Friday Follies...

I could only WISH...for BOTH.

And here we ar at the end of what seemed to be a week that would not want to end.
It's also the LAST day of my 62nd year on this earth, for all that's worth. My, how the time does fly. But, let's not dwell.
Our Hoosierland weather has us kicking off the weekend with some really NICE conditions outside.
We're looking at mostly sunny skies, temps in the upper-70s with some mild breezes.
Can't ask for a better day...well, if it was raining $100 bills on my PATIO, I might call THAT better.
In any event, let's get this week's end off and running with a nice refreshing morning beverage, as we see what's been going on and what we can expect over the next 72 hours, shall we?
*** First out of the bakery is our "What the hell happens today, Bob?" feature:
August 21 -
---Today is (OMG - LMAO)...NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZEN'S DAY.

Not exactly "American Gothic"...

Cripes, that's JUST what I really need to make me feel MY AGE, right?
---It's also NATIONAL SPUMONI DAY

(nothing like this down in South Philly...great way to top off that cheesesteak you just had.
---And, it's BRAZILIAN BLOWOUT DAY

(this has to do with the hair on your HEAD...just so we're clear here...lol)
*** And since it's the weekend, let's see what's in store for the next two days:
August 22 -
---Saturday is NATIONAL TOOTH FAIRY DAY

(does that mean that THE ROCK will be stopping by?)
---And, it's NATIONAL PECAN TORTE DAY

(seriously, is THIS the best you can come up with?
---It's also my frigging birthday...number 63 to be exact.
(don't worry, we DO have an extinguisher handy and the FWFD is on speed-dial)
August 23 -
---Sunday is NATIONAL RIDE WITH THE WIND DAY

(I'm sure there is part of a SONG in there someplace - like the wind, with the wind, against the wind...pass the wind... whatever)
---And, it's NATIONAL SPONGE CAKE DAY

(not to be confused with SPONGEBOB)
Sorry, I'll be busy working on a chocolate one from the day before.
And there you have it, for all it's worth. Enjoy.
Moving on...
*** What say we forego all the bad crap out there (just for today)?
In it's stead, let's finish up the retrospect and have a look at some of the "odds and ends" that occurred in my birth year of 1952.

Comes in a BOTTLE?

Now, since I was rather YOUNG at the time with important things (like filling diapers for mom to wash), I don't remember that much, but, thanks to history (and those who have kept it) we can see how far we've come...or how far we've fallen, depending on your point-of-view.

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Here are some PREDICTIONS from 1952 for fifty years hence:
--- Cancer, tooth decay and the common cold will be conquered.
(swing and a miss)
-- -Body parts will be regenerated.
(not there quite yet)
--- The solar system will be explored.

One in a row.

--- Your personal telephone will be small enough to carry in your bag.
(and we know how GOOD that;s been)
--- Communism will not exist.

Oh, they just changed the NAME.

--- Beef will be a luxury.
(it sure isn't as CHEAP as it was)
--- Your home phone will record messages, answer simple queries and transmit images.
Nice to know we got a couple right.

Nailed THAT one down.

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In 1952, the term "P.C." stood for PRIVILEGED CHARACTER, as in a teacher's pet.
(now, it just means TWO things that usually piss ME the hell off...LOL)
"Flaked out" meant you were tired.

One flake's as good as the next.

And, if you wanted to chat, you could "split a few syllables".

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Want to see what some items USED to cost back then?
sugar - $.10 per lb

bread (loaf - $.20
coffee - $.77 lb
Swiss cheese - $.55 (lb)
butter - $.85 (lb)
haircut - $1.00
Ivory soap - $.05 (bar)
45 RPM record - $.89
hockey game - $.70
movie - $.50 (adults), $.20 (children)
water heater - $76.95
hand cream (ladies) - $.98
private college (yearly) - $900.00
airfare (NY to L.A. - round trip) - $160.00
Buick (2 door, brand new off the showroom  floor) - $2457.00

That's a LOT of metal for the money!

bicycle (completely assembled with all the bells and whistles) - $23.95

And a lot of BIKE for the money, too.

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---From 1946-1952, 4.5 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS have entered the USA, according to the NY. Herald-Tribune.

(that's around 750,000 per YEAR...back THEN! Now, times that by 63 years = 47.25 MILLION since I was born)

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---75% of families have life insurance

---54% of families OWN a home.

---45% of families have savings accounts

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Things that make you go...

---The U.S. population passes 158 MILLION (must be all those illegals)
---For the first time in our nation's history, BREAD will be "standardized", according to a guideline issued under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
(yes, we had overreaching government back THEN, too)
---The number of foreign students studying in the U.S. hits an all-time high of 30,000
---The U.S..Navy is as large as all the OTHER navies of the world combined, according to the publication Jane's Fighting Ships (London).

---A rebuilt 1924 Chevrolet travels a record 168.4 miles on ONE gallon of gas, to win the annual mileage marathon.
(top THAT you hybrid-lovers)
---The average car lasts 12 years and is good for 100,000 miles
(tell that to those who STILL OWN a car from 1952).
---With more than 300 titles, COMIC BOOKS continue to be the  biggest newsstand grosser (and at TEN CENTS, that was a helluva bargain!)

---The Brooklyn Supreme Court rules that it is not slanderous to call someone a COMMUNIST.
---Last. but not least, the NY Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers  for the World Series in baseball.

Don't think that was CHRIS Martin.

And them's the "CLIFF'S NOTES" regarding the year 1952.
I hope you found it enlightening and as much fun as I had researching it to bring it to you.

Sure makes a case for "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED to THOSE days?", doesn't it?

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*** Last back to the garage...you get to see a lot of things by the time you get to my age, but only if you've been paying attention.

Some people go through life and miss so much, simply because they have no idea on how to focus on anything.
(many of those are already in jail, too)
My Dad used to tell me that "Life is only as hard as you make it"., and I've tried my best to NOT make it so difficult, that I could not manage it.
Sure, there are the external sources that impact on our lives, and we can't avoid those, but we can always attempt to work THROUGH such times.
I've had jobs I left out of conviction and conscience, and other jobs that left me...that's the way life works.
Whatever traits you are born with, and are nurtured by good parents and mentors as you grow up, never leave you, even if you try to hide them under a rock because of peer-pressure or whatever else comes along.
I was never one that knuckled under to that crap, at least not to the degree where I sacrificed who I was in the process.
We were all a bit rebellious in our own way, and yet never to the extent that it caused harm to ourselves or others...or reflected poorly on our families.
Call me old-fashioned...I don't care.
All I know is that whatever I was taught...stuck, like gum to the bottom of a shoe.
And, I've got a lot of folks to thank for that, as well as a certain "higher authority", who I hope I didn't piss off THAT much in the years I've been here.
God knows I'm far from perfect, and will always fall short of HIS glory, but I will never stop trying.
And perhaps that is part of the wonder of our lives - the ability to NOT give in and NOT give up, even if the odds seemed stacked against us.
In spite of whatever may come along, you have to admit that life is one helluva ride...good, bad, or indifferent, eh?
The next time we meet (here) I will be another year older, and hopefully another year wiser.
Do have yourselves a good weekend.

Be well, make a difference to someone today, and, as always...
Stay SAFE out there, America.