Nostalgia

So I found an ancient tape recording that I made with my neighborhood friends when we were 9 or 10 years old. It mostly consists of giggling and over dramatic "newscast interviews." Its one of those things you always find in the bottom of a moving box and so I finally decided to listen to it tonight to hear what exactly was on it. Nothing too earth shattering, but it brought back some funny memories and then it got me thinking.

Thinking all about cassette tapes and how antique they've become. Not only does no one by them anymore, but I'm not sure kids today or future kids will even know what they are. Man---tapes were so important way back when.

It all started with my Emerson tape recorder/player. This was pre-boom-box era. We recorded interviews and outdoor play sessions. Then I got my first "boom-box" and spent hours recording songs and love line dedications of the radio. Mind you this was 7th and 8th grade so the love lines were pretty tame. From there we had the all important comp tapes. Oh we were so cool. Later on, there were long, lonely voice recordings sent to far-away loves. I even tried to record my first baby's giggles and coos onto a tape, but by then the technology was way past my music system and I could never get the microphone and tape recorder to work with each other.


Sure, you've got so many more options today. Anyone can do a podcast or a voice blog. But its not the same. Its not tangible. You can't wind the tape back up with a pencil in the little holes. You can't read the composer's handwriting on the tiny slip of a sticker. You can't hold it in your hands.

And so while I'm happy to have all the new toys to play with. Part of me will always love my old tapes.