Photos
So, last night I had a three hour flurry of getting organized. Periodically, I will hit these patches where I just feel the need to get my life in perfect order. Last night's activities started with the foot high pile of papers on top of my filing cabinet - just waiting to be filed.
It actually turned out to be a good experience. I talked to my boyfriend (on the phone) pretty much the whole time and we had some great conversation. After the filing cabinet was done, I moved onto the hall closet. I was actually just putting a few items in the closet when I noticed three old plastic storage containers in the back - all filled to the brim with photos.
I like the periodic trip down memory lane, so, I pulled the top box out. These were the most recent hard copy photos I had. It was as if my life stopped in 2001. Seriously, there was not a single picture post 2001. Everything post 2001 exists only electronically. While I have good intentions of printing some current pictures out, I just never seem to get around to it. I started to miss the days of cameras and film.
Of course, the way things work today is much better. Or is it? While it is nice to be able to post your pictures on the web and share them with everyone, the days of bringing pictures with you and sharing them personally are gone. Ok, sometimes this is a good thing - as we have all been trapped looking at boring vacation photos. However, it was always nice to take some pictures home with me to show Dad or Grandma - now I can just fire up the laptop and show them, but that seems to lack the same intimacy.
Gone are the photo albums, the boxes filled with duplicates (as there was always some special deal that made you order two or three copies, and the envelopes filled with bad pictures (i.e., someone's feet) that for some reason, you just could not throw away. These have been replaced with individual folders on my hard drive - sorted by year and then by event within the year. It is much less tangible.
Ultimately, I realize technology marches on and things change, but I have a special place in my heart for old technology that future generations will never know about. One of my favorite items at home is my Grandma's old rotary phone - a huge heavy black thing circa 1940. My family did not transition to touch tone technology until the mid-80's (just a tad behind the curve). I think about my niece and nephew and how they have no idea what a rotary phone is and have no connection with the great sound it makes. I have mine right by my bed - it does not work and is only there for decoration. However, once a week or so, I stop, pick up the receiver and begin dialing.........
It actually turned out to be a good experience. I talked to my boyfriend (on the phone) pretty much the whole time and we had some great conversation. After the filing cabinet was done, I moved onto the hall closet. I was actually just putting a few items in the closet when I noticed three old plastic storage containers in the back - all filled to the brim with photos.
I like the periodic trip down memory lane, so, I pulled the top box out. These were the most recent hard copy photos I had. It was as if my life stopped in 2001. Seriously, there was not a single picture post 2001. Everything post 2001 exists only electronically. While I have good intentions of printing some current pictures out, I just never seem to get around to it. I started to miss the days of cameras and film.
Of course, the way things work today is much better. Or is it? While it is nice to be able to post your pictures on the web and share them with everyone, the days of bringing pictures with you and sharing them personally are gone. Ok, sometimes this is a good thing - as we have all been trapped looking at boring vacation photos. However, it was always nice to take some pictures home with me to show Dad or Grandma - now I can just fire up the laptop and show them, but that seems to lack the same intimacy.
Gone are the photo albums, the boxes filled with duplicates (as there was always some special deal that made you order two or three copies, and the envelopes filled with bad pictures (i.e., someone's feet) that for some reason, you just could not throw away. These have been replaced with individual folders on my hard drive - sorted by year and then by event within the year. It is much less tangible.
Ultimately, I realize technology marches on and things change, but I have a special place in my heart for old technology that future generations will never know about. One of my favorite items at home is my Grandma's old rotary phone - a huge heavy black thing circa 1940. My family did not transition to touch tone technology until the mid-80's (just a tad behind the curve). I think about my niece and nephew and how they have no idea what a rotary phone is and have no connection with the great sound it makes. I have mine right by my bed - it does not work and is only there for decoration. However, once a week or so, I stop, pick up the receiver and begin dialing.........
posted by The Random Gay Guy at 10:38 AM
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