What things do you miss from the Past?

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I miss men in overcoats and hats. , and sometimes suits and cufflinks. They looked like men. Nowadays the male sex looks boyishly messy.
I watched some CEO on TV and thought he looked a mess. He had a black tee shirt the was wrinkled and stretched at the neck. This was for a TV appearance.
I had an uncle who came to our house for holidays. At the end of his visit, I walked with him to the train station with my arm through his, He always wore a nice overcoat and a hat. He was over 80, and still looked quite nice. He was just a shop keeper

I miss people who were non conformist for their time. When I was a young mother and home with the children, we usually had unspoken rules we followed- like bedtime hours. Well, new people moved in and my neighbor had 5 small children that she kept up until past9-10 o clock (during the summer). Well, our tongues clucked. Could this be a bad mother? My friend found out the answer. This woman kept her children up so that they could be with their father for some time. He was a doctor and worked long hours (many years ago). She was a nurse and said it was better they slept longer in the morning so they could have time with their dad. I admired her after learning that. She was a good mother.

I miss seeing the parks full of children. I have two near me and they are empty. Everyone has a park in their own yard.

I miss simple things, such as my mother having tea with the ladies. I think we were the generation that turned tea parties into wine sampling. My friends had to teach me to drink wine.

What things do you miss?

Annette

 

[marymm]

I miss more open spaces and less in-building, cleaner air, less traffic, less pollution

I miss being a little kid with chores & good effort & civility being my only responsibilities, I miss the child-me's anticipation and thrill of Christmas and birthdays

 

[MissGotRocks]

There are lots of things from yesteryear that I miss! I miss civility and good manners. I miss respect for others and accountability for the way you spoke and acted. I miss the nightly news where the news was read without a slant or obvious opinion of the newscaster.

I miss department stores where there was real customer service. Each department had dedicated, knowledgeable employees that were willing to help you find anything you needed. They would bring different sizes to you in the fitting rooms and knew their merchandise to be able to make suggestions. Today you have to hunt for a register to make a purchase.

I miss a local bakery and shoe stores where you could go in and sit down to try on shoes.

I could go on and on I guess but we must live in present day. There are benefits to today’s world of course, but I miss a slower, more gentle time.

 

[Lookinagain]

I miss telephone conversations that have been replaced by texting.

 

[canuk-gal]

There are lots of things from yesteryear that I miss! I miss civility and good manners. I miss respect for others and accountability for the way you spoke and acted. I miss the nightly news where the news was read without a slant or obvious opinion of the newscaster.

I miss department stores where there was real customer service. Each department had dedicated, knowledgeable employees that were willing to help you find anything you needed. They would bring different sizes to you in the fitting rooms and knew their merchandise to be able to make suggestions. Today you have to hunt for a register to make a purchase.

I miss a local bakery and shoe stores where you could go in and sit down to try on shoes.

I could go on and on I guess but we must live in present day. There are benefits to today’s world of course, but I miss a slower, more gentle time.

Department store service of yore--yes!! But I must admit--I've had some lovely service from big box stores also. I think people take pity on confused people like me.....where can I get....OH thank you.... isle 31! LOL.

 

[PastryGirl]

Customer service, kids playing outside, stores, and pretty much everything being closed on Sundays...

Not feeling like I'm being recorded 24/7 outside--I hate it so much. No privacy anymore. I miss privacy. And I miss it not being weird when I don't get back to someone right away. I miss boundaries and being unreachable. I miss free speech.

 

[stracci2000]

Oh gosh.....so many things.
I miss the gas station attendant who pumped your gas and washed your windshield. Then you handed him money, and let him keep the change.

I miss the old movie theaters with the red carpeted lobby and the 1930s decor.
Every small town had one or two theaters.

I miss the guy who stood on the corner downtown on Saturday night selling Sunday papers.

I miss getting dressed up for holiday dinners at home. Dresses, pantyhose and high heels!

I miss florist shops, locksmith shops, and shoe stores.

I miss good manners, thank you notes, and playing cards at the kitchen table over a cup of coffee on a saucer. I miss saucers!

I could go on and on....

 

[waffle]

I miss the security of family. I remember when money wasn’t running out and my parents were working. I never thought that we may have to sell the house after my dad died.

