There’s an old shopping center (or strip mall, if you’re from Jersey), about halfway between my house and where my daughters live, that’s been under renovation for the last few years. I recently stopped by their apartment with some coffee (or cawfee) and mentioned how there’s a drive-thru Starbucks where the Fotomat used to be.
“What’s a Fotomat?”
Oh, right… because the nearest thing to dropping off a roll of film to be developed my kids remember is Price Club… which exists now as Costco… but I still call it Price Club… and it’s right up there with 110 cameras and flash cubes we grew up with in the 70s and the 80s.
What are some of the things from your childhood that no longer exist or are super rare?
Feb 16, 2023Liked by Margit Detweiler, Liz Thompson
Using the school library encyclopedias for research projects. I've tried to explain to my kids how there were limited sets available, and the ensuing Hunger Games-esque race to get to "your" letter first when your class got to the media center.
Feb 16, 2023Liked by Margit Detweiler, Liz Thompson
I know it’s rather obvious and cliche to say corded phones, but I have such strong sense memory of wrapping that curly cord around my finger, trying to find ways to sit or stand comfortably for hours, the satisfaction of slamming the handset down in teen emotional angst, etc. Most of the things like this I think about (record players, TVs without remotes, library card catalogs, headphones you plug in with a heavy jack) are all very tangibly physical things. And I think a lot about the ways the tactile has slipped away from us and wonder about all the ways that changes us.
Not a place, but the idea of "wonder". We didn't grow up with the internet, and while it's fantastic to have things at our fingertips, I still like the idea of finding things out on my own.
Feb 16, 2023Liked by Margit Detweiler, Liz Thompson
The Walkman. God how I loved and treasured my assorted walkmen through the years. Something about listening to music on my phone just doesn't compete. Also, and related, cassette tapes, Turtles record store, mix tapes, and boomboxes.
Space Sticks, Party Lines, Call-Waiting, Telephone books at restaurants so I could sit on them and reach the tables (I'm tiny).
I worked at a local video rental place. It was such a great job.
Using the school library encyclopedias for research projects. I've tried to explain to my kids how there were limited sets available, and the ensuing Hunger Games-esque race to get to "your" letter first when your class got to the media center.
I know it’s rather obvious and cliche to say corded phones, but I have such strong sense memory of wrapping that curly cord around my finger, trying to find ways to sit or stand comfortably for hours, the satisfaction of slamming the handset down in teen emotional angst, etc. Most of the things like this I think about (record players, TVs without remotes, library card catalogs, headphones you plug in with a heavy jack) are all very tangibly physical things. And I think a lot about the ways the tactile has slipped away from us and wonder about all the ways that changes us.
Not a place, but the idea of "wonder". We didn't grow up with the internet, and while it's fantastic to have things at our fingertips, I still like the idea of finding things out on my own.
The Walkman. God how I loved and treasured my assorted walkmen through the years. Something about listening to music on my phone just doesn't compete. Also, and related, cassette tapes, Turtles record store, mix tapes, and boomboxes.
I miss browsing so much. It was like my *hobby* at the TLA Video in Philly. They curated by director, themes, actors... just so so good