"Just a Thought" column continues in La Prensa SA, 7-28

Just a Thought: “Back in the Day”
By Steve Walker

Last week I went nostalgic and “old school” by walking down memory lane and reminiscing and talking about the “good old days.” As an original baby boomer born in 1946, (how time flies!) I lamented about how life appeared to be less complicated and much less expensive “back in the day.”

Since old age is relative depending on how you define “old age,” you can elicit all sorts of theories as to who is and who is not old. How many times have you heard the expression, “Age is just a number?”

My stock answer is, “I am old because I have a high number!” Then again there are many others who have a much higher number than I do. A few weeks ago I wrote about one such individual, San Antonio icon Bill Sinkin. His number is 100!

While I have lived through the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm and the Iraq & Afghanistan wars, he has also lived through World War l and 2. In perspective, compared to Mr. Sinkin I am a kid. His son Lanny and I are the same age and we both have gray hair or what is left of it.

People my age (66) are sometimes affectionately and not so affectionately referred to as senior citizens, while I prefer the term “social security recipient.”

Going back to the 50s and 60s when I was growing up which was not that long ago from my viewpoint, we didn’t have what we have now as far as technology. Back in the day for example we had manual typewriters. Today we have the hi-tech computers.

I remember the huge computers in the 80s with a Disc Operating System called DOS. Does anybody remember that or even know what I am talking about? Now we have smaller and even compact computers using Windows. I am writing my column right now on a Microsoft Word program on my Dell Computer. I did type on a typewriter in typing class and used liquid “White Out” to erase and correct my typing errors. Many young people have never heard of “White Out.” Maybe that is a good thing. Not so messy now that I think about it.

It is hard for me to fathom as an old timer, we have witnessed huge advancements from typewriters to computer technology of the Internet with Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and the like in just the last two decades.

I believe it is hard for younger people coming of age to imagine the radical change in lifestyle for people my age that we took for granted “back in the day.” I am sure Mr. Sinkin could regale us with his version of old and the vast changes made since he was a kid. It is called progress.

I grew up watching black and white television. My first recollection of watching color TV was in 1966. The very first show televised in color was a series called “Bonanza,” in 1959. We couldn’t afford a color TV back then as did most people. Not everyone even owned a TV much less a colored TV. My first encounter watching a show in color was “Batman” while in college with my buddies on Tuesday nights in the day room of my dormitory. Friends and classmates would congregate to watch. Some would bring popcorn and snacks along with them. It was like going to the movies and not have to buy a ticket.

Being in a nostalgic mood, I still miss going downtown on Saturdays as a youngster to the 25 cent double features at the Majestic, Empire or Aztec theatres to see my favorite monster movies, with Dracula or Frankenstein. Now I go on the movie channels on cable to see those same flicks in the privacy of my own home. Yep those were great times, “back in the day.”

Anyway, as always, what I write is “Just a Thought.”

Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the Peace and Journalist.