Remember When

Remember When

Boomer experiences, and our collective memories of those experiences, are the Boomers' most important legacy as a group, and Zeitgeist of American consciousness. The relatively short span of decades that define us as Baby Boomers has provided a seemingly disproportionate number of indelible moments and memories from which to draw. When we gather together we invariably intone, "remember when?" "Hey man, how are you doing?" Once we dispense of the simple civilities attached to the present, we quickly seem to fly to remembrances and expressions of the past. They are, ultimately and inescapably, the things from which we are made. Historical events have really shaped all of our lives!

I remember with both passion and enthusiasm growing up in a time of change, rapid and explosive change. For me, it was the late Sixties; The Haight, Summer of Love, Sgt. Pepper's, Vietnam War, The Doors. "Gee Dad, I need to find myself, so I'm heading for Colorado!" Those remembrances were sometimes a result of direct experiences and, sometimes, just events I could only see in my dreams. For example, if you are a Boomer and born before 1958, you will never forget the day President Kennedy was shot. The music surely died that day. Every time I see a documentary on the assassinations of President Kennedy or his brother, Bobby, I am overtaken by sadness.

I heard it through the grapevine...you have many of your own tales to tell and defining remembrances to share. We're all very excited to hear from you.

Right On, Baby Boomers!

All the best,
Denny Riedmiller
Cincinnati, Ohio

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Economic Crisis

Talk about "retro!" What we are experiencing in the last few days and months reminds me of the 1970's. Inflation, gas lines, economic turmoil and the "gnashing of teeth."

In 1975, I worked at Gray's Drug Store. One of my jobs was to take the sticky labels off merchandise, since inflation increased every day the price was higher, and placed on new labels. What a time! It looked like inflation would take over our economy, which it did until the 1980s. My dad was on a fixed income and on retirement, so he would cut in half his medication with our blunt kitchen knife to save money, and tell me the stories of the Great Depression. Compared with what my mom and dad went through, I guess we were OK.

How is the economy affecting you, let me know!
Denny

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