Not There Yet

Sorry, dear readers, but please keep in mind that I am a mind from the 16th century. . .I have been diligently working on two posts, which I shall share with you eventually, but I am stumped by my inability to figure out how to add pictures and believe me, these posts need them. I've spent the day often feeling stupid and annoyed with myself and annoyed with my computer and annoyed with anyone who got in the way at the wrong moment. . .yuck.  Not what I was hoping to share. Here at the close of the day, I am spending some time remembering that it's okay to be on the front end of a given learning curve, even if it is one that any average 10 year old has already mastered. . .I'm just sure this process is good for my ego.


To relax and calm myself, I am listening to Eric Whitacre (click to see his amazing TED talk and get a taste of the music I'm listening to) and drifting happily on the soaring voices joined in performing his remarkable works.  And I am writing to you, partly to apologize to myself and the world for getting my energetic knickers in a twist, and partly to close out the day on a more uplifting note for myself.  It occurred to me to revel in post 16th C. inventions for which I feel a deep and abiding delight and/or gratitude.  And then to open it up to you to mention a few of your favorites. . .


I truly am grateful for the Internet and all it makes available to us, literally at the push of a button (or for you more up-to-date, the touch of a screen).  I love that it is getting more and more obvious just how tiny and precious is this amazing Blue Ball on which we dance, thanks to the connectivity of the Internet.  Wow.


Those who know me know that everyday I thank the Divine, and Thomas Crapper, for flush toilets. (Yes, I know T. Crapper didn't invent the toilet, but he modernized it into what we know today).  I can squat in the woods with the best bear, but I am soooo grateful I don't have to!  The cleverness of the design, the simplicity, and the fact that those of us in this part of the world can and usually do take flush toilets so completely for granted. . .well, let's remember that's not true yet in many parts of the world, and that right here it only goes back a very few generations.


Recorded music.  My oh my.  Think about one or two or three of your favorite, and imagine hearing it for the first time and knowing that if you EVER wanted to hear it again, you had to play it yourself or get someone near and dear to you to do so.  The exception was of course some standardized church music, some of which is gorgeous, and lots of which is, in my opinion, blech. We take for granted that we can hear a piece, want to hear it again, and purchase a CD or download it or whatever, and play it on an almost crazy number of devices. Fantastic.  


Digital cameras.  I am no photographer.  And I'm parsimonious. I used to be awfully hesitant to take pictures, because of wasting all that money and other resources on film and developing.  Now I joyously click away, knowing I can delete to my heart's content.  And getting to see at least a little version of the picture I just took!  Clearly magic. Now I just need to learn more about uploading, photoshopping, etc. . .


Central heating.  The idea that in the midst of winter, one can have an entirely warm body, not just the side facing the heat source, is still a very new idea on this planet. I remember clearly at my maternal grandparents, turning slowly like a bird on a spit, so that one side didn't get overheated and the other frozen. I also remember no heat upstairs, and the drinking water next to the bed frozen in the morning.   It's easy to forget that much of the world still doesn't take central heat for granted, and that, once again, even in this affluent country, you don't have to go very far back to find out just what a luxury it is.  I still don't have central air, but I suspect it won't be long.  Fabulous.


Lending libraries and their amazing librarians.  Hey, that's a whole blog post in and of itself.  But as I close for now, I'll go pick out a book to read for a few minutes before drifting off into the arms of Morpheus. . .and feel intense tho' drowsy gratitude for those amazing institutions and their guardians.  


Your turn.