School Days of the 1970's

I was having a little misty eyed trip down memory lane the other day, about my old school days in the 70’s. Oh yes, the days of ladybird infestation, yellow Cortinas and the longest, hottest summer ever...the summer of 1976.

Image by Velo Steve

It really did seem as though everything was sunny and hot all the time in my memory – I can barely remember rain or snow featuring anywhere for about 10 years – though of course it must have been there!

Schools are so different these days, what with their school merit stickers and barbed wire fences. We had nothing of the sort!

You were unlikely to get prizes for being a model student in those days – you were expected to be a model student and you would get the back of someone’s hand or the dreaded ruler if you stepped out of line!

What on earth happened?!

Marvellous free milk

My first school memory is of the infants school, and being given a little bottle of milk every day. We could never have the milk first thing in the morning, the teachers always made us wait until first break.

The milk was left in old style red crates near the window, so by the time it came to sink your straw into that lovely foil lid, the milk was always really hot and creamy!


Image by grongar

I don’t think semi-skimmed had been invented then, in 1975, and health and safety was something for higher up in Government, not places like schools.

The most amazing thing was, this was a Government initiative, and the milk was given to all infant school pupils over the whole country – for free!  Wasn’t that nice of them?!

However, my nostalgia tended to gloss over the fact that we were getting the milk as it was a commodity that not many families could afford in those days – watch this old clip and find out about it: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/woolwich-beats-school-milk-ban

Pie and potatoes
School dinners were also a feature in my school days. These were free when I first started school, but were very cheap all the way through to the junior years.

Delicacies that I recall include: mince and onion pie, with a golden crust top; industrial mash potato with a really distinct taste; over cooked cabbage that stank out the whole school dining room; liver and bacon (which I hated) in thick gravy, mushy peas and baby carrots.

We certainly didn’t have exotic things such as pasta, rice, curry or salad! They hadn’t been thought of at this point in time!

This was followed by some very stodgy pudding in various flavours – sticky toffee, spotted dick - and thick lumpy custard – it had to be thick and lumpy, that is how we had it. The other staple was the dreaded semolina – I don’t know what happened to that stuff, but I really don’t ever want to see it again!

How we got nutrition out of this stuff I’m not sure, but it seems to have done us alright as a generation.

Discipline, 1975 style

As for discipline, well, we wouldn’t dare upset the teacher! We were little angels, always standing in queues in pairs, holding hands, and only speaking when we were spoken to...
Well, maybe I am looking back with rose tinted glasses on with that one, but I do know that the head teacher wouldn’t think twice about getting the ruler out and whacking you across the palm with it if necessary.

In fact, I think I did get on the receiving end of a ruler once, in the huts, I was chatting too much, apparently! It was more mortifying having to march to the front of the room and have the teacher chastise you in front of everyone else, rather than the actual punishment!

Ah yes, those were the days! Anyone else have any memories of the school days of the 70’s – please share them here!

Estelle Page is an interior designer by trade and a mother by nature. She enjoys all things related to home decor, gardening and DIY, but enjoys parenting the most. She blogs regularly for School Stickers.co.uk too.

BOOK REVIEW: The Emancipation of Robert Sadler by Robert Sadler with Marie Chapian

The Emancipation of Robert Sadler:  The Powerful True Story of a Twentieth~Century Plantation Slave

Author:  Robert Sadler with Marie Chapian
Paperback:  254 pages
Publisher:  Bethany House; 2nd edition (June, 1975)
Language:  English

The powerful true story of a man who was a twentieth century plantation slave ~ beating and burnings of black Americans a half century after the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Emancipation of Robert Sadler was a very moving and thought~provoking book.  The insight shared with the reader allows one to feel the plight of young Robert after his father sells him into salvery with his two older sisters.

After being moved around from one slave factory to another, young Robert and his sister come to be the slaves of Master Beal, a plantation owner and Ku Klux Klan member.  He is a strict, disciplinarian  slave owner who does what he wishes with his slaves and many have died for seemingly mindless things. 

