I recently had a few chats with a certain math hating economist who believes sociologists are the root cause of all evil. As someone heavily relying on math, this made me start thinking. Then the further knowledge that she had not heard what UNIX was got me thinking if I'm starting to become a relic of the "good old days" (not before I screamed blasphemy a number of times, and tried to find the computer equivalents of holy water and a cross. Albeit, I couldn't, but I could use suggestions!). Further along this line of thinking, I remembered a discussion I had with one of my closest and oldest friends on his birthday. That the last time I saw his entire face was more than a decade ago. Since then, a rain-forest of hair has ravaged what remains of his face, it is rumored that parts of it haven't seen sunlight in years.
The key point of all this is the sensation of getting old. Some of you may have been a part of my discussions on turning 25 and being on the wrong part of the 20s. As my sister tells me, the 30s are worse, I worry about friends getting married, she worries about them having kids. But as she just got on the "right" side of that fence, she can taunt the others peacefully for some time. But, that inescapable feeling is starting to take hold that I'm going the way of mainframe programmers. Those of you who haven't heard of mainframes, read that line about UNIX again, and remember that as soon as I find that holy water and cross, I'm coming for you.
I grew up a part of a glorious generation that saw computers, phone and mobility take hold. When we were kids, TVs were bulky and bulgy, phone calls meant you sat in one place tethered to a wall, and no one got tense if you didn't call to update about your plans every instant, or post an update anywhere. The beauty of this time was that we go to choose whether we want to go outside and play, or stay in and explore this new virtual world. Like many, I chose parts of both. The generation before mine mostly chose the former, while the ones after me choose the latter. Unfortunately, I believe that a generation that sees both as equal options may not come again. It is not for me to judge whether either is better, but I'm a big believer that "both" is always better. Later generations may see different options, but I don't think they will see such a life-changing one till we invent interstellar or time travel.
It's my time to head into the world of adults, and try to earn a living. But the adolescence I'm leaving behind fondly is crystallizing into my "good old days", and that rocking chair on a front porch is getting closer. Now I'm off to fight my next battle against the evil rocking chair, so get off my lawn you pesky kids!
The key point of all this is the sensation of getting old. Some of you may have been a part of my discussions on turning 25 and being on the wrong part of the 20s. As my sister tells me, the 30s are worse, I worry about friends getting married, she worries about them having kids. But as she just got on the "right" side of that fence, she can taunt the others peacefully for some time. But, that inescapable feeling is starting to take hold that I'm going the way of mainframe programmers. Those of you who haven't heard of mainframes, read that line about UNIX again, and remember that as soon as I find that holy water and cross, I'm coming for you.
I grew up a part of a glorious generation that saw computers, phone and mobility take hold. When we were kids, TVs were bulky and bulgy, phone calls meant you sat in one place tethered to a wall, and no one got tense if you didn't call to update about your plans every instant, or post an update anywhere. The beauty of this time was that we go to choose whether we want to go outside and play, or stay in and explore this new virtual world. Like many, I chose parts of both. The generation before mine mostly chose the former, while the ones after me choose the latter. Unfortunately, I believe that a generation that sees both as equal options may not come again. It is not for me to judge whether either is better, but I'm a big believer that "both" is always better. Later generations may see different options, but I don't think they will see such a life-changing one till we invent interstellar or time travel.
It's my time to head into the world of adults, and try to earn a living. But the adolescence I'm leaving behind fondly is crystallizing into my "good old days", and that rocking chair on a front porch is getting closer. Now I'm off to fight my next battle against the evil rocking chair, so get off my lawn you pesky kids!
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