Have you ever heard people say..."I remember when..." I used to think that statement was reserved for the older and wiser generation, but I'm beginning to realize that I can make that statement now. And, I don't like being older, and I'm sure not as wise as I'd like to be.
I watched a classic movie last night "Sunset Boulevard" starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson. During one of the scenes, William Holden's character, Joe, talks about "collecting all my nickels to make some calls." I found that scene odd for a couple of reasons...1. You mean you could make a call in 1950 for a nickel on a pay phone? and 2. Newsflash: No cell phones in the fifties.
I pondered on my experience watching that movie, made years before my time, and thought...will someone born in the year 2000 look back on our movies 50 years from now and say, "What in the world was a pay phone?"...or "You mean you actually had a cell phone that big?" I find myself aging by the minute when I can hear myself say the phrase..."I remember when.."
I remember when you had a choice of rotary phones or touchtone phones. I remember when a VCR cost $300 or more. I remember when I had to ask for an adapter that snapped into our old 8-track stereo so I could play my cassettes. (I realize that even some of the world today doesn't even know what a cassette is) I remember when you had to buy your movie tickets at the theater. I remember when you actually had to look up phone numbers in this large multiple-paged monster called the "Yellow Pages."
And, I remember when I wanted to express my thoughts, I didn't log onto my blogger.com account and type, I grabbed a spiral notebook tucked in my nightstand...
I hear ya. I am feeling the oldness that comes from that phrase. At least hanging out with people younger than me keeps me feeling young.
ReplyDeleteheres a couple of other ones...i remember when mcdonalds didnt serve breakfast. i also remember, though you have already alluded to some of these, a time without internet, dvds (even without VHS...our first VCR was Beta...i think thats what it was called), or microwaves...the list really goes on.
I wonder about the generation after this one...at least the generation that is being born now has some idea of cassette tapes and such...just like I had some idea of records in my generation.
Wow, I don't remember when McDonald's didn't serve breakfast!
ReplyDeleteI remember when we got our first microwave, I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
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ReplyDeletePffft. Youngsters. I remember getting a 50-cent weekly allowance. We'd run down to McDonalds and get a burger, fries, chocolate shake and a nickle in change. Then we'd run home and watch Sea Hunt.
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked in radio, one of my young (20-something) disk jockies once asked me, "How did people make phone calls to Europe before satellites were invented?" I was stunned, but not as stunned as he was when I told him they strung a cable along the ocean floor. He thought I was putting him on.
You know civilization is advancing at a breakneck speed when science fiction can't keep up with reality -- like those bulky communicators Captain Kirk carried. He couldn't even transmit pictures or video.
You got an allowance? ;)
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