Monkeys Can Fish

So I was reading in the paper today (that is Old Media where you read from a thing called a newspaper for you kids) that monkeys have adapted to their environment and learned how to fish. Not with rods and reels, mind you, but at least it is a start. Only a million more years until they catch up with us and take over the world.

Summer is fast approaching and I though back to my childhood. We didn’t have social networks or iPods as a kid. All we had were AM radios and summer camp. Summer camp should have been titled ‘My Parents Work So All I Got Was This Trip To The Y So I Don’t Get In Trouble.’

AM radio led me to what was playing on the popular stations in the late 70’s – Soft Rock. Music like The Carpenters, Barry Manilow, and the like. I didn’t discover groups like Black Sabbath until the stoners were playing them in the early 80’s at my friend’s house. I was in awe when I heard my first song on FM radio. No more of the crackling when lightning struck or cosmic calamities were set to destroy my listening pleasure on the AM dial.

It is funny how I have seen all facets of technology evolve in the span of 30 years. I remember my first JC Penney vinyl/cassette player that I got for Christmas one year. Funny thing was that record prices were hovering around $8.99 when I was about 12 or 13 years old. I can now download an album on iTunes for around $9.99. How is that for the price of inflation. The sad thing is that I do not get to read the lyrics that came with vinyl and now have to do a lyrics search. There was just something about taking of the plastic and pulling out the record sleeve that usually contained the lyrics.

I don’t think I owned my first CD player until I was in my 20’s, so I marveled at my friend Grant’s that played Sig Sig Sputnik without skipping. I made do with a cassette player during teenage years. I didn’t get my first iPod until I was 34 years old. I understand that every kid now has an iPod by the age of three. I don’t know how I existed before I had my first IPod. I mean for a music lover to have his entire catalog at his fingertips is like a dream come true. Purists (audiophiles) will say that vinyl gives a more realistic sound. All I want to do is listened, so I will leave that debate up to them. I love being able to just listen to what ever my heart desires at that moment. No having to search for a record or to fast forward/rewind a tape.

I don’t mind e-mail or social networks, but I do miss the connection that is made with a face-to-face meeting. It is nice to use the social networks to see how everyone is, since everyone lives all over the world now.

Change is a double-edged sword for me. I loved those days where life was simpler, yet I love the technological advancements that I have seen.

I guess I’ll go back to reading the paper now.