I don’t want to rain on your OG parade, Doc, especially since I’m an older OG than you but…sure, I grew up without AC in my home, car, school, etc; and I was miserable. Yeah, I loved Summer, playing ball, riding the bike, going places my parents told me not to go…all of that. BUT…from an early age, I was cursed by being a guy who was allergic to basically anything floating around in the air on a Summer day. It was brutal. Then, when I was in my early HS days, Mom and Dad bought two window conditioners, one for our living room and one for the recently added on “family” room. To me, when they were on and I came in the house, there was some filtered air to breathe. It was wonderful. Heck, I would sleep downstairs in the summer just to have that air. No, it didn’t take my allergies away but it sure as Hell helped. I still had the problem but those AC’s lessened the agony.
So, when I’m asked if I’d go back to the way it was back then, my answer is “sure, I could live through it but why, in Hell would I want to???”
As for Max Scherzer, “ WAAAAA!” I like the new rules, Max. Get over yourself!
Tune in next week when Doc reveals that the decline of society is due to TV remotes. “Kids these days have never had to sit next to the tv cranking the channel knob while dad barks out station numbers.”
You are right, Doc, about not being wimps in the good old days. Ditto regarding your normal summer day, except we didn’t get a quarter. If we had, we would have spent it on 5 packs of baseball cards. And…. No self respecting boy would have worn shorts. Nosiree, we had on those triple ply, chaffing inducing blue jeans!
Doc, I am just a few cycles around the sun older than you and have memories of homes without AC. However as I read the first part of this OG rant, I am recuperating from damn near a heat stroke from walking around Summerfair. You get no sympathy today.
Last of five boys, ten years between us, I left for college in '77 and my parents got AC the following year. Still have the 45 lb heavy steel window fan (originally my grandma's) - reversible, three speeds - we used to "cool" the second floor (where we had our one full bath), always blew out to draw outdoor air through the open windows on my father's orders, cross him and find out. Get up, wolf some cereal, get on the bike and get the hell out before someone dreamed up some chores to do.
Currently sitting on a bench in Hyde Park Square with a Carl’s Deli special and a cold drink. It’s 90 degrees with a breeze. This is brief but true bit of happiness. No thank you on the A/C for me.
Our business relies greatly on selling central air conditioning, so bring on the heat and humidity. However, my summer youth was identical to yours, and I think it was perfect. Actually not sure what to make of that. - very confusing.
According to “experts”, your lawn and plants needs about 1” of water a week. At the suggestion of one of those experts a few years ago, I put a container in the yard when I watered and monitored it. When it was at 1”, I looked at how long the sprinkler had been going. At my yard, that was 1 hour. So now, I set it up and let it ride for an hour once a week during dry periods like we’re experiencing now. Has worked out well
Our AC has been out for several days this week. No one is dying, but it has been uncomfortable at times.
BTW, where does AC rank in the list of 20th century inventions? Top 5 or Top 10? It definitely opened the door for the movement of people into places that were formerly not desirable due to heat and humidity.
Saw one of those intergenerational memes the other day. Written by a gen Zer trying to poke fun at us older millennials. It read something like, "what did you do in the summer being stuck inside all day without the internet?!" and some older millennial added, "you think we were stuck inside? We were out! They used to have to run reminders at 10pm on tv asking parents if they knew where their kids were."
I didn't have AC for 2 summers in New York City. It took a special lady to agree to that bachelor's bedroom.
The date we got our first room AC unit is easy for me to remember. I was 13 and it was July 20th, 1969. I was assisting my dad and uncle installing the brackets and supports and then lifting the actual unit into place. While doing that we’d take breaks to get in front the TV to watch Neil Armstrong descend down the ladder and utter his famous words ...
Your OG stuff is great, Doc; keep it coming! I loved your reference to the hanging bed sheet to corral the A/C. My Mom did the same thing. Wondering if your A/C unit had the air smelling a very specific way? I loved that smell, for some reason. When our Mom didn't want us sleeping on the floor in their bedroom, we had one GE fan among the four of us kids that we had to fight for. That fan still works today, 45 years later, and still has the same perfect humming sound.
I hate AC, too. Sitting here eating my lunch at the office and my fingers are freezing. I'll step outside to feel 87 for about five minutes and warm up. As for the school in PA, it does seem a bit overblown but at the same time...83 inside with no breeze would probably feel pretty sweaty.
With you on Scherzer. Totally stupid thing to get upset about. I believe he got to throw 6 pitches. Cry me a river.
Really looking forward to the Reds/Brewers series. I'll be there tonight and tomorrow and it should be two amazing days at the good old ballpark. Go Reds!
I'm going to ignore my superstitious impulse not to "jinx" things by commending you for comments you've made on this site suggesting that patience with The Plan is wiser than umbrage. If I wasn't committed to committing golf tonight (and the game wasn't starting at such an odd hour), I'd probably be headed down there myself .
