Monday, August 8, 2011

What time in history would you want to live?



As many of you know, I spend a lot of time thinking about the good old days, but would I choose to live back then? Think of any time in history that would you go back to, and live there, if you were stuck there and could never return. This is a difficult question for me, because without modern medicine I probably would have been dead about three times now. Once when I was eight years old I was hospitalized with pneumonia, modern medicine saved my life. Actually I might have lived, but it was a lot more fun to just get well. I had pneumonia another time about 15 years ago. When I get sick, I'm too stupid to slow down and take care of myself, so I end up turning a simple cold into something much more serious like pneumonia. Chances are real good that I might have lived both times.

Eight years ago, I had prostate Cancer. The Big "C". I had brachytherapy, that's where they fill your prostate with radioactive "seeds". I have about 120 of them. It felt like I was shot in the rear end with a shotgun. Which, I guess that, literally.. I was. I didn't miss a days work. Something is just wrong about having the big "C" one day, and be cured the next. I spend a lot of time feeling guilty that it was such a small thing for me. I spend a lot of time thinking about what the Indian people would have done with prostate cancer. A lot of their "cures" was done with tobacco smoke.

I have heard stories that the American Indian had a cure for all of the diseases that they got, up until the white man showed up. The diseases that the white man had killed them readily, with no defense.

The Indians had a dance called "The Ghost Dance" which was really a prayer dance for the white man to go away, and they could return to better times. I've often wondered, how many Indians would return to the times before white man today? My good friend, relative, and Humboldt county supervisor, Harry Pritchard said that when the Indians were given hunting and fishing rights, they were standing naked in the riffles netting and stabbing fish with pointy sticks. A far cry from today, where that they have every technology known to man. But, I read in The Two River tribune that they Indian People on the Klameth have a better chance of saving the salmon than the rest of America, and they have a few good ideas as to how to achieve that goal. I would like to see a few of their pratices brought to the South Fork Of the Eel. Like the deep water holes that they are digging in the river gravel to provide real fish habitat.

But, I digress, but you knew that. I was talking to a fellow today about what time in history that he would chose to live, or would he stay right here, today, with all of our problems. He said that he wanted a big-screen TV the size of his whole living room wall, A leather Lazy-Boy and a remote control that would take him to look at anytime in history, any place in the world. He could go view the Han Dynasty in China and watch Gengus Khan awhile, then he could watch Atilla The Hun, on to Julius Ceasar. Then maybe watch King Henry the Eighth, maybe skip back to watch the Crusades. Or, the "taming" of Amerca. All from his overstuffed Lazy-Boy recliner. He could even go to Disneyland.

Sadly, I think that I would chose "here and now". One, it's better than dead, which I would be by now any other time in history. If I could visit anywhere or time, then come back. I would probably choose The British Isles. Go to a real Elizibetian theater. Go to Ireland and have an original Guiness beer. Or follow my great grandfather Cull on his trip across the great plains, to find out what really happened to him. Was he killed by Indians as we have all been told, or was he bushwacked by white scoundrels?

Where would you go, and would you chose to stay if you could never come home again?

33 comments:

ImBlogCrazy said...

No question about it.

I wouldn't go anywhere in another time, because I consider where I am today paradise.

I'm really just a simple kind of guy thankful for the here and now.

Ross Sherburn said...

The wife,Grandson and I went down and went on the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier tour yesterday. Its parked/Docked in Alameda. Much history there,but don't think I'd like to have been in WW2...........

Andrew Bird said...

I have always been reluctant to admit this because there was nothing glamorous about WWII and millions and millions died, the Holocaust, and so on...but I've always kinda envied my parents who were young during the Second World War - the greatest human drama in history. My father saw action against the Germans in France before D-Day and spent three years in Nazi POW camps, from age 25 to 28. My mother started working as a typist for the Marine Corps in San Francisco at age 16 in 1942. Their stories about those years - my mother's especially as my father didn't want to talk about it much - have fascinated me since I was old enough to comprehend the English language. My favorite movies tend to be about WWII ("Casablanca," "The English Patient," "Rome, Open City") and I never get tired of reading non-fiction books about that era.

Anonymous said...

Southern California (Pasadena, Pacific Palisades) in the late 50's ..... cruisin' down the PCH in a t-bird with the top down ..... bonfires on the beach at midnight ..... listening to Chuck Berry or Jerry Lee Lewis on the radio.

Robin Shelley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ross Rowley said...

Each era has its problems whether it's with human rights issues, technology changes or war between nations. Perhaps, we were placed in this time period for a reason. Oh, how I wish I had the knowledge of today and could go back to any other time. I would be King of the World. Or, stoned to death.

Pre-market crash of 1929 during the Roaring 20's might be fun.

Anonymous said...

I see in California's infinite wisdom they have changed another name of a landmark. This time it was Squaw Rock.
Maybe before too long the town of Garberville will have it's name changed too. Any ideas?
If I went back just 40 years at least I would know where I was going or where I was at with the OLD names.
It's happening with the temperature to folks, now it is all wind chill and heat index. No damn wonder we are all lost!

Oregon

Anonymous said...

too* folks

Oregon

Ross Sherburn said...

What is the new name of Squaw Rock?

Anonymous said...