Robert is unable to speak properly and he is very young when he joins the Beal residents and because of this, he is placed as a house slave.  His primary care is to keep the huge veranda swept, the fires burning and playing nanny to the Beal's youngest daughter, Anne.  He is taunted, teased, beaten, burned and suffers many horrid things along his life's journey.  

Robert watches as his sister dies, his caregiver is branded for his acts of rebellion and those who swore to care for him, disappear and runaway in the middle of the night.  With nothing left, Robert decides to runaway and steps into the unknown, not knowing how to read nor write and never knowing anything in his life except that of being told what to do and when to do it.

With many ups and downs, Robert comes to find God and turns his life over to the Creator of All.  He prays, meditates and listens with his heart that which God wishes for him to fulfill.  Becoming a preacher to all walks of life was the solution to the suffering he saw in the streets every day and he does so with passion.

I thought The Emancipation of Robert Sadler deserved a four out of five stars.  It was compelling to read and had a great flow to the plot and storyline.  I felt his later years were thrown at the reader instead of having us immersed into the story as it did in the first early years section.  I would've liked to have seen the same flow unfold throughout the whole story.

**  Reviewed by me...as I see it~!!  **

Missing the "Kodak Moment"

Kodak have made the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons, with last ditch attempts to raise cash by selling patents unlikely to halt impending bankruptcy. It is ironic that Kodak’s problems are largely down to a failure to adapt to new trends despite founder George Eastman inventing the roll film and the modern company inventing the digital camera in 1975.

What went wrong for Kodak?

It is reported that in 1976, Kodak had a 90% share of film sales and 85% share of camera sales. Despite inventing the digital camera around the same time, the company was complacent, revelling in large profit margins on film and paper and not recognising that the future of photography was up for grabs. Early digital cameras were met with disdain from the market as they were expensive and bulky; Kodak did not pursue the mass market of digital photography until the 1990s. With the surge in popularity of digital cameras in the early 2000s, Kodak retained a large market share thanks to strong reputation and innovative add-ons such as sharing software and photo printers. In 2001, Kodak was the No. 2 seller of digital cameras. By 2007, they had slipped to No. 4 with a market share of 9.6%. That’s a long way from the 85% the company enjoyed in 1976!

Now, in 2012, it looks like Kodak is set to go bankrupt with all time low shares and low sales. So why has Kodak slipped from the world leader in photography to a company hanging on for dear life? What would the founder George Eastman think if he heard the news today?

Failure to meet demand

Since the advent of digital cameras they have been getting smaller, lighter, and cheaper. Kodak’s desire to remain at the forefront of this business while selling outdated models at unreasonable prices did not work. They had not prepared for the low prices of cameras and so ended up making a loss just to stay in the market – hardly the best business strategy.

The reason for Kodak’s early success was that George Eastman revolutionised photography by developing a replacement for plates. Having investing in bulky web-plate photographic technology   he desired something more portable that could be sold to the mass market by first developing dry-plates and then roll film. The invention of the roll film camera meant that anybody could take photographs on the move without carrying around bulky equipment or breaking the bank.

The modern day Kodak Company, blinded by high profits and large market share did not recognise that in the 21st century, photography was to become even more portable and inexpensive and are suffering heavily.

The next step for photography

Kodak may just be the first of many photography businesses to go under. It has been reported that compact digital camera sales have declined rapidly as people are using their smartphone cameras instead. The compact camera is losing its place in the market as a cheap ‘point and click’ for photos on the move as smartphone cameras become more sophisticated and mean that budding photographers on the go only need one device in their pocket. Mobile cameras won’t be replacing high end DSLR photography any time soon but people are starting to wonder why they should spend £50-£200 on a pocket digital camera when they are already carrying around more expensive device that often does more. Many phones are now designed to take photos in one or two button presses and there are a range of apps available to make mobile photography more impressive and to then share it online instantly – no more messing around with USB cables and SD cards.

What do you think is the future of photography? 

