Last night Kristen and I were at Applebees and the topic we were discussing were things that are no more; things that have changed and don’t exist the way they were before. This started when I noticed the West Coast Video where I waited in the freezing cold for Sting tickets didn’t exist anymore (replaced by said Applebees.) The last time I even called into Ticketmaster was 5 years ago to buy U2 tickets and even then I had a web browser opened at the same time hedging my bet. I digress. I started thinking about all the things that have changed. So here’s my list:

• Flipping the LP over. Remember listening to 5 or 6 songs and then walking over to the turntable and then flipping over the album to hear the other 5 or 6 songs?
• Being at the television at the exact moment when the TV show you wanted to see was starting? In these days of VCRs, DVRs and television shows on the iTunes Music store, who watches shows when the network wants you to?
• Speaking of TV – how about having only 7 or 8 options? The networks, a few locals, PBS and that’s it.
• Physically reading a newspaper. This one I lament. There is something about reading a newspaper physically that is better than reading it online. It’s a shame that the newspaper business is being changed because of the content being available online. The same is being attempted with books – but come on, who can replace a book with some sort of video screen? How do you break the spine?
• Calling a phone number to get the time or the weather.
• Apple was called crazy for getting rid of the floppy disk with the first iMac. I can’t remember the last time I saw a floppy. And with USB drives and email, I barely need to burn cds anymore.
• Here’s another one I miss: not being in contact with the world 100% of the time by 5 different ways. I have at least 5 different email addresses, 2 mobile #’s (one for work), a home #, two IM addresses. Don’t get me wrong, I love the new technology, but sometimes it’s nice to have a break.

There are others. Popping popcorn in a microwave is just the way it’s done today. There are things that are going away – renting a video at a video store is one.

Tell me what I missed?

Gas Prices Climb Sharply, Survey Finds

This is the kind of survey only people who don’t pay for their own gas or don’t watch the news would pay for. Reminds me of when Bush had to look into the price of a gallon of milk.