I celebrated my 50th birthday a little over a month ago. In doing so I have begun to reflect upon the progress and changes in the world that I have been fortunate enough to have witnessed. I was always amazed to hear my grandparents speak of seeing the progress of society in their life. For example, my grandfather's first job on a construction project was to keep the team of horses watered. Now we are using GPS controlled machines that practically operate themselves. Hm...what have I seen in my lifetime? Well here's my list:
In the Entertainment World -
Black and White Television broadcasting favorites such as Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, and the Rifle Man. Sunday evening at my grandparents to watch the Wonderful World of Disney. Now days we have the "real thing" reality shows such as Survivor, Bachelor, American Idol and Dancing with the Stars.
We went to movies at the Drive In with be a large screen outside where you placed a speaker in the vehicle window to watch the show. Yes, there were also the standard movie theaters downtown but with only one screen, not the Cineaplex Theaters with a dozen screens to choose from.
Speaking of Technology...
Let's see... school teachers instructing the class on how to use a "Slide Ruler", then came the calculator era. Wow, my college professor would even let us use an HP41C to take our exams; however, we had to submit our program formulas ahead of time to him if we were to utilize any program features. The first computer I can remember took up a "small area" in our business. Small area defined as a room that was 15 feet by 12 feet. Just enough room to walk around the computer admiring the "State of Art". We've come a long way now with laptops, dual screens and the smart phones.
Oh how we could not reminiscent about the evolution of the phone. Remember the standard black rotary dial phone that was accompanied with usually a two or three party line. "Hello, Who's that other person talking to someone else on my phone?" At least in those days we always knew where the phone was... on the counter top. Now days with a remote in nearly every room we run around the house trying to find a phone to answer when it rings and yes I did check the cradle it's suppose to be in.
I remember also receiving my first "Cellular Phone" nearly as large as a small military combat walkie talkie. Man, was I hot then out on my projects with my new "brick phone" I was one productive machine. Finally, I have my cell phone now that plays all my favorite music, surfs the internet, texts, twitters and even tracks my schedule. Oh, yea, you're right I can even make a phone call with this smart phone.
I can't say for sure but I would dare say that in my half century of life, the average life span of the human being has also increased. Amazing what our medical knowledge can now do. Hmm, forty plus years as a diabetic has witnessed testing my urine 4 times per day to pricking one's figure 4 times per day. You can now obtain your A1C results within minutes instead of days. Don't forget about insulin applications, one, two injections to one injection every time I ate and now i wear a funny looking pager on my belt that they call a pump. But who would ever think that the strict adherance to a schedule would now become flexible for a diabetic.
If you think that that is amazing look at what we are doing with heart treatments. Speaking from experience, a quintuple (5) bypass one day and two days later, I'm up walking and beginning my rehab. Six weeks, and I'm back to work and feel better than ever.
In my lifetime, I have seen President Eisenhower to now our first black American President, President Obama. President Nixon who resigned, to President Clinton who truly defined the word "is". Transportation has gone from old black model Fords to fancy Corvair, to Hummers and now hybrids. I think that there is even a movie similar to the modes of transportation I have seen called Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
Styles from short hair to long hair to back to short hair. Bell bottom pants and plaid pants to just plain Levis. What ever happened to the Converse Tennis Shoe?Where did Nike and Addidas all come from? Yes folks, I survived the 60's,70's,80's and 90's. I think fashion is just going around in circles. Kids today are wearing the same clothes I did in Jr. High and listening to the same rock groups. Remember, we were the originals!
Yup, I have seen a lot of things in my life time and will continue to experience many more awesome progressions as my life continues. Indeed, I have seen a heck of a lot of events and things but more importantly, my life has been blessed by these great events and makes me appreciate the good and bad. I look forward to another fifty years of progress.
