We sometimes hear the expression, "XXX has gone the way of the buggy whip." In other words, technology and society have moved on, and something that was once commonplace barely exists anymore because it's no longer needed. Do you still have something in your home that has become essentially useless? If so, why do you still have it? If not, when did you get rid of it?
I have two things that fit with the topic this week. First, is my cassette deck. Jenn hates that it is sitting with our audio equipment since it doesn't work well and just takes up space, but I'm having trouble giving it up. I can't remember the last time I played a cassette in there, but I know I dragged it out of the garage a couple of years ago when I found a box of cassettes that I hadn't heard in a long time. See, many of them are not in CD form, or are hard to find.
This particular cassette deck I got back when I was in high school, so it's not exactly new, though it was slightly advance for it's time. I loved making tapes on it, usually by hooking my brother's boombox up to it, and I liked the cool blue light it used for it's display. I thought I was pretty cool with this thing. Now it sits and collects dust in the family room. Such a sad way to go.
The other piece I wanted to mention was my Laserdisc player. I did move that out of the entertainment center, mostly because I didn't have a cord long enough to reach the back of the TV, but at least it's out. This is a little newer than the cassette deck. We bought this just before we got married as I was leaving my job at Circuit City. Still, that was at least 15 years ago. DVDs weren't around at the time, and from what I remember, it seemed there was a format war going on, so I thought it was going to be a long way off. I don't believe it turned out that way. Oh, well.
I still have some cool stuff on Laserdisc. I have The Abyss: The Director's Cut, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Criterion Edition, Star Trek:First Contact, a RUSH concert video, and best of all, Star Wars: The Definitive Edition. The last is the complete trilogy in original form (no added CGI) in CAV format that came as a box set with a book on George Lucas. Jenn bought that for me a long time ago. I should sell it on eBay.
Anyway, yes, I have some old stuff that is out of date and should be out of this house.
Extra Credit: Have you ever worked in an industry that has gone the way of the buggy whip, or is in danger of doing so?
As I said, I worked at Circuit City. Does that count since they went belly up?
7 comments:
Heh. I think we have some of the same LDs! Not RUSH, though.cap
We were in a record store a couple of weeks ago (well, mostly CDs, but they actually did have a lot of records!), and they had a bunch of laserdiscs in their video department. I thought of you :-).
Man, Laserdiscs? I forgot those things even ever existed!
I was wishing for a tape deck in the car the other day because I've got tapes (just like you but weirder) that I can't get on CD.
Btw, I have 2 old school washboards in my garage. I don't use them, but top that for outdated and not needed. :p
God I'd forgotten all about laserdisks! They must have been around for the whole of, I don't know, 5 minutes? What a brilliant example.
Karen: Hee. So I can't sell you mine? :)
Florinda: Really? Wow! I guess California does have everything. :)
Stephen: Ha. I thought they were the coolest thing when I was much younger. My sister had a player, so that is where I was first introduced to them. We still have a Betamax player at my mom's house.
Cookie: My car has a tape deck and CD combo. Sadly, that option isn't available anymore. I'll give that on the washboards.
Sandrine: They were around longer than that, but they were never popular. They weren't very practical.
I just tossed the last mix tape I ever made - Summer of 1994!
Somehow, playlists aren't the same.
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