When I started doing my BLOG back in 2009 it seemed like something was always happening to inspire me to write some thing. A weekend with the kids and all the fun we had would give me my inspiration to write some thing. Mother's Day one year I wrote about the three mother's in my life. A crazy evening with Joan and I inspired me to write my secret to a happy marriage. Of course Carter's graduation from pre-school and kindergarten was easy to write about and tell the world how proud I am of him.
Those are just a few of the examples of things that sent me to my keyboard to write about them. I haven't posted any thing since May 26 TH as my brain has been in neutral. LOL
Due to the economy and all the turmoil going on in the good old USA and the world it has affected so many people that we are close to. Those of you that receive and READ my E-Mails probably have noticed that I have been sending lots of positive videos, stories from Guideposts that are always uplifting and are true stories of people often times going through hard times and how some thing through to change their lives. Due to slow sales in the auto industry my 20 to 25 hours a week part job has been relegated to a call as needed basis and I haven't been needed much lately. LOL
Joan tells me that I have too much time on my hands. LOL She also chides me telling me all the time you know you can't save the world. Of course I know that but if something I write inspires some one to make a change then I figure it is worth while. Case in point I have ben writing for years telling people how much people who have health problems and are virtually housebound appreciate a phone call, a card, asking them if there is something they need you could help them with, or even better if you can stop by and see them.
The last time I wrote about this at the bottom of my post in Giant Letters I said stop procrastinating, just do it. The next morning a lady sent me an E-Mail and said Joe I have been reading your advice but then my good intentions get side tracked but I want you to know that after I read it yesterday I did not make one phone call, I made three and she said I think I got more joy out of it then the people I called.
I printed that E-Mail out, ran down stairs and said Joan I know I can't save the world but just knowing I got through to one person to me makes it all worth while. I just could not help gloating. LOL
Bad emotional habits can do a number on your stress levels and can even lead to depression. Are you a " glass-half-empty " kind of person as I was for far too many years. Studies show that people who are optimistic have better health, live longer, an upbeat attitude can help lessen stress, chronic pain and reduces your chances of developing heart disease.
Pleasing others sounds like a good thing, but if you find yourself constantly over extended and worrying too much about other people's problems instead of your own. Saying yes all the time means that there is an unhealthy balance between giving and receiving. Say Saying no when you are depleted means you are saying yes to yourself. Give it a try.
Those of you that read my stuff have also heard me talk about this A LOT, LAUGHTER IS SO IMPORTANT, IF THERE IS NOT SOME THING AT HAND TO MAKE YOU LAUGH, LOOK FOR SOMETHING. I wrote about this in my BLOG once also, go through old pictures from happier times, I guarantee it will make you feel better.
Wow, I didn't mean to get carried away so I better wrap it up. LOL One more thought.
Quit worrying about what others think, example, as we age we don't look as good as we did when we were younger, ( in most cases anyway ) so when we go to the beach and think to ourselves wow, I don't look so good in a bathing suit any more, instead of thinking that way change your thought to all those young hard bodies that you think are looking at you and tell yourself with a chuckle don't gloat youngsters your day is coming and you are going to look just like me. LMAO
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A loving tribute to Carter William Maynard, a grandson that Nana & Papa love very much and are so proud of him.
Thursday May 26, 2011,
Where has the time gone? Today May 26 is another milestone in Carter's young life. This evening he graduates from kindergarten.
Carter, as you graduate it makes us so happy to recognize all that you have achieved in your young life and to realize what a terrific kid you are. If you continue to be the wonderful person you are already your future is unlimited. So while you are headed to a future of endless possibilities just remember Nana and Papa are two of the proudest grandparents in the world.
The whole world may never be lucky enough to know what a special young lad you are but the people who know you and love you certainly do.
Back in August 2009 I did a BLOG titled what a difference you have made in my life. I took some of the words from a song by Ronnie Milsap and used them to express how you had changed my life so much. Here is some of those words.
What a difference you have made in my life,
You're my sunshine day and night,
Oh what a difference you have made in my life.
What a change you have made in my heart,
Oh what a change you have made in my heart.
You have gave love a new meaning,
So I joined in the singing,
That's why I wanna spread the news.
On February 1, 2005 you was born. I was there about a half hour after your birth and the very first time I held you I felt like a grandfather. I told your parents I wanted to be called Papa so I became Papa to a little guy who made a drastic change in my life. Lucky for me we just bonded from the very beginning and have continued a great relationship. Oh what great times we have had together.
No matter what we have done together I know I have had more fun than you have. We have spent hours at the park,
I loved taking you to one of your favorite places, McDonalds, we have played games together and in the years since you joined the YMCA Nana and I have loved coming to your baseball, soccer, and basketball games. You used to love for me to read to you and lo and behold last Saturday at your house you came and climbed up on my lap and read me a whole book, it was all Papa could do to hold back the tears.
Since you started school I don't get to spend as much time with you as I used to, so the time we do get to spend together I treasure every minute of it.
I could go on and on with this but just let me close with saying how much your Nana and Papa love you and how proud we are of you.
Papa hopes as you get older you will remain the loving and caring person you are now.
Where has the time gone? Today May 26 is another milestone in Carter's young life. This evening he graduates from kindergarten.
Carter, as you graduate it makes us so happy to recognize all that you have achieved in your young life and to realize what a terrific kid you are. If you continue to be the wonderful person you are already your future is unlimited. So while you are headed to a future of endless possibilities just remember Nana and Papa are two of the proudest grandparents in the world.
The whole world may never be lucky enough to know what a special young lad you are but the people who know you and love you certainly do.
Back in August 2009 I did a BLOG titled what a difference you have made in my life. I took some of the words from a song by Ronnie Milsap and used them to express how you had changed my life so much. Here is some of those words.
What a difference you have made in my life,
You're my sunshine day and night,
Oh what a difference you have made in my life.
What a change you have made in my heart,
Oh what a change you have made in my heart.
You have gave love a new meaning,
So I joined in the singing,
That's why I wanna spread the news.
On February 1, 2005 you was born. I was there about a half hour after your birth and the very first time I held you I felt like a grandfather. I told your parents I wanted to be called Papa so I became Papa to a little guy who made a drastic change in my life. Lucky for me we just bonded from the very beginning and have continued a great relationship. Oh what great times we have had together.
No matter what we have done together I know I have had more fun than you have. We have spent hours at the park,
I loved taking you to one of your favorite places, McDonalds, we have played games together and in the years since you joined the YMCA Nana and I have loved coming to your baseball, soccer, and basketball games. You used to love for me to read to you and lo and behold last Saturday at your house you came and climbed up on my lap and read me a whole book, it was all Papa could do to hold back the tears.
Since you started school I don't get to spend as much time with you as I used to, so the time we do get to spend together I treasure every minute of it.
I could go on and on with this but just let me close with saying how much your Nana and Papa love you and how proud we are of you.
Papa hopes as you get older you will remain the loving and caring person you are now.
Just a small part of the wonderful moments I have shared with Carter.
A Very Happy Day
About an hour after he was born and the day I
finally felt like a Grandpa. Barb & Brett asked me what I
wanted to be called and I said Papa, I still love
hearing him call me Papa.
Just a few pictures over the years, what great
memories from a proud Papa.
Guidepost magazine asked for pictures to
honor the Fourth Of July a couple of years
ago, out of all the pictures they recieved from
all over the country they only used five pictures
and Carter's was one of them.
The time I spend with Carter and Griffin I think I
have more fun than they do.
An adoring Nana, she is a wonderful
Nana to all three of her grandsons.
Carter performing at his graduation from pre-school
last year. He loves to oreform.
One of this aaaaaaah moments
A Very Proud Mommy & Daddy
Carter relishes his role as big brother, loves his brother Griffin very much.
I told Carter I hope he never gets to old
or to big to give his Papa a hug and a kiss.
Loss of first tooth. He called me and said
Papa I lost my first tooth, I said that's great
you will get a visit from the Tooth Fairy, he said
but I swallowed the tooth, but he said not to worry
I left her a note. She must have read the note
because she left him some money.
What more could a Papa hope for?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
A Review and some history of the decade of the 90's
I did my review of the 1980's on May 7. Things have been just a little hectic around the Jackson household since then. LOL
Hopefully things are starting to settle down a little now. Joan is back to work and I have my release from the Doctor's to go back to work next week.
So I decided to continue my review of the decades by doing the 90's. Big changes every decade but the 90's may have been the decade of some of the most drastic changes.
In 1990 a new house cost $123,000 and by 1999 it was $131,700.
The average wage in 1990 was $28,970 and by 1999 it was $40,810
In 1990 a gallon of gas was $1.34, 1999 $1.22
In 1990 average cost of a new car was $16,000, 1999 $21,100
Levi Denim Jeans $34.99
Some interesting facts from the 90's:
1991 collapse of the Soviet Union
Operation Desert Storm was launched
1992:
Official end of the Cold War
Riots in L.A after the Rodney King verdict.
1993:
Cult compound in Waco, Texas was raided.
World Trade Center Bombed
Lorena Bobbit took a knife to her husbands most private part. LOL
1994:
O.J. Simpson arrested for murder
1995: Oklahoma City bombing
1996:
Unabomber arrested
1997:
Princess Diana dies in a car crash
Tiger Woods wins the Masters
1998:
President Clinton impeached
Viagra on the market.
1999:
JFK Jr. dies in plane crash
Killing spree at Columbine High School
1994: Baseball players go on strike again.
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls win six titles in the 90's
The 90's saw the growth of the World Wide Web and the Personal Computer PC. In 1990 when the WWW first became available for the public it grew dramatically with users multiplying at the rate of about 3500 times a year. By the year 2000 there were an estimated 295 million
users on the Internet.
Some of the TV shows of the 90's:
Married with children
Ally McBeal
Baywatch
Matlock
The X Files
Friends
Columbo
The Cosby Show
Cheers
Will and Grace
That 70's Show
As with every decade a lot of things happened to the Jackson Clan. Some very good things and of course some very bad things. Bubba and I realized a dream of many years when we built and moved into our Dream Log Home in 1994. We sold our Shell Stations in 1997 and Martha, Jimmy, and Jessica moved to Sebring where they still live today. Sadly Bubba's health continued to deteriorate and she passed away in 1998. One of the most loved person's to ever live on this earth was called home to her heavenly home. She was and is still loved and missed very much by so many family and friends.
In 1999 with Bubba's help pulling a few strings for me in heaven I was steered toward Joan. I lost one Angel and lo and behold was led to another one. Joan and I were married in 2001.
Hopefully things are starting to settle down a little now. Joan is back to work and I have my release from the Doctor's to go back to work next week.
So I decided to continue my review of the decades by doing the 90's. Big changes every decade but the 90's may have been the decade of some of the most drastic changes.
In 1990 a new house cost $123,000 and by 1999 it was $131,700.
The average wage in 1990 was $28,970 and by 1999 it was $40,810
In 1990 a gallon of gas was $1.34, 1999 $1.22
In 1990 average cost of a new car was $16,000, 1999 $21,100
Levi Denim Jeans $34.99
Some interesting facts from the 90's:
1991 collapse of the Soviet Union
Operation Desert Storm was launched
1992:
Official end of the Cold War
Riots in L.A after the Rodney King verdict.
1993:
Cult compound in Waco, Texas was raided.
World Trade Center Bombed
Lorena Bobbit took a knife to her husbands most private part. LOL
1994:
O.J. Simpson arrested for murder
1995: Oklahoma City bombing
1996:
Unabomber arrested
1997:
Princess Diana dies in a car crash
Tiger Woods wins the Masters
1998:
President Clinton impeached
Viagra on the market.
1999:
JFK Jr. dies in plane crash
Killing spree at Columbine High School
1994: Baseball players go on strike again.
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls win six titles in the 90's
The 90's saw the growth of the World Wide Web and the Personal Computer PC. In 1990 when the WWW first became available for the public it grew dramatically with users multiplying at the rate of about 3500 times a year. By the year 2000 there were an estimated 295 million
users on the Internet.
Some of the TV shows of the 90's:
Married with children
Ally McBeal
Baywatch
Matlock
The X Files
Friends
Columbo
The Cosby Show
Cheers
Will and Grace
That 70's Show
As with every decade a lot of things happened to the Jackson Clan. Some very good things and of course some very bad things. Bubba and I realized a dream of many years when we built and moved into our Dream Log Home in 1994. We sold our Shell Stations in 1997 and Martha, Jimmy, and Jessica moved to Sebring where they still live today. Sadly Bubba's health continued to deteriorate and she passed away in 1998. One of the most loved person's to ever live on this earth was called home to her heavenly home. She was and is still loved and missed very much by so many family and friends.
In 1999 with Bubba's help pulling a few strings for me in heaven I was steered toward Joan. I lost one Angel and lo and behold was led to another one. Joan and I were married in 2001.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Reviewing and remembering the 80's
Things have been a little hectic with the Jackson's lately but after reviewing the 40's, 50's,60's, and 70's finally had a little time to write about the 80's. The drastic ways that things have changed
from decade to decade I just find fascinating.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money and Inflation 1980's
To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in today's money
If you have $100 Converted from 1980 to 2005 it would be equivalent to $243.45 today
In 1980 a new house cost $68,714.00 and by 1989 was $120,00.00 In 1980 the average income per year was $19,170.00 and by 1989 was $27,210.00
In 1980 a gallon of gas was $1.19 and by 1989 was 97 cents
In 1980 the average cost of new car was $7,210.00 and by 1989 was $15,400.00
A few more prices from the 80's and how much things cost
Camaro Coupe $7,571 Pontiac Grand AM $9,965
Nike Air Force Basketball Shoes $54.90
Tailored Style Silk Blouse $15.99 Amiga 500 with Color Monitor $849 From Our 80s Electrical and Electronic Prices in the 80's
Hands Free Operating Car Phone Leg O Lamb $2.19 per pound
Milk 85 cents 1/2 gallon From Our 80s Price of Food Section
Bunk Beds with Mattress $148
Chrome Sling Chair $76.00 From Our Furniture Prices Section in the 80's
Cheer Laundry Detergent $1.59
Events 1980's
During the 80's we also saw the collapse of the traditional communism and the end of the cold war .The fragmentation of communism included the collapse of the Berlin wall and the breakup up of what was the USSR towards the end of the 80's. and leading to German reunification.
The 80's also signaled a period of the rise of conservatism as the in political and cultural life, caused by Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Reagan in the USA .
Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland islands in 1982 but is subsequently defeated by the United Kingdom.
China continued it's growth and liberalization but suffered unrest towards the end of the 80's after student's protested in Tiananmen Square on June 4th 1989 and the authorities used force to quell the protests
Famine in Ethiopia was shown to the world on our television screens in 1984 - 1985 and the pain and suffering caused the western world to find new ways to help including the Live Aid concert and many of the most popular stars contributed their time and performed for free in cities throughout the world , This has to be one of the most successful campaigns ever to create awareness and raise much needed funds by those who have the power to draw TV audiences around the globe.
Many South American Countries return to democracy after a period of dictatorships
The mixing of politics and Sport in both 1980 and 1984 Olympics Boycotts by the worlds major powers
Sporting Changes In The 80's
Baseball
Players go on strike again in 1981 they win but lose fans for the game through their actions for striking and from drugs or alcohol used by the players.
Basketball
During the eighties new stars emerge Larry Bird, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan drawing fans back to the games .
Association Football (Soccer)
24 teams fight for the World Cup in 1982
Soccer Hooliganism and the Heysel Stadium Disaster give English Football a bad name the Hooliganism continues through to the mid 90's
American Football
Miami Hurricanes win college national championships
California Teams The Raiders and San Francisco 49ers Dominate The NFL
The 80's was the decade of the quarterback and the best of them was Joe Montana
The 1985 Chicago Bears with running back Walter Payton considered by many to be one of the greatest teams of all time.
