Fun pub discussion last night - things your kids will never know or experience

[MineralMan]

180. I have a rotary dial phone as the main phone in my living room.

Anytime someone wants to make a call, I point them to that. I also have an old oak wall phone in the kitchen. It's really hard to dial out on it, unless you know the trick, but I often answer it, if I'm in the kitchen. Even adults have trouble talking on it, since the mic and earpiece are two separate things.

I have a genuine record player in the living room, along with a hand-cranked Victrola and more than one vacuum tube radio. Plenty of records, too, from 78 rpm ones from the 20s through the 1950s. I even have a B.B. "Blues Boy" King 78 that is a big hit with the kids. No 8-track players, but I do have a cassette deck that's still working with my stereo system. My alarm clock is a wind-up, with the bells on the top.

The very best thing of all, though, is my 1949 television set with a 6" screen. It's connected to a dvd player, and I have dvd's of early 1950s TV shows and commercials. Works great, and it's fun to watch an evening of 1950s television on it. Keeps things honest. That TV sits under the 1080p HD TV, and acts as its stand. Kids love the old cartoon dvd for that old TV set.

It's this Crosley model. Mine looks better, but I can't find my photo of it.



I love showing this stuff to my nieces and nephews and showing them how it all works. They seem to enjoy their ancient uncle's weird stuff, too.