Things That Once Amazed Us but We Now Take for Granted

[bethzaring]

two things come to mind:

a dish washer

a computer printer. I think the first printer I had, had a silver ball that had the letters of the alphabet around it, can that be true? Anyway, a few years ago I found a letter on the Internet hand written by one of my great great grandfathers and I was able to print it out. I couldn't believe it, that the printer could print out a script letter whose letters were not written like a typewriter. I just made and printed out two Mothers' day cards with pictures of our flowering crabapple tree,... just blows me away..

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by bethzaring

...I think the first printer I had, had a silver ball that had the letters of the alphabet around it, can that be true?...

Yes, Beth, It can be and IS true. This technology originated with the IBM Selectric electric typewriter. There were interchangeable balls for different fonts.

[Dove]

My husband went home on leave after Navy Boot camp to see his parents first home. It had electricity and he didn't have to go out to the well for water or to the Outhouse either...LOL (1948)

TV??? what was that?? I was a teen when it first came out.
I have seen a lot of changes..some good and some not so good.

[MexicoKaren]

Constance - I remember going to the high school gym to get that first polio vaccine on a sugar cube! Funny, we were talking about this last night with some friends we went out to dinner with. He was born the same year I was (1944), and got polio when he was 7 years old. He had extensive surgeries to strengthen his legs and still has one leg much smaller than the other. His wife (a kid, born in 1953) doesn't remember any of that. And JoAnn - we also had a party line. If the neighbor was talking, you just had to wait....and wait...and wait....

[Rob Babcock]

Originally Posted by Wart

So true.

Would I have even considered making that 'corner' in three steps if I had to angle the wood with am old block plane instead of my saw and jointer .... LOLOLOLOLOOLOL ! Not hardly! And the glue up ...

Yes, tools and technologies can be liberating BUT they can also be limiting.

I agree. You see the same thing in music. On the one hand, you could now write, record & release a very professional sounding album in your basement. But the ubiquitious Pro Tools software has, according to some experts, led to the homogenization of music that we now have. It seems that anything outside of the norm/average is hard to do with Pro Tools...odd rythms or meters are a pain. Since everyone out there is mixing their stuff on the same software, with all the same tools, and in the same manner, we end up with...well, a lot of the same!

Plus, the exchange of information we have now it great in lots of ways, but I think some regional distinctions have been lost. There used to be a "Seattle Sound" in music, region styles in architecture and lots of local flavors of food. Now, from Alaska to Florida you've got McDonalds, BK and Starbucks. Chain restaurants are homogenizing food. Much as Wal-Mart has done to retail chains have done to food. I work for an independant, family owned steakhouse that's been in the family since 1948. The owner often laments how hard it is to compete with Outback, etc.- they spend more on a months advertising than he'll gross in a year.

Globalization is a "mixed blessing" and a direct result of the Information Age.

[radhuni]

Television set amazed me in my childhood. I used to look at the back of the TV set to find those Lilliput.

[pdswife]

This isn't really a thing... but I think I take happiness for granted now. I'm sorry to admit that.

I didn't have the nicest life for the first 30 years....then I found Paul and things got so much better and it took so little for me to be really really happy and joyful. After almost 11 years of marriage I'm "used" to being happy. Happy is the norm. That's a wonderful thing but, I forget to tell Paul as often how greatful I am for him and our life. I'm going to go call him now.

smiles, T

[LadyCook61]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Yes, Beth, It can be and IS true. This technology originated with the IBM Selectric electric typewriter. There were interchangeable balls for different fonts.

hey I have that typewriter, still in use .

[LadyCook61]

How about the movies? It went from the silents to talkies then sound surround.

[Saphellae]

I think we take technology in general for granted.

We rely too much upon it. What would we do without it?

Also, another thing I think is our homes. I take my apartment for granted, because I'm not happy with the size or what have you, but I am glad I have a roof over my head and food in my tummy. Every day I walk by people who don't have a home.