Monday, November 05, 2007

Outdated technology

I remember when I first heard about the Internet. I remember playing text based games with no graphics. I remember when the coolest thing our computer did was Paint. I remember my first clunky gray cell phone. I remember the first person I met who had a digital camera. I didn't really get the concept.

My children are growing up in a world that never lacked these things. Once I found a disposable camera in the back of some drawer and took a picture of them. They wanted to see it on the back of the camera immediately. I took tons of pictures of them for my photography class last semester and they finally got used to this appalling limitation of 35mm cameras. Last night Imogen asked me if I would teach her how to use Photoshop when she is eight.

My kids have spent more time on cell phones than regular phones in their lives. All "regular" phones are cordless phones. The inconvenience of not being reachable at all times doesn't really occur to them. Oh and cell phones all have cameras. They are growing up in a world that not only has always had email, but where small hand held devices like cell phones and electronic organizers can email.

My microwave died a couple days ago. It's basically a very large digital clock now. Today I went to heat something up for Genevieve's lunch and I put it in the microwave, punched in the time and it again failed to turn on. I sighed and dumped the soup into a small pan to heat it over the stove. I was on my (cell) phone with a friend (who I met online).

"My microwave is broken," I complained. "Can you believe people used to have to boil everything?"

No comments: