What’s Good for You

The high school I attended had an art humanities program each student was required to complete. It was the only one of its kind in the country, the school liked to boast. One day was art humanities, one day was music humanities and the other three were language arts. There were three different teachers for one class, “Humanities”.

In the art humanities classes, we would dissect pieces of art as far as materials, movement, brush strokes, period, artist and any other way applicable. My favorite discussion entailed the subjects of the pieces. What were they doing? What were they thinking? What might they have been saying? Renaissance was especially fun for that because could be quite a few people in the paintings doing various activities with a plethora of expressions.

My secret admirer gave me a book with this illustration in it and many more. This little scene has six figures in it to contemplate. I see two children, a mother, a grandmother but is that Pa or Grandad? The bald spot makes me wonder. At first glance I thought it was the dad.

Mom and Grandma are making many apple pies. They are probably going to sell them at the county fair. The kids have been in the garden picking vegetables and the little puppy is like, “Where the hell have you guys been?” Why is the adult male sitting with his back to the viewer? Was the sun in his eyes? But then why would two people handling knives be sitting with the sun in their eyes?

This little reader was to teach children responsibility for their health. Hygiene, diet and remaining germ free were key subjects.

The drinking fountains in Flint have been covered with plastic bags for years now. Don’t worry, legislators are trying to hold former Michigan governor, Rick Snyder accountable. Now, because of COVID-19, all fountains are off limits. Will drinking fountains fade into oblivion like wall clocks, which are missed dearly, or pay phones, which what on earth is someone supposed to do if their phone dies? Ask scary Larry walking by if you can use his because he is the only person around? I hope and pray the drinking fountains are not a casualty of COVID-19.

The children pictured above are using water in two essential ways. Worship water! Perhaps god is a big water blob that floats around on the bottom of the ocean waving his magical wand. Or not.

This book is dated for one reason because it stresses meat being imperative in the human diet. This doesn’t have to be the case in modern times. Many alternatives are in place, unfortunately only for those in a position of relative privilege at the moment due to costs.

This book teaches children what animal becomes which meat, like bacon used to be a pig. The book basically advocates slaughtering baby cows, which is bringing tears to my eyes as I write this. This world is a cruel place for so many among us.

This illustration is so odd. Perhaps these are the ghosts of all of the animals around him. He will have to face them on judgement day. Which is today. I’m obviously judging him right now.

I’m actually not a vegetarian or vegan but I dream of being one some day. My bf makes amazing cauliflower buffalo wings!

Milk is NOT the best food of all. It’s for baby cows or goats or whomever. Human breast milk might be the best kind for baby, but not for 40 year old Bob or Sue.

We were really inundated with milk commercials in past decades. There was one such commercial of a scrawny kid who likes a cool, mature, styling gal, but she doesn’t give him the time of day. He drinks his shitty ass milk harvested by sacrificing the comfort and peace of a cow and supposedly grows bigger and stronger due to the milk. Um, it’s not the milk. He would have grown anyway. It’s human nature. So, when he catches up to her, she finally gives him attention. And he attributes it all to milk. What in the world? The 80s.

Most cows providing for humans do not have the luxury shown behind this milk man. I have seen them, though. They are out there. But watching a PETA video will leave anyone with a conscience depressed for days. I personally only drink almond milk or soy milk. We owe it to our fellow earthlings.

This chapter still holds true in 2021. The children above are making a drink from fruit. When I was waiting tables once, someone asked what juices we had. Apple juice, orange juice and lemonade was my reply. “Lemonade ain’t no juice!” she exclaimed. What is it, then?

“When a man is drunk, he does foolish things.” I can confirm this. If my dad has too many beers, absurdity is on the wing.

“He cannot think very well.” True. It’s something to drink if one desires to be wild and crazy, but if someone has something they need to do, that is basically out of the question until the next day. It is a procrastinator’s elixir.

This illustration shows what the latest technology in toasters for the time. I guess these people have two dogs. I dig the way that orange is drawn. I’m not 100% on what materials are used in these illustrations. If I had to guess, I’d say gauche.

This teacher has lovely cursive handwriting. Some people are mad because schools don’t teach cursive as much as they once did. I have mixed feelings about it. It is not really essential, as long as someone can write language physically in some way that communicates their message to a second party. But handwriting is enriching to one’s personality in my eyes.

