Middle Aged Memories

Peregrinelady

I remember typing class in eighth grade. Talk about any easy class to teach!

elimar86861

Thought I would stop in at my fave thread and add something here today. I CANNOT believe I never mentioned THESE before.

FLATSIES, FLATSIES, THEY'RE FLAT, AND THAT'S THAT...AND THAT'S THAT!

FLATSY DOLLS! They came out at a time when I was a bit too old to play with them, but still young enough (pre-puberty) to get labeled as a "flatsy" by a number of boys in middle school, when that kind of teasing is merciless. Oh, the horror! (Don't worry. This story ends just fine. In high school, a couple of those boys asked me out and I got to laugh in their miserable faces.)

Now, I did not go the BMx route, but I always knew if I had to, I would probably go without prosthesis. As one formerly labeled as a "flatsy," I think I would be fine with that.

NativeMainer

I do not remember these at all, but they look like lots of fun!

elimar86861

I may be repeating myself with this one. Trolls. I always think of them when the holidays roll around. I got a purple-haired one for Christmas one year. The next morning, I found my dog had chewed the big poof of hair down to about 1/3 of its luxurious length.

NativeMainer

I remember the trolls! I had one with blue hair!

elimar86861

Guess I am still thinking about hair...and a lot of memories came to mind.

First, I was remembering how my friends and I used to iron our long hair...with a real iron on an ironing board. Made wavy, lumpy hair silky smooth. Harder to iron your own hair. Better if a friend helped. I can tell you what's wrong with the picture example of this: If she doesn't get her head/hair almost flat with the ironing board, she will iron in a crease line. Trust me, I know.

Second, I remembered "juice can" rollers, the name for the largest diameter hair rollers. My friend used actual juice cans, and slept in them. How, I do not know!

Third, I remembered those weird little things called "spoolies." The little rubber curlers that inverted upon themselves. I guess they were an upgrade to the older "pin curl" that used bobby pins. Do young girls even know what a bobby pin is anymore, I wonder?

MinusTwo

I didn't use Spoolies - but I sure did use the huge, big, juice can size rollers. But mine had brushes inside in addition to the ridiculous the size. AND I slept on them. I wonder how?? I know I was too young to drink so that wasn't the solution.

My grandmother actually did my Mother's hair up in pin curls - a piece of paper and a real straight pin. Ouch

elimar86861

This thread is not very active anymore...Come on now ladies! There is still so much to remember.

Why just today, I thought of one of the stupidest fashion items ever worn (unless you have not yet attained your seventh birthday, I mean, but even that is a flimsy excuse.) I, of course, refer to the Deely Bopper. Even the name is idiotic. I went so far as to read (Google for yourself) the backstory on them, and it only made them worse in my mind.

The woman pictured below has been a recluse since 1983, simply from embarrassment over her moment of fashion weakness. Just pitiful!

MinusTwo

Here's one for our old group nemesis - Cheetos was a WWII 'invention' - 1948. I almost said discovery... I've been good and haven't purchased any in almost a year.

And while I'm here - Cheerios were first distributed in 1941. That's the original plain box of course.

CeliaC

Interesting factoid about Cheetos. I had a tiny snack bag of the puffed kind yesterday (the ones that sell for 2/1.00) - have to fall off the wagon every now and then.

MinusTwo

Celia - yes it's time for me to AT LEAST buy the school lunch size.

Edited to add, somehow I have become addicted to Spanish Peanuts. I thing that is much more salt.

elimar86861

Well now, MT, I have heard otherwise. The generic cheese curl or corn curl sprang up in the 30's, as a BY-PRODUCT OF ANIMAL FEED, stuff that had to be cleaned out of the feed grinder occasionally! (Mmmm, it sounds even more desirable now, right?)

As for Cheetos, I had to check on that and found this actual timeline:

https://www.timelinemaker.com/blog/featured-timeline/history-of-cheetos-timeline/

To me, it is amazing that crunchy Cheetos had been around for 20+ years before the baked ones came out. In my mind, I surely ate baked cheese curls before the 70's...perhaps they were not the Cheetos brand. That is just a minor disclosure.

My big disclosure...my new fave snack crisp is below. Don't tell anyone.

elimar86861

Besides that, today "WoHeLo" came into my mind. Remember that slogan of the Campfire Girls? There was a TV ad, "WoHeLo means work health, love."

Because of the ad, it is not really strange that I remembered it, even tho' I was never a Campfire Girl.

MinusTwo

Eli - oops, that link is to a dog named Dingo for rescue.

I'll look for your 'crisps'. I've been eating Food Should Taste Good: Organic Multigrain Tortilla Chips. Baked w/flax seeds, sesame seeds, quinoa, stone ground corn. Obviously a list of "good" things - gluten free, vegan, kosher, low sodium, no MSG, whole grain.... Good with queso if you do cheese.

But baked just isn't the same. Must be time to buy some fried junk. My body is hungry for good old Cheetos. Or maybe Ruffles w/ridges and I'll make up a batch of original Hidden Valley Ranch dip w/lots of mayo & sour cream - and eat the whole bag.

CeliaC

Minus - I am right there with you on the good old Cheetos once in a while. In the meantime, I buy Vegan Rob's Cauliflower or Brussel Sprout Puffs. Occasionally, I go totally off the wagon for Mesquite BBQ Chips, but ration these (10 - 12 chips a day, but not every day).

elimar86861

O.K., MT, now that you have adopted "Dingo," I went ahead and fixed that link to the Cheetos timeline. Look again.

