You Know You Are Old When

[ultrarunner]

I wear cargo pants/shorts much of the time, wallet goes in one of the thigh pockets. Much more comfortable than in a back pocket.

Speaking of pockets, anyone else remember the early 70s when, for reasons unknown some pants didn't come with back pockets, and the front ones weren't really big enough to comfortably fit a wallet? I don't know who thought that was a good idea, but I'm glad that fad didn't last long. There was a spell you had to check before you bought to make sure there were pockets.
ISTR button flys were around the same time, glad that fad didn't last long too.

Button Flys are a throwback to the original jeans and also touted as a safety feature.

Buttons eliminate male injuries from pant zippers.

 

[goeduck]

My chiropractor told me that years ago, a thick wallet twists your pelvis when sitting

That is true even without a thick wallet. If I am driving for over an hour, the wallet comes out of the hip pocket or I'll be walking like old Walter Brennan with a bad case of diarrhea desperately trying to make it to a toilet.

 

[goeduck]

Speaking of pockets, anyone else remember the early 70s when, for reasons unknown some pants didn't come with back pockets, and the front ones weren't really big enough to comfortably fit a wallet? I don't know who thought that was a good idea, but I'm glad that fad didn't last long.

That must have been in the John Travolta dance era so you could show off your buns
.

 

[jyoutz]

That must have been in the John Travolta dance era so you could show off your buns
.View attachment 3519491

Now he’s advertising old folks medications

 

[Sigarms]

Learn something knew everyday.

I can put on 40K a year just driving between NC, Tenn, SC and Va for work.

Don't know when I started taking my wallet out of my back pocket and just laying in the vehicle somewhere, but I guess subconsciously after I did it the first time after a long drive, I just kept doing it.

 

[Oaktree]

Buttons eliminated make injuries from pant zippers.

I only ever got "injured" once from a fly zipper. I'd gone swimming in my skivvies, and rather than wear them wet when I got dressed just went commando. Got a little hasty zipping up. Only ever did it once.

That is true even without a thick wallet. If I am driving for over an hour, the wallet comes out of the hip pocket or I'll be walking like old Walter Brennan with a bad case of diarrhea desperately trying to make it to a toilet.

Happened to me once when I was in my early 20s. Couple hour drive, must have sat on my wallet wrong. When I got to my destination, right leg was kind of rubbery feeling. Next day hamstring muscles were excruciatingly painful, though after walking around a bit it got better. Took a good month+ to clear up. Fortunately never happened again, don't know what I did that one time that was different.

That must have been in the John Travolta dance era so you could show off your buns

Actually, it was well before that...'71/72 timeframe. Saturday Night Fever wasn't until later in the decade.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Zippers.
My Grandfather was a physician in private practice. One of his great patient stories was an older couple who celebrated their 50th anniversary with dinner and a movie. During the movie the wife had to use the restroom. The husband loosened his belt and unzipped after that big dinner & popcorn...after all the theater was dark. Then he noticed people making room to let a lady pass by so he quickly zips up but gets the ladie's dress caught in his zipper.
Now they had to walk out together and the lady suggested the ladies bathroom to get it unstuck. They're going into a stall just as his wife is leaving her stall...so the wife looks down seeing husband's pants and this strange ladie's dress drop as both are struggling making noises trying to get dress out the zipper. It took a while for success and they both had a time trying to explain what happened to both the wife and that ladie's husband when she returned all disheveled returning to her seat.
An anniversary to remember.

 

[bigtiller]

That is true even without a thick wallet. If I am driving for over an hour, the wallet comes out of the hip pocket or I'll be walking like old Walter Brennan with a bad case of diarrhea desperately trying to make it to a toilet.

I'm reminded of George Costanza's thick wallet....

 

[Alan46]

I'm reminded of George Costanza's thick wallet....

That show is so funny , and no canned laughter!!!

 

[tallyho8]

I remember when the 1st digital calculators came out.
No memory in the early ones, then Texas Instruments came out with their scientific calculators

My first real job was as an engineer's aide in the Louisiana Hwy. Dept. I was assigned to the concrete plant where we had to test all the gravel, sand, cement, water and additives. One of the machines I was trained to use was a mechanical calculator about the size of an antique typewriter. I think I could have figured out the answers on a slide rule in less time than that noisy mechanical trap could and I flunked slide rule 101.

When a new guy came to work with his shiny new plastic calculator that he only paid about $150 for, and showed us all that it could do fast, and quietly, we all wanted one. I remember the bright red led lights it had.

As times were tight, I couldn't afford one then but about 5 years later I got one for about $10 that could do 100 times more than that first one could.

Now, I ask my grandson if he knows his multiplication tables, and he says "Siri can answer that quicker than you can."

 

[ultrarunner]

It cost me more than 2 weeks pay to buy my Texas Instruments SR11 calculator… still have it with belt clip case…

Working summer job full time at 1.35 per hour in high school.

 

[bigtiller]

I drive a 46 mile round trip to buy my first calculator. It had + X - divide and memory, which I had no idea how to use. It cost me $20 and I think it was the year 1975. I was working for less than $6 an hour at John Deere.

 

[MossRoad]

My dad bought a TI-2500 Datamath in the early 70s. It was around $125 for a 4 function calculator. That would be a tad under $1K today!

DATAMATH

www.datamath.org

Here's a 4 function plus percent and square root at Dollar General for $2.00. Also has memory and solar power.

Buy OfficeHub Pocket Calculator, 8-Digit Display, Dual Power from Dollar General - Instore

Office & School Supplies Deals - Buy OfficeHub Pocket Calculator, 8-Digit Display, Dual Power - Instore at your local Dollar General stores. Find all the Desk Supplies options you need for the best prices.

www.dollargeneral.com

$2.00 today would have been about 26 cents in 1973.

 

[Runner]

My HS physics teacher HATED calculators. He would have forced us to use slide rules if the district would have let him. I will never forget hearing him say "Alright now Students, get out your slide rules, or push-buttons if you must, and let's go to work."

He also used to say "Without my pocket knife, I feel cold, wet and nude". Funny old guy. He looked and sounded just like Mr.Pete (Tubalcain).

Then again, he also signed my yearbook "You are a diligent student, but stay away from this subject henceforth", which wasn't so funny.

 

[John0829]

I flunked slide rule 101

Dad taught me how to use a slide rule WAY back when, but sadly that skill has long left me. Think I still have one somewhere around here, I might see if I can find it and wake up some brain cells or not.

 

[Runner]

Dad taught me how to use a slide rule WAY back when, but sadly that skill has long left me. Think I still have one somewhere around here, I might see if I can find it and wake up some brain cells or not.

I was in HS 1975 - 77, which was at the very tail end of when slide rules were actually used, so we had to learn how to use them. Then, 5 minutes later switched to calculators. Still have a couple of them too.

Kind of like learning how to shoe a horse instead of change a tire.

 

[RjCorazza]

My dad also taught me how to use a slide rule and read meter scales, micrometers, etc. I found it fascinating.
I wish I had kept the slide rule he gave me

 

[MossRoad]

I still have one of my father's slide rules, and a bunch of rulers and mechanical pencils and other things he used as an architect over his life.

I also have my grandfather's barbering equipment.

Kinda neat to see the stuff they used to make a living.

 

[Jstpssng]

My parents were trying to clean the property up, and gave the family still to the local historical society.

I didn't even know we HAD a family still!!!!

 

[Eagle1]

My parents were trying to clean the property up, and gave the family still to the local historical society.

I didn't even know we HAD a family still!!!!

Sure you are not adopted?