Apt. 64 W11

Writer Lesley M.M. Blume has done a wonderful job of guiding Huff Post readers to her romanticized version of “better things from yesterdays”.  A Nightline and Vogue alumnae, Blume balances hard news and softer ones in her column “Let’s bring it back.” I’ve been a fan of memory marketing since I was a teen.  First, it was the inherited memories, like the early 60’s from the movie Grease. I did not live the 60’s. I was born in half way through the decade.  Grease made me think I had been there.  Later in the 90’s I was one of the very few subscribers to the short-lived Memories magazine.  I loved “reliving” the past I never lived. (Now there’s Reminisce Magazine which you can get on Amazon, but it more old good housekeeping than pop culture or history.)

Today, I have lived enough to actually have experience the memories I read about.  Like Lesley, I have my own opinion about what things from the no so distant past should be brought back in order to make a better today.  For some reason, after we live a few decades we assume we have a right to write prescriptions for the future even it means going against the human evolution, technology, etc. 

So when I read Lesley’s column I feel right at home.  Like her I believe men’s hats (you know the classics:  Fedoras et al) should make a comeback. By the way, we never stopped using them.  Hats simply change with the times. For example, I am appalled when people miss the 30 day grace period to send a hand written thank you note (love hand written notes) because I find the combination of penmanship, the ink, the content make the strongest message.  Its magical.  If only did not look down on email thank you notes.  They are faster, and with today’s great e stationary options also quite customizable.  Well, maybe hand written notes are not only about “thank you’s”. Perhaps they represent how we chip away at things that keep us emotionally grounded. You  know. The thing we used to do connect, not just virtually, but I digress. 

Lesley’s online column is constant reminder of the importance of balance in our lives. She points at things like telegrams, record players, good manners, and posture.  Granted telegrams and LP players, while cute, would be hard to bring back successfully for the obvious technological and efficiency reasons.  But good manners, hats and crudites platters make all sense for good living. 

So I’ve become a fan of her column.  It grounds me and remind me I am neither alone nor antiquated for succumbing to marketing of memories.  After all, Lesley’s column is digital (That’s Leslie on the left digitalized and pixelated.), so is this blog, but alas her new book collecting the Huff post work is not. “Let’s bring back”  the book is very much brick and mortar. You can only get it in real paper! (So much so that Amazon is asking buyers to click if they wish for an e-book version.  Enough demand may drive this version.) I think that’s very OK.  The book (and the web columns) is about re injecting in post digital lives a few pre digital items and attitudes in hopes bringing some human calm into the mix. 

Personally have embraced e-books. They go everywhere with you, are good for the environment, allows to make notes w/o destroying the work of art, among so many other benefits.  However, after being forced to read Lesley’s book the ol’ fashion way I was reminded how amazingly cool is turn the pages as one leaves smudges on them. Just like hand written thank you notes, the written content changes when one touches the paper. That simple stroke of a finger against the grainy flatten pulp and the forced upon us choice of font are part of the content the writer is sharing with us. How progressive is to be forced to turn ones head left and right in order to follow the book format. After spending hours looking straight into a monitor, these stretches are heavenly.  My chiropractor swears by them. See?  Sometimes ol’ things from the past feel new and can move us forward.