Sunday, September 18, 2011

18 September 1957 “Some Comics to Brighten Your Day and Thoughts on My Virtual Life”

This month has not been the best nor happiest for me. I am sure it has shown in my infrequent postings, mostly so because of time constraints. But, this was also due to my rather bad mood and my not wishing to impart that into my writing.

Now, with a new family settled into the rental property, our own little house off the market for now (that will be another post) and me settling into the idea of Autumn on its way, I thought I’d share a few fun comics from my vintage magazines to start things out. They are light and silly and just what a Saturday afternoon needs.

comic1

comic2

 comic3

  comic4

I have to say I have rather run the gambit of emotions this past month. I have been faced with challenges that have, luckily, been helped by my organization and homemaking skills. To approach the house and the clean up and even the emotional state required for all we have been through has only been helped by the steady and calm rationale I have developed as a SAHW.

None the less, I am glad it is somewhat over. Now, rather bruised and quite exhausted, I have found myself facing the coming Fall and Winter with the question: Where do I want to go with it all? I can happily slip away into my daily routines and busy but contended life of a Homemaker, yet I feel a draw an almost need to continually improve and grow my website.

Someone had commented the other day that my description of only using my computer as a tool was false because of all the things I have to do to ‘create my web presence’. In some ways, I suppose that is true, but quite honestly I really do use my computer as a tool only and my ‘web presence’ (a term I am not sure I like) is merely me just blathering on about what I do or think about this or that. There is no ‘mystique’ or ‘contrivances’ or if there are, it is by sheer accident of my own inability to be savvy enough to create one.

50swomancomputer However, I do like writing and creating online. I certainly think the ONE thing in the modern world that seems to truly ring of freedom and equality is the ability (at least at present) to access many people on a platform without much cost or effort. While I won’t get into the politics of it, I rather feel we have very little actual freedoms any longer (including the freedoms of our so-called private property or the freedoms of the small person in a business or a small agricultural concern) the freedom of the internet still exists. Though I do see some rumblings of that being bought up slowly by Comcast and other corporations set to make more monopolies under which we, the small guy, must eventually suffer.

But, until that happens, I almost feel a duty to what I have thus created online and am always trying to find a way to improve it. I still find myself wanting to share my learning with others and yet wonder at my own life, is it genuine? Am I living a sort of sham contrived sort of life split between on-line and the reality of my day to day? I don’t honestly know. Perhaps I am merely realizing the modern reality of just that, The REAL and the ONLINE, to which all of us, at least those of us reading this, surely contribute on a daily basis.

It makes me think, on a sociological stand point, how are we evolving as a social creature. As much of our daily lives ARE lived in a virtual world that is mainly two dimensional and not very active compared to our daily 3-D existence. It certainly isn’t going away and I certainly could never go back to simply forgetting the 1950’s so I must evolve. I must continue to grow and change within that framework that feels comfortable but also in a way that seems to be moving forward whiles still keeping alive those aspects of the past we love.

Who knows, perhaps in the subculture within the internet we are actually growing a community or world in which manners matter. The level of our writing and communication CAN be greater than emoticons or simple fragmented statements about what we are buying or watching. We might simply be creating that fantasy idealized mid-century neighborhood where we trust one another, share recipes and gossip over the virtual table with a cuppa. When I consider it that way, it feels more lovely than to think of myself as some odd marketing schematic meant to create a persona to appeal to some idealized audience. That, I think, I should never like to be and if that is what I am becoming, would like to run in terror from it.

However it comes about, I do know that the last almost three years has been such an interesting adventure. In many ways, though I have stayed put and been more a home body than ever, feel as if I have done great adventures and meet so many friends. I suppose that is the appeal of the internet and its lure and power. Because when it comes right down to it, we, the human animal, are rather home-bodies. We like to know our surroundings and to feel comfort in our little dens and to notice and recognize our pack mates. Is the internet the new safe haven of Home in the vastly uncertain unchanging world where even your actual home, through foreclosure and market failings, can be taken away? If we have an outlet and an online device, perhaps that is our last solace of comfort, our security blanket.

Any way you look at it, I must say I am more excited about and happy to be involved in the online world that perhaps I have before expressed. I am so happy to have all of you as part of my online life and really get excited when I think of what we can build together.

