WE ARE SURVIVORS.........for those born before 1950

[Ellas mum]

We were born before television,penicillin, polio shots and frozen food. Before Xerox,plastic,contact lenses,videos,Frisbees,and the Pill. We were born before radar, credit cards,split atoms, laser beams and ball point pens. Before dishwashers, tumble driers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes.....and before man walked on the moon.

We got married first and then lived together (how quaint can you be?). We thought 'Fast Food' was what you ate in Lent, a 'Big Mac' was an oversized raincoat and 'Crumpet' was something you had for tea! We existed before house-husbands, computer dating, dual careers, and when a 'Meaningful relationship' meant getting along with your cousins. 'Sheltered Accomodation' was where you waited for a bus.

We were born before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies. We'd never heard of FM radio, tape decks, electric typewriters, artificial hearts, word processors, yoghurt or young men wearing earrings, For us, 'Time-shareing' meant togetherness, a 'Chip' was a piece of wood or a fried potato, 'Hardware' meant nuts and bolts and 'Software' wasn't a word!

Before 1950, 'Made in Japan' meant junk!, the term 'Making Out' referred to how you did in your exams, 'Stud' was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and 'Going all the Way' meant staying on a double-decker all the way to the depot. Pizza's McDonalds and instant coffee were unheard of.

In our day, cigarette smoking was 'Fashonable' , 'Grass' was something that was mown and and 'Coke' was kept in a coal house. A 'Joint' was a piece of meat you had on Sunday's, and 'Pot' was something you cooked it in.

'Rock Music' was a grandmothers lullaby, 'Eldorado' was an ice-cream, a 'Gay' person was the life and soul of the party and nothing more, while 'Aids' just meant beauty treatment, diet pills or help for someone in trouble.

We, who were born before 1950, must be a hardy bunch, when you think of the ways in which the world has changed and the adjustments we have had to make. No wonder we're so confused and there's a generation gap today......BUT.....BY THE GRACE OF GOD....WE HAVE SURVIVED.

[janrobinson]

love it, Couldn't believe there was so much. Isn't it amazing that we have been on this planet for thousands of years and yet it is only in the last 50 years that all this has happened. What was happening before.

[lynn wise]

BRILLIANT, were we the chosen few. Must admit, I do think times were much nicer then. Or is that just an age thing?
Either way, it upsets me to think that todays liitle ones don't have that age of innocence anymore.

[sonia]

I'm not one of the chosen few
I was a 60's baby, but do remember that life was far simpler then.
My Dad died when i was 12 and often think back then and think what if he came back what a shock it would be :O
There where no satalite dishes, microwaves, mobile phones, sat nav's etc etc

[John]

It was a different world in those days. All schoolboys carried a pocket knife, with no thoughts of stabbing someone. I remember as a 13 year old boy in the mid 50's, regulaly travelling on the bus to the Royal Grammer School rifle range carrying a bolt action .22 rifle (minus the bolt) and no one turned a hair!

My school kept pigs and chickens on the "Allotment" which was about a quarter of a mile from the school, across 3 main roads. Every afternoon two children were detailed to push the "Swill cart" from the school canteen to the allotment to feed the animals, without any supervision. And we are all still alive! (Well, we were when we left school!)

Regards, John