David

A False Premise

What profession do you admire most and why? Seriously, did we learn nothing from the experience of lock down? We're human beings so of course the answer is no! When the world changed it was the shop workers, the delivery drivers and riders, the nurses, support staff and carers who…

Mr Benn was 15 minutes of delight every week. What a marvellous legacy.

Can't wait to see this. Thank you @retrojames.bsky.social

I Wish it could be Christmas Every Day

If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell? It will come as no real surprise to anyone who has read this blog that I would open a Christmas shop if I went into the retail business. The idea of being surrounded by the season all year round would…

David Pearce - Popular Culture and Personal Passions This blog reflects my cultural interests and personal passions. music_pearce on Twitter mrdavid205 on Threads & Bluesky Follow me on any of them!

Anyone who is interested in a mix of nostalgia, popular culture and social history please consider giving my #blog a go. Nearly 250 posts now and most of them are a really good read I promise!! davidgpearce205.blog

1986 Gainesville Florida. Camp Shands International Scout that summer. I remember having my first visit to a 24 hour restaurant that year! Visited Disney World as well. Anything from then will be brilliant thanks.

Don’t Forget Your … Through The Ages

What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time? This could have been a fairly dull prompt, but thinking laterally I thought it would be fun to look at that question in terms of physical objects and from the perspective of various times in my…

The US in 1986 when I went over seemed impossibly exotic compared to 80s Britain but looking back, it was just the power of images and the sheer size of it. That said, it was an amazing experience relying on myself in a country where I knew no one.

I always look at the old branding of the products either here or in old magazines and think how much more imagination and effectiveness they had. The big bold words and patterns just show modern advertising how to do it. Like management branding has lost its quality.

Another cracking trip down memory lane. I haven't had Ready Brek in ages but it definitely still reminds me of winter mornings before school.

Changing Perceptions

What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world? Well, if I want to make even the smallest difference I need many more readers. Let's just imagine I have though! My blog is a place of positivity and I won't be reviewing books, TV, Films, Plays or…

What If?

Image Generated by AI Describe your life in an alternate universe. When I saw this prompt, I immediately thought of a number of Sliding Doors moments which would have completely changed the course of my life. So, here they are in chronological order. When I was 5 or 6, my Dad was offered…

Home Cooking

What's the most money you've ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it? As a family, when our children were growing up, we often had very little in the way of disposable income. In those days we took our own sandwiches and if we couldn't get back in time we would go to McDonald's or…

Celebrity Pictures

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that. The story I have chosen is I saw the story yesterday and thought what a pointless item of 'news' it was. Man eats ice cream with his family having starred in a series of…

Can't believe the range of film and TV tie in cereals they used to have. Over in the UK we had Doctor Who on our Weetabix and that was it. Thinking back to the US comics I used to buy, though, their toys and cereals just seemed so much more exotic!!

Read All About It!

List 30 things that make you happy. When I first saw this prompt I thought I might skip it because I think of lists as good when you are going shopping or planning for Christmas, but otherwise far too superficial for something like this. Then I realised that the answer was to…

The Poverty of Language

Describe one habit that brings you joy. I am going to perhaps surprise a few people on here with my reflection on the central premise of this prompt. It is in its own small way emblematic of the way that our language has been steadily reduced in effectiveness and meaning…

What Happens Next?

What are you curious about? I am curious about the future. Isn't everyone? It's a bit of a dull answer on the surface, but bear with me. For the last few years, probably since the pandemic, I have been looking no further than the next week or so. Maybe some of you know the…

Bob a Job

Write about a random act of kindness you've done for someone. Another tricky one today until I decided to flick through my memory bank. When I was in the Cub Scouts in the early to mid 70s we had a week called Bob a Job. The phrase came from the slang for a shilling which was a 'bob' of…

The Primacy of Vision

How would you describe yourself to someone who can't see you? If someone can't see me, I would start by describing my film star looks and perfect physique! 🤣🤣 I bet I wouldn't be the only one either. I am currently teaching English to Art and Design students online, and…

Evolution not Revolution

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had? This is a very interesting prompt, because the more I thought about it, the more complex the answer became. I think every generation is brought up by the two generations before them, even if they don't meet their…

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Do you ever enlighten them as to what it actually refers to?! 🤣🤣

I should look at profile pictures before I answer!! 🤣🤣 Mind you, I knew you were ex service as that's one nickname that hasn't passed into Civvy Street!

You're lucky. Working back to me at 17 and going back 60 years from there I would have been playing The Charleston!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Haven't heard us called the crabs for a while! 🤣🤣🦀🦀Are you Pongo, Matelot or Bootneck?

Anything but Vindaloo please!! 😭😭 I will turn off any station or channel that plays it. 😂😂Three Lions on the other hand is one of my favourite songs ever.

I suppose you saw a real spread of 70s and 80s shows. Perhaps I only watch the ones I am sure of. That's an interesting thought. Am I cherry picking more than I realised?

The 70s and 80s were the heyday of sitcoms with so many that still stand the test of time. I think in those days the comic writing was focused on these 30 minute shows and the TV companies put lots of resources in. Now, the sitcoms take second place to stand up and quiz shows. Hence the difference.

The Moments Make It

Was today typical? If you had asked me this question a couple of years ago I would have answered 'Yes' with no hesitation. I was convinced that every day was the same, or at least they just blended into each other as I worked and commuted day in day out, week in week out. Then…