I like that Mary hopes the person who asks her how she is is fine too. That is lovely. And I like that someone can be considered pretty based on good health. This is a message we can adopt from the past. Someone doesn’t have to look like a model walking down the runway at the local shopping mall to be considered the most attractive one in the room. Being in good mental and physical shape produces a glow that outshines even the most conventionally attractive.

Maybe hot lunch was healthy back then but quality dropped substantially in years following. Some in the political arena have tried to reshape that so our children can think more clearly throughout the day. My bf said you don’t have to have breakfast to be able to do your best. I told him that conflicted with all of the cereal commercials that I had ever seen. Don’t always believe what you see on the turd tube.

These are decent tips. It went on to explain you need to chew slower for absorption’s sake. I did not know this. My bf always tells me to chew slower. He takes good care of me.

Question Box Jim’s unite!

America Loves Its Big Boy or You Are the Brightest and Best

I have long been looking for a photograph of a Big Boy Restaurant in a shopping mall. Finally, someone posted a series of vintage pictures from Saginaw’s Fashion Square Mall on a memories Facebook page and I was able to add a Mall Big Boy to my collection.

Of course, I had never been to this one, but I have been to the one in Southland Mall in Taylor in the 80s and still search for more evidence of that particular venue.

I often lament to my bf that I would love to spend a day in the 80s! Just one! That’s all. That’s not too much to ask, is it? He always asks what I would do and the shopping mall is always at the top of my list.

It used to be BUMPIN’. Not the trickle of strange men lurking around corners, mall walkers and junior high students enjoying a little freedom from mom with their friends.

And I would be taking my iPhone too and fill up the memory with pictures.

I would end the day with the Elias Brothers Big Boy.

This ain’t no Frisch’s or Bobs. They don’t put tarter sauce on their burgers. Here is a rare picture of Fred and Louis Elias.

I loved the Big Boy experience so much I even worked there when I grew up (that is not me, it’s a girl in a commercial I took a screen shot of).

Here I am at the server station working at the Big Boy in Ypsilanti, Michigan around 2001. I liked to write in my journal between visiting tables. At this time, I had a horrible haircut because I let a drunk 17 year old cut it, so I wore this bandanna to hide half of my head.

The sign in the background shows a little cartoon Big Boy that gave the character a little more room to express emotions over the joy of food, rather than just holding up a burger with the same frozen closed mouth smile year after year.

That little metal device shown at the end of the station was a speaker with a button on it. We would press it and give the cooks a heads up on the order coming in. They had a speaker that fed into the kitchen.

Sadly, one of the two restaurants I worked at turned into a pharmacy of all things! This is the former East Dearborn location. This place stayed open until 1 am and then 3 am on the weekends. I liked to play PlayStation 2 to unwind after a very long night of waiting tables.

This location had “halal” burgers, which are prepared permissible to Islamic law.

1. The slaughterer must be a sane adult Muslim.
2. The slaughterer must say the name of God before making the cut.
3. The name of God is said in order to emphasise the sanctity of life and that the animal is being killed for food with God’s consent.
4. The animal must be killed by cutting the throat with one continuous motion of a sharp knife.
5. The cut must sever at least three of the trachea, oesophagus, and the two blood vessels on either side of the throat.
6. The spinal cord must not be cut.
7. Animals must be well treated before being killed.
8. Animals must not see other animals being killed.
9. The knife must not be sharpened in the animal’s presence.
10. The knife blade must be free of blemishes that might tear the wound.
11. The animal must not be in an uncomfortable position.
12. The animal must be allowed to bleed out and be completely dead before further processing.

Shouldn’t all meat be halal, then?

Our gym in Bay City was once a Ponderosa. There are still some defunct refrigerators in a back corner, otherwise someone would never know.

On the same road sits an empty Pizza Hut and behind it is an defunct Long John Silver’s. What will these places become?

Or will they just get torn down like the former Sears in downtown Bay City? When the Bay City Mall opened up (a dud compared to Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn), this Sears closed its doors. Another non-retail company used it for a while. Recently, it was demolished. I found that to be a shame. Why are they killing mid century heritage?

Please stay away from all restaurants unless you travel to the 80s.

You can always order carry out.

