Friday5: Everything Old is new again...

One of the revgals "had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on."

As for the questions!

1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live
without?
Hubby is saying Air conditioning...since we had our serviced yesterday and are facing a gasp new system. I'm thinking car or something...

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day?
Why?
Ummm alarm clock? I like my sleep.

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If
so, do you use it (them)?
Not anymore. In fact, I replaced the tape deck in my older car a few years ago
and was surprised how cheap it was to get a CD and ipod jack installed.
Just got the tapes out of the same car...tonight.

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something
else?
Oh a wishy-washy mix. I think the jumps in computers and cell phones is a waste.
There is no reason that an expensive computer or phone or anything
should be obsolete in 3 years. Its just wasteful.

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonus
points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process.
Homemade/community made entertainment. I think we've lost some of our creativity through the pervasive entertainment culture. Of which I am a huge consumer, sigh.
I have friends with no TV's, who don't know the celebrities in the media. Who read literary books and see the Oscar-worthy serious movies. Um...I just can't do that...lets try for a happy medium, OK? Some TV free nights and gasp limiting computer time and being outdoors.
Those are my trade=offs.