This post was written by accredited PRINCE2 providers Silicon Beach Training, Brighton based IT and Business training specialists. In unsure financial times, many businesses are turning to Six Sigma as a popular method of streamlining operations. As well as our full range of Six Sigma Courses, we also (unlike Kodak) are preparing people for the future by providing Mobile Development Training, including iPhone App Development and Android App Development. 

BOOK REVIEW: Web Of Lies by Sarah Tate

Web Of Lies:  My Life With A Narcissist is an Auto-Biographical Memoir.

Sarah Tate has just moved to a new country to begin her new job.  One week into her new surroundings she meets, Bill, a co-worker who befriends her and makes her feel comfortable.

Bill attends to Sarah's every need, making her feel important and special.  Though Bill was much older and not her type, she is drawn to his charismatic character and soon finds herself drawn into his web.

From the onset of the relationship, Sarah feels something isn't right, but ignores those feelings for the magic that Bill surrounds her with.  Her courtship has swept her off her feet and before she realizes it, Bill has become her husband and father of her children.

After the "honeymoon" is over, Bill's true colours begin to appear and Sarah is wrapped up in his emotional and physical abuse, unsure where to run and who to turn to.  Bill has manipulated everything that Sarah once held true, leaving her feeling blind in the sunlight.

After much torture, Sarah finally manages to find the strength to walk away from the nightmare she found herself living.  With much determination she rebuilds her and her children's lives over but at what cost to her psyche and her soul?

I thought this was a very heart-wrenching story to read, knowing this truly happened to Sarah.  The story is shared in a very easy to read manner, quickly drawing the reader into the nightmare that unfolds.

I truly felt for Sarah and the struggles she had to endure as well as, the psychological trauma, it makes the reader cringe with the knowing, believing each of the words written and shared.  It truly blows my mind that human beings can behave in such a manner.

I was appalled to learn of the outcome of Bill's second wife, my heart cried for her pain and suffering.  As soon as I read the prologue, I knew what kind of read it was going to be and mentally prepared myself for the mental anguish I was about to peruse.

I would give Web Of Lies a five out of five stars.  The personal way in which the story is shared quickly places the reader in the situations occurring.  You will find yourself yelling at Sarah to "Get Out NOW!" as the story continues to unfold and sometimes the drama that unfolds is quite gripping.  If you have highly attuned empathic abilities, please be forewarned, you WILL feel Sarah's plight and the energy received will be hard to ground.

Sarah Tate - Web Of Lies

SYNOPSIS:
Web of Lies takes you on an emotional roller-coaster, experienced through the eyes of Sarah Tate, an intelligent, young newcomer to Switzerland who is swept off her feet by an older, more experienced company manager. Within weeks of their meeting, Bill impresses her with a courtship vastly unusual in modern times. He lures Sarah with his intellect along with numerous gifts, expensive restaurants, and trips to luxury hotels. Sarah, who is searching for not only love but security, quickly finds herself falling for the worldly but sensitive and caring man Bill represents himself to be. In Web of Lies, she describes the highs and the lows of what it is like to be involved with a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, how to come to terms with the abuse, and most importantly, how to escape.

 ** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

BOOK REVIEW: Inside The Spaghetti Bowl by Frank Zaccari

Inside The Spaghetti Bowl is a Family/Relationship Non-Fiction.

Frank Zaccari's mother is dying and his huge Italian family has come together for one final walk down memory lane.

Carmela (Carm) Zaccari has lead a very loving and productive life.  She has had her shares of trials and turmoils but always remained on top.  She has guided and educated each of her children in life's lessons and she has no regrets as she makes her farewells to those she has loved and cherished.

Frank and his brothers and sisters decide to write a book of memoirs to honour their mother and share with everyone the struggles and the happenstance events that have moulded the Zaccari/Mancuso families over the generations.

The tale speaks of the arrival of their ancestors to America and how they embraced the "American Dream".  The families were given a sense of duty to their new country and passed this honour and privilege onto the generations that were to follow.  They call Italy the "old country" and have decided not to share their language with their children, so that they can be completely immersed into the American culture.

Frank and family share many stories, some of love, of loss, of trials but mostly, the stories are about family and how unconditional love is the greatest gift you can give your children.

