Posted: 5/25/2015 3:15:28 PM EDT
|
Who misses them? I know I know I sure do, as they seem like a dying breed nowadays. When I think of an old timer I picture my grandpa, wearing work pants or coveralls and a shirt with two breast pockets. That man seemed to know how to handle anything and could just flat out get things done- hell he was born on an actual homestead in Montana and was the first generation of my family born here. I loved being in his presence and of those like him. As I get older and have my own family I find that my interactions with men and women of this stature are ever decreasing. Here's to people in our life that seem to put is at ease and are wise as an owl!
|
|
Until I made it to my mid-30's or so, I actually preferred the company of oldtimers over anybody closer to my own age. They were the ones who had interesting things to tell you, instead of just talk about some stupid shit they'd seen on TV. I grew up in very rural NE TX, and those ol boys were some characters.
Something I noticed when I started working construction, tree work, etc. was that, when presented with a problem, a young guy would know what piece of equipment to rent or what expensive specialized tool to use, while an older guy would often solve the same problem with nothing more than some rope and a clever trick or two. I still envy those guys their knowledge, and worry what kind of world we're inheriting without them. |
|
Quoted:
Until I made it to my mid-30's or so, I actually preferred the company of oldtimers over anybody closer to my own age. They were the ones who had interesting things to tell you, instead of just talk about some stupid shit they'd seen on TV. I grew up in very rural NE TX, and those ol boys were some characters. Something I noticed when I started working construction, tree work, etc. was that, when presented with a problem, a young guy would know what piece of equipment to rent or what expensive specialized tool to use, while an older guy would often solve the same problem with nothing more than some rope and a clever trick or two. I still envy those guys their knowledge, and worry what kind of world we're inheriting without them. I also grew up in rural areas and I think that has a lot to do with it. Once you move to the city there's no need for their skillset. That's probably where the term city slicker comes from and why these guys stay out of there.... |
|
Quoted:
Who misses them? I know I know I sure do, as they seem like a dying breed nowadays. When I think of an old timer I picture my grandpa, wearing work pants or coveralls and a shirt with two breast pockets. That man seemed to know how to handle anything and could just flat out get things done- hell he was born on an actual homestead in Montana and was the first generation of my family born here. I loved being in his presence and of those like him. As I get older and have my own family I find that my interactions with men and women of this stature are ever decreasing. Here's to people in our life that seem to put is at ease and are wise as an owl! you want men like that? Be one. |
|
Men are a dying breed.
They're being replaced by metrosexual hipsters who look to govt. and others to do things for them. Skills and trades aren't taught and are frowned upon as simple manual labor and beneath modern man. Just look at the lack of shop classes in school and the war on the BSA. |
|
My great uncle died last year in his 90's - he was the last of his generation in my family. It was fitting that at his burial some of us stayed until the grave was completely back filled - I haven't seen that done with any of the younger generation that have died. It seemed like all that generation didn't get worked up over anything they just handled the situation and didn't broadcast it either. I try to be like those old timers I knew as a kid but in my eyes I'll never measure up to those men. I can only try to I live my life in such a way that my children's or grandchildren's generation will feel the same way about me.
|
|
I live next door to one. Pretty much the archetypal "Old Timer" in every way I can think of.
Nice dude. The guy that lived here before me said he was a grumpy old bastard, but the old man and his wife have never been anything other than neighborly to me. They invited us over a few days after we moved in, and we've been friends ever since. |
|
Quoted:
you want men like that? Be one. Quoted:
Quoted:
Who misses them? I know I know I sure do, as they seem like a dying breed nowadays. When I think of an old timer I picture my grandpa, wearing work pants or coveralls and a shirt with two breast pockets. That man seemed to know how to handle anything and could just flat out get things done- hell he was born on an actual homestead in Montana and was the first generation of my family born here. I loved being in his presence and of those like him. As I get older and have my own family I find that my interactions with men and women of this stature are ever decreasing. Here's to people in our life that seem to put is at ease and are wise as an owl! you want men like that? Be one. My father left before I was born and I was kicked out at 15. I'm doing my very best to live up to grandpas standards, and my 5 year old son is who I do it for. That's some great advice, thank you. |
|
I think of the old guy at the local beer bar back when I was a teenager before I joined the AF. He was older than any of the other guys who would congregate there at beer-thirty, was a WWII vet who was an old man then, who was in his 30s when he enlisted in the Navy.
Interesting stories of entering manhood during the Depression instead of being a kid like my Dad. Hearing how guys survived by their wits in small town America when there were no jobs was enlightening. I learned that guys fought to assist the fire department when they would be fighting a fire, because being a volunteer would get you a hearty meal after the fire was out. His war stories of serving as a quartermaster about the USS Indiana during the Pacific campaign, particularly the invasion of Okinawa and the fight against kamikaze attacks were very interesting. Particularly how he described seeing the plane that hit the USS Bunker Hill fly right across the Indiana, so close he "could see the pilot working the controls trying to stay airborne long enough to hit his target." He ultimately became very wealthy as a local businessman after the war and was a friend of Dad's through his business connections. He was retired when I got to know him, although I'd known his youngest daughter all the way through jr high and high school. I regretted to hear about his passing, because he was the only person I'd known who was either of my grandfathers' age and I wanted the chance to learn more from him. Godspeed Mr Foushee. |
|
Quoted:
My father left before I was born and I was kicked out at 15. I'm doing my very best to live up to grandpas standards, and my 5 year old son is who I do it for. That's some great advice, thank you. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Who misses them? I know I know I sure do, as they seem like a dying breed nowadays. When I think of an old timer I picture my grandpa, wearing work pants or coveralls and a shirt with two breast pockets. That man seemed to know how to handle anything and could just flat out get things done- hell he was born on an actual homestead in Montana and was the first generation of my family born here. I loved being in his presence and of those like him. As I get older and have my own family I find that my interactions with men and women of this stature are ever decreasing. Here's to people in our life that seem to put is at ease and are wise as an owl! you want men like that? Be one. My father left before I was born and I was kicked out at 15. I'm doing my very best to live up to grandpas standards, and my 5 year old son is who I do it for. That's some great advice, thank you. you are welcome, |
|
Quoted:
The world as they left it is what we are getting. Quoted:
Quoted:
, and worry what kind of world we're inheriting without them. The world as they left it is what we are getting. Actually, the world that the Millennials are building is what you are getting. |
|
Relative to many people in my life, I am the old timer, although only 54.
Most people don't want the skills that I have, and care little about hearing of them. Oh well, I mostly quit even trying to pass them on since most don't possess even the basic skills to build on. |