# How did we survive?



## Jas0n (Feb 10, 2003)

Looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have.

My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter AND I used to eat it raw sometimes too, but I can't remember getting E-coli.

As children we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

Our baby cribs, toys and rooms were painted with bright colored lead based paint. We, often chewed on the crib, ingesting the paint.

We had no child-proof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets,
and when we rode our bikes we had no helmets.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on . No one was able to reach us all day. We played dodge ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt.

We played with toy guns, cowboys and Indians, army, cops and robbers, and used our fingers to simulate guns when the toy ones or my BB gun was not available.

We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank sugar soda, but we were never overweight; we were always outside playing.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment. Some students weren't as smart as others or didn't work hard so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. That generation produced some of the greatest risk-takers and problem solvers. We had the freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring).

The term cell phone would have conjured up a phone in a jail cell,
and a pager was the school PA system.

We all took gym, not PE... and risked permanent injury with a pair of high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

Flunking gym was not an option... even for stupid kids!
I guess PE must be much harder than gym.

Every year, someone taught the whole school a lesson by running in the halls with leather soles on linoleum tile and hitting the wet spot. 

How much better off would we be today if we only knew we could have sued the school system. Speaking of school, we all said prayers and the pledge and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention for the next two weeks. We must have had horribly damaged psyches.

I can't understand it. Schools didn't offer 14 year olds an abortion
or condoms (we wouldn't have known what either was anyway) but they did give us a couple of baby aspirin and cough syrup if we started getting the sniffles.

What an archaic health system we had then. Remember school nurses? Ours wore a hat and everything.

I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself. I just can't recall how bored we were without computers, PlayStation, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital cable stations.

I must be repressing that memory as I try to rationalize through the denial of the dangers could have befallen us as we trekked off each day about a mile down the road to some guy's vacant lot, built forts out of branches and pieces of plywood, made trails, and fought over who got to be the Lone Ranger.

What was that property owner thinking, letting us play on that lot. He should have been locked up for not putting up a fence around the property, complete with a self-closing gate and an infrared intruder alarm.

Oh yeah... and where was the Benadryl and sterilization kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!

We played king of the hill on piles of gravel left on vacant
construction sites and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48 cent bottle of Mercurochrome and then we got our butt spanked. Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $49 bottle of antibiotics and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where it was such a threat.

We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either because if we did, we got our butt spanked (physical abuse) here too ... and then we got butt spanked again when we got home.

Mom invited the door to door salesman inside for coffee, kids choked down the dust from the gravel driveway while playing with Tonka trucks (remember why Tonka trucks were made tough..), and Dad drove a car with leaded gas.

Our music had to be left inside when we went out to play and I am sure that I nearly exhausted my imagination a couple of times when we went on two week vacations.

I should probably sue the folks now for the danger they put us in
when we all slept in campgrounds in the family tent.

Summers were spent behind the push lawn mower and I didn't even know that mowers came with motors until I was 13 and we got one without an automatic blade-stop or an auto-drive.

How sick were my parents?
Of course my parents weren't the only psychos. I recall Donny Reynolds from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop just before he fell off. Little did his Mom know that she could have owned our house. Instead she picked him up and swatted him for being such a goof. It was a neighborhood run amuck.

To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that
they were from a dysfunctional family. How could we possibly have known that we needed to get into group therapy and anger management classes?

We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills, that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac!

HOW DID WE SURVIVE?


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## KenpoGirl (Feb 10, 2003)

Bravo!!!!!

What a great essay.


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## Cthulhu (Feb 10, 2003)

I echo KenpoGirl's assesment!

Hell, I used to skateboard and ride bikes without a helmet all the time.  I've wiped out a lot, and I'm still fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine fine

Cthulhu


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## fist of fury (Feb 10, 2003)

Ezatkly I skateboarded without my helmet all the time and hit the grouwnd plentee of times and never suffered daim bramige.  Kids tooday afraid of getting a little batttered and broosed.


