We've all heard it a thousand times from our parents and grandparents--"Well, back in my day...." And we never actually picture ourselves saying such things. But now I am starting to get it.
It started last week...
I WAS driving a very nice Lincoln MKX. It was a SUV with all of the bells and whistles. After Haley was born, I became very fond of the remote opener/closer for the back hatch. It made pulling out the stroller almost effortless. The only problem with it was we owed a little bit of money on it still. Not a big deal, nothing that was breaking the bank, but I just hate car payments. I hate paying for things every month that we already "own", that are depreciating in value. Also, I am a stay-at-home mom. I don't even need to drive everyday besides to the gym and back. The most I really drive is 10 to 15 miles from the home. What's the point in having such an expensive SUV when I don't even bring in an income anyway? So I decided that I wanted to trade in my SUV for a car that we could buy outright and not owe any money on it. And so we did....for an Acura TL.
My car is very nice, and I am extremely happy with it. I've told myself that I will drive this car until it dies. It is a little older than my suv (it's a 2005) and it has a lot more miles. But it gets pretty good gas millage and will get Haley and I from point A to point B for awhile. I like all the features, but realized it was missing one...my aux input.
An aux input is basically a place where you can plug in your IPOD and listen to your portable music. It has CD/DVD and even a tape player ( I know right, a tape player, what's that?) but no aux input. But I got to thinking about how we use to burn mixed CD's.
I really miss those days. Mixed CD's were the greatest. I use to make them for Ian all the time when we first started dating. A collection of country love songs that would make anyone gag. Or in high school, when I would be going through a nasty break up--then getting sick of hearing sappy songs on the radio, I would make the greatest, rock-out & screw-"love" mixed CD's. Nothing cures an adolescent heartbreak like the right mix. Then the best part is when you come across these mixed CD's years later, and as soon as you put them in, they take you right back to that time and place. All of the emotions from that time rush back in. Maybe even a hint of nostalgia.
So, since I can't plug in my IPOD, I am actually looking forward to going back to the good ol' days and making a few mixed CD's.
And then I got to thinking about all the other things technology has changed. Remember the days, to avoid someone you simply just didn't answer their phone calls. Now rejection comes in a handful of ways. You have to not answer phone calls, emails, text messages, tweets, Facebook messages, and instant messages. How's that for someone's self esteem. I got to thinking about this because a woman called into Dr.Laura the other day about a person she needed to cut out of her life, and Dr. Laura was telling her how easy it was. And the lady started complaining because of all of the different ways this person contacts her. And Dr. Laura said, well why don't you close down your Facebook account. The lady acted like Dr. Laura was asking her to kill her first born. She actually said, "but that's my life." Whoa, your life? Lady, get a grip. Then I got to thinking, could I really get rid of my Facebook all together. I have went through certain measures to ensure that my Facebook is fairly limited to those friends and family members I actually care about, but still, has Facebook really become that necessary in my life too?
For example, I am planning a bit of a family BBQ with my Dad's side of the family. I was trying to figure out the best way to communicate with everyone about this and I decided that I would send out a FB invite. I could have gotten everyone's address and sent out invites that way, but I didn't have everyone's address. Plus with FB, I could send out a mass message if anything changed, we can coordinate on whose bring what by simply posting on the event wall what each person is bringing. It has really made planning so easy. So in thinking about possibly nixing FB from my life, I realized I can't nix it until after this event is over. By then I am sure another reason why I can't nix FB will present itself. So will I ever escape?
I miss the days that my phone didn't get emails, text messages, instant messages, and Facebook notifications. When a phone was just a phone and people actually had to call you if they gave a damn about your life. How effortless is it to simply send a Facebook message. I'm guilty of it too, don't get me wrong. It actually makes me anxious to talk to people on the phone now because I am not use to it. And not to mention the miscommunications that often occur through text messages. That's a whole topic of discussion on it's own. But could I REALLY give up my smartphone? No, once you get spoiled with the effortlessness, it is hard to go backwards.
The last thing I want to rant about is pictures. I have tons of pictures of Haley, but have I developed them yet, nope. I've got them plastered on Facebook and my blog. I have them on my hard drive on my computer, but I haven't actually printed them yet. I need to. I am going to. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Technology has made it too easy not to. All my friends and family can see the pictures online, so what's the point anyway. Well I know in the future I will want a hard copy of those photos because they are so easily deleted. So I am adding, printing pictures to my to-do list. And while I am at it, I should probably print my wedding and Puerto Rico pictures while I am at it, as I haven't even printed those yet.
Technology has done some fantastic things as well. Which I could go into, but I won't. Just putting some thought into revamping my lifestyle a bit--so I can enjoy the way things use to be. I think I'll start by making a mixed CD.
