My inspiration for this post came from my dear, longtime blogging friend, Debbie @ Musings by an ND Domer's Mom, who is not only a gifted...
No doubt, the advancements the world has made when it comes to technology are beyond awesome. I am so grateful that anytime I need to find something, I can quickly Google it. I'm also grateful for all the things the Internet has taught me, such as photography, how to customize a website using code, how to become a better writer, how to cook, and for introducing me to the people I've met online (and in person) who became longtime friends. The Internet is a powerful tool that can bring people together who might not otherwise come together.
Yet, as awesome as these advancements are, I'm extremely happy that I was born at a different time because it enables me to appreciate the present while retaining some of the basic and simple things from the past that keep me grounded.
Technology has many positives. But also its share of negatives. In excess, it can lead to isolation, a sedentary lifestyle, loss of social skills, and a source of distraction.
I think more than anything, technology has taught me how to use it wisely.
When I first started blogging in 2006, it became an obsession that lasted nine years. Besides working a full-time job, I was posting three times a week and responding to comments on my blog and other people's blogs. I would often sit at my desk and eat dinner while preparing the next day's post. I used to wake up blogging and go to sleep blogging. To make it worse, I smoked cigarettes back then. And it was when I was at my computer (blogging) I smoked the most. It wasn't until I got seriously ill in the hospital for two weeks, that I finally heard my body telling me, "Slow down and adjust your priorities!"
Which I did. I now blog with no stress.
I also have a better sense of when I need to step away and detach from technology. Too much time spent online makes me tired and spacey.
As much as people can sometimes irritate me, I need to interact with other humans so that I don't forget people skills. And for me, I need that to be face-to-face and eye-to-eye. An email or a text is not the same.
That being said, I still very much enjoy blogging. It remains my favorite form of social media because it's about quality online communication. I do post photographs on Instagram, but only once a week.
I greatly appreciate and value today's technology, as life is about the process of evolution and embracing it.
At the same time, I also appreciate and value my past.
Today, I would like to share some things from my past that were special and bring back fond memories.
So here we go, a blast from the past!
--------------------------------------------
The Ed Sullivan Show was very popular when I was growing up. Each one of the guests pictured below, I saw on the show back in the 60s (The Beatles, The Supremes, Stiller and Meara, and The Jackson 5)...
The Good Humor Truck was such a tradition during the summer months. My favorite was the basic ice cream sandwich...
I had a HUGE collection of 45 RPM Records, which I stored in an alphabetized box. You would often find me in my bedroom lip-syncing to a record using a hairbrush as my microphone...
Gone are the days when milk was delivered to your home. Each house had an insulated box by the front door where the milkman would leave your weekly delivery. I still remember the sound of the glass milk bottles clinking together as he placed your order inside the box. As kids, we would all yell..."The milkman is here!!!!"...
High School Typing Class - as I entered high school, both female and male students were required to take a typing class, which I was very excited about because typing fascinated me. The picture below is from the 70's, which is when I took my first class. And those typewriters you see (IBM Electric) are the ones we used in class. Looking back, I am so grateful for those classes because when computers came out, I was already familiar with keyboarding. To this day, my fingers fly over the keys without ever looking...
Penny Candy - There was a time when 10 cents would buy you TEN pieces of candy. 10 cents today will buy you a down payment on a candy bar that now costs $50.00...
Full-Service Gas Stations where you drove up, remained in your vehicle, and someone pumped your gas for you. This service was often accompanied by the attendant washing your windshield while you waited and, in some cases, even checking oil and fluid levels. And just for the record, the price of gas back in the 60s was 32.9 cents for regular and about 36.9 cents for ethyl. Could you just die?!
And last but not least, Swanson TV Dinners - My mother would always treat us to a TV Dinner Night whenever my father would play cards with his buddies. My father hated TV dinners, but we (including my mother) thought they were so cool. We would eat them on a folding table while watching television. My personal favorite was the Salisbury Steak Dinner...
Hope you enjoyed my blast from the past. Have a terrific week, y'all!💗
*If you care to do so, please feel free to share anything from your blast from the past!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)