In My Time

In My Time is the title of the new book by former Vice President Dick Cheney. I haven't read the book. I probably won't read the book since it is not a favorite genre of mine, nor is it one of the books my children have to read for school this year. I do try to read most of the books required by their curricula. This year, between my five students all in different grades, I have a good two hundred books to read, give or take a few. So Dick Cheney's new book won't make it into my cart or onto my nightstand (not that I have a nightstand, but that's beside the point.)

But,
I love the title of his book.

In My Time.

It makes me think of all the gadgets that have come or gone in my time.

I remember phongraph records, 45s and long-playing 33s. Now my children see a 45 and they ask what kind of computer used a CD like that. Or how about 8 track tapes? In my house 8 tracks were usually country music, whereas albums were classic country (the old stuff) or rock n roll (again, the old stuff.)
Then tapes were deposed by cassettes, and cassettes by CDs.

I remember typewriters. And writing things out long-hand, in cursive no less. Cursive apparently is on its way out in most school districts. Soon no one will be able to read the letters of the past. And no letters are written in the present anymore, its all just email, or instant messaging.

I remember when a nook was a cozy place where you could read a book, not the actual contents of the book in a digitally downloaded form.

I remember delivering newspapers every morning as a kid. Now if the local paper comes in newsprint form to your house it is brought by the mailman. But lots of people just opt for the online version instead, to eliminate the paper clutter that has to be dealt with eventually.

So much has changed, just in my relatively short lifetime. I wonder what things my children will reminisce about when it comes time for them to acknowledge that they, too, can begin a monologue with the words "In my time..."