Post AyoKGrf1uCgm39nN8C by emmadavidson@aus.social
(DIR) More posts by emmadavidson@aus.social
(DIR) Post #AyoIMzV5TGRyC2wF1s by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-10-02T20:50:10Z
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Homestead Pennsylvania isn't far from downtown Pittsburgh. You can walk for about two hours to get there through Squirrel Hill, which is a nice suburb kept alive by CMU and Pitt and the other small colleges.Most of my classmates never went out that way, but that's where my dad was from. That's where the house my grandfather built was. It's not torn down yet, but many blocks of that town are gone. But Homestead is just one of many, you have Mekeesport, The Hill District and Duquesne.
(DIR) Post #AyoIha1TOKX5Fzu7f6 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-10-02T20:53:54Z
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Pittsburgh is a very elegant city even in decline. The population has cratered. But if you look closely you can see this 1920s opulence in the stonework of the bridges and the sheer ambition of the little brick houses in the former steel towns. And all of these towns had thriving Black communities that have mostly scattered and gone. I loved the stories about my dad's childhood which always sounded absurdly quaint. Milk bottles delivered and ice on Thursdays.
(DIR) Post #AyoIvddWkhVOWFPJOy by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-10-02T20:56:26Z
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Riding something called "the dinky train" to the amusement park. My dad worked as a soda jerk at Isleys when he was in high school. I once asked him "were sock hops real?" and he got mad that I thought it was made up. "You didn't want to scuff up the basketball court!"Homestead High School was one of those art deco buildings. It was still in use ten years back.
(DIR) Post #AyoJCknpMVAjfRO1GC by Ailbhe@mendeddrum.org
2025-10-02T20:59:28Z
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@futurebird Ohhhhhhh I never thought about the words "sock hop" before, but I feel like I learned something today!
(DIR) Post #AyoJDvrDkKGIF6XGBU by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-10-02T20:59:34Z
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@alienghic I still suspect an elaborate multi decade dad joke conspiracy.
(DIR) Post #AyoJJbyUaBEMJae2O8 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-10-02T21:00:46Z
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@Ailbhe Yeah in the 1950s all the kids wanted to bop to the the hot new tunes... but they had to take their shoes off since dress shoes had dark rubber soles and it'd ruin the gym floor. Still sounds fun.
(DIR) Post #AyoJRjMJ0q9XX6eeq8 by peachfront@toot.community
2025-10-02T21:02:11Z
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@futurebird @Ailbhe there were also "sock hops" in the 70s because they were considered retro
(DIR) Post #AyoJTTnJqpvtqA7kwK by noondlyt@hellions.cloud
2025-10-02T21:02:32Z
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@futurebird New Castle :)
(DIR) Post #AyoJXLqTLd3iLRRfAu by dlakelan@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-10-02T21:03:12Z
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@futurebirdWe showed American Graffiti at the Iowa State University student union board film program in around 1995 or so. Sock hop before the show! So they were "real" as late as the mid 90s 🤣
(DIR) Post #AyoJgIEk8LeNl93rv6 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-10-02T21:04:52Z
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@dlakelan OK fine maybe they were real but what about my dad's story about how you had to find out what color "your girl" (my mom) would have on for a date and then "go down to the docks to get a matching orchid all the way from the Amazon"It sounds MADE UP.
(DIR) Post #AyoKD5h3n3H4PgwgoC by dlakelan@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-10-02T21:10:35Z
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@futurebirdI'm gonna go with yeah that one is made up. Also these days "my girl" gets her orchids in a pot from Buy Nothing for free, we have it so much easier than back in your dads day 🤣
(DIR) Post #AyoKGrf1uCgm39nN8C by emmadavidson@aus.social
2025-10-02T21:11:25Z
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@futurebird I have family in the Mexican War District and it really is an interesting city to walk through. Very different to the places I’ve lived (in Australia).
(DIR) Post #AyoKZPiK2GdGsOBEvI by grumpasaurus@infosec.exchange
2025-10-02T21:14:45Z
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@futurebird @Ailbhe pulp fiction scene comes to mind
(DIR) Post #AyoNFtP4F0Nl1kYbxo by noplasticshower@infosec.exchange
2025-10-02T21:44:53Z
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@futurebird it's a great city. We chose to celebrate there with 100 guests when we got married this may. 9 countries and nobody from Pittsburgh. It was excellent.
(DIR) Post #AyoQQDiPsMFUmZDw1I by Photo55@mastodon.social
2025-10-02T22:20:20Z
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@futurebird I finally understand what a #sock #hop is.I suppose at any time during several decades I could have asked.But thanks.
(DIR) Post #Ayod7PPTTElgxDixSy by sovietfish@todon.eu
2025-10-03T00:42:38Z
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@futurebird I've canvassed in Homestead a few times. Current local chatter: the big development by the river tried to banish the bus stop away from their precious big box stores and had to be talked down from it by the county executor's office.
(DIR) Post #Ayq0TwbZE0hkNi3TeK by whereismcgee@mastodon.green
2025-10-03T16:39:07Z
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@futurebird Pittsburgh is a different city since those days - but prefer it not be referred to as ‘decline’. The steel industry is almost completely gone - but we now enjoy user friendly river front parks/developments and clear skies.I truly enjoy meeting and speaking to (especially 1st time) visitors and hear their praises. Population has shifted to suburbs but is growing.