Blast from the Past!

5/19/2020

I am curious! About what? Um, just about everything. I will watch a television show, and then the next day, feel strongly about doing research.

But first, those of you who were a teenager in the 60's, will remember not fondly, those assignments requiring some research. Back in the olden days, research meant a trip to the library. You remember those don't you?

Many years before my brother and I were in our teens, Dad bought a set of encyclopedias, but rather than buy something easy to use, he bought Collier's encyclopedias. I know that Dad had really good intentions, but they were of little use to me. The print was very small and in 1962 there were 24 volumes! All the volumes were very heavy and was printed with small type. I can't imagine being able to read the contents today - bad eyes! What I really wanted was a set of World Books. By the way, the World Book is still being published today. The most current printing is 14,000 pages distributed among 22 volumes.

Colliers was originally published in 1950 to 1951. And, in my sole opinion, should have stopped there!

If I needed to research a subject, first I went to the encyclopedias. After that, Dad would drive me to the library so that I could continue to research my subject matter. Back in those days, you may recall, there was no such thing as a computer, much less Google! Nope, research boiled down to encyclopedias, as well as books. But, we survived. Dad would always take me to the library, and wait patiently for me to check out books. 

Dad was an extremely patient person. Very little ruffled his feathers. I am, like Dad, very patient. If were supposed to leave the house at "x" hours, I'm always ready to go.

The last paper that I turned in during my senior year, was about the world ending and how it did so.  Fast forward to today, and all we see and hear is doom and gloom. So many people have died, that I tell Jeff the locusts must be coming next!

We've been in the house so long, that I almost don't remember what our "normal" used to be! And, that's sad. I'm afraid that this new "normal" - gloves, masks, etc. might be with us for some time.

P