40 in 40 - Day 25 / Back In My Day

One minute you're the coolest named generation, then boomers start hating on you, and when Gen z grows up they join in. When you're young it's so fun to make fun of the olds and their crazy "back in my day" stories, but then you blink and you've got your own to tell now. And yes, I will point out every landmark in Orlando as I drive and tell you what used to be there in the 90s. It's giving boomer. Cringe.

So I compiled a list of all the changes I could think of from my youth. I mean, let's be real some of it is fucking awesome - like having a map navigation capability in your car. But a lot of it also kind of sucks - like the hell that is buying concert tickets these days. And you know what is the one thing that I swear hasn't changed a bit? Cell service. Cell phones have changed drastically and are just tiny computers but the service is just as shitty as it ever was. I walk into a Target. No Service. I'm barely able to get texts some days while at work. Dropped calls still happen on the reg. Like it's 2025 what is the deal?!

Back in my day...

MISS IT

• The only AI was SmarterChild. 
• There was only one frosty flavor. 
• We ran to the answering machine to see who called while we were out. 
• It cost .32 cents to mail a letter. 
• It cost .25 cents to make a call on a pay phone.
• Going to Blockbuster was a whole event. 
• Parents had no idea where we were most of the time.
• Handwriting everything in school.
• Finding random things to watch just by flipping through the channels.
• No social media unless you count AIM away messages.
• Watching must-see-TV at the exact same time as everyone else and then discussing the next day.
• Kids meal toys were actually cool.
• We listened to entire albums, in order.
• There was a monthly dance for middle schoolers called Rock Haven.

DON'T MISS IT

• Panera's didn't have a drive-thru.
• Computer mice had balls. 
• It could take hours, sometimes a day to download a song for free.
• Many sleepovers were spent in chatrooms. 
• My grandparents kept a full ass map in their glove box.
• You had to go into a store to buy everything.
• Smoking sections in restaurants existed which still grosses me out.
• Taking photos and having to wait to see how they turned out. (Ok, I do kinda miss this)
• Cutting a photo out of a magazine to show your hair stylist the inspo.
• Influencers didn't exist.
• Having to get off the internet so someone could make a call.