When I was your age, I......?

[JohnZ]

I spent the last several days with my sons, daughters and grandchildren. The grandkids spent a lot of time on Papa JohnZ's lap and there were many opportunities to pass-on some words of wisdom to young eager ears. "When I was your age", prefaced many sentences and they waited with bated breath to hear what came next. If you've had such conversations with the little ones.....how did you end the sentence...."when I was your age, I....."?

[nONIE]

didnt get all these toys for Christmas.

You know, there are kids in this world that dont have any toys at all! dont you think that that is sad? (not sure it made any impression at all!)

[Taltarzac]

When I was your age... a man had still not walked on the moon. And, a woman has yet to.

[KathieI]

I can't remember yesterday, never mind when I was that age!!! :dontknow:

[Muncle]

Several years ago, the Washington Post ran the Style Invitational, a contest with a different topic each week. One week, readers were asked to tell Gen-Xers how much harder they had it in the old days:

Second Runner-Up:
In my day, we couldn't afford shoes, so we went barefoot. In the winter we had to wrap our feet with barbed wire for traction.

First Runner-Up:
In my day we didn't have MTV or in-line skates, or any of that stuff. No, it was 45s and regular old metal-wheeled roller skates, and the 45s always skipped, so to get them to play right you'd weigh the needle down with something like quarters, which we never had because our allowances were too small, so we'd use our skate keys instead and end up forgetting they were taped to the record player arm so that we couldn't adjust our skates, which didn't really matter because those crummy metal wheels would kill you if you hit a pebble anyway, and in those days roads had real pebbles on them, not like today. (Russell Beland, Springfield)

And the winner of the velour bicentennial poster:
In my day, we didn't have no rocks. We had to go down to the creek and wash our clothes by beating them with our heads.
(Barry Blyveis, Columbia)

Honorable Mentions:
In my day, we didn't have dogs or cats. All I had was Silver Beauty, my beloved paper clip. (Jennifer Hart, Arlington)

Back in the 1970s we didn't have the space shuttle to get all excited about. We had to settle for men walking on the crummy moon. (Russell Beland, Springfield)

In my day, we didn't have days. There was only time for work, time for prayer and time for sleep. The sheriff would go around and tell everyone when to change. (Elden Carnahan, Laurel)

In my day, people could only dream of hitchhiking a ride on a comet. (David Ronka, Charlottesville)

In my day, we didn't have fancy health-food restaurants. Every day we ate lots of easily recognizable animal parts, along with potatoes drenched in melted fat from those animals. And we're all as strong as
GKK-GAAK
Urrgh.
Thud.
(Tom Witte, Gaithersburg)

In my day, we didn't have hand-held calculators. We had to do addition on our fingers. To subtract, we had to have some finger samputated. (Jon Patrick Smith, Washington)

In my day, we didn't have water. We had to smash together our own hydrogen and oxygen atoms. (Diana Hugue, Bowie)

In my day, we didn't have Strom Thurmond. Oh, wait. Yes we did.
(Peg Sheeran, Vienna)

Kids today think the world revolves around them. In my day, the sun revolved around the world, and the world was perched on the back of a giant tortoise. (Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park)

In my day, we didn't have virtual reality. If a one-eyed razorback barbarian warrior was chasing you with an ax, you just had to hope you could outrun him. (Sarah M. Wolford, Hanover)

[redwitch]

When I was your age, we only had 3 main tv channels and 1 independent. You actually got up to change the channel, there was no such thing as remote. Heck, most people didn't have a tv -- we would all congregate at Deb's house cause her folks were rich and had a tv!

We played outside as much as we could. Staying inside meant mom would find something for us to do -- like a chore.

Food was overcooked and mushy. Fresh veggies were rare -- canned veggies were the thing.

[chelsea24]

We had to walk to school, even alone! It was safer than. Had a black and white TV and yes, watched 3 channels. Saturday morning cartoons. My mother made coffee on the stove and yes slow cooked food. Nothing nuked. Washed and dryed dishes by hand. Had a clothes wringer on the round washing machine. All the kids on the blocked played together in the ally and we left garage doors open a lot with tables of food and snacks. We felt welcome in all the neighbors houses. Had to dress up for school. Had to dress up for church including hat or scarf. Went drive-in movies and drive-in diners. Had to be home before the street lights came on. Wonderful memories. :bigthumbsup:

[eujaynia]

:joke: OMG ... this cracked me up! I have tears streaming down my face from laughing so hard! I especially loved the very last one!



Several years ago, the Washington Post ran the Style Invitational, a contest with a different topic each week. One week, readers were asked to tell Gen-Xers how much harder they had it in the old days:

Second Runner-Up:
In my day, we couldn't afford shoes, so we went barefoot. In the winter we had to wrap our feet with barbed wire for traction.

