What 'old fashioned' things do you still do?

Cher_Alumni

I heard this on the Sara Cox radio show the other day, and it got me thinking what you lot might still do that's considered retro? 

Do you use one of those big atlas' instead of a sat nav? Do you have loose tea instead of teabags? Got any doilies? Do you dry your washing with a mangle? Okay, so that last one might be a bit of a stretch, but you get the gist   

I'm all ears so share your ye olde habits in the comments below. 

66Mustang

I thought I made this thread a while ago??

Happy to see it posted again though!!!!

I still ...

- hand write thank-you notes
- wear a mechanical wrist watch
- tuck my shirt in
- use a decanter and a hip flask

Cher_Alumni

@66Mustang You know, I had a sense of deja vu - I blame the heat  but it's an exceptional convo to be had nonetheless.

Hand writing thank you notes is a very sweet gesture 

66Mustang

@Cher_Scope I always thought it shows a bit of effort, as on the PC you could just copy and paste and change the names!

Cher_Alumni

@66Mustang Or these days you could get ChatGPT to make you a thank you message <sigh> 

66Mustang

Ha ha  

Cher_Alumni

@stormy Wow, in many ways I envy you not having a mobile phone! Do you use a landline? And, have you had any pressure to get one? 

WelshBlue

I still use a shaving stick and brush to shave (on my bucket list to have a cut-throat razor shave and hot towels at a barbers)

Once a month use beef dripping and lard in a pan to make chips (still not as good as my Nana's)

Have an 8 Track cassette player 

66Mustang

@WelshBlue

I recommend a Turkish barber if you like that sort of thing with the shaving and hot towels.

Not sure if they'd do a cutthroat shave but they do do all sorts ... hot towels and the like ... set fire to nose hair and ear hair ... head massage etc!! Only about £2 more than the usual barbers as well.

OverlyAnxious

I think using internet forums is a bit old fashioned nowadays.  So many that I used be a member of have disappeared, they just didn't get enough traffic to make them financially viable after Facebook came along.

I also see Facebook as being old fashioned now, with more people using Instagram or TikTok!


I still watch 'normal' TV...  Just Freeview through a standard aerial, no satellite or cable or record/rewind functions lol.  Also never used a dishwasher in my life, washing dishes by hand feels a bit old fashioned nowadays. 

66Mustang

@OverlyAnxious I agree with internet forums, lots of the forums I used to post on have died. That said I do follow a couple of forums (PistonHeads, plus a forum about watches) that seem to have a very loyal user base though and if anything are only getting bigger.

It's annoying for me, I don't like using the idea of things like FaceBook or Instagram, maybe unfairly because I have never tried them? I don't like the idea of using my real name, though. I was badly bullied at school but still live in the same town, I worry I'd get "recommended" to be friends with people just because they live in my town or went to my school. I prefer to leave that life behind and start new!

I know you can make a name up but I also don't like the idea of one profile covering everything giving people the ability to cross-reference what you have been doing!! A good example is I wouldn't want someone on a watch forum knowing I am on a disability/benefits forum because most people on there are quite middle class/right wing and against benefits.

OverlyAnxious

66Mustang said:

It's annoying for me, I don't like using the idea of things like FaceBook or Instagram, maybe unfairly because I have never tried them? I don't like the idea of using my real name, though. I was badly bullied at school but still live in the same town, I worry I'd get "recommended" to be friends with people just because they live in my town or went to my school. I prefer to leave that life behind and start new!

I know you can make a name up but I also don't like the idea of one profile covering everything giving people the ability to cross-reference what you have been doing!! A good example is I wouldn't want someone on a watch forum knowing I am on a disability/benefits forum because most people on there are quite middle class/right wing and against benefits.

Facebook is like that but Instagram isn't.  I use Instagram most days to pass time.  Just scrolling through pictures without the 'drama' of Facebook comments section.  I don't post anything myself and remain fairly anonymous.

I was reluctant to join as well, but joined after a car show back in 2019 where loads of cars had Insta tag stickers on them.  Haven't regretted joining since.  I do add and remove accounts over time as my life changes.

You can always set up an account with a pseudonym and a private profile and no picture, just to see if you find it beneficial or not. 

