Friday, April 22, 2011

Things that I do that are "old fashioned"

The Soul Pancake website, an online community with various questions and reflection prompts where I have a profile, had the following question:

"List 3 things you do that are 'old fashioned'?"

Here are my three things as I posted them on the site, with some minor comments I am adding here:

  1. I carry and use a pocket watch. I got tired of wearing a wristwatch after the belt kept getting caught in places and breaking. The pocket watch looks nice, works well, and at times, it gives me something to fiddle with if I need to keep my hands busy, say during some slow times. 
  2. I recently acquired a fountain pen, and it is becoming my favorite writing instrument [I use it more at work and as a signature pen]. I do love the way it writes so smoothly. Plus, it is a nice pen, which makes for a nice conversation piece at times. 
  3. I would not have thought it old fashioned at first, but I concur with some other people here. I do read actual books, not e-books. I am a librarian, and while I am familiar with e-books, I still prefer good old fashioned paper books. For one, I own them. An e-book is something you lease (you don't really own them. If you think you own them, and you have a Kindle, for instance, you should know they can certainly just make your book vanish on a whim as recent Amazon fracas have done). Plus, I do like books on my shelves. As someone once said, a house without books is like a body without a soul. 
 So I went to read some other other replies, and I saw other things I could have easily added to the list if the prompt allowed for more than 3 things. Anyhow, here are some more "old fashioned" things I do (or agree with) in no particular order:

  • Good manners
  • Home cooked meals when possible
  • The art of conversation
  • Politeness
  • Correct grammar and proper vocabulary
  • Being a gentleman
  • Write in notebooks (like my personal journal)
  • Use libraries (not just working in one, but using them to find reading material)
  • Still write drafts on paper rather than typing
  • Iron my clothes
  • Write with non-mechanical pencils
  • Brew my own coffee
  • Not as much these days, but when I can I play and enjoy tabletop and board games
  • Hold doors open for strangers
  • Handwrite as much as possible
  • Still listen to cassette tapes in the car (hey, I have an old fashioned car)
  • Send handwritten thank you notes
  • Say "please" and "thank you" 
  • Listen to classical music, some "oldies" 
  • Love wandering, browsing, and shopping in used bookstores
  • I know how to use a paper map
  • I know how to use a compass too
  • I know how to waltz. Not something I've much use for now, but I know how
  • I still use a bank teller as much as I can
 I do find it interesting that some of these things are considered "old fashioned." Yet, as I look at the way a lot of people behave today, including some in my profession, I cannot help but wonder if indeed some of these things are indeed old fashioned.

Oh well, that is my list now. What are things you do that may be seen as old fashioned? Feel free to add to the list in the comments.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for doing old fashioned things! Like the fountain pen! I really want one and i think i'm going to get one for myself soon. If you say anything old-fashioned i would put that on your list too. For example, instead of saying i'm full or stuffed when i've had a lot to eat, i say i've had my ample suffiency. My grandma would say it and explain it every time i would visit her. I LOVE how you stick to a good paper book instead of going to a kindle or an ipad. You can't cuddle up with a piece of plastic. And i totally agree a house without books is like a body without a soul. Even though i'm very young, i love saying, doing, having, etc, old fashioned things. Thank you for posting this because it shows that i'm not the only one who likes having a vintage style about them. By the way, i write in my own personal journal, too. Thanks again!