If you are anything like me, it's probably crossed your mind what a different world we live in. My grandparents (may they rest in peace) who were all born in the first years of the 20th century saw enormous changes come about in their lifetimes. But even I in my almost 40 years have watched that evolution continue with heightened speed. Today I'd like to take you on a journey to the technology of my high school years, a mere 20+ years ago.
Ah, cassettes. We knew nothing of CDs or MP3s. And didn't you just HATE it when the tape recorder would "eat" the cassette, and you had to manually twist it back into place? My first cassette was Lionel Richie's self titled release. "Hello. Is it me you're looking for?"
And we played those cassettes on our boom boxes (aka ghetto blasters) - if you were lucky. I had a little portable tape recorder (and I remembering taping things off the radio with it). Can you say crappy quality?
If we were on the go, we could listen to our cassettes on our Walkman - but major BUMMER if the batteries died. We would have been thrilled at the convenience of the teeny iPod with its massive song capacity.
And rabbit ears - wow! I actually had those into the early 21st century when I was too cheap to pay for cable TV. And no remote control - we actually stood up to turn the channel, but there were only 4 of them, so it really wasn't such a big deal. Sure, MTV had premiered and cable existed, but not in my house. That was a luxury for rich people.
We watched movies on VHS - no DVDs with cast interviews and extra scenes for us. And if someone had watched it too many times, we griped about the snow and the rolling screen.
If we needed to get to someone's house, we asked for directions or looked at a map instead of relying on Mapquest or a GPS System. I honestly still love reading a map and navigating.
And obviously, there was no Internet, texting, Facebook, or e-mail. We actually wrote letters. I sometimes miss that trip to the mailbox when I'd get a newsy letter from my mom or a friend.
When it was time to write a research paper, we looked up things in the dictionary, the encyclopedia, the newspaper, and the library. And then, by gum, we typed it up on a typewriter completely without the advantage of the delete key, spell check, or the synonym suggester. And you were one of the lucky ones if you had a built-in correction tape. Most of us had to suffer with the gloppy mess of white out.
Pay phones were how students contacted their parents. I remember having dimes in my penny loafers in case I needed to call home. And yes, it was only 20 cents when I was in high school. It may come as a surprise to you that I did not get my first cell phone until December of 2006.
And we dialed numbers on a rotary dial phone instead of punching numbers. My parents still have a phone that looks just like this orange beauty. Pretty kitschy, eh? And we knew people's numbers by heart because we didn't have anything remotely like a speed dial.
So what's my point? Not that I hate today's technology - um, I have a blog, e-mail all of the time, text my parents, *heart* my DVR, own an iPod, and check Facebook everyday. Just a stroll down memory lane, a remember when, a "my how things have changed" kind of thing. Did I miss anything that you can think of?
Susan
How about the card catalog? I have *vivid* memories of being in first grade and learning all about the Dewey Decimal System. Those long, skinny drawers were the coolest...
Posted by: Joni | March 04, 2009 at 06:04 AM
this was fabulous hahaha.
I think my first REAL cassette that wasn't a Disney Sing Along was...Alan Jackson's Greatest Hits. HAHAHAHA
My fits CD I got in the...4th grade? It was Divas Live with Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Gloria Estefan.
Also, i ADORE typewriters. I actually BOUGHT one at a garage sale this school year for $3!!! It was a steal!
goooood times. :]
Posted by: Elaine R | March 04, 2009 at 06:35 AM
What a fun trip down memory lane! I giggled at the casette tapes and walkman, remember those well! I also remember typing, on an electric typewriter, all of my college papers... handwriting them during my year studying in France... yikes! Made me think of those days before cordless phones, being 'stuck' to the phone on the wall, in my parents earshot... yes, very thankful for technological advances ;)
cute post :)
Posted by: rae | March 04, 2009 at 06:48 AM
How fun! I also remember playing records, and my grandpas car with an 8 track player. Our first computer was HUGE and only green prin on a black screen. How about checks? I still remember my mom writting me a check to cash at the grocery store when I needed money.
My kids will never understand how good they have it - when they go to my parents house they always want my Mom to record shows or fast forward past commercials. When my 6 year old hears a song he likes he asks if I can download it to his ipod. If i get lost they kids tell me to use the GPS.
