Then vs Now: Do you remember...

by rebecca stewart

There are people who have seen and experienced incredible changes in their lifetimes. The advent of motor vehicles, common usage of airplanes, the incredible progression of computers and technology; from party lines to smartphones. Our generation has experienced a slice of all that (you could say we’ve come of age in a time where technology has made HUGE leaps). Times change, we – occasionally, maybe - long for yesteryear. We are officially those adults. It might not all be considered the “good ol’ days,” but lace up your Keds or Air Jordans because we’re here to take you on a stroll down memory lane.

Do you remember when…

Music video channels actually played videos?

           So much so that…

Video killed the radio star. Remember that?

           I wonder, then, if…

YouTube killed the TV music video star?

Do you remember…

The agony of calling your crush at his house and probably having to talk to his parent/sibling first?

           And while you made that call…

You were stuck within the range of the cord, which was probably in range of your family. Ugh.

Do you ever wonder if…

Passing notes is a thing of the past?

           So then…

Did technology kill the paper note? Are generations of children missing out on the spectacular nuances of folding those vital links between you and your BFF?

Do you remember when…

You wanted music to jam to on the go; it was brought to you first by the Walkman and then the Discman?  

           And with tapes…

The endless back and forth of fast-forwarding and rewinding that ensued as you tried to find your actual jam?

           Ooh, or…

Sprinting to your stereo to hit record when your favorite tune finally hit the rotation on the radio?

Do you remember…

What it was like to have to actually talk to people on the phone? I mean, when there were no other options. Texting was not a thing. Oy. How did the introverted survive?!

           Do you ever wonder…

If you put a rotary phone in your kids’ paths, would they know how to work it?

           Would there be…

Pushing of non-existent buttons? Over-exuberant spinning that would never allow a call to possibly be made?

Do you remember...

When you had to use actual cameras if you wanted to record a moment? And there was actual film involved? 

      Digital was not a thing, so you...

Had to be choosy, you couldn't just be snapping shots willy-nilly. Oh no, you had to be a discerning picture-taker and hope for the best, on top of that. 

And finally, do you remember when…

You wanted to go online it required coordination? It was dial-up, my friends, and it required patience.

Ahhh, yes, them’s were the days. The good(?) ol' days.