Ice Hockey
New York Islanders Dominate The First Half Of The Decade
The Great One Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier Help Edmonton Oilers Dominate The Second Half Of The Decade
Technology 1980's
The 80's signaled the start of the computer age, following on from the creation of Microsoft and Apple towards the end of the 70's , the technology and the speed of innovation both in Hardware and Software together with the cheapness provided a speed of growth and take up . The birth of the IBM PC signaled the start of Personal Computers first in the Offices and then into peoples homes becoming an integral part of our lives. following on from Micrsofts MSDOS on PC's to the first versions of Windows a GUI Graphical User Interface
As well as the Hardware and Software changes a new technology was evolving starting as Bulletin boards later to become what we now know as the Internet invented by English physicist Tim Berners and the beginnings of the World Wide Web
This was also the Decade that the Post-It was introduced which came from a glue invented in 1968 accidentally while trying to discover a stronger glue at 3M by Spencer Silver
The 80's also signaled the age of the video game in arcades, Games Machines and PC's the most popular games being Space Invaders and Pac Man
Another technology that was also just starting was that of cellular mobile phones , in the beginning the phones were big and heavy and hit and miss for signal strength , but as with the Internet would change our lives .
After many years of ignoring the impact on our environment ,the world also took more notice of the impact that we were having on our planet and more research was done on the effects on global warming through population growth, land clearing of rain forests for agriculture and logging, increased use of fossil fuels for power generation together with our love affair with the car for transport .
Popular Culture 1980's
John Lennon is shot outside his New York apartment
MTV (Music Television) is launched
Floppy shirts, Backcombed hair, Padded shoulders, big hairdoes and white stilettoes
The Simpsons Is First Seen On Tracey Ullman Show April 5th 1987
Michael Jackson releases his second adult solo album, Thriller.
Some of the Most Well Known Movie Stars of the Eighties
Clint Eastwood
Burt Reynolds
Harrison Ford
Michael J Fox
Eddie Murphy
Tom Cruise
Dudley Moore
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Popular Musicians
Bucks Fizz
The Jam
Olivia Newton-John
Chicago
Lionel Richie
ABBA
Black Sabbath
Queen
The Police
Tina Turner
David Bowie
Whitney Houston
Culture Club
Bruce Springsteen
U2
Television During the 1980s
The 1980s was an important decade in the television industry. Not only were great strides made in the way of “pushing the envelope” with shows like Married…With Children, but other programs displayed a stark contrast with family-friendly issues and themes. The Cosby Show began in the mid-1980s and it enjoyed several years as the #1 television program because it was a witty and realistic rendering of family life during the era. It also destroyed the stereotype of poor African-American families that shows in the past only helped to reinforce. Heathcliff Huxtable – the father on The Cosby Show – was an obstetrician while his wife – Claire – was a successful lawyer.
TV Shows 1980s
Married with Children 1987 - 1997.
Baywatch 1989 - 1999.
Chips 1977 - 1983.
Hill Street Blues 1981 - 1987.
Highway to Heaven 1984 - 1989.
Knight Rider 1982 - 1986.
Dukes Of Hazzard 1979 - 1985.
The Benny Hill Show 1969 - 1989.
Fame 1982 - 1987.
Cagney & Lacey 1982 - 1988.
Dallas 1978 - 1991.
Matlock 1986 - 1992.
MacGyver 1985 - 1992.
Little House on the Prairie 1974 - 1983.
Doctor Who 1963 - 1989.
Columbo 1968 - 2003.
The A Team 1983 - 1987.
Laverne & Shirley 1976 - 1983.
The Cosby Show 1984 - 1992.
Happy Days 1974 - 1984.
Cheers 1982 - 1993.
Taxi 1978 - 1983.
Benson 1979 - 1986.
Growing Pains 1985 - 1992.
The 1980s also saw the creation of a number of cable networks that viewers still enjoy today. The Weather Channel – based in Atlanta, GA – premiered in 1982 as a cable network that covered the weather 24 hours a day. The Cable News Network, better known as CNN, was also created as television’s first 24-hour news network. It created a trend and today you have the option of several 24-hour cable news networks to choose from. Rupert Murdoch also created the Fox Network in the 1980s as a challenge to the only three major networks at the time – NBC, CBS, and ABC. Even though many people scoffed at the idea of Fox being a major competitor, it has since created several popular and award-winning shows in its more than 20 year existence. Music Television (MTV) was also a major breakthrough network in the 1980s and today viewers can choose from a large number of music-based television channels.
Other shows that began in the 1980s that are still memorable and popular today include Cheers, The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, and Family Ties. Along with The Simpsons, many of these programs are available as DVD box sets for those who lived through the era and want to experience a feeling of nostalgia by experiencing these shows again.
As is the case of all the decades I have done so far a lot of things happened to the Jackson's, family and friends.
After moving to Florida in 1973 and opening our first Shell Station we opened our second one in 1984.
1984 sadly was the start of a lot of Bubba's health problems. She had her first heart attack in 1984.
The big population growth was really starting in the 80's but from 1973 to almost the end of the 80's Palm Beach County was almost like living in paradise. There was still places where we could ride our four wheelers close to home. Boating was such great fun, room to water ski tie up go swimming, party, just a great time.
Bubba and I celebrated our 25 TH wedding anniversary, any one who was along on that party never forgot it. LOL
Martha and Jimmy were married in the 80's.
All in all the 80's was a very time.
from decade to decade I just find fascinating.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money and Inflation 1980's
To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in today's money
If you have $100 Converted from 1980 to 2005 it would be equivalent to $243.45 today
In 1980 a new house cost $68,714.00 and by 1989 was $120,00.00 In 1980 the average income per year was $19,170.00 and by 1989 was $27,210.00
In 1980 a gallon of gas was $1.19 and by 1989 was 97 cents
In 1980 the average cost of new car was $7,210.00 and by 1989 was $15,400.00
A few more prices from the 80's and how much things cost
Camaro Coupe $7,571 Pontiac Grand AM $9,965
Nike Air Force Basketball Shoes $54.90
Tailored Style Silk Blouse $15.99 Amiga 500 with Color Monitor $849 From Our 80s Electrical and Electronic Prices in the 80's
Hands Free Operating Car Phone Leg O Lamb $2.19 per pound
Milk 85 cents 1/2 gallon From Our 80s Price of Food Section
Bunk Beds with Mattress $148
Chrome Sling Chair $76.00 From Our Furniture Prices Section in the 80's
Cheer Laundry Detergent $1.59
Events 1980's
During the 80's we also saw the collapse of the traditional communism and the end of the cold war .The fragmentation of communism included the collapse of the Berlin wall and the breakup up of what was the USSR towards the end of the 80's. and leading to German reunification.
The 80's also signaled a period of the rise of conservatism as the in political and cultural life, caused by Margaret Thatcher in the UK and Ronald Reagan in the USA .
Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland islands in 1982 but is subsequently defeated by the United Kingdom.
China continued it's growth and liberalization but suffered unrest towards the end of the 80's after student's protested in Tiananmen Square on June 4th 1989 and the authorities used force to quell the protests
Famine in Ethiopia was shown to the world on our television screens in 1984 - 1985 and the pain and suffering caused the western world to find new ways to help including the Live Aid concert and many of the most popular stars contributed their time and performed for free in cities throughout the world , This has to be one of the most successful campaigns ever to create awareness and raise much needed funds by those who have the power to draw TV audiences around the globe.
Many South American Countries return to democracy after a period of dictatorships
The mixing of politics and Sport in both 1980 and 1984 Olympics Boycotts by the worlds major powers
Sporting Changes In The 80's
Baseball
Players go on strike again in 1981 they win but lose fans for the game through their actions for striking and from drugs or alcohol used by the players.
Basketball
During the eighties new stars emerge Larry Bird, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan drawing fans back to the games .
Association Football (Soccer)
24 teams fight for the World Cup in 1982
Soccer Hooliganism and the Heysel Stadium Disaster give English Football a bad name the Hooliganism continues through to the mid 90's
American Football
Miami Hurricanes win college national championships
California Teams The Raiders and San Francisco 49ers Dominate The NFL
The 80's was the decade of the quarterback and the best of them was Joe Montana
The 1985 Chicago Bears with running back Walter Payton considered by many to be one of the greatest teams of all time.
