The more things change, the more 'Remember when' Facebook posts we get.
If you spend any time on social media, you've likely seen one or two or 1,000 items that start something like this: "Growing up, we ...." Or, "Remember when ...?" We love those posts, don't we? I know I do.
No one would argue how much things change from generation to generation. These days, though, things seem to change at warp speed -- especially things in the area of tech.
I believe I can safely say that most of you have one of these things in the back of a drawer somewhere. It wasn't all that long ago when we had to drive to a video rental store to borrow a movie we wanted to watch at home; there were no online subscriptions to Netflix or a Google Chromecast gadget. And, when we were finished watching the movie, we had to rewind it and bring it back. At the time, we didn't think it was a big deal at all. In fact, we thought it was great! But, it now seems so outdated, doesn't it? How long will it be before video streaming is a "thing of the past"?
Those of us who grew up with 8-track players, film cameras, pay phones or ViewMasters typically recall these things with fondness, though is some cases like 8-tracks ... good riddance. And, I think if they're given the exposure, our children - the ones who do not know life without cell phones -- are amused by these things, too.
MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey
My daughter, son and their friends, for instance, marvel at some of the gizmos I have at home. They like playing an old mechanical pinball machine (Space Odyssey, 1975, FYI), dropping coins into a vintage jukebox or pay phone or sorting through 33- and 45-rpm records. For them, as it was for us, the novelty of something different is the source of the enjoyment.
We've "bent the rules" a touch in this week's gallery; whereas we always make sure the photos were taken in New Jersey, this time we allowed for some generic images. So, even if the photos weren't taken in the Garden State, I know with absolute certainty that countless New Jerseyans have caught a squirt of Bactine after falling off a Stingray bike on the way to the soda machine. You'll see what I mean.
Here's a gallery of how a lot of things were different 'back in the day.' Have we missed some? Tell us about them in the comments section.
Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.