Remember When You Could Buy a Monkey in the Mail?

Dating is wild.  When you choose to open your heart to another, you never know what you are going to get, especially when you start learning your sweetie's family history. When I started dating my partner, he shared with me that his grandmother used to have a monkey as a pet. I was instantly intrigued.

The more I dug into this, the more I realized we needed more information on how his family ended up with a pet monkey. That brings us to this call with my soon-to-be sister-in-law. She gives us a little more insight.

Now that we had confirmation of the family monkey, I needed more. Were monkeys a common pet back in the day? How does one lay hands on such a pet. What? Well, after a little internet sleuthing, turns out was as simple as placing a mail order request to Sears.

According to investigativepress.com " Years ago, most people didn’t have a brooks-and-mortar store, shopping center or mall to go to where they could buy the things they needed.  They also couldn’t go to any of them to buy the things they didn’t need, either. Sure, major superstores did exist, but only local populations could shop at them, and there simply weren’t enough of them for most shoppers.  So it’s worth remembering the very first superstore, Sears and Roebuck, which started as a mail-order catalog for watches, and then also for pretty much everything anyone could want to buy.  And yes, that included buying a small monkey, for delivery by mail. That seems very strange today.  Order a small monkey from a catalog?  And have it delivered in the mail?  Well, yes.  At one time, there was a section in the catalog titled, “Pets the whole family can enjoy.”

However, there is some debate on where the family monkey came from in this instance, as his grandma was a circus performer herself.  Ah, love.  You'll never know were it'll lead you.

Monkeys weren't the only exotic pet on the list, you could also order an alligator for $3.99!  Check out this 1959 Sears Fall Winter Catalog to see all the vintage mail order madness.

We are three months into 2024 and the streaming true crime docuseries are on fire! Like most folks, I love a good true crime tale and this year's early crop does not disappoint.  If you are wondering why folks are so obsessed with the evil actions of others, there's actual science behind it.

According to the NY Post: “True crime can have a learning component to it or at least a perceived learning component. We feel like we’re more prepared in these kinds of situations. So if this dangerous situation were to occur, you feel a little more prepared and know what you should or shouldn’t do. This claim is supported by research data collected by OnePoll. The new survey of 2,000 self-reported true crime fans found that 76% feel that consuming content about true crime helps them avoid similar situations happening to them. The average respondent consumes five true crime programs each month, with 75% saying they watch the latest program the instant it’s released and 71% typically binge-watching the entire thing in one sitting.

The survey also found that 44% of respondents admit they have a “favorite” serial killer and 67% would like the opportunity to chat with one.

Over seven in ten of those polled (71%) also admit to feeling less trustworthy of other people due to how much true crime content they consume."

So, it's no surprise that the genre is red hot at the moment.  Check out the newest true crime offerings from all the most popular streaming services!

“In this gripping investigative docuseries, a filmmaker and other former students recall their horrific experiences attending a disciplinary school and expose the horrors of the troubled teen industry.”
How far would you go as a parent to deal with your child's bad behavior? How far is too far? This riveting Netflix documentary tackles the issue of discipline gone too far.

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is a four-part docuseries that sheds light on the children's TV empire built by Dan Schneider, the creator of Nickelodeon shows such as iCarly and Zoey 101. Peering behind the smiling faces onscreen on these shows with questionable jokes and over-the-top sketches, Quiet On Set reveals an insidious environment rampant with allegations of abuse, sexism, racism, and inappropriate dynamics with its underage stars and crew. 

A tragic affair of child abuse and judicial disaster, this docuseries revisits the Outreau case, one of the biggest scandals in French history.

What would you do if the forces that are charged to serve and protect its citizens just decide to phone it in? This gripping docuseries will have you asking yourself "What if this happened to me?"

Scoring a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, this documentary grabs you by the brain and doesn't let go for 90 minutes.  Hint: be careful of who you chat with online........