Restaurants are open but that’s because our government are cheapskates and don’t want to pay food service workers anything for being laid off.

I can tell Siri to dial Big Boy and then I order myself some multi grain hotcakes! Mmm yes bitch

Art Snobs Miss Out

One of my favorite genres of art is teen literature book covers. As with most connoisseurs, I have my favorite time period: 1970s-1990s.

These paintings are not necessarily pieces most people would hang in their house.

I have spent more time studying and analyzing these works of arts than most classics. I graduated with a minor in art, but I am more drawn to these paintings than Van Gogh or Picasso.

I find the horror genre especially riveting.

Which was why I was surprised to hear chatter being raised about this particular volume on Reddit. I have seen this cover many times but failed to notice one little detail.

The name of the school on the cover art is Columbine High. What is chilling about this is that Final Exam was released in 1990 and this is the original cover.

Columbine High School was the scene of the school shooting rampage in 1999 that killed 15 and injured 24 others. Just a little spooky in my opinion.

You do NOT have to like whatever this is to appreciate art.

This, too, is art. Far more beautiful and spiritually meaningful to me.

Buzz off, art snobs.

Inaugural Blog

Today we say goodbye to the old…

And hello to the new (even though, ya, he’s old).

Joe Biden has been trying to be the head honcho since the late 80s.

Here is the Biden family in June of 1987 as Joe announces his first of three bids for president.

Fast forward to 2021 and after Trump, Biden doesn’t look so bad.

MAGA… how did that work for ya? It wasn’t even an original thought. Just old, recycled crap.

Celebrities as presidents are wild cards. Reagan acted his whole way through forgetting everything he knew about the Iran Contra.

Here is Ernie of Sesame Street with Nancy Pelosi.

It’s all about who you know in politics. Here is young Pelosi with JFK.

Sometimes dreams go up in smoke. Reagan decimated Dukakis into oblivion. He could have tried again like Biden.

Will Biden live up to my dead crush, Teddy Roosevelt?

Will he be silly and kind of dangerous like others?

Hopefully Biden has learned from the time he was caught plagiarizing in 1988. He waited until it was mostly forgotten to run again in 2008, ultimately reaching his goal today, January 20th 2021, despite the fact. President Nixon succumbed to such desperate measures, leaving the office almost as disgraced as Trump (but not quite).

“Don’t follow me to purgatory, Joe!”

Hopefully things will resume some sense of normalcy in coming days.

And maybe we can get some real people, besides AOC and the squad, into the House. And some more rock stars like Bernie into the Senate.

Let’s leave the two faced establishment behind and create a new America!

The Doctor’s Estate Sale

A few months ago, one of my favorite homes in Bay City held an estate sale.

My BF and I lived across from this mansion for 8 years.

A lovable retired doctor lived here and he cared for many cats. They were always roaming the property.

One of my own kitties came from a long line of orangies that inhabited the grounds. He was seeking refuge because he was always getting beaten up by the bigger cats.

This is a relative of his but he was a little bit weary of me, so I never got to hold him or pet him.

Our old house, where we rented the first floor, can be seen from one of the front windows.

The doctor, who always wore cowboy boots, passed on a few years ago, followed by his wife just recently . I got to see his collection of boots (these were only about a third).

This guy also had a gigantic pipe collection.

People around Bay City always wondered if the house smelled like cat pee. I did not smell anything as I walked upstairs and through the main floor.

As a lover of wood paneling, I was absolutely charmed by the kitchen.

I felt right at home.

On the third floor up was a “ball room”, insulated with a much fancier wood, which I loved even more.

Just gorgeous.

There were lots of antiques to admire. This early generation pager must have been used when the doctor was on call.

Very cool. Would I still get a reward if I returned this?

This was the charging device. This was a very fair price for something that could have gotten into a museum of some sort.

My BF saw this and was upset that I didn’t get it. I told him it was a very expensive sale overall. I don’t recall looking at the price for this exact item.

This USPS pail was $45 for example, which is common for Estate Sales. This item has some character so I wasn’t offset too much by the steep price tag, but lots of estate sales would have items you can buy at Cats Meow for 50 cents tagged at $10.

In the back of the house was a very clinical area that led to the basement.

That’s when it hit me. Cat pee. The cats must have been relegated to a certain part of the home.

