R.I.P.

Take a guess what this is ... um ... was?


Need a guess? A main stay of the late 20th century.



It introduced, to our households, new ways to view media. It changed how we view TV forever.



A Disney higher-up (CEO?) once stated that their movies would never be distributed on this format. True story. I heard it on a NPR show.



Say farewell to our Videocassette Recorder. Farewell to the 20th Century, and anything recorded on tapes. Video Tapes. Tape Recorders.

Actually, we still have two tape recorders, and the kids do use them. Wonder if they figured out how to flip the tape, in order to hear side B?

Though we are saying farewell to the 20th century, we have yet to fully embrace the 21st century. Yes, we have the i Touch, and the MP3 player, and all our music is now digitally stored; we do not have a DVR. Much to Hubby's dismay.

A Dying Breed

It was all very technologically advanced.

A college friend send me a message via Facebook, that is how the kids are talking these days.

She asked for our snail mail address, kids these days are not talking like that these days.

She was updating her address book, probably "the last one in the world" she added.

I replied, "oh no, the second to last, I have the last one."

Do you still have an address book?

Wait, my Mom has an address book ... that makes three left in the world. At what point are they removed from the endangered species list?

Those Were The Days

The Walkman, a must have tool for a child of the '80s. The only way to survive those family vacations; sitting in the back of the family car, trying to tune out your siblings and your father's bad taste in music. (My Mom usually began to act loopy on the return trip of most our family vacations. Now I realize why, she didn't have a Walkman and therefore forced to put up with bad music and obnoxious kids.)

How many had a Sony Sport Walkman? Yep, they seemed pretty popular, it seemed everyone had one.

These days what was once hip looks very outdated. I can't help but stifle a giggle when I see someone at the gym wearing over-the-ear head phones or carrying a Walkman ... a TAPE Walkman.

So what do today's kids think of these antique listening instruments? Well, 13-year-old Scott Campbell was asked by a United Kingdom magazine to try out a Walkman for one week. Here is his review, found on BBC.

I heard about this while listening to NPR's Scott Simon interviewed Scott Campbell on Weekend Edition Saturday.