How old is grandma?
day
9,611 Posts
I just got this email from an in-law.
Makes you wonder what we'll see in our lifetime, yaddamanga?
Makes you wonder what we'll see in our lifetime, yaddamanga?
Think about that.How old is Grandma?
Stay with this -- the answer is at the end -- it will blow you away.
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events.
The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at
schools, the computer age, and just things in general.
The Grandma replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:
polio shots,
frozen foods,
Xerox,
contact lenses,
Frisbees and
the pill.
There was no:
credit cards,
laser beams or
ball-point pens.
Man had not invented:
pantyhose,
air conditioners,
dishwashers,
clothes dryers,
and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and
man hadn't yet walked on the moon.
Your Grandfather and I got married first-and then lived together.
Almost every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than I, 'Sir'- and after I turned
25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir.'
We were before gay-rights, computer- dating, dual careers, daycare centers,
and group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common
sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up
and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger
privilege.
We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.
Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening
breeze started.
Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and
weekends-not purchasing condominiums.
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt,
or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our
radios.
And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy
IS'NT.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan' on it, it was junk.
The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.
Pizza Hut and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10
cents.
Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a
nickel.
And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough
stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.
You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600 but who could afford one?
Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.
In my day:
"grass" was mowed,
"coke" was a cold drink,
"pot" was something your mother cooked in and
"rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
"Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office,
"chip" meant a piece of wood,
"hardware" was found in a hardware store and
"software" wasn't even a word.
And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a
husband to have a baby. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there
is a generation gap... and how old do you think I am?
I bet you have this old lady in mind...you are in for a shock!
...
This Woman would be only 58 years old[/b]
Comments
The exponential curve of the development of both technology and society as a whole is boredrline frightening.
i think my grandma is 96 this year but this past year has been real rough for her
this is the last grand parent i have alive
my other grandma died a few years back and i was a total wreck. she was in vancouver and i couldnt take off school and all that shit to go for the funeral and my moms was the only one who could go and i still feel bad about that. i think that was one of the only times that i was really sad about some shit in the past few years and not to be negative or nothing but i cant imagine how fucked up i will be when my other grandma goes
Yes.
I'm down to my last grandparent (my father's mother). She is 81 years old, and God bless her, she still has a lot of kick left in her. I find it unnerving to have one grandparent left because this means that death will begin to visit the generation behind them (i.e., my parents). I think about how I could cope with the death of a parent and surmise that I could not (very well, anyway). Sure, I've had issues with my parents but I love them and I want them around. The thought of their mortality bothers me. This is inevitable as time marches on.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
yup
Subtle revisionism?
I used to feel this way, then I heard an argument that said basically: given that the time of your birth was accidental and random, that it is highly unlikely that you were either born in the end or beginning of our species. Most likely, you were born in the middle. Considering, that most mammal species have a lifetime of about ten million years, I predict we will slog through for about half that long. The question is, will we as a humans learn to use our new technologies and develop a planetary intelligence and all work towards one common goal, or are we not smart enough for that? Or is Gaeia planning on self-regulating us?
I really feel this. I catch myself thinking about this from time to time, because my parents' ages are really starting to show. They had me and my brother pretty late in the game, so they're about the same age as most of my friends' grandparents. I hate when I start thinking about this shit, but you can't really control that sometimes. I can't even process the thought of their mortality well. I can't even begin to imagine beyond that. Just gotta make sure I take none of my time with them, even if its just a phone call, for granted, you know? Anyway, I feel you.
I miss my grandmas
Hey Tiger,
I know what you mean about the "showing of age" on parents. I notice, especially with my mom, some slumping of the shoulders and age on the face. They are now in their 60s, and they're slowing starting to look like old people. I never fathomed that this would happen (as strange as this sounds), I always thought of them as those youthful people who parented me as a kid. Mom and dad were always so vital and energetic, and now they move more slowly. Dad still thinks he's the man of old, but passed out mowing the grass in 90+ degree North Carolina heat. I keep tellin' him he needs to ease back. That's odd cause he was always such a tough, hardworking, seemingly indestructible individual that I greatly admire. Mom is retired and chillin', but is not as fast-moving and manic as she used to be. She's talking louder over the phone which suggests to me some hearing loss is creeping in. I guess our parents can't be forever young, but the thought of their inevitable deaths is too painful to face. I'm nearly in tears typing this. These are two wonderful people that molded me into the man I am today. I will be forever indebted to them for the invaluable lessons they've taught me. My mom and dad speak to me daily (mentally) advising me on the correct moves to make regarding my life, being a good person, and the importance of leaving a legacy and mark on the world before I die. I can't imagine life without them.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
That's interesting, but they cheated a little. Obviously grandma wouldn't remember stuff starting from birth, so it's more likely she's about 70.
But still, that's true. And entertaining. But I can do it too.
"day-
before i was born
there was no high def tv
no mp3s
for all intents and purposes, no internet
no real doll
no molds of porn stars' vaginas
at the library we had card catalogs
and oh, by the way, that's where we had to go to answer ANYTHING
there was no segway
no viagra
no AIDS
and people still dropped iodine in their newborn's eyes;
no CDs
DeLoreans had yet to be manufactured
and only 1 star wars movie."
HOW OLD AM I? :P
You can still make me laugh... even though I hate you.
It's ok. You had a mullet.
Motherf**kers like this shouldn't be allowed to use the internet, or at least they should be relegated to some alternate internet that isn't compatible with the internet that I use so that I never, ever have to be annoyed by this type of reactionary bullschitt.
We think alike--frightening.