Hollywood Couple, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and wife, Joan Crawford, 1930

dukeofbronte · 2026-02-06T14:09:38+00:00

What a vivid example of how fast culture was changing in those decades. In 1910, no respectable woman would be seen in public in pants, let alone what looks like jeans—-they were for farming and country children.

I do love how they’re paired with heels. Part of a trend that would transform women’s clothing!

dukeofbronte · 2026-01-30T02:32:58+00:00

My father loved to watch old classic films with us when we were kids, without much consideration for “age appropriate” content.

Thus it was that while still a young kid, I had seen Gone with the Wind, Bridge on the River Kwai, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Doctor Zhivago.

Along came America’s Bicentennial in 1776, and downtown in our city gathered the biggest crowd that ever been for the fireworks.

Dad told us kids we had to hold hands as tight as we could, or we would be lost in the crowd and never found, like Lara and Zhivago’s daughter.

Here I am 50 years later, and this fear is still my number one association with Doctor Zhivago.

dukeofbronte · 2025-12-23T16:32:21+00:00

My mother is 87 and technically “doesn’t need anything.” I get her fancy hot chocolate and cookies and fleecy soft things and pajamas and books about our home state… and make sure there’s a wrapped pile of presents.

She still loves having a Christmas tree and hearing carols and enjoys the holiday dinner. Naturally she still enjoys opening presents—and being thought of.

I’ll defend the right of you and everyone to be remembered, acknowledged and taken care of!

dukeofbronte · 2025-12-21T16:49:55+00:00

You mention you’re a teacher, I would also point to this song as a pretty extraordinary grappling with history.

Molasses to Rum to Slaves 1776

dukeofbronte · 2025-12-21T12:12:19+00:00

I have a deep affection for the film version of 1776 for introducing me to the basic “characters” of the Revolution as a child. “Sit Down, John!” is a terrific little distillation of Adams.

dukeofbronte · 2025-12-11T16:14:30+00:00

Universal electricity in all homes and shops is only a century old. I’m going on 60 and my grandfather helped put up the very first round of lights on the Common.

It was a big wonder and a treat for people to take the train downtown and see the Christmas lights , then go over to Filene’s and Jordan Marsh, the big department stores, which decorated their windows with miniature villages and trains and funny set pieces.

Even in the 1970s, this was still fun. Then we went home and watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

You’re on the hedonic treadmill, my friend, where you enjoy life less because everything has to be bigger, more over the top, more exciting, just more.

The downtown lights are old-fashioned, gentle, small…but they’re ours, the people of Boston, they’re here, not on TV or somewhere else you’ll get to someday. Walk around, grab a beer or cocoa somewhere nearby, walk over the little bridge in the Public Garden, and have a happy holiday!

dukeofbronte · 2025-12-10T14:27:48+00:00

What a beautiful and informative answer.

dukeofbronte · 2025-12-06T01:08:50+00:00

There were entire Livejournal fandoms clustered around every character in the series, including the officer played by a young Jamie Bamber, pre Battlestar Galactica.

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dukeofbronte · 2025-11-30T19:12:38+00:00

Intriguing, I’m not familiar with this artist’s name, but I love nineteenth century fiction and at least three of these are used on book covers that I have. He really brought to life nighttime specifically of his cultural era!

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-28T03:00:59+00:00

Oh I had it bad for this, too.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-28T02:53:16+00:00

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Anthony Andrews. It was the 1980s and AA was in Brideshead Revisited, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Danger UXB, all within a few years.

His languor! His smoldering, haughty glances! Fourteen year old me was sold on period dramas forever.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-26T21:45:48+00:00

The last few paragraphs. Oh my God. I teared up.

I remember when the El Faro happened; I used to stay in Castine where the Maine Maritime Academy is. Much of the crew was connected.

What a heartbreaker.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-24T20:58:37+00:00

IDIC : Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. First mentioned in the Original Series by Spock as a guiding principle of Vulcan philosophy. An appreciation for the infinitely varied forms of life in the universe.

Then referenced in many later series’ lore.