This basement was a fine place to shoot a horror film.

I had to see what was behind the door. Another woman perusing the sale said to me, “Curious?”

Who was Ed? I never found out the doctor’s first name.

It seemed as though the oldest of the old was kept down here. People used to put children in this device. We wonder why baby boomers can be so cranky.

There were a lot of old medical supplies. A few young gals commented to one another that all the medical instruments made them a little uneasy. It do be that when you don’t know who lives in the home.

Lots of cameras everywhere.

I heard that at the last hour of the sale, every item was being sold for a dollar.

I was incensed. I will never forget this. I will always remember the loss of not knowing to be there for the final hour. I believe it was probably a surprise though. Can you imagine people hiding items they may have wanted in the downstairs creepy closet?

As I was exiting the sale I overheard one of the workers tell someone else all of the carpeting had to be torn out of the home because of the smell of cat pee.

Rest In Peace doctor cat lover.

And Rest In Peace to your wife, even though I never saw her once in all of 8 years.

Top New Years Resolutions

New Year, New YOU.

What will your New Years Resolution be?

(Perhaps if you are really into leather, you will commit yourself to look into vegan options. You will look just as cool. )

A common resolution is giving up smoking.

We smoke all day

Even playing ball

We keep our smokes in our duffle

Do the cigarette shuffle

The cigarette lifestyle isn’t worth it in the end.

You always have to make sure you’re not running out and if you are you have to stop everything to go the store.

Plus you alway have to carry matches or lighters.

At one time smoking was so common, kids toys were disguised as paraphernalia for fun.

Wasn’t Showbiz just wrong for this?

Some people will try to stop being so envious of others for 2021. All of that business really leads to bad places.

Betty is going to ruin her entire future by murdering Archie and Veronica just because she would like to be the one skating with Archie.

Doesn’t she know by now that Archie doesn’t mind being passed around? If she just waits a minute, she can skate with Archie next.

It can feel good to be negative temporarily. It would probably be really funny to see “stupid Linus and his equally stupid sister” get the daylights scared out of them.

But really, no one is going to like you if you are always in a shitty mood. And you will end up not liking yourself.

Perhaps a change of diet can brighten your disposition if need be.

Resolving to work out can ultimately lead to all kinds of personal benefits. Having a partner by your side helps.

Fitness comes in all shapes and forms. If you find what is right for you, workouts can go by really fast.

Get in shape, girl!

Some people will make a resolution to stop cussing so much.

Though, there has certainly been a lot to swear about in 2020.

You can bet folks will try to cut back on the mobile phone use for 2021.

It is difficult because we cannot see our friends and family in person as much as we’d like to. But to we really need to go round and round in circles on Facebook for two hours?

If you cut up a credit card or two…

Saving money could be much easier for you. Putting a stop to overspending is a resolution that is time honored.

Have fun this New Years Eve and don’t mistake the bubble bath you got for Christmas for spirits!

I don’t think there is really anywhere to go this year, but driving around drunk is always a poor idea.

Daily Maids Donuts was no help with resolutions to lose weight, were they?

Soon, we will be getting ready for Valentine’s Day.

It’s ok to have two girlfriend if they both know about it and don’t care.

The Christmas Curse and Defunct Stores

Christmas is sneaking up on us!

Hopefully, you don’t get your period on Christmas!

“Santa, my Christmas wish is that I am not bleeding furiously for the holidays.”

Even if you do wind up menstruating on Christmas, at least it is Christmas colors.

Tampax was trying to say in this 90s ad that no one wants to add a pad to all of the bulky clothes they’ll be wearing in the first place.

Tampax will say anything to get women to insert factory contaminated cotton inside themselves.

FYI, we can ice skate and ski in pads with no problems, even on the heaviest day.

It is worth taking my skis or skates off to go to the lavatory to change my pad after a while. I’ll never wear one of your tampons.

The gal in the above Stay Free Pads ad is doing just fine in her bulky pad. In my book, the more bulk, the better.

As with the menstrual cycle, holidays arrive whether we are ready or not.

Toys R Us isn’t there anymore to bail out last minute shoppers with their flexible holiday shopping hours.

Modern times dictate that if we didn’t order merchandise off of the internet by a certain date, there is no guarantee of receiving it by Christmas.