Until Next Time...
It started last week...
I WAS driving a very nice Lincoln MKX. It was a SUV with all of the bells and whistles. After Haley was born, I became very fond of the remote opener/closer for the back hatch. It made pulling out the stroller almost effortless. The only problem with it was we owed a little bit of money on it still. Not a big deal, nothing that was breaking the bank, but I just hate car payments. I hate paying for things every month that we already "own", that are depreciating in value. Also, I am a stay-at-home mom. I don't even need to drive everyday besides to the gym and back. The most I really drive is 10 to 15 miles from the home. What's the point in having such an expensive SUV when I don't even bring in an income anyway? So I decided that I wanted to trade in my SUV for a car that we could buy outright and not owe any money on it. And so we did....for an Acura TL.My car is very nice, and I am extremely happy with it. I've told myself that I will drive this car until it dies. It is a little older than my suv (it's a 2005) and it has a lot more miles. But it gets pretty good gas millage and will get Haley and I from point A to point B for awhile. I like all the features, but realized it was missing one...my aux input.
An aux input is basically a place where you can plug in your IPOD and listen to your portable music. It has CD/DVD and even a tape player ( I know right, a tape player, what's that?) but no aux input. But I got to thinking about how we use to burn mixed CD's.
I really miss those days. Mixed CD's were the greatest. I use to make them for Ian all the time when we first started dating. A collection of country love songs that would make anyone gag. Or in high school, when I would be going through a nasty break up--then getting sick of hearing sappy songs on the radio, I would make the greatest, rock-out & screw-"love" mixed CD's. Nothing cures an adolescent heartbreak like the right mix. Then the best part is when you come across these mixed CD's years later, and as soon as you put them in, they take you right back to that time and place. All of the emotions from that time rush back in. Maybe even a hint of nostalgia.
So, since I can't plug in my IPOD, I am actually looking forward to going back to the good ol' days and making a few mixed CD's.
And then I got to thinking about all the other things technology has changed. Remember the days, to avoid someone you simply just didn't answer their phone calls. Now rejection comes in a handful of ways. You have to not answer phone calls, emails, text messages, tweets, Facebook messages, and instant messages. How's that for someone's self esteem. I got to thinking about this because a woman called into Dr.Laura the other day about a person she needed to cut out of her life, and Dr. Laura was telling her how easy it was. And the lady started complaining because of all of the different ways this person contacts her. And Dr. Laura said, well why don't you close down your Facebook account. The lady acted like Dr. Laura was asking her to kill her first born. She actually said, "but that's my life." Whoa, your life? Lady, get a grip. Then I got to thinking, could I really get rid of my Facebook all together. I have went through certain measures to ensure that my Facebook is fairly limited to those friends and family members I actually care about, but still, has Facebook really become that necessary in my life too?
For example, I am planning a bit of a family BBQ with my Dad's side of the family. I was trying to figure out the best way to communicate with everyone about this and I decided that I would send out a FB invite. I could have gotten everyone's address and sent out invites that way, but I didn't have everyone's address. Plus with FB, I could send out a mass message if anything changed, we can coordinate on whose bring what by simply posting on the event wall what each person is bringing. It has really made planning so easy. So in thinking about possibly nixing FB from my life, I realized I can't nix it until after this event is over. By then I am sure another reason why I can't nix FB will present itself. So will I ever escape?
I miss the days that my phone didn't get emails, text messages, instant messages, and Facebook notifications. When a phone was just a phone and people actually had to call you if they gave a damn about your life. How effortless is it to simply send a Facebook message. I'm guilty of it too, don't get me wrong. It actually makes me anxious to talk to people on the phone now because I am not use to it. And not to mention the miscommunications that often occur through text messages. That's a whole topic of discussion on it's own. But could I REALLY give up my smartphone? No, once you get spoiled with the effortlessness, it is hard to go backwards.
The last thing I want to rant about is pictures. I have tons of pictures of Haley, but have I developed them yet, nope. I've got them plastered on Facebook and my blog. I have them on my hard drive on my computer, but I haven't actually printed them yet. I need to. I am going to. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Technology has made it too easy not to. All my friends and family can see the pictures online, so what's the point anyway. Well I know in the future I will want a hard copy of those photos because they are so easily deleted. So I am adding, printing pictures to my to-do list. And while I am at it, I should probably print my wedding and Puerto Rico pictures while I am at it, as I haven't even printed those yet.
Technology has done some fantastic things as well. Which I could go into, but I won't. Just putting some thought into revamping my lifestyle a bit--so I can enjoy the way things use to be. I think I'll start by making a mixed CD.
Until Next Time...
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