would dwell on the one bad thing instead of the good things.
Number 4:
Find humor, let yourself laugh a lot, find humor in the simple things and have fun. Learn to laugh at yourself, people enjoy being around others who find humor in embarrassing moments. Laughter helps to elevate moods. If you find yourself having negative thoughts, read jokes, watch some thing funny or just be silly sometimes. I just read where a study was done and showed that people who laughed for 15 minutes a day for three weeks had an increase in optimism and positive emotions.
Number 5:
Counting your blessings is another positive thinking technique. Everyone has some thing to be thankful for. Ask your self what you have to be grateful for. In my case just a few things that are wonderful are a wonderful family, great friends, and two little guys, Carter and Griffin that think their Papa is a cool guy, a part time job that keeps me in contact with people all day long, as I am a people person, and a lot more things I could think of. Make a list of the things you are thankful for and write them down. Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have. Before you got to bed at night or when you are feeling down, take out your list and review your blessings. Another way to practice gratitude is to thank people who have helped you out in your life.
Number 6:
Avoid watching news just before you go to bed. We need to stay informed but the news is usually filled with awful stories, about the war, the economy, and other tragedies that have occurred during the day. Who wants to go to bed with all that on your mind. Instead think good thoughts, what you want to accomplish the next day and try to go to sleep relaxed and ready to wake up refreshed the next morning, not tired and stressed because of a bunch of depressing stories.
Number 7:
We can't control every thing that happens to us in our life but we can control how we react to it. We are all going to make a lot of mistakes as we travel the road of life, but always try not to make the same mistakes over and over. Reading the Serenity Prayer once in awhile helps also. It's easy to be positive when things are going good, not so easy when things are going bad, although it is hard to do, try to remember that tough times don't last forever.
Number 8:
Brilliant in its simplicity, The Serenity Prayer is one of the key spiritual tools used by virtually all 12-step recovery support group members.
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
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