We have mentioned, in an exploration of joke archaeology hereintofore, that jokes made by one group of people against another were regarded as being in poor taste as early as three generations ago, while others continued without a lot of controversy. The town/country joke went on for centuries (Aesop covered t) but it hasContinue reading “The Jaspers and the Rubes”
Tag Archives: Postcards
Woman’s Work?
As you will of course recall from our last thrilling episode, we were considering what vintage postcards had to show us about women in the workforce, especially in jobs traditionally associated with men. The main conclusion we drew from the examples was that the postcard artists were less interested in reviewing current societal normsContinue reading “Woman’s Work?”
Man’s Work?
The First Golden Age of Postcards, when the fad was at its peak and millions of these little analog text messages were selling every year, roughly from 1907 to 1914, saw a growing public notice of the movement of women into the work force. Women had always kind of BEEN part of the workContinue reading “Man’s Work?”
Pooling Our Imaginations
This was a popular postcard when I listed it for sale. I was grateful that potential buyers were interested, but mildly confused. It is not ESPECIALLY old (that it advertises cable available in each room makes it younger than I am, so it’s practically brand new). And then I spotted it. It wouldContinue reading “Pooling Our Imaginations”
Calling Up the Past
One of the saddest bits of joke archaeology is running across fossils: jokes which were once alive and kicking, quivering with excitement at the laugh that would be forthcoming when the audience heard it for the eighty-third time. Sometimes they do not realize they have been told for the last time, and wait inContinue reading “Calling Up the Past”
Fearsome Felines
I suppose it was inevitable. Now that Christmas shopping officially begins on Green Tuesday (the first Tuesday after October 12), it should not have surprised me to learn that Spooky Season begins September 1, which this year was less than a week after pumpkin spice officially returned to our latte. This being the case,Continue reading “Fearsome Felines”
Belated Salute: The Dignity of Labor
Of course, Labor Day was Monday, but we were busy with the serialization of one of my somehow unpublished novels. The NEXT serialization will be a collection of long fantasy stories which was rejected several times in the 1990s by publishers who suggested the world didn’t need more fairy tales, or, if it did,Continue reading “Belated Salute: The Dignity of Labor”
Is Advice in Verse Adverse?
It has been a while since we have considered the motivational verse found on postcards of yore. Why should we bother to look again? I don’t know whether that’s any of yore business. I wish I had talked an acquaintance of mine, who had read every motivational classic of the last century, toContinue reading “Is Advice in Verse Adverse?”
Phraseology Quiz
As I have been learning (and hope I have communicated) old postcards can be a great peek into how our ancestors talked. The slang of the day, plus whatever pop culture was up to, was grist for the mill of the cartoonists. They weren’t trying to preserve current speech for the future; they justContinue reading “Phraseology Quiz”
Panting for Phraseology
When I went picking postcards out of inventory for our last thrilling adventure in language and postcards (“Watch Your Phraseology”) I held back a couple when the article seemed to b running long. (See? I do think of the audience once in a while. Beyond wondering why you don’t buy my postcards, I mean.)Continue reading “Panting for Phraseology”
Blogsy Babbles 