iPods and VCRs and Walkmen, Oh My!

A few years ago, I had some old VHS tapes converted to DVDs. Today, I pulled one out as I prepare for tomorrow night’s Wonderful Wednesday program at church. To my dismay, the converted disc has distracting lines running through it, and static too—not the best quality for my purposes. So I turned to the internet, only to find that there is no DVD version of Thomas Moore’s “Discovering Everyday Spirituality” series—the only thing available for purchase is used VHS tapes. And I’m especially irked because it is a wonderful program, exactly what I need for tomorrow. I recall the long ago day we junked our VCR (and the church junked its too). Why oh why didn’t we hang on to the old technology?? Because we didn’t think we’d ever need it again, that’s why!

It takes me quite a while to transition from one high-tech format to the next. I still keep my little sky-blue iPod shuffle in a drawer, even though I know my iPhone 8 is a vastly superior source of musical choices. I never pitched a couple of Sony Walkmen, which I’d loaded with songs and narrations, and given to our Advent labyrinth walkers 12 years ago—again, today’s walker chooses much more up-to-date listening options.

I have in my possession a clutch of cassette tapes, which I stubbornly refuse to throw away. These include story tapes my kids used to listen to as they fell asleep, and a couple of tapes recorded for them by my mom, their Nana. I currently have no way to play these gems, but darned if I will get rid of them!

Evan has discovered the joys of the LP. He owns a turntable, and bought several records now being released by favorite bands. I understand the sound quality is superior, yet I also remember their rapid scratchability—within minutes of purchase, my copy of Bobby Sherman Live! would start to skip. Ev is much more careful (with his vinyl, of course, and also with his selection of artists).

When Sher entered Curtis, we bought him a state-of-the-art Bose CD player/radio. He amassed an impressive collection of classical, jazz and rock CDs, and enjoyed hearing them on this amazing system. Eventually, it gave up the ghost, but recently Sheridan bought himself a new Bose! And now the sounds of Ravel and Beethoven waft through the house once more.

These resurrections of old technology remind me that I, that we, should not be so quick to ditch the past for the Next Shiny New Thing. Not that I regret jettisoning our Leading Edge computer (circa 1986), or our 19” black and white TV. But there are certain gems that can only be enjoyed on old machines, and it’d be a shame to lose them forever.

If you’ll excuse me, I’m off to listen to the classic LP, recorded in my grandma’s living room eons ago, “Happy 80^th Birthday Uncle Don.” Maybe this time, I’ll remember who Uncle Don was.