Did you see the "subtitle" for the Off The Eaten Path crisps? "Snacks for the Curious." How could I not buy them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MinusTwo

Can't even imagine all those variations. I like the originals. Kind of like Cheerios. Who can imagine 15-20+ different kinds of Cheerios? If you want cinnamon, add to the original. if you want fruit, pile some on to the original. if you want honey/nut, it can go in a bowl of the original.

I think all the extended varieties are wasteful, but I also expect many of our taste buds remember what we liked when we were young. And I'm just a dinosaur.

Remember Betcha can't eat just one

and on another grocery aisle - remember "Use Ajax (boom boom) the foaming cleanser...."

Or "You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent"

Or "Brusha, brusha, brusha - new Ipana toothpaste..."

And of course "I'd like to buy the world a coke..." Which morphed into "I'd like to teach the world to sing..."

elimar86861

I prefer the taste of Pepsodent, more than most other minty ones. It's at my local dollar $tore.

As for flavored crisps...some years ago, in Europe, I got some kind of extruded corn curl but it was hazelnut flavor. Those Europeans do love their hazelnuts; and I thought it was pretty tasty too.

MinusTwo

Not that I don't like talking with you Eli, but where is everyone else? I know NM is working extra long shifts this week.

"Come out, come out wherever you are"....

20 points if you guessed that saying is from The Wizzard of Oz. I had no clue.

elimar86861

I'm just having a memory burst this week so...here's Shoot the Moon. I posted this one just for you, MT. "Houston, we have a problem." (Winky, wink, wink.)

I just never had the patience to do very well with this toy. My skill and coordination may have been sub-par as well but I didn't even have the patience to reach a conclusion on that. Ha!

MinusTwo is right. We shouldn't being doing all the memory work around here. No using "chemo brain" for an excuse either. Actually, I heard that if you submit 10-12 posts on this thread during active chemotherapy, you will avoid getting chemo brain. Maybe I just made that up. I also heard that if you challenge even half of what I write in a post, you will 100% definitely not get chemo brain. Now that is from NEJM, 2010!

MinusTwo

LOL - but great reason for people to post. Hmmm - maybe everyone is under 35 & doesn't have middle aged memories? Maybe everyone over 40 has already had their memories deleted?

This is a challenge folks!!!

Yes, we had the moon shot game when we were younger, but I lived in CA then & knew nothing about Houston.

Vslush

How many big wheel tires did you ruin by pedaling as fast as you could, then locking up and spinning? My brother and I would have flat (open) spots in the tire by the middle of June, every summer! Remember riding with said flat spot? It was impossible to pedal and would beat you to death!

One of my favorites was the Hippity Hop! I swear if I could figure out how to attach a handle to a large exercise ball, I would totally ride that thing all over the house! Lol

Vickki

NativeMainer

I don't remember spinning out Big Wheels, but I do remember the clacking noise the wheels made until my mother figured out how to silence the thing.

Vslush

How did she do it? My mother would have loved to know! Lol

moth

oh I remember hippity hops! I didn't have one but knew someone who did. A few yrs ago I saw some in a boutique toy store and they came in adult size. My thighs would die and I'd probably end up with a broken hip if I tried one now but it would be so fun

elimar86861

Never had the Hippity Hop as a kid; however, I bought them for my own kids and probably got more use out of them than they did. Yes, they sat a little low to the ground for my adult frame but back then my knees could take it. Great fun for all ages!!!!!

They are still available at that ubiquitous retail chain (won't plug them by name,) if you don't mind having a panda head design on it.

zogo

Anybody remember Tip n Rock chair? Just threw an old one out.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/248401735667192169/

Also, I've found a healthier, lower carb version of Cheetos

https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/7E21A3C2-9847-4E53-9B32-4A02F0E7FF3E?ingress=0&visitId=52be6260-68ba-424a-8ddd-2fab876bfdc7&channel=Beanitos%20Website&liveVideoDataUrl=https%3A%2F%2Famazonlive-portal.amazon.com%2Fv2

CeliaC

zogo - Thanks for the info on the Beanitos. Have not seen these before, but then again, have not been to a store that might carry them since mid-March, due to COVID. Wish I could try some first before committing to an order, though. Just noted that when I place a Whole Foods Order they have Lesser Evil Paleo Puffs, so may try these out. Presume you may have already tried Pirates Booty

elimar86861

I'll have to weigh in on the Cheetos alternatives. I think I have tried the Beanitos (as well as a few other bean based crisps) and for most of them, I am getting a back flavor that I can only describe as something from the petroleum by-product family. I don't know if it is one of the preservatives, or what, but it is nasty. My own alt-Cheetos crisps are below but, since my store does not carry the puff ones, I only tried the round (non-cheesy) ones. I can only vouch for the two round flavors, but if anyone has sampled the puffs, let me know if they are tasty as well.

https://www.offtheeatenpathsnacks.com/about-us

zogo---Only an "old-timer" dating back to the genesis of this thread would know that the topic of Cheetos (and not just the memory of Cheetos!) is not out of place here. Btw, I DO remember the Tip n Rock. Never had one and it has been decades since I even laid eyes on one of those. I cringe when you say you threw it out...and maybe it was totally destroyed but if it was not, I think people are paying $40-$50 for those nowadays for those old treasures.

CeliaC

elimar - I have found Hippeas Vegan White Cheddar Puffs (made from chickpeas, 4g protein, 3g fiber) are pretty good. At least they have some nutritional content. Have not tried the ones you mentioned. I also get the Vegan Robb's Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts puffs from time to time - more of a veggie taste that the Hippeas. Once in awhile, break down & buy a very small snack bag of the real thing & savor it tremendously.