I thought this was a very endearing testimonial to a remarkable woman.  I think it would be an honour to have my children, grandchildren, cousins etc. write a memoir about the life that shaped them.  You can feel the love that the family has for Carm and it was very beautiful to feel and read.

I found it comical at times, especially the story about Stephanie, who was acting up  in the restaurant and when she was removed from the table, she looks over her shoulder and announces, "Don't worry, I'll be back!", I love kidspeak and you can tell that this comment was neither forced nor made up.  I liked that about the story, everything is believable and enjoyable to peruse.

I would give Inside The Spaghetti Bowl a four out of five stars.  I completely enjoyed the story but truly feel that pictures would have enhanced the memoir even more, especially with such a huge family, it would have been nice to see a family shot and put faces to the mentions in the book.  Or maybe some fun time photos, showing the family being themselves.  However, that's just my thoughts and I am sure that most of you will enjoy the deep feeling of life, love and family.

SYNOPSIS:
Like many of the “baby boomers” my family faced the difficult task of burying our Mother. The book is based on the last eight days of our mother's life. It is a celebration of life, family, culture and tradition. As my relatives came to pay their last respects, we heard so many wonderful stories about the trials and sacrifices made by our parents and grandparents so we could live the American dream. This is our story, this is your story. It is a story for every beating heart that has loved or has been loved. It is the story about the struggles and pains endured by those virtuous individuals who poured their lives into ours and filled our years with intimate memories and a gladdened heart. It is the story you will want to pass down to your children and grandchildren. This is a book about family and unconditional love through the good times and bad. It is about a family who is and always will be there for each other no matter what. We hope you see your family in this book and the memories make you smile.

 

 ** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

Top 10 Traumatic Childhood Movies

Top Ten Traumatic Childhood Movies

Ever thought that some television programmes and films made for children are actually pretty scary? We have! Here are our top ten most traumatic children's films and television programmes:

1. Set in 1910 when Jemima and Jeremy Potts go to live with their uncle Caractacus Potts, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang follows them on an adventure when they meet the Child Catcher. With his long black coat, thin pointy nose, tall top hat and his net, he scared many children and in 2005 was voted “the scariest villain” in children's books despite only appearing in the film version.

Child Catcher From Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

2. ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ was broadcast between 1992 and 2000 and referred to a group of teenagers who called themselves “The Midnight Society”. They would meet in abandoned houses or dark woods and tell tales of ghosts, vampires, witches and magic.

Although most shows would end with a happy ending to the story, a few episodes like “The Tale of Vampire Town” ended with the main character being attacked by a vampire. Scary stuff!

 Tale of Vampire Town-part 3/3 

3. Although enjoyed by many adults, the Harry Potter series was originally written for children and young adults. Firstly it starts off with the main character living under the stairs in his uncle's house after his parents have been killed. He then meets evil Lord Voldemort, who has no nose, before being attacked by Dementors, ghostly flying creatures. Definitely one for kids to watch from behind a cushion!

Dementors and Dudley Image Credit

4. The early Walt Disney film, ‘Dumbo’ is upsetting on so many levels. Firstly Dumbo is teased by the other elephants for having big ears. Then his mother is locked up after sticking up for her son. Next the little elephant causes a trick to go wrong after which he is forced to perform an act where he is laughed at for falling in pie filling. Although he later strikes back at his tormentors and is reunited with his mother, you will still need to get the tissues ready.

Baby Mine-Dumbo & His Mommy

5. Originally shown in 1963, Doctor Who is now the world's longest running science fiction television show. The “Doctor” who is actually a time travelling humanoid alien, helps save civilisations while travelling in his Tardis. Two particularly scary adversaries are the Daleks who scared many with their robotic “exterminate” calls and the Cybermen who insert artificial parts into their body and become devoid of emotions except rage and aggression.

Doctor Who: The Next Doctor - Monster File: The Cybermen

6. What can be scarier than telling children that normal people wandering the streets could be witches? Well in the film adaptation of Roald Dahl book ‘The Witches’ that’s exactly what happens. The scariest of them all is the Grand High Witch, is played by Angelica Houston, who instructs all other witches to exterminate all the children of the world. How scary is that?

