Quote of The Day

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Sunday scribblings Swing Era

My mom
Sunday Scribblings "If I had to live in a different time in history!"
If I had to live in another time in history it would be the swing era. Where the clothes were beautiful and romantic. Where woman danced til the wee hours of the morning and never worried about calories.
The era my mother lived, where she looked like a doll on the way to work. With amazing high heeled shoes, and a big smile on her face! Where hairdressers were pressured to fit in as many clients as they could with nary a break to pee!

Where being a virgin was revered not laughed at! Where girls wore dresses on a date. Where Doris Day sang " If I had a secret love" and people really did have secret loves.
Where men dressed dapper, could ballroom dance and were forced to romance a woman before he bedded her.
Simple times where cars were an extravagance, oranges a treat, and going to the movies was exhilarating. A time where staying home to raise your children was expected, not criticized.
A time when movies had happy endings, and single parents were rare. Where ethics were high, corruption was covert. Weekly dances were a place to connect and sharing a milkshake was romantic. Expectations were less, everyone had less, needed less, and wanted less.


A time when Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire danced people out of their doldrums, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby crooned and humored their way to the top. While Jack Benny, the three stooges Red Skelton, Laurel and Hardy, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis jolted people into laughter with slapstick simple humor and crazy antics. A time when Shirley Temple warmed every one hearts, and Judy Garland mesmerized audiences with her voice and vulnerability.
To sum it up I loved the era, the values, the arts, the fashion and most of my life I wished I'd been born two decades before I was. I loved Blondie and Dagwood any comedy or musical from that era had my attention. Waltzing, jiving and jitterbug would have made me belle of the ball! Humor was clean yet sprinkled with innuendo, romance was alive, everyone knew their place, watched their money and were neighborly! It was basically La la land fraught with back alley abortions, hidden abuse, racism and sexism rampant, prevalent female oppression , there was war, hunger and unrest, in reality, I'm so glad I live now!

15 comments:

JP/deb said...

I love how you wrapped up this piece! There's a light and dark side to every era ... and I loved how you spent time illuminating the good things ... lessons we can bring forward. Wonderful photos!! xx, JP/deb

Terrie said...

I so enjoyed your post until I got to the end because I realized that there still are abortions, hidden abuse, racism and sexism rampant, war and hunger but add to that we have lost romanticism, commentment and hope.

Sandee said...

I'm so with you this one. My mother often spoke so fondly of this time in her life. Thanks for such a beautiful post. Big hug honey. :)

Tammy Brierly said...

You certainly captured the best of those times. Your mother is a beauty with your eye's. XXOO

Anonymous said...

What a lovely romp. But you really caught me with the ending - just wasn't expecting it. Today has it's fair share of problems too, only different ones. I chose the twenties for my piece and I turned a blind eye to the negative side of the era. Champagne my dear?

susan said...

Confession: I was beginning to worry. Our world and lives and complex, isn't it? Nothing is all good or all bad. Great photos of your mom. I wish my mother had taken more photos.

Forgetfulone said...

What a great read! I think the difference in values is what gets me the most. Plus watching Fred and Ginger dance.

DMG said...

Your mom was a total doll-baby!These photos are so, so precious. Thank you for sharing them. They made me wish I had been a part of that era.

Lucy said...

Your MOM!!!
WOW!!
She is beautiful! I SEE you in her and OH MY GOD do I see PEPPER!! especially that photo of her sitting on the steps Sherrie!! Amazing resemblance!
All the great stuff about that era! that's why I love it! but OH MY your ending was such a twist! I am glad I was reincarnate to where we are today too!! YOU my sweet buddy CAN WRITE a captivating story!! xox
(you are so lucky to have SO many photos of mom!) (were one of those men your dad?)

Donna Gotlib said...

I enjoyed the photos of your Mother, especially the one of her walking downtown on her way to work. It's interesting how all of our parents seem to have those photos noo matter where they lived. It was such a different time.

Anonymous said...

Your mom was soooooooooo beautiful! That smile....!

Flassie's Fil'a said...

Your Mom is so Beautiful!

God Bless You and Yours
and Your Creative Life!!!

paisley said...

i think the most exciting thing to consider on the bring of the current economic disaster,, is that the 40's directly followed the thirties...

these people and times and values that you so enjoy were the offshoot of the depression,,, may we both live long enough to see that time repeat itself.......

Charlie said...

Great post! Loved reading your interpretation of that era, especially at the end. Pros and cons to everything. You must be a Libra to be able see both sides. Loved your Mom's photos' too. So cute.

Mim said...

thanks for stopping by! This is an interesting post...and I'm also glad you added the last section - as it was a tough time for woman! Woman paid less than men...not allowed to do alot of things... - but anyway - you got it all.
Great blog!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...