Post #94952 by Monkeyman on Sun, Jun 6, 2004 10:02 PM

I hear ya on the Tiki Sadness..... I truly enjoy the escape that Tiki affords me. It is not just a tropical escape for me but a time warp as well.

I often listen to old hapa haole tunes, Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey, Cole Porter so on and so forth while I make my frames in the garage. This craft time gives me several hours at a single sitting to listen to the old music and ponder how things might have been in the 40's, 50's and 60's. Tiki is just one of my areas of interest that has a backward glance in time.

I try to imagine what life was like for my grandparents. I think I glamorize the simplicity in life back then. Cost of living was lower, entertainment was wholesome, etc....

I think about how wonderful it must have been and wish that I could have lived in a time where overconsuming, living beyond your means, and a cubicle job were not the norm. My perception is that quality of living was higher but I do not really know first hand if that was the case (being only 34 years old).

Then I try to put in all in perspective by realizing that most of my grandmothers aunts and uncles as well as her parents, died from things that would be easily fixed by modern medicine. Throwing trash out the window of your car was perfectly acceptable, racisim was rampant and horrible, smoking was expected instead of a bad habit. If you wanted to take your family out to eat in average suburbia, you had 3 choices of restaurants and if they were closed on Sunday, you were eating at home. Imagine driving home late a night, realizing you are out of gas, and finding out that all the gas stations are closed for the night.

It is easy to yearn for the simplicity of yesteryear but many of us would be fish out of water without the conveniences we have come to enjoy and expect. (such as the ability to use chat forums over the internet.)

Ramble Ramble Ramble