The Witches - 1990

7. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe tells the story of the Pevensie siblings who venture through the back of the wardrobe and into the land of Narnia. Here they meet Mr Tumnus, a bare-chested faun (slightly bizarre), Aslan, a talking lion who is tortured by the white witch (very sad) and the white witch who has made Narnia always winter but never Christmas and turns people to stone (scary).

Narnia: The Lion,The Witch And The Wardrobe trailer

8. Voted third in the animation section of top ten best films, Bambi tells the story of a dear who makes friends with a rabbit and a skunk. One day his mother takes him into the meadow to graze when she tells Bambi to flee as the hunter is coming. Bambi runs and it is not until he meets his father he finds of that his mother didn't make it, implying that the hunter shot her. A tearjerker on so many levels!

Bambi's mom dies

9. From the start, Charlotte's Web has us going. From a litter of piglets, the later named Wilbur is singled out as a runt and sent for slaughter. Saved by the farmer’s daughter, Wilbur is sold to her uncle but she visits him less and less and then he discovers he is going to be killed and eaten at Christmas. A friendly spider called Charlotte saves the pig and Wilbur goes on to win a prize at the county fair but sadly Charlotte dies. How much more can one pig take?

Charlotte's Web (1973) theatrical trailer

10. Grotbags was the evil nemesis to the virtuous Rod Hull and Emu. Dressed as a traditional witch with a black cape and pointy hat, she also carried a “bazazzer” which was pointed at the offending person. In every episode she threatened to steal Emu and terrorised the children however Rod and his helpers always prevailed. At least there was a happy ending.

'Grotbags' - Emus All Live Pink Windmill Show

This article was produced on behalf of Chessington Holidays; where you can find the best Chessington Deals and childhood memories.

The Clara Ann Burns Story by Heidi Ann Smith

The Clara Ann Burns Story is a Fictional expression of child abuse and neglect.

Clara Ann was born with a cleft lip and a hole under her nose.  Throughout her young life she is hospitalized with pneumonia and because her parents normally brought her in when she was at coma stage, she developed Osteomyelitis, an infection in the bone caused by other infections not being properly diagnosed.  Without anesthetic, the bone is drained with a long needle until the infection has been removed.

Clara Ann suffers abuse from her older brother as well as her parents and after her father dies, her new step-father takes the abuse to a whole other level.  When the sexual abuse begins, Clara Ann is confused by the comfort and the disgust it makes her feel.  As the years go by, the rape doesn't stop and she is made to have an abortion. 

During high school she becomes a speed skater and turns to alcohol and drugs to numb her pain.  She is often raped and fondled by those around her and when she heads off to college she meets her future husband, who helps her beat her alcohol addiction and becomes a sturdy support network.  Even after they have children, she continues with her AA meetings and works to relinquish the demons she has trapped within from the years of child abuse. 

Determined to be a great mother, she home-schools her children, nurtures them, guides them and holds them when they are sick.  Sometimes her children hate her but more often they love her and each of them grows to be a upstanding individual, with promising futures set before them.

Okay, how do I set this one up?  That has been my biggest worry over this book because even though I am being lead to believe it is fiction, I cannot help but feel the under current emotion that haunts the prose within this book.  The author has managed to capture an essence of truth behind each of the words shared.  The reader cannot help but feel empathetic to the Clara Ann story.

This book is not written in your usual way.  It sometimes starts and ends in mid-thought, other times its written as if its a movie script; one page may be poetry and another random family thoughts.  Sometimes pictures are shared, their descriptions shared in a third person aspect, as if someone is looking at them through a microscope, allowing the reader to use their own imagination in the outcome.

One cannot help but feel for Clara Ann as you read her story and share her pain.  As you fill your eyes with the people in the pictures, you cannot help but sense that something wasn't right, that something was off with this "loving" family.  Things are pointed out that a regular observer may not notice when they first look upon the images.  A ripped button here, a hand on a shoulder and a leer there, each piece given to the reader is like a piece of a huge puzzle and you are walking in the shadows trying to find all the parts in order to put it together.

