What did you do before we had the Internet?
I just checked out that Imagination Prompt Generator, which I read about on Canadian Hemlock's blog. It asked this question: What did you do before we had the Internet?. That's a good one.
1) Before I had a blog, I kept a handwritten journal. Although I stopped writing in it three or four years ago, there are 32 volumes totaling more than 7000 pages, most of it boring, some of it inane, and much of it embarrassing.
2) I watched more television. I am not sure if I watch less TV because of the Internet, or simply because there are fewer interesting shows on right now.
3) I wrote more poetry. Seriously. I have given that up. I did have a few poems published in some campus literary journals, but I never really knew if they were any good. Speaking of which, some day I should post the poem that started it all. It is called Zydeco Fish. It was published in one of those campus journals. Maybe I'll post it on this blog's tenth anniversary. See you here on July 11, 2013.
4) I spent more time in coffee shops.
How about you?
Technorati Tags: internet, pastimes
15 comments:
I wonder what we did before Mapquest are far as directions go.
before the internet? jeez, i can barely remember. . .
1) ditto on the journals, though i try to write a monster entry every month or so.
2) i spent more time in libraries doing research. now everything's at my fingertips.
3) i did more jigsaw and crossword puzzles. anything to procrastinate and waste time!
32 volumes totaling more than 7000 pages
Wow! Boring or not, that's a lot of writing.
I know I spent more time reading and doing other stuff. I also wrote in a journal, but now I write it all on my blog (Well, a good 90% of it anyway). I really value getting input from people who aren't
... aren't immediately involved.
As for non blogging purposes, I couldn't imagine life without the internet. Banking. Trip planning. Ordering things... it's another world, that's for sure.
Now, you see, that whole "embarassing" part is why I shredded mine.
Before the internet? I think I was still in elementary school. I spent a lot of time on the computer, playing computer games and programming cheesey programs in Basic. If I can remember correctly, a Basic program might go something like this:
10 INPUT "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?";N$
20 IF N$= "JEN" THEN PRINT "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND INTELLIGENT";N$
30 ELSE PRINT "YOU ARE A STUPIDHEAD";N$
That's from memory, not sure if the coding is quite right since I haven't written a program like that in about 15 years.
Jen: That was from memory? Wow. I did Basic too and the only thing I can remember is GOSUB.
R42K: I think before Mapquest, we all rolled down the windows and asked. At least the women did: the men kept driving around in circles, hoping to figure it out.
Before we had internet access, we weren't homeschooling and our daughter lived at home.
The internet has been a Godsend to us. A world of knowledge is at our fingertips. PLUS we're in daily contact with our daughter, who lives 1100 miles away. We'd be lost without emails, webcams, and blogs!
I didnt realize it was that far away. I mean we are only 500 from there. Before the internet for us was I was still in elementary school like tshsmoms daughter. We actually went to school together. But that we have it, like tshs says web cam, e-mail, and a Yahoo Messanger get us through the day. LOL... Well we are going to a chess tournament today and I need to go do a load of laundry before we take off at noon. It was nice meeting you and you are welcome to stop by anytime.
Yes, Z, I only remember useless things.
Hmmm...
What did I do before the internet? Well... for starters:
1. My first marriage probably would still be going strong, but then again... who knows. Online porn was just the tip of the iceberg of that demise;
2. I kept a journal intermittently when I was an adolescent, but destroyed all of my diaries every time my sister found them;
3. As a result of #2, I resorted to writing poetry. I still have just about everything I've ever written;
4. I was far more depressed and disassociated before the net;
5. I was limited as far as socialization... and by virtue of being online, I have found a plethora of new friends, a new husband, and like-minded online acquaintances like yourself, Mr. Fishy:)
k: i forgot to mention that they are also good for a laugh, in between the cringe moments.
I always had the internet it seems.
I was never on it until I started a blog. I can't say it has changed much of what I do because I can take it with me. ;)
I did a lot more crafty things. I've got boxes and boxes of crap down here stacked up in my office from my knitting period, then my quilting period, then my beading period, and so on and so on. LOL
Post a Comment