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## kenpochip (Feb 10, 2003)

Mr.  Cautious-Logical Man says:

Don't forget that the only people who can write to and read from this forum are those who survived.  We could all practice snake-handling and some of us would survive to write "How did we survive?" which other survivors would read.

That aside, it was a pretty funny post.

KenpoChip


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## Jill666 (Feb 10, 2003)

I've seen this- and love it!

I used to really HATE getting smacked twice- by the nun then by my dad. And everyone used leaded gas- my uncle always got "bucksworth" I thought it was a brand! 

I remember the tv died one summer and two years later we got a color tv. My own tv died last month and my hubby brought a new one home the next day!


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 10, 2003)

Well said.

In the past, a piece of string and 2 tin cans could provide an afternoons fun.  Today, its either garbage, to be recycled, not 'safe' or 'boring' because it doesn't have 65,000 colors, and a sound chip.

Attention spans were longer, and you could sit on your porch, smile at your neighbors and whittle wood.  Today, who goes outside, who knows their neighbors, and dont touch the knife, its dangerous.

Parents bring their kids to the martial arts class, then complain because johnny didnt get his belt like everyone else, or why does suzy have to spar?  They think its gym class, and baby sitting.  

We've become a society of immediate gratification and personal whim, rather than being willing to work for a goal, put the extra effort into it and bask in the feeling of accoomplishing the impossible.

Its a shame we are so far removed...we might have less stress and feel better if we'd just relax n smell the flowers like we used to.


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## Master of Blades (Feb 10, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Jas0n _
> *
> 
> HOW DID WE SURVIVE? *



Good goddamn question! :asian:


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## jfarnsworth (Feb 11, 2003)

I don't know but I think I faired pretty well. I guess.


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## Quick Sand (Feb 11, 2003)

Lawn Darts.


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## JDenz (Feb 11, 2003)

Well Society has changed from being about the community to being about me.  It is sad really.  Another thing Kids today have it real tough.  I am serious not Joking in any manner.  Things for them are so stressful between school and life it is no wonder that they seek refudge in computer games.  Everywhere they go and everything they do they get hassled for.  It wasn't like that when we were growing up.


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## Seig (Feb 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> *Well said.
> 
> 
> ...


I have settled that at my studio.  I tell the parents that I do not come into their home and tell them or their children what to do.  If they insist on doing it in MY school, I will tell them in no uncertain terms to leave or tell them to shut up, put on a uniform, learn something and help.  It seems to have worked out well, and I have actually gained a student or two this way.  Some are/were offended and I let them know that if they wished me to teach their children that was one of the costs.
  I also tell the parents that by enrolling their children with me, they have entered a partnership, if they have certain rules at home, I need to know about them so that I can enforce them at the studio.  I tell them that I also expect them to enforce my rules at home.  The primary issue with children today is that if there is not positive consistancy in their lives.  Like the original post said, I knew that if I got in trouble, I was positive I was going to get it, and get it worse at home.


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## Seig (Feb 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by JDenz _
> *  Everywhere they go and everything they do they get hassled for.  It wasn't like that when we were growing up. *


Yes, it was.


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## Jill666 (Feb 12, 2003)

Don't expect me to cry for todays kids. Pansy ***, whiny, DSS calling, self-entitled little shits- I'd like to see any one of them take on my father- or my uncle who's favorite method of shutting the kids up was pulling his S&W and saying "you f'n kids shut your heads". We played outside until the streetlight came on, AFTER letting oursleves in after school & doing the chores. I'd hate to know what today's standard allowance is. Please, don't tell me.

:soapbox:


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## Jill666 (Feb 12, 2003)

an automatic feature- did I just make more work for you mods?


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## JDenz (Feb 12, 2003)

No it is alot diffrent then it was when I grew up.  People would look out for other peoples kids, neighbors kept an eye on the house.  Kids could go to resturants and malls and not be denied access because they are two young.  There were no armed guards at the school.  Things are a lot diffrent. Pressures where alot diffrent.  Parents were parents, they didn't try and be friends with there children they were parents and not afried to say no.  Not only are todays kids spoiled but the there are alot less things that they can do, schools are so much more structured, sports and music programs are cut.


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## jfarnsworth (Feb 12, 2003)

Most kids want something for nothing with as little effort as possible. This just really peeves me the most.


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## Rich Parsons (Feb 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by jfarnsworth _
> *Most kids want something for nothing with as little effort as possible. This just really peeves me the most. *




hey,  I want something for nothing. Hmmmm now what is it I really want?  :shrug:


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## Seig (Feb 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Jill666 _
> *Don't expect me to cry for todays kids. Pansy ***, whiny, DSS calling, self-entitled little shits- I'd like to see any one of them take on my father- or my uncle who's favorite method of shutting the kids up was pulling his S&W and saying "you f'n kids shut your heads". We played outside until the streetlight came on, AFTER letting oursleves in after school & doing the chores. I'd hate to know what today's standard allowance is. Please, don't tell me.
> 
> :soapbox: *


I didn't see anyone whining for today's kids


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## jfarnsworth (Feb 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Rich Parsons _
> *hey,  I want something for nothing. Hmmmm now what is it I really want?  :shrug: *



How about a longer stay in Arizona.


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## GaryM (Feb 13, 2003)

The red paint chips were my favorite.


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## SRyuFighter (Feb 13, 2003)

Man I don't know how you all did survive. That is a good question. Lol jj.


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## SRyuFighter (Feb 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Jill666 _
> *Don't expect me to cry for todays kids. Pansy ***, whiny, DSS calling, self-entitled little shits- I'd like to see any one of them take on my father- or my uncle who's favorite method of shutting the kids up was pulling his S&W and saying "you f'n kids shut your heads". We played outside until the streetlight came on, AFTER letting oursleves in after school & doing the chores. I'd hate to know what today's standard allowance is. Please, don't tell me.
> 
> :soapbox: *





Woah! I don't think you quite realize everything there Jill. What generation do you think made us whiny. We are a product of our environment. It's not tv's fault, it's not the radio, it's not MTV. It's your generation.Parents make the kids lazy and whiny. And were all not whiny. And not all parents are like that.


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## GaryM (Feb 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by SRyuFighter _
> *Woah! I don't think you quite realize everything there Jill. What generation do you think made us whiny. We are a product of our environment. It's not tv's fault, it's not the radio, it's not MTV. It's your generation.Parents make the kids lazy and whiny. And were all not whiny. And not all parents are like that. *


 amen brother! I raised four (youngest one is now 21) in what is arguably the worst neighborhood in this state, living paycheck to paycheck ,and I'm proud of all of them. (Thank God I must have recessive genes)


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## cali_tkdbruin (Feb 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by GaryM _
> *amen brother! I raised four (youngest one is now 21) in what is arguably the worst neighborhood in this state, living paycheck to paycheck ,and I'm proud of all of them. (Thank God I must have recessive genes) *



I didn't think they had bad neighborhoods in Utah...


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## GaryM (Feb 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by cali_tkdbruin _
> *I didn't think they had bad neighborhoods in Utah...  *


A few years ago Salt Lake valley had more meth labs than New York city. Not per capita, outright more. By far the highest concentration of these are in Magna. WE'RE NO. 1 WE'RE NO.1 GOOOOO MAGNA, GIMME AN M, GIMME AN A,...


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## JDenz (Feb 14, 2003)

I agree we are responsible for our kids.


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## Jill666 (Feb 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by SRyuFighter _
> *Woah! I don't think you quite realize everything there Jill. What generation do you think made us whiny. We are a product of our environment. It's not tv's fault, it's not the radio, it's not MTV. It's your generation.Parents make the kids lazy and whiny. And were all not whiny. And not all parents are like that. *



I do think you caught me at one of my more reactionary moments.  

While I don't necessarily take back what I said, I do agree that inadequate limit-setting from the parents set up the kids for a big fall, and it's not good. 

And I love that you called me on it- I applaud your response. It is well said.


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## SRyuFighter (Feb 14, 2003)

Thank you very much. But as I said it's not true in every situation.


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