 

[finerthings]

Youthful naivete!
Now I'm old and skeptical of everything!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i miss simplicity
everything seems so complicated nowdays

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

brooches
i miss brooches
my grandma never went out without a brooch on
and a hat and the hat had a hat pin !
and my grandad always wore a hat to go out

Now that our late Queen is no longer with us, who is left to show us their brooches ?

 

[monarch64]

The excitement of taking camera film to be developed and the anticipation for several days before the pictures were ready to be picked up. Opening the package in the car and going through all 24 photos (sometimes 48–doubles!) and laughing over which few turned out well enough to frame or put into an album. Cringing at the ones someone had their finger partially covering the lens, and the ones that were totally black because someone forgot to turn on the flash.

Quiet summer days spent in the public library, hidden in some nook or on some chilled leather arm chair appreciating the air conditioning and being able to read every new issue of magazines.

Pizza Hut’s summer book club. If you read enough pages you were awarded a personal pan pizza and I can’t remember what other little prizes.

Teenagers cruising “the strip” in cars with neon underneath, the mating call of stereo bass booming so loud everyone turned when those guys drove by.

Running through the fountain in the middle of my college’s campus with floor mates because there was no a/c in the dorms and the heat was miserable. That fountain is paved over now.

MTV!

 

[Bron357]

I miss Antique centres. There used to be about a dozen here in central Sydney. Generally large old style buildings with multiple individual vendors inside. Plus a cafe. It was a great way to spend a weekend afternoon browsing all the wares, maybe finding something to buy, and having a coffee and cake as well. All gone now.
I also miss “getting dressed up”. Going to a wedding or out to dinner was an event and it required you to look your best. These days it’s much more casual and relaxed, almost jeans and t shirts everywhere.

 

[TooPatient]

I miss everything and nothing.

 

[missy]

I miss the carefree blissful days of childhood and not having the worries I do now

I miss the people in my life who are now gone

I miss my furry babies whose lives are always tragically too short

I miss staying up late dancing all night and being able to sleep til noon

I miss long summer nights where we would all be together hanging out in the pool and hearing the ice cream truck approaching and running out in our wet bathing suits to enjoy ice cream. Which always tasted better from the truck

I miss our first dog. He was the sweetest most lovable furry baby. I grew up with him.







But I would never want to go back to those days unless I knew then what I know now. Time and experience often bring wisdom and if I could go back I would want to keep all I have learned

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I miss being a kid in the 80’s, the toys, the neon colored clothes, jelly shoes, hair with so much hairspray it didn’t move for days.

I miss riding my Big Wheel around the block and then getting lemon Italian ice from the bakery on the corner and admiring the beautiful bride and groom wedding cake toppers while waiting.

I miss catching up with someone, having a visit and hearing all about what’s new with them (you know like before people put everything on social media).

I miss the joy and excitement of being a child on Christmas morning, the anticipation of waiting for your parents to wake up so you could tear through your presents.

I miss being part of an extended family.

I also miss MTV and watching music videos all day on a weekend.

Saturday morning cartoons, the USA Cartoon Express

 

[missy]

 

[Slickk]

I miss…

My parents the most.
The days when people were kinder, more tolerant and less competitive.
When my kids were young and my parents were alive. (didn’t truly realize how #blessed I was at that time).
Eating a five-scooper ice cream sundae without thinking of the calories.
When my body didn’t protest against what my mind wants to do.
Pain-free days.

I’m sure there’s more but those come straight to mind.

 

[monarch64]

I miss postcards. I do not miss chain letters.

Choosing a movie to rent at a Blockbuster, or in my case, a small town video rental store.

Being able to watch local pro sports games on regular television, no blackouts, no cable, no subscription necessary.

For that matter, AM RADIO! My father would take us fishing on his day off during the summer and he’d listen to the Reds games on AM1370. A couple years ago, I bought a little am/fm radio from Amazon and thought I’d be able to pick up games. Nope, everything is blacked out and you have to pay for it now, even just to LISTEN. To go to an actual ballgame (for me) takes 2.5 hour drive, cost of tickets (they start at $75-100 for decent seats, I am too old and sore to sit on bleachers or have zero leg room in the nose bleeds plus I’ll probably fall straight down if I attempted to descend the concrete steps), concessions, and since a lot of weekend games are in the evening, a hotel room and parking. Major league sporting events in general are ridiculously priced now and it’s kind of impossible for the everyday person to afford them, which is nuts.

Lastly, playing in the woods/neighborhood all day as a kid. Obviously we can’t do that anymore bc crime, but I would love just for one day to let my daughter know the feeling of just taking off and not coming home til the day was over and it was time for dinner.

 

[monarch64]

I miss more open spaces and less in-building, cleaner air, less traffic, less pollution

I miss being a little kid with chores & good effort & civility being my only responsibilities, I miss the child-me's anticipation and thrill of Christmas and birthdays

I remember watching the news during the lockdowns of the early pandemic months and seeing aerial maps of how much cleaner the oceans were becoming, how much clearer some of the air was in highly polluted places. It gave me hope.

 

[oodlesofpoodles]

I miss my best friend of 30 years (we met in middle school) - Laughing until tears rolled down our eyes and we gasped and wheezed for air. Snorting and howling with laughter until our stomach muscles hurt. It happened so often with us - we absolutely cracked each other up constantly. We lost her two years ago in May and I have not laughed that way since.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Thinking of my childhood (born in 1985) vs. my son (born in 2016) I miss kids not having their lives so PLANNED. Why do they have 400 activities? Why is it a "play date", just go outside and find some kids and play!

 

[PastryGirl]

The excitement of taking camera film to be developed and the anticipation for several days before the pictures were ready to be picked up. Opening the package in the car and going through all 24 photos (sometimes 48–doubles!) and laughing over which few turned out well enough to frame or put into an album. Cringing at the ones someone had their finger partially covering the lens, and the ones that were totally black because someone forgot to turn on the flash.

Quiet summer days spent in the public library, hidden in some nook or on some chilled leather arm chair appreciating the air conditioning and being able to read every new issue of magazines.

Pizza Hut’s summer book club. If you read enough pages you were awarded a personal pan pizza and I can’t remember what other little prizes.

Teenagers cruising “the strip” in cars with neon underneath, the mating call of stereo bass booming so loud everyone turned when those guys drove by.

Running through the fountain in the middle of my college’s campus with floor mates because there was no a/c in the dorms and the heat was miserable. That fountain is paved over now.

MTV!

All of this, especially MTV.

 

[PastryGirl]

Thinking of my childhood (born in 1985) vs. my son (born in 2016) I miss kids not having their lives so PLANNED. Why do they have 400 activities? Why is it a "play date", just go outside and find some kids and play!

Ah, we are the same age! My daughter was born in 2009 and my son in 2020. She looks at me to figure out things for her to do. I say just go outside. Ring someone's bell and hang out. She finds doing those things "cringe."

 

[PastryGirl]

More things come to mind.

I miss the NYC of my childhood and teen years--the freedom of cutting class to roam around Manhattan without a cell phone. I miss the store Love Saves the Day on Second Ave, as I would inevitably end up in the East Village.

There was more grit. Street fairs didn't have the same five stands repeating over and over for blocks. There was more uniqueness in the vendors. I also miss the absence of bots purchasing every single item/ticket for resale.

And people being present in the moment, not watching their lives through a screen. You don't need to record everything to prove your existence.

 

[stracci2000]

I miss the 1970s. Such a simpler time.
No computers, no cell phones......can you even imagine???

If you wanted specific information, you had to rely on the library or if you were lucky, your home encyclopedia.

The yellow pages!!!

Finding your way with real paper maps!

No microwave!

TV had only about 8 channels. Three network, PBS, and 2 or 3 UHF channels.
Cartoons only on Saturday morning.
Those were the days.....

 

[yennyfire]

All of these things! Riding my bike with friends all day and stopping at someone’s house to grab a popsicle or Hi-C. Catching fireflies at night and then releasing them. Making up elaborate make believe adventures with all the neighborhood kids….lazy days on our boat at the lake that didn’t have to be planned because we weren’t “scheduled with activities” all the time. The ability to do stupid things as a teenager and not have it posted online to follow you forever. Loyalty between employers/employees. So many things that I miss…..

 

[diamondringlover]

I miss alot of things....like when going for a walk and tripping doesnt land you in the hospital or things dont always hurt on you...I miss family, I miss being happy

 

[Lookinagain]

live customer service instead of a computer asking you a thousand questions or telling you things you already know, before you can get to a human.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

This is area specific but I miss the oldies station on the radio, Big D103 (102.9FM). I grew up listening to it and then a few years ago they were bought out by another station.

So now there is no oldies station on FM radio here.