Back In My Day...

[Moiraine]

It took one hour to download a 4 minute song (using mIRC or pIRCh - pre-Napster).

 

When someone called the house it disconnected the internet.

 

Our printer paper had the perforated dots and the printer sounded like a screaming raptor for each line it printed.

[NM11046]

There was no call waiting, no voice mail and many people didn't even have answering machines.

 

Everybody in the neighborhood got either a morning or an evening newspaper delivered.

 

I wasn't allowed to call anybody stupid or dumb or say shut up, and the phrase "I hate _____ " would result in punishment or a pop in the mouth.

[huKSer]

The TV remote was my little brother.

[Landlord]

first they banned power rangers

 

then they banned pogs

 

then they banned gigapets

 

then they banned gel pens

 

then they banned pokemon

[commando]

does anyone remember "party lines"? you had to pick up the phone...then listen to see if your neighbors were talking on the line or not. if they were using the line you had to wait to make your phone call.

 

i remember the milk box on the porch. we left the empty milk bottles in the box and the milkman would pick them up and leave new bottles full of milk in the box.

 

coke came in glass bottles....not aluminum cans or plastic bottles.

 

although it wasn't normal at the time...my grandfathers house didn't have indoor plumbing so we had to use the outhouse. those South Dakota winters left that a bitter prospect sometimes.

[JJ Husker]

You could dial a phone number using only the last 5 digits.

 

Pop and beer cans had a pull tab that completely detached from the non-aluminum can.

 

Gas was about .40c/gal. People were up in arms over the price when it approached $1.00. In the mid to late 70's there was a gas "shortage" and people would get in hour + long line waiting to fill up.

 

There were no remote controls. The TV had a 13 position rotary selector switch. At least there were way fewer commercials.

 

No satellites, smartphones, texting, fax machines, tablets, computers, digital anything. Writing and mailing letters was a thing. People actually knew how to talk on the phone and would converse in person.

[NM11046]

I remember when the first music video came out and we would stay up late to watch Friday Night Videos.

 

When only one of my "rich" friends had a VHS recorder and it was HUGE.

 

Two words - Trapper Keeper. I never actually owned one ... too expensive.

[huKSer]

I remember laying on the floor next to the window air conditioner.

 

The lowest gas price I remember in Lincoln was 18 cents.

 

I remember the milk man

 

The post man came around twice a day. Morning to pick up and afternoon to deliver.

 

Not quite in the same vein but:

I remember the neighbor lady coming over and crying with my mom on the day JFK was shot. I was upset because Saturday morning cartoons were pre-empted for news coverage.

 

I teach and every few years I have to move the goal post for what the students know - like "Remember 9-11?" "No, I just born"

[NM11046]

Jello Pudding Pops

 

Shag carpet rakes

[BigRedBuster]

does anyone remember "party lines"? you had to pick up the phone...then listen to see if your neighbors were talking on the line or not. if they were using the line you had to wait to make your phone call.

 

i remember the milk box on the porch. we left the empty milk bottles in the box and the milkman would pick them up and leave new bottles full of milk in the box.

 

coke came in glass bottles....not aluminum cans or plastic bottles.

 

although it wasn't normal at the time...my grandfathers house didn't have indoor plumbing so we had to use the outhouse. those South Dakota winters left that a bitter prospect sometimes.

You and I must be close to the same age.

[Scratchtown]

I remember laying on the floor next to the window air conditioner.

 

The lowest gas price I remember in Lincoln was 18 cents.

 

I remember the milk man

 

The post man came around twice a day. Morning to pick up and afternoon to deliver.

 

Not quite in the same vein but:

I remember the neighbor lady coming over and crying with my mom on the day JFK was shot. I was upset because Saturday morning cartoons were pre-empted for news coverage.

 

I teach and every few years I have to move the goal post for what the students know - like "Remember 9-11?" "No, I just born"

The lowest I ever remember seeing gas was 1.12

 

When I turned 16, it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.70-1.90. I had a 9 gallon gas tank (Toyota) and it cost me short of 18 bucks to fill up. When I turned 21 gas had hiked all the way to like 3.40 or higher? I don't even remember. I just remember thinking there was no going back, well, I was wrong and I LOVE 2.15 gas.

[Scratchtown]

I still remember most of my childhood friends house phone numbers because you always had to call and ask the parent if "so n so" was there. Could I talk to him please?

 

"Hey, Brent, were getting the boys together down at the football field to play. Wanna join?"

 

Kids don't do that anymore, that's for sure.

[mrandyk]

Being born in 91, I had a weird childhood were I can both vividly remember the inconveniences of the 90s and advancements of the new millennium before coming of age. it's especially odd when comparing my childhood to my youngest brother's who was born in 03. I didn't have internet until I was 11 and it was dialup, younger brother at the age of 11 is playing Call of Duty online against whatever strangers he happens upon. I feel more like a grandpa than an older brother when comparing technologies I had at my age to what he has at his age.

[DrunkOffPunch]

Msn messenger had great emojis.

[NUance]

When all the family got together we made home made ice cream in the ole White Mountain 6 quart, hand crank freezer. And we talked Nebraska football. Come to think of it, we still do that.