Frog Woman Rock

Oregon

Ross Sherburn said...

Oregon,I thought you were joking,until i looked it up.......

Anne on a Mouse said...

Maybe before too long the town of Garberville will have it's name changed too. Any ideas?

Oregon, for some reason or another change seems to be inevitable. Did you know that there's already a proposal put forth and an effort underway to change the name of our home to Emerald City. In the near future, the expression "we're not in Kansas anymore" may change to "we're not in soHum anymore".

olmanriver said...

There is a super fun Facebook group, called Remember in Southern Humboldt when... that is taking off.
If you are a facebooker, you locals will love reading the recollections and "group memories" of the area.

Ross Sherburn said...

OMR,WOW,I saw some people i went to school with!!!!
Good Post!!!

Ross Sherburn said...

I like Ernies Blog because its a no-brainer for me! LOL!
Wish some of those people were on here!!!!

Anonymous said...

Invite them Ross.

Oregon

Ross Sherburn said...

Oregon,you're the Facebook Guru!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yeah Ross, but I'm not yearning here LOL
When they talk about how the zip code was different in the old days in Thorn it makes me wonder where were they before we had zip codes.

Oregon

Anonymous said...

Also Ross, I wonder if those folks can remember back before "wind chill and heat index?"
I did find it interesting that someone worked at the Benbow Sawmill, I thought I was the last of Ernie's bloggers to work there and now you might be inviting another.
I guess you know that that will make me "not Special" anymore.

Oregon

olmanriver said...

There is a link on that site to a bunch of old photos of G'ville folks might enjoy.

Ross Sherburn said...

Sorry Oregon,I won't try to stir up a can of worms,anymore!!

Ross Sherburn said...

Oregon,The wife and I are going to Hayfork tomorrow.We are going to look the College over,in case our grandson wants to go there!

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that there was a college there.
Hope your grandson likes it.

Oregon

skippy said...

Ernie, looking back through the old Sunset magazines promoting the beauty, progress, land and agriculture available in the Golden State, I'd say California, 1908.

One advertisement among many:

"Secretary Chamber of Commerce, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA"

"Thousands of Acres to Be
Thrown Open in California
"

"Los Angeles, January 20.—Under the new arrangement just announced governing the opening in California lands, actual residence upon the land is not necessary but improved with buildings, orchards or irrigation ditches during the first year which insures population, activity and rapid growth.

"Applications may now be filed for land in the new settlement. Beautiful climate. Big profits in raising peaches, prunes, pears, apples, alfalfa, corn, beans, hay, apricots, oranges, strawberries, cherries, figs, olives, grapes and other vegetables and fruits. In-house markets and rail service nearby. Good land, prosperous income, and a cozy home, no irrigation needed..."

...Then again, Alice, the elderly next door neighbor, said, "They told me to wait until the 'Golden Years' because those are the best times. Well, let me tell you, the Golden Years are right now, whatever age you are, as long as you're still standing on this side of the dirt."

Alice passed two years later.

Glad you're still on this side of the dirt, the dust, the mud and the blood, Ernie.

Anonymous said...

Since I live in the here and now I kinda like it. Technology y'know. Now if I could only get Ernie to carry a smart phone and subscribe to Latitude I would know where the hell he is at.

Oregon

Forest Queen said...

Suzy cna't fighure uot "where the hell he's at" iether".

Ross Sherburn said...

Oregon,There is no College in Hayfork. Just T-shirts and Sweatshirts saying "Hayfork-U."
Its an old "joke" from the "locals".
Thought maybe you had lived there,when all this started?
Ernie,back to the "topic" of this thread!!!
Guess I'm glad I'm in this time period. I've got a little Ryker Sherburn grandson,and my son says there's another on the way!!!
Life is actually pretty good,except the price of food&gas!!!

Anonymous said...

Who cares what you think, suzy blech blech?

Anne on a Mouse said...

Many of us do. But NO-body cares what a nameless phantom thinks.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Ross
I would highly recommend my Alma Mater, The Eel Rock Technical Institute.

All kidding aside, there is a College at Island Mountain on the old Simpson Ranch.("Your friendly Credit Dentist" for those of us who go back to the sixties television ads.)

They teach underwater basket weaving and other therapeutic remedies for the modern world.

Ernie Branscomb said...

Sorry if I seem insensitive to the modern world. I was raised in a world where I was told to "Stop Whimpering, or I'll give you something to whimper about". That phrase seemed to work instantly, without weeks and weeks of therapy. Plus, it was a hell of a lot cheaper....

Anonymous said...

Oh oh, get out yuor gunns, heare comes a flock of Whimpery Whah Whahs.

wah, whah, wha wha whah, wha wa wawa wha whawa, wha, wha wha wah, wha wa wawa wha wha wa, wha, wha wah, whah, wha whah wah, wha wa wawa wha whawha wah, wha wa wawa whah wha wa, wha, wha whah wah, wha wah wawa wha wha wa,wa, wha, wha wha wah, wha wa wawa whah whah wha, whah whah wah, wha wa wawa wha wa, wha, wha wha wah, wha wa wawa wha whawha

spyrock said...

just read the land of the grasshopper song about the two ladys who lived with the kuroks on the klamath back in 1908. absolutely loved it.