I don’t want to rain on your OG parade, Doc, especially since I’m an older OG than you but…sure, I grew up without AC in my home, car, school, etc; and I was miserable. Yeah, I loved Summer, playing ball, riding the bike, going places my parents told me not to go…all of that. BUT…from an early age, I was cursed by being a guy who was allergic to basically anything floating around in the air on a Summer day. It was brutal. Then, when I was in my early HS days, Mom and Dad bought two window conditioners, one for our living room and one for the recently added on “family” room. To me, when they were on and I came in the house, there was some filtered air to breathe. It was wonderful. Heck, I would sleep downstairs in the summer just to have that air. No, it didn’t take my allergies away but it sure as Hell helped. I still had the problem but those AC’s lessened the agony.
So, when I’m asked if I’d go back to the way it was back then, my answer is “sure, I could live through it but why, in Hell would I want to???”
As for Max Scherzer, “ WAAAAA!” I like the new rules, Max. Get over yourself!
Tune in next week when Doc reveals that the decline of society is due to TV remotes. “Kids these days have never had to sit next to the tv cranking the channel knob while dad barks out station numbers.”
1950s a relief pitcher came in and threw one or two warm up pitches. They were expected to be ready to go when they hit the mound.
You are right, Doc, about not being wimps in the good old days. Ditto regarding your normal summer day, except we didn’t get a quarter. If we had, we would have spent it on 5 packs of baseball cards. And…. No self respecting boy would have worn shorts. Nosiree, we had on those triple ply, chaffing inducing blue jeans!
Doc, I am just a few cycles around the sun older than you and have memories of homes without AC. However as I read the first part of this OG rant, I am recuperating from damn near a heat stroke from walking around Summerfair. You get no sympathy today.
Last of five boys, ten years between us, I left for college in '77 and my parents got AC the following year. Still have the 45 lb heavy steel window fan (originally my grandma's) - reversible, three speeds - we used to "cool" the second floor (where we had our one full bath), always blew out to draw outdoor air through the open windows on my father's orders, cross him and find out. Get up, wolf some cereal, get on the bike and get the hell out before someone dreamed up some chores to do.
Currently sitting on a bench in Hyde Park Square with a Carl’s Deli special and a cold drink. It’s 90 degrees with a breeze. This is brief but true bit of happiness. No thank you on the A/C for me.
Our business relies greatly on selling central air conditioning, so bring on the heat and humidity. However, my summer youth was identical to yours, and I think it was perfect. Actually not sure what to make of that. - very confusing.
Alvin Lee and Ten Years After was a killer band. I was very sad to hear the news when Alvin passed away. We had 3-4 of their albums.
Another kick ass 2 minute number is Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown”!
According to “experts”, your lawn and plants needs about 1” of water a week. At the suggestion of one of those experts a few years ago, I put a container in the yard when I watered and monitored it. When it was at 1”, I looked at how long the sprinkler had been going. At my yard, that was 1 hour. So now, I set it up and let it ride for an hour once a week during dry periods like we’re experiencing now. Has worked out well
Our AC has been out for several days this week. No one is dying, but it has been uncomfortable at times.
BTW, where does AC rank in the list of 20th century inventions? Top 5 or Top 10? It definitely opened the door for the movement of people into places that were formerly not desirable due to heat and humidity.
Right up there w elevators I’d think
Sitting in the AC today and watching the lawn service guy put chemicals on my perfectly manicured lawn. :)
Saw one of those intergenerational memes the other day. Written by a gen Zer trying to poke fun at us older millennials. It read something like, "what did you do in the summer being stuck inside all day without the internet?!" and some older millennial added, "you think we were stuck inside? We were out! They used to have to run reminders at 10pm on tv asking parents if they knew where their kids were."
I didn't have AC for 2 summers in New York City. It took a special lady to agree to that bachelor's bedroom.
The date we got our first room AC unit is easy for me to remember. I was 13 and it was July 20th, 1969. I was assisting my dad and uncle installing the brackets and supports and then lifting the actual unit into place. While doing that we’d take breaks to get in front the TV to watch Neil Armstrong descend down the ladder and utter his famous words ...
Your OG stuff is great, Doc; keep it coming! I loved your reference to the hanging bed sheet to corral the A/C. My Mom did the same thing. Wondering if your A/C unit had the air smelling a very specific way? I loved that smell, for some reason. When our Mom didn't want us sleeping on the floor in their bedroom, we had one GE fan among the four of us kids that we had to fight for. That fan still works today, 45 years later, and still has the same perfect humming sound.
I hate AC, too. Sitting here eating my lunch at the office and my fingers are freezing. I'll step outside to feel 87 for about five minutes and warm up. As for the school in PA, it does seem a bit overblown but at the same time...83 inside with no breeze would probably feel pretty sweaty.
With you on Scherzer. Totally stupid thing to get upset about. I believe he got to throw 6 pitches. Cry me a river.
Really looking forward to the Reds/Brewers series. I'll be there tonight and tomorrow and it should be two amazing days at the good old ballpark. Go Reds!
I'm going to ignore my superstitious impulse not to "jinx" things by commending you for comments you've made on this site suggesting that patience with The Plan is wiser than umbrage. If I wasn't committed to committing golf tonight (and the game wasn't starting at such an odd hour), I'd probably be headed down there myself .