Thanks (I think) for the memories

How old is old?

Old is being able to remember when mailing a first-class letter cost three cents and mailing a postcard cost one cent. Today in the United States, the cost of mailing a first-class letter is 45 cents and the cost of mailing a postcard is 32 cents. On January 27, 2013 -- one week from now -- postage rates will rise again, to 46 cents and 33 cents, respectively. For postcard postage, this will be the third increase in less than two years.

Old is being able to remember when gasoline cost 24 cents per gallon and that the price fell to 17 cents per gallon during a local gas war. I’m not going to tell you what gasoline costs today. It’s too depressing.

Old is being able to remember listening to Baby Snooks on the radio. Also Henry Aldrich and Life With Luigi and The Great Gildersleeve.

Old is knowing who Winnie Ruth Judd was and what she did that made her famous.

Old is knowing who lived at 79 Wistful Vista.

Old is being able to remember Adlai Stevenson II saying, “I’m too old to cry and it hurts too much to laugh” about his defeat the day before by Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Old is being able to remember when Jell-O® came in only five flavors. I remember the five flavors from hearing commercials on the radio for “strawberry, raspberry, orange, lemon, and lime.” I also remember the first time I heard a radio commercial that added a sixth flavor, cherry, as in “strawberry, raspberry, cherry, orange, lemon, and lime.” Do not ask me why they stuck cherry in the middle of the list because I do not know, unless it was to group the fruit by citrus and non-citrus, which is as good a reason as any. Today, according to the Wikipedia article on Jell-O®, there are 27 flavors of Jell-O® gelatin and 31 flavors of Jell-O® pudding. A list of 38 discontinued flavors includes root beer, Italian salad, maple syrup, and mixed vegetable.

Really old is being able to remember when Jell-O® came in only four flavors. Even I cannot do that.