Category: Blog

So who remembers payphones?

Back in the day, it cost a dime to make a phone call at a public payphone. Over time, the price went up to a quarter…I believe later it went even higher, but I have been a cellphone user for so long, I didn’t keep up with the payphone cost hikes.

Bottom line, those devices have gone the way of the dinosaur. For the most part…

Payphones still exist in airports, but the number is being steadily reduced as more and more people carry a phone at all times.

I recall in high school using the payphone to call Mom when I needed to be picked up after a track meet. If she wasn’t home, I hung out and tried again later. I couldn’t catch Mom on the road and say, “Swing by an get me when you finish at the market.” She didn’t have a cell phone. No one did.

Today, my kids shoot me a text when they need me. If I’m out and about, I just add them to my list of stops. It’s a different world now…

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)

So, it’s summer and you know what that means: grillin’…

If there’s ever the perfect time to grill a burger or steak, it’s in the summertime. Some people are so devoted to grilling, that they do not let bad weather get in the way of the perfect meal.

Take Mom…She is an expert griller and some of our best meals growing up came from the grill…even during winter…

You see Mom is such a devoted fan of grilling that she would go onto the patio during a major snowstorm in Indiana to grill our steaks. I kid you not; Mom would be in a winter coat and boots with snow falling heavily from the sky lighting up the grill. She’d come back inside to get the tenderized and marinated meat and would dash out to the patio to grill our meal. And it was always delicious.

I don’t know if I fully appreciated the awesomeness of this practice when I was young. But as an adult, I so get it. Thank you, Mom, for the years of yummy BBQ, no matter what the season.

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)

So Ethan has gotten me into the Netflix original Stranger Things. I’m usually not a fan of the sci-fi genre, but my son feels this show qualifies as a horror series. Either way, I love the show.

One element that attracts me to Stranger Things is the tie-in to the 80s. I attended college during this decade, and we tend to identify with the music we danced to during that time. And dance we did…

Stranger Things does an excellent job of representing the 80s in all its glory. The clothing is hysterical…Did we actually wear those outfits? And the music…oh the music! I drive my kids crazy because I sing along when the 80s songs are blaring in the background of the scene.

One element of the show is causing some controversy. Some of the main adult characters smoke, such as Joyce and in particular, Hopper. Apparently this season, parents have complained about this, and the writers intend to not portray characters smoking in future seasons.

Now, I don’t like smoking. But in the 80s, smoking was quite common. Sure, people knew that it was unhealthy, but often they had started smoking before the information about the negative health impact was available. So to have people smoking is appropriate to the timeframe, and to abruptly remove it is inauthentic. I don’t believe young children would see Hopper smoking and think, “Wow! That’s cool.” In addition, I don’t believe that Stranger Things is appropriate for those same young kids.

Just my opinion. If you’re a fan of the 80s, check it out…

Stay groovy…

–Susie

(Copyright 2019 Susie Krivacic)