OK…I’m Old! – part 6

 

 

Pencil Sharpener

This was in EVERY classroom!! All through elementary school and junior high. I don’t remember if it was in the classrooms of high school. We had one of these at home, but I don’t remember it ever being actually fixed to a wall. I wish I still had it.

 

 

Key Case

Made of the finest plastic! We had a couple of these with the keys for the cars and a house key. They were kept on the shelf of the bookcase by the front door. They were always returned to the same place when whoever drove got back in the house.

 

 

Table Jukebox

I thought these were SO COOL in the restaurants. I don’t remember at all which restaurant(s) that we went to when I was little, but I loved flipping through all the titles. I don’t remember my parents ever actually putting money in one and playing a song. I’d LOVE to have one of these now.

 

 

Kitchen Linoleum

Ours was a different pattern, but the EXACT SAME COLORS. I thought it was very groovy to have a kitchen floor like this…

 

 

Old Spice Aftershave

This was my grandpa’s brand. Always. I have very fond memories of this scent.

 

 

Moo Box

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!! I thought it was magic! Loved playing with this. It eventually got so old the works fell apart and it stopped mooing. I was surprised to find that they still make this kind of thing. $10 on Amazon.

 

Breakfast

 

When you see an example of the American breakfast from 1776 to 2026, you aren’t just looking at food—you’re looking at the history. We’ve gone from "survival porridge" to "Instagram-ready protein bowls.”

 

Classic bacon and eggs

This wasn’t actually a thing until the 1920s. A man named Edward Bernays was hired by a bacon company to boost sales, so he got doctors to go on the record saying a "heavy breakfast" was healthier than a light one. Suddenly, bacon and eggs became the national gold standard. And of course, the bacon was fried first and then the eggs went into the grease left behind.

 

Patriotism and coffee

Look at the shift from Tea (1776) to Coffee (1795). After the Boston Tea Party, drinking tea was seen as "unpatriotic." Out with the kettle. In with the coffee pot. And we haven't looked back since. By 1995, we didn't even have time to sit down—the "To-Go" cup became our most important accessory.

 

Cold cereal

In 1905, boxed cereal was marketed as a "health food" for sanatoriums. By 1965, it was a sugar-fueled morning ritual for almost every kid and quite a few adults. Fast forward to 2026, and we’ve come full circle: we’re back to bowls, but now they’re packed with quinoa, chia seeds, and enough protein to power a small village.

 

1935’s Grapefruit Craze: During the Depression and into the mid-century, the "Grapefruit Diet" was the original viral wellness trend.

 

The 1975 Toaster Revolution: Pop-Tarts and Toaster Strudels. I never cared for Pop-Tarts. LOVED Toaster Strudels. Especially chocolate ones. Which they discontinued. But that’s OK, because toast with Nutella on it is just as good.

 

The 2015 Avocado High Point: Avocado toast actually has roots in Australian cafe culture, but it became the ultimate American symbol for the millennial generation. I do NOT like avocado and would never desecrate my toast with it.

 

Growing up, my brother and I would almost always have oatmeal or other cooked cereal, like Cream-O-Wheat or Malto Meal. Grandma would make it and then wake us up. Now my usual breakfast is Slimfast coffee. 1 cup milk, 1 scoop Slimfast, 1 heaping tablespoon of instant flavored coffee that had loads of sugar in it. Heat it up in the microwave and enjoy.

 

What’s YOUR breakfast like?

 

 

Good Friday, April 3, 2026

 

 The Sacrifice

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naX0L2hdYMY