It is quite ironic that we have all these powerful tools in our hands yet our problems are getting complicated the moment we try to advance. Looking back 15 years, life was simpler. Our family lived a simple life in the suburbs of Iligan City. I grew up in a typical Pinoy childhood. We played real games and have real friends and get punched real bad and laughed real hard. The virtual world back then was still in the realm of the impossibility though I already saw advancements during those days.
As I am going through this post, I'm in my room connected to our private WIFI network and Lenny on my lap as I try to type away my thoughts. My sister is in the living room watching YouTube videos and my other sister is in the other living room watching TV and my brother is on his iPhone, checked in at KFC. You see, scenarios like this is commonplace nowadays. The sad reality of this complexity is we're more disconnected than playing Monopoly together for 4 hours.
It was perfectly fine for us back then to be not to be up to date with all this tech. All I had before was a 486 machine with no hard disk! I use the now extinct micro floppy disc to boot up my system and enter notepad on MS-DOS. Yep, I'm very much of an MS-DOS kid. My computing days started with the very basic of windows. Sometimes I still prefer renaming, deleting, searching for files using MS-DOS than the Windows Explorer. I did not cheat on our typing subject, so my typing skill of 70-90 words per minute gives me the edge to type faster than clicking and analyzing. Then finally my 486 machine was replaced with an another 486 machine but this time it now runs Windows 3.1. The world back then was already at Windows 98 and I'm still stuck with Windows 3.1, still I did not complain. I play classic games like Prince of Persia, got to play with MS-DOS simple programs like choice and batch files. I get to set my PC back then to make me either to choose to proceed to Windows or stay on MS-DOS.
For years until high school that was the setup. Even when I get to experience the internet, it did not really matter because personal internet access before was a hassle and quite expensive compared today. It was much slower too. We were never really in sync with the latest trends and updates.
It is not that I am complaining, it's just a realization that what we look forward to when we were kids is now finally here, there is confusion. The tools that were supposed to make our lives simpler, easier and to help us with our daily task are becoming a hassle to maintain. Cellphones were simple back then. It was just plain SMS and voice calls. Now we have smartphones with different brands and models. These phones also depreciate very fast too. Once my iPhone 3Gs was dubbed as the fastest iPhone today in one of Singapore's highways, now with the coming of the iPhone 5 next month, I feel that I really need to catch up with the current model. Do you know how it's like to own an Apple product?
It might be an exaggeration but I think this comic speaks to everyone who has consumed a lot of technology in this generation.
I just miss the once simple life. I'm not going to lie and say I'm going to disconnect starting tomorrow because I can't. I'm hooked and I know you also are, dear reader. For me, I'm going to re-evaluate my consumption and technology and slowly, baby steps do manual stuff that we used to do like, real postcards and real letters. Girlfriend demanded (yes, demanded!) that I write her a letter. I said, "sure it's in the works!" She said, "no, with your own handwriting!" "I don't care if you use a simple bond paper or a stationary, just write me a letter!" I'm totally screwed. You know how my hands and brain don't do well together when writing.
Anyway, I still have this longing of some activities that are well provincial. I want to raise chickens! For real, this blog here gave me the inspiration. I would also want to have a garden.
The above flowers are from Mum's garden. She tends to her garden every single day. Early morning you'd find her in the garden plucking out dead leaves, watering the plants and tilling the ground. How did we lose the enthusiasm for gardening? Why are we not interested anymore? Why do we check on our emails, Facebook and Twitter when get up?
If ever I'm going to have a family, I would want my kids to experience something like this but it's going to start with me first. I would want to settle down in the province and build my village house!
I like the laid-back, slow-paced life that is why Bohol is such the perfect place for us. I shared this thought with Girlfriend once. She said, "Really now? Do you also plan to have an underground laboratory for all your gadgets?" I changed the topic, "hey, I really missed you!"