Ice Hockey
New York Islanders Dominate The First Half Of The Decade
The Great One Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier Help Edmonton Oilers Dominate The Second Half Of The Decade
Technology 1980's
The 80's signaled the start of the computer age, following on from the creation of Microsoft and Apple towards the end of the 70's , the technology and the speed of innovation both in Hardware and Software together with the cheapness provided a speed of growth and take up . The birth of the IBM PC signaled the start of Personal Computers first in the Offices and then into peoples homes becoming an integral part of our lives. following on from Micrsofts MSDOS on PC's to the first versions of Windows a GUI Graphical User Interface
As well as the Hardware and Software changes a new technology was evolving starting as Bulletin boards later to become what we now know as the Internet invented by English physicist Tim Berners and the beginnings of the World Wide Web
This was also the Decade that the Post-It was introduced which came from a glue invented in 1968 accidentally while trying to discover a stronger glue at 3M by Spencer Silver
The 80's also signaled the age of the video game in arcades, Games Machines and PC's the most popular games being Space Invaders and Pac Man
Another technology that was also just starting was that of cellular mobile phones , in the beginning the phones were big and heavy and hit and miss for signal strength , but as with the Internet would change our lives .
After many years of ignoring the impact on our environment ,the world also took more notice of the impact that we were having on our planet and more research was done on the effects on global warming through population growth, land clearing of rain forests for agriculture and logging, increased use of fossil fuels for power generation together with our love affair with the car for transport .
Popular Culture 1980's
John Lennon is shot outside his New York apartment
MTV (Music Television) is launched
Floppy shirts, Backcombed hair, Padded shoulders, big hairdoes and white stilettoes
The Simpsons Is First Seen On Tracey Ullman Show April 5th 1987
Michael Jackson releases his second adult solo album, Thriller.
Some of the Most Well Known Movie Stars of the Eighties
Clint Eastwood
Burt Reynolds
Harrison Ford
Michael J Fox
Eddie Murphy
Tom Cruise
Dudley Moore
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Popular Musicians
Bucks Fizz
The Jam
Olivia Newton-John
Chicago
Lionel Richie
ABBA
Black Sabbath
Queen
The Police
Tina Turner
David Bowie
Whitney Houston
Culture Club
Bruce Springsteen
U2
Television During the 1980s
The 1980s was an important decade in the television industry. Not only were great strides made in the way of “pushing the envelope” with shows like Married…With Children, but other programs displayed a stark contrast with family-friendly issues and themes. The Cosby Show began in the mid-1980s and it enjoyed several years as the #1 television program because it was a witty and realistic rendering of family life during the era. It also destroyed the stereotype of poor African-American families that shows in the past only helped to reinforce. Heathcliff Huxtable – the father on The Cosby Show – was an obstetrician while his wife – Claire – was a successful lawyer.
TV Shows 1980s
Married with Children 1987 - 1997.
Baywatch 1989 - 1999.
Chips 1977 - 1983.
Hill Street Blues 1981 - 1987.
Highway to Heaven 1984 - 1989.
Knight Rider 1982 - 1986.
Dukes Of Hazzard 1979 - 1985.
The Benny Hill Show 1969 - 1989.
Fame 1982 - 1987.
Cagney & Lacey 1982 - 1988.
Dallas 1978 - 1991.
Matlock 1986 - 1992.
MacGyver 1985 - 1992.
Little House on the Prairie 1974 - 1983.
Doctor Who 1963 - 1989.
Columbo 1968 - 2003.
The A Team 1983 - 1987.
Laverne & Shirley 1976 - 1983.
The Cosby Show 1984 - 1992.
Happy Days 1974 - 1984.
Cheers 1982 - 1993.
Taxi 1978 - 1983.
Benson 1979 - 1986.
Growing Pains 1985 - 1992.
The 1980s also saw the creation of a number of cable networks that viewers still enjoy today. The Weather Channel – based in Atlanta, GA – premiered in 1982 as a cable network that covered the weather 24 hours a day. The Cable News Network, better known as CNN, was also created as television’s first 24-hour news network. It created a trend and today you have the option of several 24-hour cable news networks to choose from. Rupert Murdoch also created the Fox Network in the 1980s as a challenge to the only three major networks at the time – NBC, CBS, and ABC. Even though many people scoffed at the idea of Fox being a major competitor, it has since created several popular and award-winning shows in its more than 20 year existence. Music Television (MTV) was also a major breakthrough network in the 1980s and today viewers can choose from a large number of music-based television channels.
Other shows that began in the 1980s that are still memorable and popular today include Cheers, The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, and Family Ties. Along with The Simpsons, many of these programs are available as DVD box sets for those who lived through the era and want to experience a feeling of nostalgia by experiencing these shows again.
As is the case of all the decades I have done so far a lot of things happened to the Jackson's, family and friends.
After moving to Florida in 1973 and opening our first Shell Station we opened our second one in 1984.
1984 sadly was the start of a lot of Bubba's health problems. She had her first heart attack in 1984.
The big population growth was really starting in the 80's but from 1973 to almost the end of the 80's Palm Beach County was almost like living in paradise. There was still places where we could ride our four wheelers close to home. Boating was such great fun, room to water ski tie up go swimming, party, just a great time.
Bubba and I celebrated our 25 TH wedding anniversary, any one who was along on that party never forgot it. LOL
Martha and Jimmy were married in the 80's.
All in all the 80's was a very time.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Reviewing the decade of the seventies.
Money and Inflation 1970's
To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in today's money
If you have $100 Converted from 1970 to 2011 it would be equivalent to $517.65 today
My first full year in business in in 1965 I netted 18,500 dollars that year, in about 1985 I would have had to netted about 70,000 a year to have the same buying power. The big jump in the inflation started in the seventies.
In 1970 a new house cost $23,400.00 and by 1979 was $58,500.00 In 1970 the average income per year was $9,350.00 and by 1979 was $17,550.00
Going back a bit I bought my first house in 1965. It was a beautiful brick home on 3/4 of an acre, 3 bedrooms, a full basement, 2 baths, a big living room with a huge front window to look out of. Are you ready for this? I paid 20,900 for this beautiful house.
In 1970 a gallon of gas was 36 cents and by 1979 was 86 cents
Backing up a bit again when I opened my first station in 1965 regular gas was 28.9 cents a gallon.
In 1970 the average cost of new car was $3,900.00 and by 1979 was $5,770.00
A few more prices from the 70's and how much things cost
Datsun 210 $3,869
Dodge Colt $4,785
Warm Leather Lined Boots $39.99 Car 8 Track Stereo Tape Player $38.99
CB Radio $147
Medium Eggs 25 cents per dozen Miracle Whip $1.09
King Size Bean Bag Chair $19.99
Porcelain Kitchen Sink $9.88
Quartz Alarm Clock $12.97
Country Ranch with 10 acres 3 bedroom large barn fruit and oak trees Vallejo California $59,200 1974
The oil crisis in 1973 was caused when Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), during the Yom Kippur War, announced that they would no longer ship petroleum to nations that had supported Israel in its conflict with Syria and Egypt , to the United States and its allies in Western Europe. It was also announced that the price for Oil would increase drastically. The west was by now dependent on oil and together with prices quadrupling and measures for rationing the western world went into recession and suffered massive inflationary pressure. At that time the United States did have their own oil reserves and although they were affected the biggest impact was on European Economies .
In 1973 I move to Florida and opened up a Shell Station. Not long after I opened the so called gas shortage hit. For those of you that were driving at that time you know what a nightmare that was. I would get to the station about 530:AM to open at 600:AM and the line of cars would be backed up about a half mile waiting to get gas. We only had a certain allocation so we would be open at the pumps for about 2 hours in the morning and about 2 more hours in the afternoon always with long, long, lines. And closed on Sunday, if I ran over my allocation I would have to wait to get more gas.
After nearly 10 years of war in Vietnam 1973 was also the year that allied forces pulled out of Vietnam
Another significant factor in the 70's was the growth in women's rights and women's role in society including the ability to decide when where and if they wished to have children ( partly through the availably of the contraceptive pill )
President Richard Nixon was forced to resign on 8th August as president of the United States due to imminent impeachment related to the Watergate scandal.
With the continuing Cold War between the East and West the arms race continued with each side trying to find the ultimate weapon
Popular Culture 1970's
The Waterbed The 70's produced many icons , one of those being the modern waterbed created by Charles Hall in 1968, This was fueled by the sexual revolution of the 70's encompassing the Waterbed .
Music 70's
Progressive rock created a new generation of bands including Genesis, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd. Many other singers and bands also started or strengthened their fan base including The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Queen, Black Sabbath .
