excess

  Like a lot of us I have a lot of stuff I don't use anymore. Things like cd's, vhs tapes, books, papers and bric-a-brac. You don't really want to throw them away, you think about donating them but realize probably no one else wants them either. A good deal of this stuff holds memories to a varying degree. The memory only belongs to you though, to someone else it is a mystery. Just what the heck is this? But I really do need to start cleaning things out. I don't want to think of it as Swedish death cleaning. That just doesn't sound good. Not planning on dying anytime soon. I did read where there is a business in Japan that cleans out people's apartments after they pass. It's called the "lonely" death. Kodokushi is the Japanese term for that. It happens when the elderly die alone in their apartments or homes and aren't discovered for a long time. Apparently, it happens quite frequently in Japan. But I'm getting off track here.

 I did grow up in a home where the philosophy was waste not, want not. Little was discarded as you might find that useful one day. I have to say often times that was true; back then. In this more modern world that doesn't appear to hold as much truth as it once did. Things change so rapidly, mostly technology, that your stuff is outdated and of little use. I certainly have discovered that to be the truth many times over. I began the process of digitizing some of my old video tapes I had taken of the grandkids. It was quite the tedious process as the technology doesn't always want to cooperate. I realize it is a lack of skill/knowledge on my part. I became frustrated and set it aside. Never had that problem with photographs! Today I have an assortment of digital cameras and recording devices. Presently I just use my phone 90% of the time. Pictures or video makes no difference. 

 I do have much digital media in the cloud. Still not sure where it is, or how to access it. But I'm backing my stuff up to the cloud nonetheless, I think it costs about ten dollars a month. I wonder sometimes if anyone else could access that. I mean, like your family members after you are gone. Doesn't seem to make much sense to maintain a permanent record if they can't. I'm not permanent.

  Now all this digital media stuff is certainly more convenient. Gone are the days of film and having to wait to get it developed. Gone are the days when the picture you have is the picture you took. Lots of programs to enhance, correct and create pictures of your own adding or removing whatever you like. And now there is AI a whole new ballgame. Is it true or false? Have to have computer software that can decipher it and tell you if it has been altered. Can you trust the computer? I don't know if I do. But convenience leads to excess, that's my thought. Just how many photographs (images) do you take? I still remember when 36 exposures were a lot! There are those taking that many selfies every day! The thing is however, viewing those digital images are not so easy. They are when using the device that took them but in just a short time it can become challenging. I know, it happens to me all the time. There are five major formats for images. Do you know all five and what they are? Do you know what is different about each one? I certainly don't. You need to go to a class to begin to understand all of that. I'm not going.

 So, I'm left with boxes full of digital media in several formats. I'm left with several devices for playing these things back. There are various methods for transferring this media and companies that specialize is doing so. I think about the money I spent to be able to record this stuff and now I have to spend more money to look at it. As I said, with a photograph you didn't have that problem. I'm looking at an image right now taken prior to 1889! And I don't require any tech to do so, just my eyes.

  I still have some of the tech necessary to play back those tapes, cd's and vhs tapes. Not all of it is compatible with my computer. Well, you know computer programs get updated and changed seems like almost monthly. I have a computer running windows 10 but it isn't capable of running windows 11. I still have the installation disc for AOL! Do you know anyone using a dial up modem? Yes, they are still around, like a digital dinosaur. Seems like a great deal of my media has become fossilized! Get the right scientist with the right equipment and it could be decoded I suppose. But is it worth it? Well, I keep saying, I might need that one day, could come in handy. I better hold onto it. It is difficult letting go of your memories, even the littlest ones. I do think that one day my grandkids or whoever will discover that stuff and perhaps become curious. What secrets are on those disc's, tapes or little sd cards?  

  I did a little reading, what some love to call researching these days, and it was an eye opener. Turns out all that tech isn't nearly as permanent as we have been led to believe. A ssd has a life span of about ten years, that's it. All our little cards, tapes and cd's are subject to degrading rather quickly. It led me to think I had better start printing those images I most want to be saved. It's rather ironic if you think about it. The images that have lasted the longest are paintings on the walls of caves! We don't have anything comparable as far as longevity today.