Growing Up In The 1950's

Thought:

Forword

This portion of the website is for me (Paul) to make recollections and post them as they come to mind. Memories come to mind at the oddest times: sometimes in the middle of the night, sometimes in the shower, sometimes in other random places. I jot them down, put in some salient thoughts and then fill them in as I go forward. You will see a mix of finished, partially finished and just started works in these pages. Hence the name, "never ending memorybook".

I was born in 1944. The world was at war. The first automatic, general-purpose digital computer is formally dedicated August 7 at Harvard University, where it has been built. The G.I. Bill of Rights (Servicemen's Readjustment Act) signed into law June 22 will finance college educations for millions of U.S. war veterans. CBS radio announcer Robert Trout covers the D-Day landings in Normandy. Now 34, he makes 35 broadcasts in 24 hours, remaining on the air for 7 hours and 18 minutes in one stretch to give American listeners an eye-witness account. Kodacolor is introduced by Eastman Kodak, whose color negative film makes it possible to take color snapshots with low-priced cameras.

June 6 (D-Day) sees Allied troops storm ashore on Normandy beaches under the supreme command of Gen. Eisenhower, whose forces take Cherbourg June 6. Bad weather has delayed Operation Overlord, which involves the largest naval force ever assembled, but Eisenhower seizes upon a temporary clearing to launch the assault. It begins with a drop of paratroopers under the command of Gen. James M. Gavin, 37, and British airborne forces landed from wooden gliders towed by 833 C-47s; they manage to capture the town of Ste. Mère Eglise, although most of them are killed, and of the U.S. troops who land on Omaha Beach after a rough Channel crossing some 2,500 are killed by day's end and about 12,000 wounded (the men storm ashore from Higgins-built assault vessels).

I found it difficult to organize but an attempt is made below:

Part One - My Heritage And Family

Part Two - Early Years - Birth Through High School

Part Three - Young Adult In College!

College
Going To USC
Becomming married
Kids

Part Four - Our Careers (Located in the "Us Website")

Part Five - Wisdom Arrives

When TV Was Good!

Television was a good escape in the 1950's;
It is horrible today teaching our kids how NOT to behave!

One Final Thought About Growing Older

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2030, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them.

Some times you just have to ask yourself " Will I live to be 80?"

I recently chose a new primary care physician.

After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing "fairly well" for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, "Do you think I'll live to be 80?"

He asked, "Do you smoke tobacco or drink alcoholic beverages?"

"No," I replied. "I don't do drugs, either."

Then he asked, "Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?"

I said, "No, my other doctor said that all red meat is unhealthy!"

"Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, boating, fishing or relaxing at the beach?"

"No, I don't," I said.

He asked, "Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?"

"No," I said. "I don't do any of those things."

He then looked at me and asked,

"Then why do you give a shit?"

Growing Up

Growing up in the 1950s was a unique experience which I hope to share with my children and grandchildren.

It is probably boring as heck right now but one day you too will look back and wonder what happened. You will wonder what life was like four your grandfather and grandmother... just like we do now!

My Parents

My father grew up in the early 1900's and had no electric, gas, nor running water as a kid in Arkansas. No radio, TV, cars, movies... only his imagination and good friends and hard work to pass the time! How would you survive without these things?

Mom grew up in Oklahoma and was the oldest of five providing guidance and love to the others. She also grew up without all the amazing wonders we had in the 1950's and noting like today's children.

Marriage

It was my good luck to marry a wonderful person who enjoyed me looking back and inquiring into my families past when we visited with them. Sue was always interested in the older generation because they are, in essence, what we are today. The values taught by Mom and Dad were passed on to me and I hope I represent them well.

Some of the stories, you will see, would have never come out and be shared if it were just me asking the questions.

So, off we go into a set of random memories. Random because I am getting old and I do not remember so this is being built kind of ad hoc... I think of something and write about it!

Let's see where it leads.

But Why?

On a serious note when my parents passed, I knew precious little about them except what I could glean out of their relatives and friends so a lot was lost. Why didn't I know more? Because I was a kid whose world was wrapped around me! As I head down the path we will all take, I decided to write about the things I remember, people I knew, and perhaps sometime in the distant future, my kids or grandkids might be as interested in me as I because about my parents. Maybe yes, maybe no. It yes, great... it will be here! If no, great... I will have enjoyed retrieving old memories from the old grey matter.

Remember when prices were like this?
Do you remember when?

Paul's Memories Of Growing Up