In Europe, the music was not as progressive from bands like T Rex, Gary Glitter and David Bowie, and bands like Slade and the Sweet. and possibly the most successful in the 70's being ABBA
Some of the Most Well Known Movie Stars of the Seventies
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Clint Eastwood
John Wayne
Burt Reynolds
Al Pacino
Woody Allen
Barbra Streisand
TV Shows 1970s
The Streets of San Francisco 1972 - 1977.
The Waltons 1972 - 1981.
Chips 1977 - 1983.
Ironside 1967 - 1975.
Lassie 1954 - 1973.
Starsky and Hutch 1975 - 1979.
Dukes Of Hazzard 1979 - 1985.
The Benny Hill Show 1969 - 1989.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus 1969 - 1974.
The Muppet Show 1976 - 1981.
Bonanza 1959 - 1973.
The Brady Bunch 1969 - 1974.
Dallas 1978 - 1991.
Charlie's Angels 1976 - 1981.
Little House on the Prairie 1974 - 1983.
Doctor Who 1963 - 1989.
Gunsmoke 1955 - 1975.
Columbo 1968 - 2003.
Kojak 1973 - 1978.
All In The Family 1971 - 1979.
Laverne & Shirley 1976 - 1983.
The Odd Couple 1970 - 1974.
Bewitched 1964 - 1972.
Happy Days 1974 - 1984.
Sanford and Son 1972 - 1977.
Steptoe and Son 2nd Series 1970 - 1974.
Taxi 1978 - 1983.
Benson 1979 - 1986.
Sporting Changes In The 70's
Baseball
Players go on strike in 1972 the first players strike in sports history.
Players gain free agency after 6 years allowing them to demand higher wages.
Hank Aaron breaks the legendary Babe Ruths Record and sets a new record of 755 home runs in 1974 which stood for 30 more years
Basketball
The ABA or American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association NBA agree to merger accepting 4 new teams into the NBA Denver, New York, San Antonio and Indiana.
At the end of the 70's two major changes in the game happened 1. ESPN and 2. three point line added.
.
American Football
Division I, Division II and Division III set up in college football
The Steelers, Dolphins, Raiders, Vikings, Cowboys and Rams Dominate Respective Divisions
NFL extended its regular season to 16 games
Ice Hockey
Bobby Orr and Boston Bruins win Stanley Cup
Soviets Dominate World Championships and Olympics
Technology 1970's
The 70's were the start in many ways of the Electronics and digital revolution, with the invention of transistors and Integrated Circuits in the late 60's, companies now found ways to use the technology which caused the phenomenal growth in smaller more powerful and cheaper products ranging from Calculators to Televisions.
The 70's also saw the beginning of the Home Computer due to Intel creating the first cheap microprocessor - the Intel 4004, and other integrated circuits. In the beginning the computers were mainly for the hobbyists and included the Apple II, the TRS-80, the Commodore PET, and Atari 400/800 and with the growth of these home computers Bulletin Boards became a popular way for people to find others with similar interests
As people realized the power of these new home computers a new use was found and that was the beginning of the video game . When we look at those games now we see how basic they were but the technology available and the understanding of what could be done limited those early games.
With the invention earlier of the microwave oven and now the capability to manufacturer and sell cheaply many homes adopted the technology in their kitchens
Due in part to the increased use of the 747 a Jumbo Jet able to carry large numbers of passengers across continents air travel booms and causes new problems with pollution, delays and air traffic control
Inventions The Year Invented Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
Barcode ----- 1973 USA
E-Mail ----- 1971 USA
Floppy Disk ----- 1971 USA by Alan Shugart
Genetic Engineering ----- 1973 USA by S Cohen and H Boyer
Ink Jet Printer ----- 1976 USA
In Vitro Fertilisation ----- 1978 England "test tube baby"
Laser Printer ----- 1975 USA
LCDs ----- 1970 England by George Gray - Liquid Crystal Display
Microprocessor ----- 1971 USA
MRI Scanner ----- 1977 USA by Raymond Damadian
Personal Computer ----- 1975 USA
Space Station ----- 1973 USA Skylab
As with every decade big changes happened in my life in the seventies. In 1973 Bubba
Martha, and I left behind family and friends and moved to Florida. I took to the move quickly, loved Florida then and love Florida now. Bubba and Martha had a little harder time adjusting but after we had been here about 2 years I asked them if they would like to go back to Maryland and they both said no. Martha especially loved the life style that Florida had to offer.
33 years old when we moved to Florida Lots of energy then and loved to have fun and adventure .My dear friend George Mansfield could spend hours telling you about some of the fun. I am laughing as I type this. LOL Bubba and I had a philosophy about work and play. We worked very hard and put in some long hours but due to the wonderful life style in Florida we played hard also. Met some great friends that I am still friends with today.Did a lot of traveling, Bubba and I were standing on the street in Honolulu Hawaii awe struck, we looked at each other and said can you believe an ole country boy from West Virginia and a girl from a small town in Maryland are in this paradise. LOL
The population of Palm Beach County in 1973 was about 300,000, lots of room to ride off road vehicles, boating on the Inter coastal not a lot of boats on the water then. The population of Palm Beach County now is 1 million 300 thousand. The seventies were a fun decade.
Almost forgot, we got to see Elvis in concert in the 70's. LOL
Lots more just can't remember them all. LOL
To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in today's money
If you have $100 Converted from 1970 to 2011 it would be equivalent to $517.65 today
My first full year in business in in 1965 I netted 18,500 dollars that year, in about 1985 I would have had to netted about 70,000 a year to have the same buying power. The big jump in the inflation started in the seventies.
In 1970 a new house cost $23,400.00 and by 1979 was $58,500.00 In 1970 the average income per year was $9,350.00 and by 1979 was $17,550.00
Going back a bit I bought my first house in 1965. It was a beautiful brick home on 3/4 of an acre, 3 bedrooms, a full basement, 2 baths, a big living room with a huge front window to look out of. Are you ready for this? I paid 20,900 for this beautiful house.
In 1970 a gallon of gas was 36 cents and by 1979 was 86 cents
Backing up a bit again when I opened my first station in 1965 regular gas was 28.9 cents a gallon.
In 1970 the average cost of new car was $3,900.00 and by 1979 was $5,770.00
A few more prices from the 70's and how much things cost
Datsun 210 $3,869
Dodge Colt $4,785
Warm Leather Lined Boots $39.99 Car 8 Track Stereo Tape Player $38.99
CB Radio $147
Medium Eggs 25 cents per dozen Miracle Whip $1.09
King Size Bean Bag Chair $19.99
Porcelain Kitchen Sink $9.88
Quartz Alarm Clock $12.97
Country Ranch with 10 acres 3 bedroom large barn fruit and oak trees Vallejo California $59,200 1974
The oil crisis in 1973 was caused when Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), during the Yom Kippur War, announced that they would no longer ship petroleum to nations that had supported Israel in its conflict with Syria and Egypt , to the United States and its allies in Western Europe. It was also announced that the price for Oil would increase drastically. The west was by now dependent on oil and together with prices quadrupling and measures for rationing the western world went into recession and suffered massive inflationary pressure. At that time the United States did have their own oil reserves and although they were affected the biggest impact was on European Economies .
In 1973 I move to Florida and opened up a Shell Station. Not long after I opened the so called gas shortage hit. For those of you that were driving at that time you know what a nightmare that was. I would get to the station about 530:AM to open at 600:AM and the line of cars would be backed up about a half mile waiting to get gas. We only had a certain allocation so we would be open at the pumps for about 2 hours in the morning and about 2 more hours in the afternoon always with long, long, lines. And closed on Sunday, if I ran over my allocation I would have to wait to get more gas.
After nearly 10 years of war in Vietnam 1973 was also the year that allied forces pulled out of Vietnam
Another significant factor in the 70's was the growth in women's rights and women's role in society including the ability to decide when where and if they wished to have children ( partly through the availably of the contraceptive pill )
President Richard Nixon was forced to resign on 8th August as president of the United States due to imminent impeachment related to the Watergate scandal.
With the continuing Cold War between the East and West the arms race continued with each side trying to find the ultimate weapon
Popular Culture 1970's
The Waterbed The 70's produced many icons , one of those being the modern waterbed created by Charles Hall in 1968, This was fueled by the sexual revolution of the 70's encompassing the Waterbed .
