It's okay

  After leaving a comment on a posting I received a rebuttal, the remark was, OK Boomer. I had to smile as I haven't seen that in a little while I figure it fell out of favor as the cool response. So, I'm smiling and answered with the year I was born and a remark concerning that. I mentioned that I had probably forgotten more than that person would ever know. Yeah, a real old school response. I love using clichés and old adages. That was the end of that interaction, a temporary amusement. I also indicated to this individual that if it weren't for Boomers, they wouldn't exist. I guess whoever it was is still trying to figure that out. It's simple really, someone had a baby, whether they chose that or not. That same person didn't even get to choose the gender off that baby. Ah, but us boomers don't know anything. Anyway, it was amusing. 

 On another posting someone was lamenting that he didn't have a cell phone or digital camera when he was young. It was in a discussion about pictures, or rather the lack of them. The comment was if only we had cell phone cameras back then we would have more pictures of our childhood friends. I had to disagree though, I highly doubt those digital images would have survived the years, especially if they were on a cell phone. No, I still want a hard copy, thank you very much. With those the only technology you need to view them is your eyeballs. It's my feeling that more digital images will be lost than photographs. Did you know that digital images degrade over time? I read an article explaining that they do indeed. Yes having a camera/phone with you all the time does have its' advantages, lots of pictures. How many get saved though? I'm talking about seeing them forty years from now, not next week. I graduated high school fifty years ago I doubt I would have any pictures taken by a cell phone had they existed. I do have a few prints. Remember the Polaroid swinger camera? That was one of the first that kids might be using but the film was expensive. I do have one picture, taken with a Polaroid swinger, of my sister. Now that's a real relic. 

 I got to thinking about that this morning. Yesterday I was having a minor issue with the computer. I was instructed to clear the cache and delete the cookies. I was confused at first because I didn't have any cookies hidden from my wife. (Groan) Anyway, I did that and the problem wasn't resolved. So I had to try other things and I think I got it straightened out. So this morning I go to write this blog and I'm instructed to log into Chrome. Apparently clearing the cache also clears all your passwords. To the trusty rolodex to recover the password. Yes, I have them written down, on index cards. Lots of them and multiples for the same website. You know, because some one will hack you and you have to change passwords, again and again. I am getting better at recording them though, noting which letter is capitalized, numbers, special characters and all that, precisely! Had an issue with my password this morning because I had failed to note the capital letter and of course it rejects that password! Anyway, got in there. That's when I thought. yeah fifty years from now that young person calling me a boomer will have this experience. What was the password? I have all these pictures but I don't know the password. If only I had made prints of those. 

 I do have hundreds of digital images. I also print a good number of them. I did have to buy a drive to read the floppy discs I was using twenty years ago. I made certain my computer had a disc drive that can read and write, not all of them do these days. I also made sure it could read sd cards. We are using flash drives these days more than anything else. I also have a pile of CD's with pictures and videos. I'm certain you will be able to buy technology to view all of that in the future but I question how many would. What I mean is, if you inherit a pile of old cd's from your parents or other relatives would you then purchase equipment to find out what is on them? I have some negatives, remember those things, but have never had them printed to see exactly what they are. I read where there is technology you can buy to view and print them digitally. I'm always talking about doing that but never had. It's my feeling it would be that way with old cd's, sd cards and probably flash drives in the future. That being said I have photographs taken well over a hundred years ago that I can view anytime I want, no special equipment needed. Some have the information written on the back. 

 It is my intent one day to create an archive of my photographs, the digital ones. I will place them all on a flash drive but also print the ones I feel are the most important ones. There is just something special about holding a photograph in your hand. I hold those old photographs and feel a connection to those ancestors. I'm certain that they held that photograph at one time. I think about how they must have felt. Wedding photos, birthday parties, special occasions of all types. How must have great grandmother felt holding the picture of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. It's also special when I can read what was written on the back, even when it is nothing more than the name. Digital images aren't the same thing. But these are the memories and sentiments of a boomer. And you what? It is OKAY. OK, boomer, an acknowledgement, I thank you for that.