An Old Vs. Modern Friday Five

Singing Owl from Revgals writes:

Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation-- gulp-- was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.

As for the questions!

1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live without?
Electricity. I admit it. I am a wimp.

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day? Why?
Cell phones. The new version of the old ball-and-chain.

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If so, do you use it (them)?
Yes. Yes. (a turntable and cassette players) And... No. Not really. We still use cassette players in our cars, but that's about it. Occasionally we use the turntable to play some Zeppelin or Who. Somehow without that familiar pop and hiss, it just isn't the same on iTunes!!

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something else?
I'm a busy thinker-doer-feeler-experimenter. Yes. I think it's scary, fun, sometimes weird, and sometimes whacked. My kids call vinyl records "those big, black CDs" and their friends were shocked that we had a turntable. And we realized later it was because they thought we used it for being hip-hop DJs or something... RrrrIIIiiiiiggghhhTT! Word.

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonus points if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process.
Natural fertilizer? Compost, baby. It's the best idea. (And no, I'm not so good at remembering to do it, either...)

And I have a great big LOooonnnnnggg post about my week which I will have to edit tomorrow because I am too wiped out and have no brain left.

This is Silly Putty Head, signing off...

Deb