I still clearly remember sitting my my living room for hours, in the dark, by the illuminated Christmas tree, listening to the radio station Q102 for HOURS, just patiently waiting for the Mortal Combat movie techno theme song to come on the radio so I could record it. When it finally came on I experienced pure, unbridled joy.
So awesome... I loved it when I got the entire song without any DJ voiceover. I also used to call in and make dedications from time to time, hoping it would come up, but usually I fell asleep by then LOL!
But I bet you could rattle off three or four home numbers of your friends from high school. I know I can...
The novel is SICK, originally billed as The Breakfast Club meets the Walking Dead. High school kids trapped in their drama dept during a zombie apocalypse. Set in my old high school, of course. The librarians there later had me come back and do a whole author visit thing -- surreal and awesome!
When I was a community newspaper reporter circa 2007, I often had to drive through rural and suburban areas to meet people for interviews. I relied on those MapQuest printouts and got used to doing mental math while driving ("So the turn should be coming up when the odometer hits another 0.7 miles ..."). I don't miss that.
I do, however, continue to listen to CDs in my car. It's the last remaining place I listen to physical CDs, but it's nice to still have them.
🤣 I totally feel your pain!! My dad and I used to deliver pizzas together when we first came out to San Diego... and the Thomas Guide was a life saver... toughest part was finding addresses at night!! Love that you still listen to CDs in your car... I had my vehicle audio system upgraded so my deck could play CDs also!!
Things are too fast and easy now. Having more human oriented technology allowed for the specialness to stand out. Music was more appreciated, the effort that a musician put into his/her craft could be enjoyed. Now, it’s all computer generated crap with just a few bright spots in between. Not everything was great of course, and we should be using high tech to augment our appreciation, but it’s gone too far. Nothing has much value anymore. Keep scrolling, next next next, hoping that something stands out. But it never will. Now AI to remove critical thought and discernment altogether. We’d better “go home and rethink [our] life” (to quote from Star Wars).
All true. I think we need to make a concerted effort as a society to slow things down for ourselves. For example, I still make a point to read books. I ask so many folks what's the last thing they read, and you would laugh at how far back it goes... sometimes to high school!
Recording songs! I’d stay up listening to 91X and try to grab some bangers to send back to friends in Colorado. They’d always cut in with their call sign “exkees ahhtchay, errey emmay effay emmay, Tijuana Baja Caleeforneeah, Mehhikoh”
So true! Watching shows back then actually took patience and planning. Kids today will never know the struggle of missing an episode and having no way to rewatch it.
Riding in the back of pickup trucks at top speed on the highways? :)
So true so true... also back of station wagons and staring at the other drivers 😆🤣
I still clearly remember sitting my my living room for hours, in the dark, by the illuminated Christmas tree, listening to the radio station Q102 for HOURS, just patiently waiting for the Mortal Combat movie techno theme song to come on the radio so I could record it. When it finally came on I experienced pure, unbridled joy.
So awesome... I loved it when I got the entire song without any DJ voiceover. I also used to call in and make dedications from time to time, hoping it would come up, but usually I fell asleep by then LOL!
I used the non-memorization of phone numbers as a plot point in a novel! great list.
Thanks Tom! Which novel is that? I still try to remember close friend's numbers... just in case, lol
But I bet you could rattle off three or four home numbers of your friends from high school. I know I can...
The novel is SICK, originally billed as The Breakfast Club meets the Walking Dead. High school kids trapped in their drama dept during a zombie apocalypse. Set in my old high school, of course. The librarians there later had me come back and do a whole author visit thing -- surreal and awesome!
Rad! I need to check it out on audible. My queue is growing longer and longer! lol
I miss these days. I still gave a landline photo. Gen X life is great.
Hey Sheila!! I sure miss those days too. Simpler times, we had to make a little more effort, but it made us appreciate things more :)
When I was a community newspaper reporter circa 2007, I often had to drive through rural and suburban areas to meet people for interviews. I relied on those MapQuest printouts and got used to doing mental math while driving ("So the turn should be coming up when the odometer hits another 0.7 miles ..."). I don't miss that.
I do, however, continue to listen to CDs in my car. It's the last remaining place I listen to physical CDs, but it's nice to still have them.
🤣 I totally feel your pain!! My dad and I used to deliver pizzas together when we first came out to San Diego... and the Thomas Guide was a life saver... toughest part was finding addresses at night!! Love that you still listen to CDs in your car... I had my vehicle audio system upgraded so my deck could play CDs also!!
I have CDs in the car too. Reliable as ever! And the only way to listen to some albums, like The Wall. An online playlist doesn't cut it
Yes, random playlists can be fun, but there's something special about listening to an album in the intended order.
100%!
Rabbit Ears in the 1980's, before American Cablevision (now Spectrum) ran a physical line through our neighborhood in Sept 1993.
Very true... also, those giant satellite dishes from the 90s we had in out backyards! 😆
Landline with a 50 foot cord 😁
Lol, so true!
Things are too fast and easy now. Having more human oriented technology allowed for the specialness to stand out. Music was more appreciated, the effort that a musician put into his/her craft could be enjoyed. Now, it’s all computer generated crap with just a few bright spots in between. Not everything was great of course, and we should be using high tech to augment our appreciation, but it’s gone too far. Nothing has much value anymore. Keep scrolling, next next next, hoping that something stands out. But it never will. Now AI to remove critical thought and discernment altogether. We’d better “go home and rethink [our] life” (to quote from Star Wars).
All true. I think we need to make a concerted effort as a society to slow things down for ourselves. For example, I still make a point to read books. I ask so many folks what's the last thing they read, and you would laugh at how far back it goes... sometimes to high school!
Recording songs! I’d stay up listening to 91X and try to grab some bangers to send back to friends in Colorado. They’d always cut in with their call sign “exkees ahhtchay, errey emmay effay emmay, Tijuana Baja Caleeforneeah, Mehhikoh”
Lol, I heard the same station out here in San Diego! Always had 91X on!
I lived in Santee, Mira Mesa and Ranchos Peñasquitos!
Did it all. Will do it all again!
We got a couple of video stores in small town Oregon. The last Blockbuster still has its doors open in Bend I think! (U probably saw that movie)
Sure have, I follow them on social too. Always said to myself if I'm ever out that way I would stop in! :)
So true! Watching shows back then actually took patience and planning. Kids today will never know the struggle of missing an episode and having no way to rewatch it.