And Geoffrey, Ouija ain’t no game!

“Boy, a world without Toys R Us is a depressing place!”

Don’t worry, sad dog lady. Soon spring will be here and you will be able to try out your most dangerous presents.

While you are riding around town on the unicycle you got for Christmas because a dot com mixed up Granny’s orders, perhaps you will consider ways that the world needs to change in order to make the USA a better place.

Radio Shack is another store that always provided us with neat Christmas presents only for us to abandon them.

Radio Shack stocked up on wonderful merchandise to make Christmas morning exciting and surprising.

Wish.com would destroy an innovative idea such as this with shorty mechanics of the cheapest variety and animals who look like failed taxidermy.

The folks who supported Kmart became too poor to shop there any longer, sadly. Let us remember that if we consider voting for anyone any further right than progressive.

Many are doing perfectly fine in these times that are financially challenging for so many and will get exactly what they ask for.

My mom and dad were able to give me exactly what I wanted Christmas morning 1988.

Let’s remember those less fortunate this year and do everything we can all year round to make the planet better for little Cabbage Patches like Maurice Renault.

My Christmas wish is one of these for everyone in the world!

Batteries Not Included

A CBS Special Presentation: Tonight’s Regular Programming Will Not Be Aired!

As if 2020 has not been controversial enough, Apple TV has added to the shit show by purchasing the rights to A Charlie Brown Christmas.

The tradition of being voyeurs to the bullying and clinical depression Charlie Brown endures during the holiday season can not be viewed on network television for the first time in decades.

So much uproar was stirred by this corporate gate keeping, PBS was permitted to air the special.

This 80s ad features the sponsors, Coca Cola and McDonald’s trying to include themselves into the Peanuts universe. I found it rather silly.

It also shows Snoopy claiming that Charlie Brown has delusions of grandeur which is so hypocritical.

Snoopy is the most self important character in the whole Peanuts dynamic when it is examined as a whole.

Snoopy has no room to talk. Plus, Charlie Brown says “we”, not “I”.

This is a lesser known Peanuts holiday special. I certainly have never heard of it, and I know about the Arbor Day special.

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown first aired in 1986. This is definitely something I will be checking out on New Years Eve.

One time my bf and I watched Jason in Space on New Years Eve. Just saying.

Rudolph also got a New Years Special.

It sounds very exciting. The Christmas special is a mess so hopefully things got ironed out for the New Years special.

I watched the original this year and don’t know if I can take any more of the Rudolph universe for a while, though. Maybe I will watch it for the 2022 New Year.

These two Christmas specials first aired in 1992.

I wonder how Inspector Gadget almost destroys Christmas? Will Penny follow around Gadget her entire life?

“I am not going to college or anything like that. I have to keep my uncle from losing his job.”

But maybe she will juggle both at once.

Noel was supposed to be big time like Rudolph and Frosty, as the ad claims it was created by the same people.

You know they thought they had another classic on their hands.

The character looks very cute. I guess it must have been awful, as it faded into obscurity.

But, Rudolph and Frosty’s shows were horrible and are still aired every year.

It helps that Rudolph is adorable.

McDonald’s put a lot of work and imagination into creating a fictional platform to sell their food.

At one time, their Mcdonaldland commercials were little shows standing on their own.

The film Supersize Me claims Ronald McDonald is the second most recognized character to children in the entire world, next to Santa Claus.

McDonald’s did a lot of work with puppets and the like to gain childrens’ undivided attention, which is quite a feat.

Christmas was a big deal for the company and they always went all out. Who dresses up a fake chicken nugget as an angel? 80s McDonald’s, that’s who.

But there is a reason Santa Claus beats out Ronald McDonald when it comes to recognition.

Ronald only wants to give you a couple hamburgers, maybe a Happy Meal with a little toy.

That’s ok for an everyday type thing, but with Santa there is the hope he will give you the object of your dreams.

Even if you don’t get what you want, Santa will give you something to try to make up for that.

Some parents today claim that people shouldn’t say expensive gifts are from Santa, such as IPads or gaming consoles.

This is because not every parent can afford such costly gifts.

If I had kids I wouldn’t ever try to bring Santa to life like some parents do. I would want my whole family to live in reality.