First Runner-Up:
In my day we didn't have MTV or in-line skates, or any of that stuff. No, it was 45s and regular old metal-wheeled roller skates, and the 45s always skipped, so to get them to play right you'd weigh the needle down with something like quarters, which we never had because our allowances were too small, so we'd use our skate keys instead and end up forgetting they were taped to the record player arm so that we couldn't adjust our skates, which didn't really matter because those crummy metal wheels would kill you if you hit a pebble anyway, and in those days roads had real pebbles on them, not like today. (Russell Beland, Springfield)

And the winner of the velour bicentennial poster:
In my day, we didn't have no rocks. We had to go down to the creek and wash our clothes by beating them with our heads.
(Barry Blyveis, Columbia)

Honorable Mentions:
In my day, we didn't have dogs or cats. All I had was Silver Beauty, my beloved paper clip. (Jennifer Hart, Arlington)

Back in the 1970s we didn't have the space shuttle to get all excited about. We had to settle for men walking on the crummy moon. (Russell Beland, Springfield)

In my day, we didn't have days. There was only time for work, time for prayer and time for sleep. The sheriff would go around and tell everyone when to change. (Elden Carnahan, Laurel)

In my day, people could only dream of hitchhiking a ride on a comet. (David Ronka, Charlottesville)

In my day, we didn't have fancy health-food restaurants. Every day we ate lots of easily recognizable animal parts, along with potatoes drenched in melted fat from those animals. And we're all as strong as
GKK-GAAK
Urrgh.
Thud.
(Tom Witte, Gaithersburg)

In my day, we didn't have hand-held calculators. We had to do addition on our fingers. To subtract, we had to have some finger samputated. (Jon Patrick Smith, Washington)

In my day, we didn't have water. We had to smash together our own hydrogen and oxygen atoms. (Diana Hugue, Bowie)

In my day, we didn't have Strom Thurmond. Oh, wait. Yes we did.
(Peg Sheeran, Vienna)

Kids today think the world revolves around them. In my day, the sun revolved around the world, and the world was perched on the back of a giant tortoise. (Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park)

In my day, we didn't have virtual reality. If a one-eyed razorback barbarian warrior was chasing you with an ax, you just had to hope you could outrun him. (Sarah M. Wolford, Hanover)

[redwitch]

Jess reminded me of the one she has heard the most -- In my day, we couldn't wear pants to school. Girls wore skirts and if they were too short (determined by kneeling on the floor), the dean of girls would pin crepe paper to the hem. If it was really cold, it was a skirt with pants underneath.

[Bubbalarry]

When I was your age, I never had a parent or grandparent who loved me enough to take the time to ask my thoughts. We were seen and not heard. We were told that we were still wet behind the ears and to keep our thoughts to ourselves.

Today we take the time, or at least I do.

[The Great Fumar]

In my day we were so poor that we didn't have a tv. Dad just pasted a funny paper picture of orphan annie on the old philco , What griped me is I didn't notice it for seven months.....

whoe is fumar

[PJ]

When I was your age, I ....
was expected to be seen and not heard.
was judged and criticized, and not praised or encouraged in any way.
was battered & bruised by a big bully brother (who was not punished for it).
never felt loved or valued by my parents.

Ditto to your comments, Bubbalarry!!

Yes I've tried to rise above the way I was brought up, and improve on that with my own kids & G'kids, by listening, encouraging, loving them, and trying to inspire them. They're so wonderful!

Thank you Muncle for reminding me of the great Style Invitational! I was a big fan of it, and even recognized those names of the regular contributors. Your post had me laughing out loud. I loved it! So funny... Thanks!

[Muncle]

Thank you Muncle for reminding me of the great Style Invitational! I was a big fan of it, and even recognized those names of the regular contributors. Your post had me laughing out loud. I loved it! So funny... Thanks!


I too really enjoyed those columns. Some of them were priceless. When this one was announced, I decided I'd finally try my hand at it. I had a sure winner, I thought.

"In the old days, we didn't have any of that fancy electricity. We had to sit around and watch TV by candlelight."

I was sure that would win, or a least get honorable mention. And since I was entering, I added a couple others just as space fillers. Wouldn't you know it that my gem bombed big time and my throw-in got 2nd runner-up. Got a "Loser" t-shirt out of it. 040 :2excited:

[Barefoot]

When I was your age we had a summer cottage with no electricity or indoor plumbing. :yikes:
We could use the outhouse during the night and risk stepping on snakes or go in a little chamber pot kept under our bunk beds. Boy, am I glad I'm not your age anymore!! ;D

[SteveZ]

When I was your age.....people all over the country actually lived by the lyrics of "Okie from Muscogee" and were proud of it!

[F16 1UB]

When I was your age we sat together as a family of 5 for nightly dinner, bowed are heads in prayer, ate a salad first, (yuk) then the main course all under candlelight. The neighbor kids thought we were rich. No tv on either.