Mocking out the stupid CT... "Your wife will always look pretty standing next to that." LOL

 

I don't usually like 'country wisdom' type humor but he's pretty self-aware and on point. I think he's a stand-up comedian in his day job.

 

I miss how it created such a social environment, whether standing on the fantail of a destroyer before watch with a group of your shipmates or outside a bar chatting it up with females that just bummed one off you...icebreaker that created an environment for pleasant discourse. I miss it the most on long drives. But hell, if we smoked at our age, each pack would shave a year off our lives.

 

That's funny isn't it. He looked 70 years old. And Edith his wife looked older than him.

 

In reality she (Jean Stapleton) was older than Archie (Carroll O'Connor). Granted by only a year...

"...and then there's Maude."

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Funny how a simple question about a ashtray of all damn things evoked such a broad discussion.

 

ChatGPT Summary of this Thread:

OK, I could't find a clean version of the Deadpool "F You're Old" meme" so just imagine.

 

IIRC, Maude was Edith's cousin, spun off into her own show. Just like the Jeffersons. And Florence was Maude's housekeeper, spun off into Good Times.

Normal Lear was on fire with success in the 70's.

It's the whole "spin off" concept.

 

Good pic of the gang. They don't look so bad here.

 

Ha I’d argue some of those years have been shoehorned into my 20s and 30s! Maybe more spiritually than physically.

But it’s wild how much older my folks looked at my age. Hairstyles and fashion trends certainly didn’t help (maybe my generational bias is showing)

 

That’s always my wife’s comment, that hair and clothes make that illusion. IMHO hard physical work and ubiquitous smoking were just as much a part of it.

 

That's a part of it for sure, but in the late 80s-90s was also when people started having kids when they were older, so instead of being 50 years old with grandkids, you are 50 years old with teenagers, which also keeps you more youthful. Not to mention how educated one can choose to be should they want to keep their mind and body in much better shape (supplements, eating, grounding, exercise). In the 90s we had the food pyramid and Jack Lalanne for guidance. Nowadays, there are exercise regimes based on your age and body type, and you can even buy organic dog food made from sustainable meat sources. Also, think of how much more attainable travel is for the average person to expand their own canvas.

If you want to live longer, the tools are in place for you to do so.

Of course the caveat is that because of technology, COVID and globalization, the expectations of work is orders of magnitude harder and more competitive than it was 20-30 years ago. Life ain't all peaches and cream...

 

Fair assessment, Socket. Although Jack LaLanne was before the 90s. Jack LaLanne... wow, you really were part of the TV generation.

 

He was before my time, but I couldn't bring myself to write Richard Simmons. I kind of miss the days of synchronous tv watching where the entire family waited for a show to air. Seeing the new TV Guide go on sale at the grocery store.

Nowadays, I just talk into my TV remote "Motortrend channel"....

 

I was a social smoker. Went to the bar one night after fighting with my girlfriend. I had like $300 in cash in my wallet because my brother had just given me money for bills. The bar trip was already planned, but going in a mood and with that much cash was a mistake.

I woke up in my car at 4am freezing my *** off. I looked at my phone and saw a flood of missed calls and texts from friends who had no idea where I went.
One of my friends actually called again while I was staring at my phone in disbelief. She was MAD to say the least.

Anyway, I made it home and when I woke up the next day I could hardly breathe and I had less than $100 left in my wallet. My friends said while I was still in the bar I never didn't have a smoke lit. I may have smoked 2 packs in a few hours.

I haven't smoked since then, and that was ~16 years ago. I have had an itch for one occasionally from some stress, but decided to eat instead.

 

I no longer smoke, I barely drink (I think the kids call it sober-curious) and I don't take anything not legal under the Farm Bill any more...

Crap, I've gotten old. And Boring. :roll:

I don't miss the smoking though. Nasty habit. Actually met a really nice woman at an industry event and we were hitting it off until she went outside to smoke. HARD PASS.

I just hope my kid doesn't fall into the 'smoking/vaping is cool' trap.