While the reading was disturbing and haunting, it isn't a very long book and can be read within an hour(s).  The portrayal of the characters was believable and heart wrenching to read.  I loved how the author, without any semblance of direction, leads to you through her journey in life. 

I commend "Clara Ann" for rising above the stereotypical concepts for child abuse victims and provided her own children with the correct structures in which to grow upon.  Clara Ann is one of those rare breeds who becomes a better person instead of succumbing to the demons that must have always been pressing at her nature.

I would give The Clara Ann Burns Story a four and a half stars out of five.  While I didn't find anything directly wrong with it, I would've loved to have had more shared with the reader.  I realize that it is a difficult subject to address but I enjoyed the way the author, Heidi Ann Smith, shared the story with the reader and I found it an interesting approach to a difficult subject, each time I turned the page I wondered how the next incident was going to be shared.  While I felt it is a thought-provoking and emotional read, I felt it was too short. 

The Clara Ann Burns Story:  The Child Who Taught Us What Love Is

SYNOPSIS:
The Clara Ann Burns Story is an expression of child abuse and neglect witnessed through a patchwork of short prose reflections, poems, one minute plays, scholarly studies, and photographs. Daring in both content and structure, The Clara Ann Burns Story explores multiple genres and is courageously self-reflective.

 

 ** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **

Just A Few Seconds by Nemo James

Just A Few Seconds:  A Story From The Hidden World Of Music And Beyond is one man's memoir.

Derek Newark dreamt of being a professional musician.  His first taste of the limelight was while performing in a talent contest, in his youth, which turned out disastrous.  His friends had faith in his goals; however, along the way, a person must survive and sometimes life throws you curves you had no idea were coming.

The story begins with Derek, a.k.a. Nemo James, and his struggles to find a band that not only played his kind of music, but one that had as much drive for success as he, himself, did.  Grazing from one band to another, from one music genre to the next, Derek follows his dream while finding his niche.

Derek has traveled the world to follow his dream, sharpening his strengths and his skills to the point where he could almost play with anybody.  From country to classical, Derek has taken his talent to the homes of the rich to the lowliest dives on the planet.

The reader is shown the choices that Derek makes on his life's journey and groan when you realize he has made the wrong one, as in the instance of Peter Gabriel from Genesis wanting to talk to him and because, at that time, Peter was unknown, Derek choose to go off with another band who he had heard of.  However, just going on the name of that particular band, I'm sure I would've chosen to introduce myself to Peter, as we all know what became of Genesis!!

I thought this was an interesting book, however, I found it to be dry in places.  The dialogue came across as being forced and sometimes the direction of the story was confusing and distractive.

I thought the perserverence of Derek and his goals was astonishing and commendable.  His passion and his focus as a musician was remarkable to read and you could feel the heart of the man who is determined to find his way through the musical world.  It is not easy to break into music, the world is full of talented artists and you come to realize its all about being at the right place at the right time, for Derek, he seemed to have a huge hit and miss ratio that would've made the average person give up and settle for another way of life.

I would give Just A Few Seconds a three out of five stars.  I enjoyed the stroll down Derek's memory lane but I felt there were times that failed to get the desired emotion out of me as I read his story.  I found the book lacked wit, which would've make it an outstanding read, however, if you enjoy memoirs, especially those on struggling artists, then you will be sure to enjoy Just A Few Seconds.

Nemo James

SYNOPSIS:
A Story From The Hidden World of Music and Beyond Derek dreamt of becoming a professional musician from the first time he picked up a guitar following a talent contest disaster. Thought of by his friends as being the person most likely to make the big time he turned professional but was continually side tracked by the need to earn a living from music. His journey takes him all over the world from private gigs for the rich and famous to the roughest pubs. Starting in the late sixties when heavy rock was born, through to the 1980's and 90's when discos and electronics decimated live music in dance halls. An amusing and heartrending story of perseverance showing how the road to success can lead us down the strangest of paths.

** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **