Gen Xer asks if people can ‘hear a still photo’ and the responses are undoubtedly so very Gen X |
There are specific flashbacks to objects that can become so embedded in our memories that all five of our senses get triggered. At times, these memories are generation-dependent. For a Baby Boomer, perhaps a rotary phone might bring up sounds and smells they thought were forever repressed. For a Millennial, maybe just seeing the yellow AOL Instant Messenger icon automatically sparks the memory of the dial-up Internet sound.
Gen Xers, well, we’ve got our own stuff. Brewer 1056 took to the Gen X subreddit to post a simple photo of one red rubber ball. The OP writes, “Those who weren’t there will say an entire generation can’t possibly hear a still photo.” They add, “I would bet a good number of us can even smell this.”
The gauntlet had been dropped, and Gen Xers were there to pick it up. With nearly 15,000 likes in just over two weeks, the post also drew more than 2,000 commenters eager to join the nostalgic chat. The quips range from informative to hilarious, and some are just quintessential Generation X. “Hear it? I can still feel, smell and taste it,” one person wrote.
Some tried to describe the sound: “Pawng!” “Toong!” “Pang!” “Ptooong!” But many seemed to agree that no matter what it sounded like, what they most recalled was the echo: “It’s the sound that still haunts my dreams. They say a ‘ping’ can’t echo. They have never had the misfortune of taking one of these to the face. ‘Pings’ do, in fact, echo.”
The ball represents so much to so many of us. Foursquare, kickball, dodgeball. People quickly tapped into their childhoods, summoning up that particular bell that rang for recess. For some, it was kickball, though Gen X didn’t invent the game. (A site dedicated to the sport shares that it began, more or less, in 1917 with Nicholas C. Seuss, who called it “kick baseball.” Seuss was “a park supervisor…with an aim of teaching kids the basics of baseball.”)
For others, foursquare came to mind. In his article “The History of Four Square,” Martin Banks shared how the game most likely began:
“Historians believe the game evolved from a variation of French lawn tennis, which divided the court into four sections, handball, and a game called ‘Paume.’ Eventually, this morphed into a pastime called ‘boxball’ that thrived in city centers due to the limited space requirements. Eventually, boxball evolved into the four square playground leaders know and love today. The game appears in children’s literature from the early 1900s — it has stood the test of time.”
A Redditor adds some context, writing, “I can hear it hit the blacktop. Anyone else play foursquare with it?”
A person responding yes to this question adds a curious point: “They (the red balls) would just show up on the playground at recess. Where did they come from?”
The mystery is solved by another Redditor: “My recess involved a bull rush as the teachers brought out the collapsible wire basket, which held all sorts of balls for the playground. You had to bring the ball back at the end to go back inside, which really s—ed if Timmy kicked the ball into the marsh/tall grass area.”
And of course, few who grew up in that time period could forget dodgeball. On the Major League Dodgeball site, it’s explained that the sport had a pretty rough start:
“Over 200 years ago, a deadly game played in Africa took birth, where large rocks or solidified matter was thrown to injure or incapacitate the opponents and defeat the tribe. Once the player was hit, further rocks would be thrown to finish it off, whilst the victim’s team members would attempt to protect their player, and additionally hit the opponent.”
A doctor on a missionary trip observed the “game” and brought it back to England: “It was in 1884 when Philip Ferguson witnessed the game in action and took dodgeball to America, where the rules were put in place, and dodgeball became to be the sport that we know today.”
Redditors on the thread certainly remembered:
“I could smell it just as it was about to hit me squarely in the face, despite the below-the-waist rule. (‘It slipped!’)”
“Hahah, this is so specific. THE SMELL hits my sinuses with 100% precision, 30 years later.”
“Hear it, smell it, feel the cool rubber sting on my face when Jonathan from 8th grade decides he wants to be funny and wail it on a girl…good times.”
A single door can open up a world of endless possibilities. For homeowners, the front door of their house is a gateway to financial stability, job security, and better health. Yet for many, that door remains closed. Due to the rising costs of housing, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing.
Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has made it their mission to unlock and open the door to opportunity for families everywhere, and their efforts have paid off in a big way. Through their work over the past 50 years, more than 65 million people have gained access to new or improved housing, and the movement continues to gain momentum. Since 2011 alone, Habitat for Humanity has expanded access to affordable housing by a hundredfold.
A world where everyone has access to a decent home is becoming a reality, but there’s still much to do. As they celebrate 50 years of building, Habitat for Humanity is inviting people of all backgrounds and talents to be part of what comes next through Let’s Open the Door, a global campaign that builds on this momentum and encourages people everywhere to help expand access to safe, affordable housing for those who need it most. Here’s how the foundation to a better world starts with housing, and how everyone can pitch in to make it happen.
Globally, almost 3 billion people, including 1 in 6 U.S. families, struggle with high costs and other challenges related to housing. A crisis in itself, this also creates larger problems that affect families and communities in unexpected ways. People who lack affordable, stable housing are also more likely to experience financial hardship in other areas of their lives, since a larger share of their income often goes toward rent, utilities, and frequent moves. They are also more likely to experience health problems due to chronic stress or environmental factors, such as mold. Housing insecurity also goes hand-in-hand with unstable employment, since people may need to move further from their jobs or switch jobs altogether to offset the cost of housing.
Affordable homeownership creates a stable foundation for families to thrive, reducing stress and increasing the likelihood for good health and stable employment. Habitat for Humanity builds and repairs homes with individual families, but it also strengthens entire communities as well. The MicroBuild® Initiative, for example, strengthens communities by increasing access to loans for low-income families seeking to build or repair their homes. Habitat ReStore locations provide affordable appliances and building materials to local communities, in addition to creating job and volunteer opportunities that support neighborhood growth.
Everyone can play a part in the fight for housing equity and the pursuit of a better world. Over the past 50 years, Habitat for Humanity has become a leader in global housing thanks to an engaged network of volunteers—but you don’t need to be skilled with a hammer to make a meaningful impact. Building an equitable future means calling on a wide range of people and talents.Here’s how you can get involved in the global housing movement:
Speaking up on social media about the growing housing crisis
Volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity build in your local community
Travel and build with Habitat in the U.S. or in one of 60 countries where we work around the globe
Join the Let’s Open the Door movement and, when you donate, you can create your own personalized door
Shop or donate at your local Habitat ReStore
Every action, big and small, drives a global movement toward a better future. A safe home unlocks opportunity for families and communities alike, but it’s volunteers and other supporters, working together with a shared vision, who can open the door for everyone.
Visit habitat.org/open-door to learn more and get involved today.
When Avant Williams was just a toddler, he made a promise to his grandma, Svala Heller. While sweet, promises from kids around age two aren’t expected to be kept. But now in his junior year of high school, Williams kept his 14-year-old promise and took his grandmother to his prom.
“Since I was like a little kid, my grandma’s been telling me she wanted to go to prom. It’s her dream, and then today I just feel like I should make that come true,” Williams said to KBTX News through WXWO.
Grandma’s first prom experience
“She didn’t have a prom, so then my junior year of prom she told me I have to take her, so that’s why we’re here,” Williams said with a big smile.
Heller grew up in Iceland where high school proms aren’t common. However, she was intrigued and loved the idea from years of watching American television. Many shows she watched featured the extravagance of the high school dance.
“I’ve always wanted to go to a prom,” said Heller. “Watching American TV and all that glamour that goes with it, and you know, for 14 years he’s been saying, ‘Yeah, one day I will take you to prom.’”
Williams enjoyed having his grandma as his prom date alongside his best friend, Ruben Smith. After having dinner together, all suited and dressed to the nines, they went to the La Crosse Central High School prom in Wisconsin.
“I was definitely excited,” said Williams. “I mean, I’ve only been looking up to this moment since I was like two years old. So, like it’s a big deal for my grandma, and it’s like I feel very special that I can take her to this prom.”
Grandson and grandmother’s big dance
Heller got to have everything about prom she dreamed about. Posing for pictures with Williams and his friends, dancing, and everything else the American teens she saw on television experienced. Only for Heller, it was even better enjoying it with her loving grandson.
“It’s so special,” said Heller. “We have such a special bond. I’m just taking every, every inch in and just enjoying every moment.”
Being her grandson’s prom date........