1. The Vatican’s Cloistered Convents In the Vatican’s cloistered convents, some of the world’s oldest nuns still hold absolute authority. These women, often in their 80s or even 90s, run their religious communities with a firm yet gentle hand. They […]
1. The “Look” Said Everything There was no need for yelling when a well-timed glance could stop you in your tracks. Parents and teachers had a way of raising an eyebrow or giving a steady stare that made you instantly
1. Meat Grinder If you’ve ever seen one of these old-school meat grinders clamped to the edge of a kitchen table, you know they look straight out of a horror movie. Made of heavy cast iron with a hand crank
1. No Elbows on the Table If you even thought about resting your elbows on the table, you’d get a sharp glance that sent chills down your spine. Somehow, having your arms bent at the wrong angle was a sign
1. Scrubbing the Floors by Hand Back in the day, cleaning the floors was no small feat. Before the advent of modern vacuum cleaners and floor mops, households relied on scrubbing the floors by hand. Youngsters were often tasked with
1. Thomas Edison and the Light Bulb Thomas Edison is often credited with inventing the light bulb, but that title should be shared with several others, especially Joseph Swan. Swan, a British physicist, was working on creating a practical electric
1. Kids Had to Be Home Before the Streetlights Came On Back in the ’60s, kids had way more freedom to roam the neighborhood, but that freedom came with a strict curfew—be home before the streetlights flickered on. Parents didn’t