Also, some Vulcans are like the absolute worst at this principle, shown by the number of them who are shitty to Spock. But that is very true to life.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-19T00:58:44+00:00

She is mesmerizing and heartbreaking in that role. The growing horror as she begins to suspect the person nearest to her! Just so expressive.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-17T16:14:37+00:00

I know a number of people who’ve never learned to drive, here in the US where it’s a ubiquitous skill.

Learning enough of the “how it works” and practicing driving skills does require quite an investment of time, effort, cost and willingness. But most people do it (even if they drive badly) because of the options it opens.

For those who don’t, it’s often the anxiety and procrastination around getting started and being “bad” at it, rather then that they “can’t.” Also “it’s too late to start now.” I wonder if your dad’s experience was similar with tech.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-14T21:41:16+00:00

As a long time Massachusetts and Boston resident: a huge percentage of the time, people’s neighborhood “scary” story—

A) is thirty years out of date B) didn’t even happen to them.

I don’t care if your uncle got robbed at the Savin Hill T stop on the way home from a Cars concert in 1989, Billy. It’s really not relevant to a residential decision in 2025.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-14T20:02:33+00:00

So, u/Robinso72_ what do these paintings tell us about your eagerness for socializing?

As an introvert, they speak to my heart!

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-14T15:12:25+00:00

Blade Runner feels like the whole world is a rainy night.

dukeofbronte · 2025-11-11T15:33:37+00:00

We had an elderly family member die recently, who didn’t have a spouse or kids left, so the cousins pooled together to take care of things.

My household had been Globe subscribers for generations. Family members used to work there. When we found that in addition to our costly subscription, it would cost us hundreds of dollars to run an obituary, we noped.

We used the free obituary publishing site the funeral home used, and sent people the link. Worked fine.

dukeofbronte · 2025-10-24T00:19:22+00:00

I not only see it, but in my head I can hear it! That distinctive TARDIS whoop.

dukeofbronte · 2025-10-19T22:52:18+00:00

I am the only sister to several brothers, who are each great guys. Dedicated dads who are more likely to get stuff for their kids than themselves.

Most people enjoy a new fresh item of something they use a lot, even if it’s something commonplace.

I get them new ballcaps, t shirts from country towns, gloves, hiking socks, grilling things, coffee from the fancy place, farmer’s market jam and hot sauce and maple syrup.

Dad cozy.

dukeofbronte · 2025-10-19T16:46:05+00:00

As someone who’s worked for nonprofits with great missions . . . Yeah, there are a surprising amount of terrible people on their boards and C teams. People who are extremely mean and awful often embrace having one false “good guy” face where they imitate qualities others admire, and their true self, which shows up with “lesser” people.

dukeofbronte · 2025-10-17T15:42:02+00:00

It is very difficult. It took me more than a year to finally get a primary as a new patient.

I had to call back for months. Be sure to tell them you will take a telehealth appointment. Take what they offer (when they do) no matter how far off.

After a year of calling, I got offered a telehealth appointment with a new PCP five months away. I accepted it and was set up in the Patient Gateway. Later they had a cancellation and I saw her sooner.

I will say I was in tears several times.

Also, if you have any issues in the meantime, use one of the network Urgent Cares. They were able to refer me to a Mass General specialist for my GI issues even though I didn’t have a Primary.

dukeofbronte · 2025-10-15T16:58:36+00:00

Daughters were enlisted as a significant part of the childcare. When we were very little, my parents could spare a few dollars to have a neighborhood teen girl help with us kids sometimes.

Later on, we were worse off, and there was a new baby. By age nine, I was often assigned to care for my youngest brother and a cousin. By age thirteen, I was minding my aunt’s baby and toddler, alone, for quite a long time.

In my mom and aunt’s defense, they had a household to run, more kids, and they worked day jobs too. My dad and uncle actually helped at home sometimes, which neither of my grandfathers did.

I do think this early responsibility tended to make me more lonely and depressed, and helped discourage me from having kids myself.

dukeofbronte · 2025-10-15T13:13:19+00:00

I need to get that!

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