Music 70's
Progressive rock created a new generation of bands including Genesis, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd. Many other singers and bands also started or strengthened their fan base including The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Queen, Black Sabbath .
In Europe, the music was not as progressive from bands like T Rex, Gary Glitter and David Bowie, and bands like Slade and the Sweet. and possibly the most successful in the 70's being ABBA
Some of the Most Well Known Movie Stars of the Seventies
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Clint Eastwood
John Wayne
Burt Reynolds
Al Pacino
Woody Allen
Barbra Streisand
TV Shows 1970s
The Streets of San Francisco 1972 - 1977.
The Waltons 1972 - 1981.
Chips 1977 - 1983.
Ironside 1967 - 1975.
Lassie 1954 - 1973.
Starsky and Hutch 1975 - 1979.
Dukes Of Hazzard 1979 - 1985.
The Benny Hill Show 1969 - 1989.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus 1969 - 1974.
The Muppet Show 1976 - 1981.
Bonanza 1959 - 1973.
The Brady Bunch 1969 - 1974.
Dallas 1978 - 1991.
Charlie's Angels 1976 - 1981.
Little House on the Prairie 1974 - 1983.
Doctor Who 1963 - 1989.
Gunsmoke 1955 - 1975.
Columbo 1968 - 2003.
Kojak 1973 - 1978.
All In The Family 1971 - 1979.
Laverne & Shirley 1976 - 1983.
The Odd Couple 1970 - 1974.
Bewitched 1964 - 1972.
Happy Days 1974 - 1984.
Sanford and Son 1972 - 1977.
Steptoe and Son 2nd Series 1970 - 1974.
Taxi 1978 - 1983.
Benson 1979 - 1986.
Sporting Changes In The 70's
Baseball
Players go on strike in 1972 the first players strike in sports history.
Players gain free agency after 6 years allowing them to demand higher wages.
Hank Aaron breaks the legendary Babe Ruths Record and sets a new record of 755 home runs in 1974 which stood for 30 more years
Basketball
The ABA or American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association NBA agree to merger accepting 4 new teams into the NBA Denver, New York, San Antonio and Indiana.
At the end of the 70's two major changes in the game happened 1. ESPN and 2. three point line added.
.
American Football
Division I, Division II and Division III set up in college football
The Steelers, Dolphins, Raiders, Vikings, Cowboys and Rams Dominate Respective Divisions
NFL extended its regular season to 16 games
Ice Hockey
Bobby Orr and Boston Bruins win Stanley Cup
Soviets Dominate World Championships and Olympics
Technology 1970's
The 70's were the start in many ways of the Electronics and digital revolution, with the invention of transistors and Integrated Circuits in the late 60's, companies now found ways to use the technology which caused the phenomenal growth in smaller more powerful and cheaper products ranging from Calculators to Televisions.
The 70's also saw the beginning of the Home Computer due to Intel creating the first cheap microprocessor - the Intel 4004, and other integrated circuits. In the beginning the computers were mainly for the hobbyists and included the Apple II, the TRS-80, the Commodore PET, and Atari 400/800 and with the growth of these home computers Bulletin Boards became a popular way for people to find others with similar interests
As people realized the power of these new home computers a new use was found and that was the beginning of the video game . When we look at those games now we see how basic they were but the technology available and the understanding of what could be done limited those early games.
With the invention earlier of the microwave oven and now the capability to manufacturer and sell cheaply many homes adopted the technology in their kitchens
Due in part to the increased use of the 747 a Jumbo Jet able to carry large numbers of passengers across continents air travel booms and causes new problems with pollution, delays and air traffic control
Inventions The Year Invented Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
Barcode ----- 1973 USA
E-Mail ----- 1971 USA
Floppy Disk ----- 1971 USA by Alan Shugart
Genetic Engineering ----- 1973 USA by S Cohen and H Boyer
Ink Jet Printer ----- 1976 USA
In Vitro Fertilisation ----- 1978 England "test tube baby"
Laser Printer ----- 1975 USA
LCDs ----- 1970 England by George Gray - Liquid Crystal Display
Microprocessor ----- 1971 USA
MRI Scanner ----- 1977 USA by Raymond Damadian
Personal Computer ----- 1975 USA
Space Station ----- 1973 USA Skylab
As with every decade big changes happened in my life in the seventies. In 1973 Bubba
Martha, and I left behind family and friends and moved to Florida. I took to the move quickly, loved Florida then and love Florida now. Bubba and Martha had a little harder time adjusting but after we had been here about 2 years I asked them if they would like to go back to Maryland and they both said no. Martha especially loved the life style that Florida had to offer.
33 years old when we moved to Florida Lots of energy then and loved to have fun and adventure .My dear friend George Mansfield could spend hours telling you about some of the fun. I am laughing as I type this. LOL Bubba and I had a philosophy about work and play. We worked very hard and put in some long hours but due to the wonderful life style in Florida we played hard also. Met some great friends that I am still friends with today.Did a lot of traveling, Bubba and I were standing on the street in Honolulu Hawaii awe struck, we looked at each other and said can you believe an ole country boy from West Virginia and a girl from a small town in Maryland are in this paradise. LOL
The population of Palm Beach County in 1973 was about 300,000, lots of room to ride off road vehicles, boating on the Inter coastal not a lot of boats on the water then. The population of Palm Beach County now is 1 million 300 thousand. The seventies were a fun decade.
Almost forgot, we got to see Elvis in concert in the 70's. LOL
Lots more just can't remember them all. LOL
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
A few pictures from the Sixties
The Beatles
Scence from Woodstock
Jimi Hendrick
Sixties styles
Martin Luther King
Keeping The Flame Of The Past Alive By Reliving Yesterday
The Past Is A Blast:
Keeping the flame of the past alive, start reliving yesterday today.
Got a little side tracked on my review of the decades,
been through the 40's and 50's now on to the sixties.
This is a lot of fun going back over the decades since I was born. Reliving the happy moments, remembering things that I had forgot about, etc. but the change in the statistics is very interesting.
Population:
40's 132,122,000 50's 151,684,000 60's 177,830,000
Life expectancy:
40's Women 68.2 Men 60.8
50's Women 71.1 Men 65.6
60's Women 73.1 Men 66.6
Average salaries:
40's $1,299
50's $2,992
60's $4,743
Yes that is the average yearly salary. From the time I graduated from high school in 1958 until I went in business for myself in 1965 the most money I ever made in a years was $5,500.
Minimum Wage
60's
$ 1.00 an hour
News and events from the 60's:
1961 Peace Corps created by JFK
1963 Martin Luther King delivered his, I have a dream speech
1963 President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas,
ask any body in my age bracket where they where and what they were doing and I bet they will remember.
1963 Lyndon Johnson becomes President
1967 The birth control pill became widely available.
As the 60's progressed the hippie movement endorsed drugs, this is just my opinion, the start of the down fall of the country. They endorsed rock music, mystic religions, and sexual freedom. They opposed violence, 400,000 young people gathered in a spirit of love and sharing at The Woodstock Festival which represents the pinnacle of the hippie movement. Many hippies moved to Haight Asbury in San Francisco, East Village in New York City, or lived in communes.
The Vietnam War started. The draft was accelerated and the anti-war sentiment grew in the USA. College students organized anti-war protests, many dodged the draft by fleeing to Canada. President Johnson was blamed for the war and the racial unrest in the country and decided not to run for reelection. John Kennedy's brother Robert decided to run for President and he was assassinated.
Both Malcom X and Martin Luther Kind were also assassinated, Malcom in 1965, and Martin in 1968.
I opened my first gas station in Odenton, Maryland right across the street from the Fort Meade Army Base in 1965.
I was 25 years old. Over the years I employed many military men part time at my station, seen a lot of them leave for Vietnam and sadly not come back.
In 1960 Elvis returned from the U.S. Army and back into music, joining top charters from the 50's like Bobby Darin, Neil Sedaka, Jerry Lee Lewis, Paul Anka, and Frankie Avalon.
However change was in the air. The Motown Record Company came on the scene. Their specialty was rhythm and blues. They were aide by the emergence of female groups such as Glady's Knight and there Pips, the Supreme's, and Aretha Franklin as well as their male counterparts, including Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and the Temptations.
Folk music made a revival by such stars as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. For those in high school a big group was The Beach Boys.
