This is a fun one. Not a virus in sight! Much of it has been covered in earlier blog posts but I’ve put a few ideas together for a quick, hopefully entertaining read.
If I, or anyone else who was alive in the 50s and 60s, had been suddenly transported in a time machine to 2020, what would puzzle, amuse, or confuse us?
Paying for goods in a store by touching a small rectangle of plastic onto a gadget.
Cars being plugged in to charge up instead of filling with liquid fuel.
People walking their dogs with little bags of dog dirt dangling from their fingers.
People walking along talking on a phone which doesn’t look a bit like a phone and fits into the palm of a hand.
People pointing the same object at a thing, person or view and photographing it.
People using the above gadget to find the way somewhere, check the time or the weather, look at their bank balance, buy something, etc etc etc.
Choosing from dozens and dozens of different television programmes – without touching the TV.
Sending a written communication to someone in another country and receiving a reply within minutes – without any paper being used.
Reading a book or a newspaper which is not made of paper.
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Being able to buy strawberries, raspberries, lettuce, and many, many more food items in the middle of winter. For readers out of Britain, you will be able to think of equivalent seasonal produce.
Buying books, electrical goods, clothes, holidays, food and much more – without actually speaking to anyone, visiting a store, or using a mail order catalogue.
Homes having several different refuse bins outside on the path or drive – each one with a different function.
There are many, many more of these! I could go on and on.
As usual, all photographs are sourced from images available on the Internet. If anybody objects to the use of a photograph please contact me and I will remove it.
Childhood Memories of growing up in the 1950s and 1960s. 
Somewhat in order..card payments. A 17 yr. old me..would have..perhaps..had some feelings/worrys..about all of this. If you have ever..stepped off a boat..after 12 or more hours..the ground is not ..perceived as..solid. So I have simply tried what fiction writers do..as they craft a feeling of..’into the future’. The small amount of cash..in my teenage leather fold-purse..would have seemed..of such value..and the looking at someone elses card..would feel..wrong. A car without huge bumpers, fins and length of body..would make me feel like someone had made some..toy cars..and brought them..out for us to look at. There would have..been a feeling of nausea..as what I SAW..all around me..was no longer..seen. I am certain..actual fear..would have risen in me. Prob. have gone into the barn..for quiet. Only gone out..to see if anyone else..was getting to see/hear about all of this. A phone..tv..with screens showing, through the windows..of maybe neigbors? I can..at this moment..from your blog..feel what it might have been like for some of the Japanese who had hidden for 50ish years..in outer islands..after..wwll. When found..this is..a portion..of what actually happened to them. Thank you for taking us..on a ‘newnewss’. Forward..is..what we’ve got. ina
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An amazing story, Ina, and so well related! I was right there with him. I’m glad my little blog post prompted such a great piece of writing. Meryl
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What blows my mind is that Dick Tracy’s two-way wrist radio became the Smart Watch. For real! I remember wanting one so badly when I was six years old or so. When the Smart Watch came out, did I immediately buy one? No, what would I want one of those things for?!
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I love the fact that the Smart Watch isn’t a new idea! No, I haven’t got one either. It’s another thing I could have put in the list – people paying for goods with their watch!
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😀
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This is just the sort of things I like to do, imagine how my younger self (selves?) would react to today’s world. Though – do you remember wishing that things would be miniaturised when you were younger? I do. Enjoyable post, thanks, Meryl.
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Yes, I remember doing that. And also wishing I could fly just a few feet above wherever I was and look down as an observer.
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Miniturised? Oh did I EVER!!! 😉 ina
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