Stores like Kmart always had layaway for tall orders, however. Society became too poor to support such types of retail, sadly. Would be Kmart shoppers are shopping at the thrift store these days.

So, in today’s harsh climate, if you want items that cost big bucks, you are on your own.

But stay away from Pay Day lenders. You could end up owing interest on Star Studio for ten years!

Merry Christmas and hopefully you get a nice Rick and Morty “Pickle Rick” shirt from Spencer’s.

Get a Chicken in the Mail: The Final Installment of 1942 Chicago Mail Order Company Catalog

Have a nice cup of mud and enjoy the fourth and final entry exploring of The Chicago Mail Order Company catalog of 1942.

Many people love to collect Pyrex dishes today.

I personally was not aware of any coffee makers, though.

The caption reads that this items is mailable. I wonder if this company had pick up stations?

This item is rare, as at the moment I am only able to find Pyrex coffee makers from the 50s and 60s on the internet.

For anyone unfamiliar with the Pyrex collecting craze, here is one of the most beloved of the various sets.

Other products for sale included baby seats that were only good for keeping baby seated upright during car rides.

It was certainly a gamble to take the little one on the road. It is certainly not very secure by today’s safety standards.

Better than holding him or her (or them) in the front seat.

Johnson and Johnson has been powdering butts for a long time!

And that is quite unfortunate. They are being torn a new one by the courts because they knew that the powder caused ovarian cancer.

Women who used it long term filed class action lawsuits when it became apparent what was causing the deadly predicament.

Capitalists have no mercy on the consumer!

Fruit of the Loom’s longevity is also of note.

These “panties” and “bloomers” were guaranteed to last 6 months or else they sent you new ones.

Fruit of the Loom is also shady because their factories are in a country where they pay the workers much much lower than the American minimum wage.

Most companies screwed over the American worker by doing the same. It is difficult to find anything made in the USA Today.

Products are cheap because the worker does not give a care about what they are making. Americans that once made 20$ an hour at the factories had pride. Also, companies began to choose the cheapest of the cheap materials. Things rip and break easily.

I am so glad this sort of contraption is dead and gone. This looks so uncomfortable.

I would prefer these simple undergarments.

I have heard of fold out couches, but never a chair. These beat cots so I don’t understand why they folded.

This is a cousin to the bed that folds into the wall.

These look so cozy! And firm. I hate sitting into those extra fluffy couches and sinking into them!

If you want to take a nap on a couch, go lay in bed.

I believe couches are for sitting and remaining alert, which is why I appreciate a couch like this. Not enough on the market today!

This bedroom set included one of those circular mirrors that constantly appear in antique stores.

Another circular vanity. These practically disappeared from bedrooms altogether.

I can’t think of anyone I know with a vanity in their room.

They are still popular on tv and movies, though.

For the rest of the house, chrome plated dinettes.

Coal and Wood stoves…I am sure it wasn’t exactly healthy breathing that crap in.

Finally, chickens.

Are they mailable?

1942 Homefront Homies

Be prepared to be laughed at if you wear the hats shown above in today’s baseball cap climate.

In 1942, the Chicago Mail Order Company offered a variety to customers, so I am guessing people could walk around in these and be taken seriously.

Folks today will be wondering where your curious little monkey is at.

Or what you have hidden under that hat.

Did JNCO Jeans design this “outfit for work or sports”?

I wonder what they are singing?

“For he’s a jolly good fellow!”

Look at that tiny guy on the far right dancing up a storm.

Check out the whistler. Where is your mother? Get it? The Whistler’s Mother?!

Some boys wanted to represent Superman.

Boxers were invented in 1925 by Everlast so actual boxers didn’t feel constrained by their shorts. The elastic band we are used to seeing today in men’s underwear was essential to the design. No fussy buttons. I am not sure if the above image qualifies as boxer shorts, therefore. They are technically undershorts.

These are the wedgie pants. They really had men out there walking around with their pants pulled up to their nipples.

My boyfriend told me these pants were for horseback riding. Did they really wear ties when taking old Mr Ed out for a ride?

“We want to fight Nazis too!”

Will battling Asian countries for ambiguous reasons do?

Why is my butt in the front?

A gal would know you were serious if you put her picture in your wallet.

Stay tuned for the final installment from this lovely catalog.

And remember, Phrenetics is not rea!