Nostalgic Minutiae

This time of year conjures up tons of memories. In fact I just read a book called Retro by Peter Laugesen, about what Retro is and why it is. To summarize, it's escape and the author uses the 60's as a starting point to illustrate the first retro movement (it was in art: Art Nouveau). The book states retro is popular when people find their own times unromantic and complex.

I LOVE old vintage cookbooks with their color saturated photos of strange food compositions. I actually read cookbooks from start to finish, reading all the ingredients and preparation instructions, thinking about the measurements etc... The recipes hit me later when I'm thinking of what to prepare with a limited amount of ingredients on hand. It will just come to me, flashback to The Farmers Cookbook (circa 1948). Old, vintage cookbooks are always  a welcomed gift.

Recently I've been reading a book called The House (circa 1939). It is an old "domestic science" book for college. It is awesome! Filled with info on how things were done back then, what was eaten, used in the home, how the homes were built (cool photos of 30's Modernist homes), prices of things, how to set up the kitchen, living room a real find for those interested in the past. Things are moving so fast that when you look back at this sort of thing,  it's like another world. As if the 30's were another planet. In the 80's I'd look back at the 30's and think wow, 50 years ago. Now "50 years ago" puts me in the 50's which was a year I could almost reach out and touch in the 70's.

To be able to pick and choose what you want from any era from the beginning of time until now is awesome. As I patiently try to procure a take up reel for my 16mm projector, I can hardly wait to watch a few old home movies I have. I don't have any family home movies of my own on film. I watch someone 3else's  family's movies.  The film I have is of some people who  lived on the East Coast years ago. Time keeps marching on.