Do That With Film

I am sitting here just thinking how wonderful it is to be living in the times that we live in. Today I have been struck by how technology has impacted on my life.

I just made a comment on Facebook about a teacher that I had back in high school and read that others felt the same way as I did about him. Just to clarify, Mr. Weatherhead was one of the best history teachers in…history. I find it incredible the ease with which we can communicate with each other these days. A friend just managed to figure out how Skype worked today and he gave me a call just to test out the system. We had a conversation and were able to look one another in the eye while doing it. That part I could probably do without, because neither one of us were ever that good looking.

I can remember going to the “Better Living With Electricity” building at the CNE when I was a kid. They had all sorts of mock ups of what life would be like in the future through the use of electrical power. I can remember them predicting electric cars (it took fifty years, but they are starting to show up), all sorts of appliances to make living easier and the “video” phone. TV’s at the time were pretty crappy and very expensive, so I thought that even if it were possible, the common man would never be able to own one. It also occurred to me that sometimes you aren’t prepared for outsiders to see you. No one wants to see me getting out of the shower, well, maybe the tub if it were self aware.

I was talking to friends last week and learned about a friend of mine who has had both knees and hips replaced. I guess she is waiting on elbows, but for whatever reason they are hesitant to do them. I can’t begin to tell you how I am saddened by her plight, but at least there is the technology that enables her to get these operations. I would imagine in twenty years or so there will be better cures and hopefully the arthritis that is affecting people like my friend will be a thing of the past. Medical science has been and is making great strides forwards.

I have noticed this myself when I am at the dentists. There was a time when getting a filling meant the dentist would have to pack it in layer by layer for what seemed to be hours. Then, I wouldn’t be allowed to eat or drink for at least and hour, and be cautioned not to chew on that side of the mouth for a day or so until it would set. Now, Dr Julie just has Sara mix up some stuff, she injects it into the cavity and smoothes it out. Once it is just so she takes a light (ultraviolet?) and after a few seconds, it is as hard as it will ever be and I am good to go. I will often plan a coffee stop after the dentist now. It is the small things that make me happy I suppose.

There are down sides to technology, like automated phone calls and having over 400 channels on the TV. How the hell am I expected to make a choice? I can remember when you would argue over who would have control of the TV remote. We still argue, but it is for who has to have the remote and make the decision. Sometimes we will just turn the set off instead of suffering through the channel surfing. It is still better than getting up to change the channels though. I think that’s why a lot of people had kids in the old days. Well, that and sex.

I won’t even get into indoor plumbing. Maybe I will, but perhaps tomorrow or the next day will be soon enough.

I started to this blog to tell you how I managed to recover some pictures that were accidentally deleted from Louise’s camera. They were the pictures of all the family that attended the funeral and it would have been awful not to have them. Using computer magic and the marvels of electricity, we now have them safe and sound on a thumb drive.

Try to do that with film!