Chubby Checker introduced the Twist on American Bandstand with Dick Clark in 1961 and a new craze was born. It was a dance you didn't need a partner for.
I don't know if any younger people read my BLOG or not, if they do this is where they will say WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? LOL because it was also the decade of the Mashed Potato, the Swim, the Watusi, the Monkey, and the Jerk.
Fellows had crew cuts, and bouffant's were the style for the ladies. Knee length dresses were replaced by miniskirts, or hot pants often worn with go-go-boots, revealing a lot of leg and curves. LOL
Even the guys had longer hair, along with beards and moustaches. Men's clothes were bright colors, double-breasted sports jackets, polyester pant suits with Nehru jackets, and turtlenecks were in.
Unisex dressing was popular. Think of bell-bottomed jeans, love beads, and embellished t-shirts and you had the look. I just know that all of you in my age bracket are running all this through your mind right now. LOL
As an avid sports fan in those days the 60's provided me with my highest thrill as a sports fan as along with some of my best friends we were there to see the Baltimore Orioles sweep the Los Angelo's Dodgers in 4 games beating two of the best pitches ever Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
It was also the decade of my biggest disappointment when in 1969 I was lucky enough to go to Super Bowl 3 in Miami, " my first trip to Florida by the way " only to see at that time the biggest upset in pro football when the New York Jets beat my beloved Baltimore Colts, haven't got over that one yet. LOL
Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were the super stars of the golf world.
And of course you can't remember the 60's with out remembering the Beatles, they took America by storm, I wasn't a big fan of them then but now I love to listen to their music.
In the space race Alan Shepard was the first American in space in 1961, John Glenn was the first to orbit the earth in 1963, and of course who could ever forget that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon in 1969.
I don't know how many people read these reviews of the decades but I do know I am having a ball doing them. Each decade some things very significant. Some life changing things have happened to me in each decade, leaving West Virginia, getting married and becoming a father in the 50's, going in business for myself in the 60's are just a very few of the many things and I am having a ball reliving a lot of them.
Next the 70's
Keeping the flame of the past alive, start reliving yesterday today.
Got a little side tracked on my review of the decades,
been through the 40's and 50's now on to the sixties.
This is a lot of fun going back over the decades since I was born. Reliving the happy moments, remembering things that I had forgot about, etc. but the change in the statistics is very interesting.
Population:
40's 132,122,000 50's 151,684,000 60's 177,830,000
Life expectancy:
40's Women 68.2 Men 60.8
50's Women 71.1 Men 65.6
60's Women 73.1 Men 66.6
Average salaries:
40's $1,299
50's $2,992
60's $4,743
Yes that is the average yearly salary. From the time I graduated from high school in 1958 until I went in business for myself in 1965 the most money I ever made in a years was $5,500.
Minimum Wage
60's
$ 1.00 an hour
News and events from the 60's:
1961 Peace Corps created by JFK
1963 Martin Luther King delivered his, I have a dream speech
1963 President Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas,
ask any body in my age bracket where they where and what they were doing and I bet they will remember.
1963 Lyndon Johnson becomes President
1967 The birth control pill became widely available.
As the 60's progressed the hippie movement endorsed drugs, this is just my opinion, the start of the down fall of the country. They endorsed rock music, mystic religions, and sexual freedom. They opposed violence, 400,000 young people gathered in a spirit of love and sharing at The Woodstock Festival which represents the pinnacle of the hippie movement. Many hippies moved to Haight Asbury in San Francisco, East Village in New York City, or lived in communes.
The Vietnam War started. The draft was accelerated and the anti-war sentiment grew in the USA. College students organized anti-war protests, many dodged the draft by fleeing to Canada. President Johnson was blamed for the war and the racial unrest in the country and decided not to run for reelection. John Kennedy's brother Robert decided to run for President and he was assassinated.
Both Malcom X and Martin Luther Kind were also assassinated, Malcom in 1965, and Martin in 1968.
I opened my first gas station in Odenton, Maryland right across the street from the Fort Meade Army Base in 1965.
I was 25 years old. Over the years I employed many military men part time at my station, seen a lot of them leave for Vietnam and sadly not come back.
In 1960 Elvis returned from the U.S. Army and back into music, joining top charters from the 50's like Bobby Darin, Neil Sedaka, Jerry Lee Lewis, Paul Anka, and Frankie Avalon.
However change was in the air. The Motown Record Company came on the scene. Their specialty was rhythm and blues. They were aide by the emergence of female groups such as Glady's Knight and there Pips, the Supreme's, and Aretha Franklin as well as their male counterparts, including Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and the Temptations.
Folk music made a revival by such stars as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. For those in high school a big group was The Beach Boys.
Chubby Checker introduced the Twist on American Bandstand with Dick Clark in 1961 and a new craze was born. It was a dance you didn't need a partner for.
I don't know if any younger people read my BLOG or not, if they do this is where they will say WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? LOL because it was also the decade of the Mashed Potato, the Swim, the Watusi, the Monkey, and the Jerk.
Fellows had crew cuts, and bouffant's were the style for the ladies. Knee length dresses were replaced by miniskirts, or hot pants often worn with go-go-boots, revealing a lot of leg and curves. LOL
Even the guys had longer hair, along with beards and moustaches. Men's clothes were bright colors, double-breasted sports jackets, polyester pant suits with Nehru jackets, and turtlenecks were in.
Unisex dressing was popular. Think of bell-bottomed jeans, love beads, and embellished t-shirts and you had the look. I just know that all of you in my age bracket are running all this through your mind right now. LOL
As an avid sports fan in those days the 60's provided me with my highest thrill as a sports fan as along with some of my best friends we were there to see the Baltimore Orioles sweep the Los Angelo's Dodgers in 4 games beating two of the best pitches ever Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
It was also the decade of my biggest disappointment when in 1969 I was lucky enough to go to Super Bowl 3 in Miami, " my first trip to Florida by the way " only to see at that time the biggest upset in pro football when the New York Jets beat my beloved Baltimore Colts, haven't got over that one yet. LOL
Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were the super stars of the golf world.
And of course you can't remember the 60's with out remembering the Beatles, they took America by storm, I wasn't a big fan of them then but now I love to listen to their music.
In the space race Alan Shepard was the first American in space in 1961, John Glenn was the first to orbit the earth in 1963, and of course who could ever forget that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon in 1969.
I don't know how many people read these reviews of the decades but I do know I am having a ball doing them. Each decade some things very significant. Some life changing things have happened to me in each decade, leaving West Virginia, getting married and becoming a father in the 50's, going in business for myself in the 60's are just a very few of the many things and I am having a ball reliving a lot of them.
Next the 70's
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The Fifties A Great, Great, Decade
Looking back other than my Father passing away in 1952 I have almost nothing but great memories of the fifties. So many things happened to me in that decade that shaped my life and are still some of the most wonderful things in my life to this day.
My Mom and I moved from West Virginia to Maryland when I was 13 years old so my entire teen age years were spent there. Moving was very traumatic for me. I had one more year to go at my school in Cass, W. Va. I couldn't wait to go into the eight grade as I would have been able to go to Washington D. C. with the safety patrol and for a 12 year old kid from such a small town that was almost like a dream.
I also could not wait to be a freshman at Green Bank High School as I wanted to play football and basketball there. My hero was Bruce Bosley who played both sports there. He was an All American Football Player at West Virginia, and an All Pro Lineman with the San Francisco Forty Niners.
Moving from West Virginia to Maryland was almost like moving to another planet. I dressed different, I talked different, so I took a lot of good natured kidding, I was called a Hillbilly, was told that from walking on the mountains one leg was shorter than the other. Just a couple of examples, what they called soda I called it pop, what they called a branch or a stream I called it a creek, took a lot of kidding about that one and lots of other little things. Had to do a lot of adjusting.
Just a few highlights of the fifties for me. Met my best friend Butch, he is the brother I never had. Met and married Bubba, my daughter Martha was born.
Got my first car, 49 Mercury in 1956 or 1957, paid 75 dollars for it. The music from the fifties is still some of my favorites to this day.
My days at Ellicott City Junior High and Howard High School are still some of my fondest memories.
I could go on and on but enough about me. LOL
As I go through the different decades will try to take note of some of the changes. Example:
Forties population 132,122,000 Fifties 151,684,000
Life expectancy Forties women 68.2 men 60.8
Fifties women 71.1 men 65.6
Average salary forties 1,299 a year
fifties 2,992 a year
cost of a loaf of bread in the fifties was 0.14 cents a loaf
Important Historic and Cultural Events:
1953 The Korean War ended
1954 Racial segregation is ruled unconstitutional in
public schools by the U.S. Supreme Court
1956 Jonas Salk developed a vaccine for polio
1956 The Federal Highway Act is signed, marking the beginning of work on the interstate highway system.
1958 Explorer 1, the first U.S satellite successfully orbits the earth.
1958 The first domestic jet-liner passenger service is begun by National Airlines between New York City and Miami.
1959 Alaska and Hawaii became the forty-ninth and fiftieth states.
I see people with all these modern electronic devices and we had transistor radios, wow music could be heard in any location because it was now portable. LOL
People in the fifties loved sports. We had stars like Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Jim Brown, Frank Gifford, Johnny Unitas.etc.
Big names in basketball were Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, in boxing we had Sugar Ray Robinson and Rocky Marciano.
For us in Maryland we had the St. Louis Browns baseball team in 1954 come to Baltimore and become the Baltimore Orioles. We had the great Baltimore Colt teams of Johnny Unitas, Gino Marchettei, Raymond Berry and we have never forgotten the Colts playing in the first ever overtime game when they beat the New York Giants for the 1958 championship of pro football.
Fashion was blue jeans, poodle skirts, pony tails, for girls, flat tops and crew cuts for boys. Teenagers were defined as a separate generation and were represented by James Dean, who starred in Rebel Without A Cause and created a fashion and attitude sensation.
Fad hits with kids were toys like hula hoops, Hopalong Cassidy guns and western gear, Davy Crockett coon skin hats and silly putty.
And oh the music, when the fifties are mentioned the first music that comes to most peoples minds is That Good Old Rock And Roll. Developed from a blend of Southern blues, and gospel music with an added strong back beat, this type of music was popular with teenagers who were trying to break out of the mainstream, conservative, American middle class mold. Popular artists like Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, were promoted by just as popular Disc Jockeys like Alan Freed, Dick Clark and for us around Baltimore Buddy Dean. The deaths of Buddy Holley, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Booper are still lamented by fans to this day.
Music in the fifties was more than just Rock And Roll, crooners like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra , Perry Como, and Dinah Shore were all popular. The influence of these early stars is still felt in music worldwide. A lot of the songs of these stars is still being played on radios, home stereos, and CD players all over the world.
Perhaps the most far reaching change in communications worldwide was in the advancement of television. During the fifties television became the dominant mass media as people brought television into their homes in greater numbers of hours per week than ever before. The affect on print news media and entertainment media was felt in lower attendance at movies and greater reliance on TV news sources for information. In 1954 black and white broadcasts became color broadcasts. Shows called sitcoms like the Honeymooners, Lassie, Father Knows Best, The adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and I Love Lucy featured popular characters whose lives thousands of viewers watched and copied,Families enjoyed variety shows like Disneyland, The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evenings. Day time television was dominated by shows called Soap Operas some of which are still on today.
Those of us that were teenagers in the fifties are very biased when we say the fifties were the best time this country has ever know but historians in looking back at the growth of the United States are now saying the same thing.
I know for sure the fifties for me were a very happy time, I still have a lot of friends from those days and when any of us get together you can only the imagine the wonderful reminiscing we do.
My Mom and I moved from West Virginia to Maryland when I was 13 years old so my entire teen age years were spent there. Moving was very traumatic for me. I had one more year to go at my school in Cass, W. Va. I couldn't wait to go into the eight grade as I would have been able to go to Washington D. C. with the safety patrol and for a 12 year old kid from such a small town that was almost like a dream.
I also could not wait to be a freshman at Green Bank High School as I wanted to play football and basketball there. My hero was Bruce Bosley who played both sports there. He was an All American Football Player at West Virginia, and an All Pro Lineman with the San Francisco Forty Niners.
Moving from West Virginia to Maryland was almost like moving to another planet. I dressed different, I talked different, so I took a lot of good natured kidding, I was called a Hillbilly, was told that from walking on the mountains one leg was shorter than the other. Just a couple of examples, what they called soda I called it pop, what they called a branch or a stream I called it a creek, took a lot of kidding about that one and lots of other little things. Had to do a lot of adjusting.
Just a few highlights of the fifties for me. Met my best friend Butch, he is the brother I never had. Met and married Bubba, my daughter Martha was born.
Got my first car, 49 Mercury in 1956 or 1957, paid 75 dollars for it. The music from the fifties is still some of my favorites to this day.
My days at Ellicott City Junior High and Howard High School are still some of my fondest memories.
I could go on and on but enough about me. LOL
As I go through the different decades will try to take note of some of the changes. Example:
Forties population 132,122,000 Fifties 151,684,000
Life expectancy Forties women 68.2 men 60.8
Fifties women 71.1 men 65.6
Average salary forties 1,299 a year
fifties 2,992 a year
cost of a loaf of bread in the fifties was 0.14 cents a loaf
Important Historic and Cultural Events:
1953 The Korean War ended
1954 Racial segregation is ruled unconstitutional in
public schools by the U.S. Supreme Court
1956 Jonas Salk developed a vaccine for polio
1956 The Federal Highway Act is signed, marking the beginning of work on the interstate highway system.
1958 Explorer 1, the first U.S satellite successfully orbits the earth.
1958 The first domestic jet-liner passenger service is begun by National Airlines between New York City and Miami.
1959 Alaska and Hawaii became the forty-ninth and fiftieth states.
I see people with all these modern electronic devices and we had transistor radios, wow music could be heard in any location because it was now portable. LOL
People in the fifties loved sports. We had stars like Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Jim Brown, Frank Gifford, Johnny Unitas.etc.
Big names in basketball were Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy, Jerry West, in boxing we had Sugar Ray Robinson and Rocky Marciano.
For us in Maryland we had the St. Louis Browns baseball team in 1954 come to Baltimore and become the Baltimore Orioles. We had the great Baltimore Colt teams of Johnny Unitas, Gino Marchettei, Raymond Berry and we have never forgotten the Colts playing in the first ever overtime game when they beat the New York Giants for the 1958 championship of pro football.
Fashion was blue jeans, poodle skirts, pony tails, for girls, flat tops and crew cuts for boys. Teenagers were defined as a separate generation and were represented by James Dean, who starred in Rebel Without A Cause and created a fashion and attitude sensation.
Fad hits with kids were toys like hula hoops, Hopalong Cassidy guns and western gear, Davy Crockett coon skin hats and silly putty.
And oh the music, when the fifties are mentioned the first music that comes to most peoples minds is That Good Old Rock And Roll. Developed from a blend of Southern blues, and gospel music with an added strong back beat, this type of music was popular with teenagers who were trying to break out of the mainstream, conservative, American middle class mold. Popular artists like Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, were promoted by just as popular Disc Jockeys like Alan Freed, Dick Clark and for us around Baltimore Buddy Dean. The deaths of Buddy Holley, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Booper are still lamented by fans to this day.
Music in the fifties was more than just Rock And Roll, crooners like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra , Perry Como, and Dinah Shore were all popular. The influence of these early stars is still felt in music worldwide. A lot of the songs of these stars is still being played on radios, home stereos, and CD players all over the world.
Perhaps the most far reaching change in communications worldwide was in the advancement of television. During the fifties television became the dominant mass media as people brought television into their homes in greater numbers of hours per week than ever before. The affect on print news media and entertainment media was felt in lower attendance at movies and greater reliance on TV news sources for information. In 1954 black and white broadcasts became color broadcasts. Shows called sitcoms like the Honeymooners, Lassie, Father Knows Best, The adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and I Love Lucy featured popular characters whose lives thousands of viewers watched and copied,Families enjoyed variety shows like Disneyland, The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday evenings. Day time television was dominated by shows called Soap Operas some of which are still on today.
Those of us that were teenagers in the fifties are very biased when we say the fifties were the best time this country has ever know but historians in looking back at the growth of the United States are now saying the same thing.
I know for sure the fifties for me were a very happy time, I still have a lot of friends from those days and when any of us get together you can only the imagine the wonderful reminiscing we do.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Being born, and growing up in the 1940's
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.
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 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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