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| Lenny |
As I am going through this post, I'm in my room connected to our private WIFI network and Lenny on my lap as I try to type away my thoughts. My sister is in the living room watching YouTube videos and my other sister is in the other living room watching TV and my brother is on his iPhone, checked in at KFC. You see, scenarios like this is commonplace nowadays. The sad reality of this complexity is we're more disconnected than playing Monopoly together for 4 hours.
"Life was much simpler when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits."
It was perfectly fine for us back then to be not to be up to date with all this tech. All I had before was a 486 machine with no hard disk! I use the now extinct micro floppy disc to boot up my system and enter notepad on MS-DOS. Yep, I'm very much of an MS-DOS kid. My computing days started with the very basic of windows. Sometimes I still prefer renaming, deleting, searching for files using MS-DOS than the Windows Explorer. I did not cheat on our typing subject, so my typing skill of 70-90 words per minute gives me the edge to type faster than clicking and analyzing. Then finally my 486 machine was replaced with an another 486 machine but this time it now runs Windows 3.1. The world back then was already at Windows 98 and I'm still stuck with Windows 3.1, still I did not complain. I play classic games like Prince of Persia, got to play with MS-DOS simple programs like choice and batch files. I get to set my PC back then to make me either to choose to proceed to Windows or stay on MS-DOS.
For years until high school that was the setup. Even when I get to experience the internet, it did not really matter because personal internet access before was a hassle and quite expensive compared today. It was much slower too. We were never really in sync with the latest trends and updates.
It is not that I am complaining, it's just a realization that what we look forward to when we were kids is now finally here, there is confusion. The tools that were supposed to make our lives simpler, easier and to help us with our daily task are becoming a hassle to maintain. Cellphones were simple back then. It was just plain SMS and voice calls. Now we have smartphones with different brands and models. These phones also depreciate very fast too. Once my iPhone 3Gs was dubbed as the fastest iPhone today in one of Singapore's highways, now with the coming of the iPhone 5 next month, I feel that I really need to catch up with the current model. Do you know how it's like to own an Apple product?
 |
| What it's Like to Own an Apple Product |
It might be an exaggeration but I think this comic speaks to everyone who has consumed a lot of technology in this generation.
 |
| It's Funny We Don't Talk Anymore |
I just miss the once simple life. I'm not going to lie and say I'm going to disconnect starting tomorrow because I can't. I'm hooked and I know you also are, dear reader. For me, I'm going to re-evaluate my consumption and technology and slowly, baby steps do manual stuff that we used to do like, real postcards and real letters. Girlfriend demanded (yes, demanded!) that I write her a letter. I said, "sure it's in the works!" She said, "no, with your own handwriting!" "I don't care if you use a simple bond paper or a stationary, just write me a letter!" I'm totally screwed. You know how my hands and brain don't do well together when writing.
Anyway, I still have this longing of some activities that are well provincial. I want to raise chickens! For real, this blog here gave me the inspiration. I would also want to have a garden.
 |
| Yellow Cosmos |
 |
| Red Roses |
The above flowers are from Mum's garden. She tends to her garden every single day. Early morning you'd find her in the garden plucking out dead leaves, watering the plants and tilling the ground. How did we lose the enthusiasm for gardening? Why are we not interested anymore? Why do we check on our emails, Facebook and Twitter when get up?
If ever I'm going to have a family, I would want my kids to experience something like this but it's going to start with me first. I would want to settle down in the province and build my village house!
I like the laid-back, slow-paced life that is why Bohol is such the perfect place for us. I shared this thought with Girlfriend once. She said, "Really now? Do you also plan to have an underground laboratory for all your gadgets?" I changed the topic, "hey, I really missed you!"
Aw, this comment gives me an idea of a blog post! ha! thanks ging!
ReplyDeletethis is so true... "Life was much simpler when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits."
ReplyDeletelast month, i had dinner with my parents after work. it was on a fancy restaurant. so while waiting for our orders, we were actually not talking at all... mom was on her macbook "facebooking"... yes, facebooking! :) hahaha... dad was exploring his then new galaxy tab... and i was on my iphone chatting with a friend on yahoo messenger... and this usually happens everytime we go to a restaurant together... talking about disconnected! :) hahaha...