Back in 2013, I started writing the weekly meme, "The Book of Me, Written By You". I did not finish the challenge, I did save the prompts, this is one. That said - - You too can be part of this experiment/experience, there is more information here, and at this Facebook page. The beauty of this kind of challenge/meme, is that you can write when you want, think about it, not publish, and go back to it years later and contemplate it all over again.
This week's prompt is - Technology
What technology changes did your ancestors see?
What technology changes have you seen?
Did your family own one of those early changes? - such as television
Do you like or dislike technology?
What do you think has been the best technological change in your lifetime and historically?
(Note: I may or may not publish these prompts publicly, and I may or may not answer each portion of the prompt.)
My grandparents were born between 1895 and 1905. I know for a fact that one grandmother lived on a road that was not paved for many years, when she was young they went to town via horse and buggy on a dirt road which at certain times of the year was barely passable. Today that road is a 2 lane paved road, curvy and scenic and easy to drive.
All of my grandparents saw the beginnings of the automotive industry, they saw air travel. All of my grandparents lived long enough to see the first manned space flight (early 1961).
I witnessed the beginnings of the computer industry and owned a early cell phone (sometime in the early 1980's, to the best of my recollection). It cost a small fortune, same as now. It was large and quite heavy. When we did use it, we were very careful to make the calls short and sweet and necessary. Not necessary, no calls. It was quite hard to find connections in those days, yes, even more difficult than it can be today. It was NOT a bag phone, nor a "shoe" phone like Don Adams used as Maxwell Smart.
On the computer front, Man and I have had so many computers, we lost count. I do remember that the first one we owned was a Vic 20, by Commodore. Since then, I have had Windows desk tops and Windows lap tops computers. I used Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, Vista, 7 and 8.1 . I may have used a few earlier versions I have not listed. Until last fall, when I jumped ship and went to my first Apple computer.
It is a well known fact that I have a love/hate relationship with all things techy. When technology works and interacts the way I think it should, I am good. If it is laborious and has weird functionality, I am not so good. All that said, nope, cannot live without it. And, have no desire to either.
The best technological change in my life time would be the Internet and all it entails, the good, the bad and the truly ugly. The good, the connections with family and staying connected, the research abilities. The bad, spam, bots, phishing, etc. Truly ugly, those that rip off seniors and interfere with political systems world wide.
* Image of shoe phone and Don Adams, is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1977 without a copyright notice. Per Wikipedia.
** Sourcing for cartoon, I'm sorry, I cannot read it in this poor screen capture I did years ago. I am always amazed at what I have captured. As a researcher, I am disappointed in myself when the sourcing is MIA. SIGHHH . Fail Carol, total Fail!
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