I hope you all have a lovely day and as always, Happy Homemaking and Happy Virtual Life.

7 comments:

  1. I have been doing some thinking along these terms as well. I actually have been ranting a little too much on our loss of human touch and our society. I am torn because there are many wonderful things on the internet, things that when I was young, that I never even dreamed of learning about or being able to see. On the other hand, I think that many are becoming all consumed and losing some reality.

    I have actually been debating taking some sabbatical time from the web, or trying some experiments of my own where I only post here and get rid of all of the other social medias that I am on.

    Besides that, we are actually moving forward with finding out about making our dream of moving to rural land and perhaps me starting a mini-farm while husband still works. I am feeling the need to be more simple and more self-sufficient and getting away from the hustle, bustle and gimme gimme gimme mentality that living in some cities creates.

    Don't know if that made any sense, but I have been doing a lot of thinking about how the web is contributing to some of it...

    LPM

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  2. I just recently found your blog. I think it's fabulous! Please do share your troubles whenever you like. Given the amount of frivilous chatter we are subjected to these days I think it's wonderful to share our worries and sorrows with those who are willing to listen. And we are. I've made a few friends over the internet and these relationships are as natural and "real" to me as any close relationships I have face-to-face. Real for me means getting past frivilous chatter and being able to communicate in an authentic and deep manner.
    Hope you have a lovely week.

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  3. sorry, I meant *frivolous* :)

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  4. 50;s gal, I`m still reading your blog every day or checking in to see what is in new around here. Although I don`t post as much as I used to, I appreciate your little comics and commentary on daily life from a present and past perspective......

    I tend to live my life in the real world, I don`t twitter, tweet or in essence toot in the virtual world. Facebook to me is a nonentity as I don`t belong on that either, heck i even self destructed my hubby`s cell phone at Jellystone park last month while hanging out with Yogi Bear and camping LOL.....

    I literally repel technology and many view me as an oddity, but I like being the odd woman out, I would rather spend my days chatting on the phone with my neighbour, my mom......

    But I definitely enjoy your website and many times I wish I could go back 50 years just to experience one day as a homemaker who wore the lovely dresses (okay ahouse dress will do :) ),and had a cup of coffee while talking over a chrome table and chair set. :)

    It saddens me that many moms I see are immersed in their texting whilst ignoring their children around them, my idea of a facebook is spending large amounts of face time with my children.

    I am a dinosaur and proud of it, must finish laundry,

    Mom in Canada

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  5. 50's Gal, I saw on the paper a play that is coming to town that is about the subject of living like it's the 1950's and thought of you. Here's a link:

    http://www.nexttheatre.org/maple-and-vine-shows-16.php

    So while you've been living this 1950's life there's more than your readers who think it's interesting too. Dare I suggest that you've started a trend? I don't think your computer "persona" conflicts with the ideals in your real (for lack of a better term) life. It's just who you are. I feel thankful that you take the time to share it, for free no less!

    Sarah H.

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  6. I think it's easy to get wrapped up in whether or not being on the computer is true "vintage living", but truth of the matter is... it's 2011. The amount of technology we allow in our lives is up to each one of us. Some modern people look and act like modern computer robots! I know for a fact that I would not have incorporated as much vintage living in my own life had it not have been for this blog. It inspires me... I see or read things and say, "I like that, I'm going to try it!" Just as we can choose how much technology is in our life, we can choose how much "vintage" is in our life!

    There ultimately is no way someone could be a vintage purist, although I believe 50s gal has done a very good job at balancing her lifestyle. The reason it will never be a pure time-machine-like pure lifestyle is that everything in the home isn't from the 1950s, (hot water heaters, AC units, etc. Don't last that long) Even if a home was 100% 50s you still need to encounter the outside world--- which is full of technology. Been to a store lately where they swipe your credit card? It's all done on pads! Simply put technology is everywhere, and without an actual time machine it has to be in our life... it's simply a choice of how much we allow it in!

    I'd also love for 50s gal to explain her views on Comcast as a monopoly company... just to further add to a conversation hubby and I had over that paragraph I read him :-)

    Smiles!
    Angela

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