Random Weirdness: Crazy Catalog Stuff (Part 5) or How Your Parents Took Selfies!

"Grandpa, what kind of cell phones did they have back in the 70s?"

"Son, we didn't have cell phones."

"Geez, Grandpa, How did you take selfies?"

"Well we really didn't take 'selfies' per say, but we used a camera."

"A, a, cam-er-uh, what?"

"Okay, okay, son, it may seem like a primitive era, along time ago, but let me explain..."

"Yes, we had actual cameras that were dedicated to nothing but..... taking pictures!" (1)

"You mean you couldn't send texts them also?!??!?"

"Errr, no, for example..."

"Yes, son, the pictures would magically develop right before your eyes!!"

"And the flash photography...let me tell ya..."

"In the 70s, you knew when you had your picture taken because you couldn't see anything but black spots for 5 minutes!!" (2)

"Grandpa, how did you post those pictures on Facebook?"

"Well, we didn't have anything like that.  But we had something better for sharing pictures with family and friends."

"Let me tell you son, when the slide projector to show pictures of your last vacation came out, you knew that party was going to take off!!"

"Grandpa, I heard that in the 70s you had something called 'key parties'.  Is that what you're talking about?"

"Well, not exactly.  Anyway....."

"To really impress the neighbors, we also had the 'Cube' projectors.  That let everyone know that you were on the cutting edge of the latest technology!"

"Grandpa, it all sounds so difficult.  I mean the clunky cameras, having to wait for the picture, and no way to post them online. Not to mention the expense!"

"Well, yes it was.  And not only that, to take a really good picture required actual skill.  Often times, I couldn't figure out how to work those dadbern contraptions!"

"So, Grandpa, what was the point?"

"Well, the point is this.  Because taking a picture required effort, you had to make sure your picture was worth the effort. For example.."

"Ohh, NOW I see what you're talking about!!"


footnotes:

(1) This fantastic pic of Kathy is from a TV Guide and is courtesy of Blue Senshi.

(2) These things should have come with a warning "Caution, Do Not Look Directly At The Camera.  May Cause Blindness"