OverlyAnxious

stormy said:

Cher_Scope said:

@stormy Wow, in many ways I envy you not having a mobile phone! Do you use a landline? And, have you had any pressure to get one? 

Yeah there is pressure, but being agoraphobic in a no signal area there is no point in one. I have a landline but its set to VIP only- Im not good with the phone.

I don't use the 'phone' part of a mobile phone, but find them so useful for other things. 

Camera, calculator, calendar, torch, apps for banking and utilities, Spotify, etc.  

So convenient to have all of those things in a small portable device that I have in my pocket for much of the day. 

rustledjimm

Forums are still here and there, but indeed they are no longer the go-to way to interact on the internet.

Ah, I still remember the days of Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and different forums for every subject. It can be easier to find things now, with everything having centralised a touch. However, it's missing that community touch in many places sadly.

I still use forums, perhaps that is indeed now old-fashioned. I will be honest but I'm struggling to think of other old-fashioned things I do. Is saying the magpie rhyme when you see them old-fashioned?

66Mustang

@OverlyAnxious thanks for the info, that is very helpful to know.

I always associated Instagram with "influencer" type people who live a "perfect" life showing pics of their life/food/cars/whatever to gullible followers for "likes" but it sounds like there is more to it than that?

I am guessing maybe the trick is to find more niche accounts to follow, rather than those trying to appeal to the broadest crowd for likes?

OverlyAnxious

66Mustang said:

@OverlyAnxious thanks for the info, that is very helpful to know.

I always associated Instagram with "influencer" type people who live a "perfect" life showing pics of their life/food/cars/whatever to gullible followers for "likes" but it sounds like there is more to it than that?

I am guessing maybe the trick is to find more niche accounts to follow, rather than those trying to appeal to the broadest crowd for likes?

There are well over a billion Instagram accounts worldwide.  The influencers are only a very small percentage of that.  

If you only want to see accounts posting pictures of classic Mustangs at shows or race days or just out and about, then those are the accounts you choose to follow.

Most celebs (actors, comedians, etc) also have Instagram accounts now, and I find it interesting to follow a few of those as well.

Then there accounts that post jokes or cartoons or memes which can help lift low mood.

I know it's a cliché but I really would say there is something for everyone on there!

66Mustang

@OverlyAnxious hmm I might have a look at some point then, I'm guessing a large proportion of those billion accounts are just "followers" or "likers" rather than "posters"? Even if there were 100 million poster accounts though it sounds like there has to be something about every topic



Something old fashioned I thought of, I use a desktop computer with a keyboard and mouse, I am guessing most don't even use a laptop now and have moved onto tablets

OverlyAnxious

66Mustang said:

@OverlyAnxious hmm I might have a look at some point then, I'm guessing a large proportion of those billion accounts are just "followers" or "likers" rather than "posters"? Even if there were 100 million poster accounts though it sounds like there has to be something about every topic

Well, I haven't checked them all... 

It's a social network though, so most accounts are just 'normal' people sharing pictures with friends and family.  Pets, cars, meals, home improvements, days out, etc.

66Mustang

Don’t think it’s a question of checking all individually just I think I remember reading that 90% of Twitter accounts were inactive/bots/lurkers as Elon Musk made his offer to buy under the assumption that it had a certain number of users not realising the amount of accounts that weren’t “active” - just assuming the same is the case with other social sites, might be wrong though!

WelshBlue

66Mustang said:

@WelshBlue

I recommend a Turkish barber if you like that sort of thing with the shaving and hot towels.

Not sure if they'd do a cutthroat shave but they do do all sorts ... hot towels and the like ... set fire to nose hair and ear hair ... head massage etc!! Only about £2 more than the usual barbers as well.

I will be giving it a try.  No barbers in my town ... all hairdressers.  The nearest Turkish barber is 55 miles away.
Next time I'm there for a hospital appointment I'll treat myself

My son is training to be one but ... would rather trust Captain Hook.  He was 18 before learning to use a knife and fork 

66Mustang

@WelshBlue ha ha

Wow 55 miles away, you can't move for them in my town, every shop now is either a barber, travel agent or cafe