________  ________  ________
   2017-11-09                                   /        \/        \/    /   \
                                               /       __/         /_       _/
   This  is  something  that's been knocking  /        _/         /         /
around in my head for a  few months but it's  \_______/_\___/____/\___/____/_
never really congealed into  a solid post so    /        \/        \/    /   \
I  might  just lay it  out  train-of-thought   /        _/         /_       _/
style and see what comes together.            /-        /        _/         /
                                              \________/\________/\___/____/
   My  sister  and I  are  pretty  close  in
years, shared a lot  of  the same experiences growing up and share more than a
few interests. We were waxing  nostalgic about this or that from when  we were
kids and it got me thinking about the decline in tactility.

   Everything  is  (arguably)  more  convenient  now but at the  cost  of  the
peripheral experience;  making a  phone call, listening  to  music, watching a
movie, reading  a book, taking a photo are pretty different activities but now
they  all feel the same; a small rectangle in  your hand, fingertips on smudgy
glass.

   It brought  into sharp focus a  lot of little things I miss; the squeak  as
you open a  VHS  big-box and the satisfying clunk as you put the tape into the
VCR.  Taking jewel  cases off the shelf, one by  one,  picking through  albums
until  you  find one to  listen to,  taking it  out and  putting it  in the CD
player.  Flipping  through the liner  notes while  you listen. The  background
sounds of  tape  motors and record needles. Flicking switches,  turning knobs,
pressing buttons. The smell of 5 1/4" floppy disks.

   I dunno, I just really miss the shape and weight and texture of things.

   I'm really space-challenged at the moment but  one day  I'll have the space
to do myself a nice nostalgic den with  a CRT, VCR and tape shelf, a nice HiFI
and have the old computers out and usable.



EOF