Posted by: Joli | March 04, 2009 at 07:43 AM
It's so true; I started thinking about these changes at the beginning of the school year. My daughter was heading off to college and she asked me what type of laptop I had taken to school! I laughed at her and said that I didn't even have my own typewriter; I had to use the ones in the library basement that you paid the desk for so much time to type on. I'm not sure she really understood :)
Another change is using your phone to take a picture. I remember having one of those 110 cameras when I was young; I thought it was so cool too.
Posted by: Robin W | March 04, 2009 at 08:52 AM
Speaking of Music, I wanted to let you know about the Founder's Day Concert at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. The concert is Sunday, March 22nd at 7:30. They will be singing Paulus, Op. 36...Felix Mendelssohn. For free tickets call 994-4663. Let me know if you are able to attend this concert.
Shaun
Posted by: Shaun Paddock | March 04, 2009 at 09:57 AM
roflol! I still do not own an iPod, although my kids do. Dennis is fine using one of the "community" cell phones at work, and we used the prepaid card system for the cell phone I had until about a year ago. I won't let my daughters have texting on their shared cell, either. We still own a VCR and record programs on VHS, too! And when I get audio books, I actually prefer cassettes, because when I move my boombox around the house to do my chores, the cassette always starts right back up in the correct spot, whilst I have to guess which track and how many minutes into it I was for the CD versions.
At my first job in college, I made keypunched cards for a project at the office and typed on a Selectric typewriter. I worked in the editorial department for a textbook publisher, and we pasted up the galleys by hand, running the galleys through a wax machine (old-school "repositionable adhesive"). No one's car had heated seats or a moon roof. And what about microwaves? Dennis and I got our first one when our 21-year-old son was an infant. Now I can't think how I'd survive if I had to plan my menu and defrost my meat by leaving it in the fridge overnight, etc.!
Posted by: Jan Connair | March 04, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Oh my - I remember all of these and more. I see Joli mentioned playing records and 8-tracks, but what about reel to reel? When we planned parties, we spent hours putting a mix of music on reel to reel tape because it could play for hours unattended. And of course microwaves - I didn't have one when my first son was born in 1982 - don't know how I did it. And in the office, how about fax machines?
Posted by: Jan | March 04, 2009 at 11:46 AM
LOL...this really was a trip down memory lane! My first album was a vinyl record of ABBA Gold...walkmans didn't come out til I was in high school and they weighed a ton (I often think of that when I stick my iPod shuffle in my pocket to go walking!). I learned to type on a NON-electric typewriter...overseen by the very strict Sister Klara who didn't allow mistake correction, you had to be perfect! We got our first VCR when I was 13 and it was Betamax!
I was talking with my Gran a few months back about all the changes that she had seen throughout her life....I can't even imagine what the world will be like when I'm in my 80's!!!!
Thanks for sharing :)
Posted by: Kristie | March 04, 2009 at 02:30 PM
WOW! I can relate to this in so many ways! I miss letters done the "old-fashioned" way too!
Posted by: Sara Rossi | March 04, 2009 at 04:50 PM
Oh that was wonderful...love those retro memories! I am going to have to share this one with my boys ( 14 and 10 ). We've discussed this before with them but it never sinks in until you read it on the web!!!..lol
Posted by: sandee | March 05, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Loved your trip down memory lane! I am apparently the same age as you because I remember those exact things very vividly. I didn't know what a VCR was until I was almost graduated from high school, and I didn't know what cable was until I got married! My, my, how things change! And by the way, I still have a box of cassette tapes from my younger days. Didn't you hate when they'd been played so much they make that "squeak" noise while playing, and you just knew it was about to break! Aaahhhh, memories!
Posted by: Tish | March 12, 2009 at 02:12 PM
I love you article. I recently bought some jolees about the 80's with photos of cassette recorders, pom pom's, aquanet, scunchi's, leg warmers, etc. I actually planning a few layouts about the 80's (I am 42, so eighties was my young life period). thanks for sharing this, it inspires me more to scrapbook about that wonderful stage of my life.
Remember also the TV WITHOUT a remote control. My daughters (15 and 18) hear about it and they asked me if it was true? When I say yes to them, they asked again "And how you used to change channels mom?" We leaf and leaf and leaf. Of course we explain to them that actually needed to stan-up to change channels, raise/decrease volume, etc.
Posted by: Luisa | March 17, 2009 at 04:37 PM