Out of Step

Despite all the technology in my life, I still pay bills by hand. There's something comforting in balancing my checkbook and signing my name, licking envelopes and pasting stamps. It feels old fashioned and familiar, like list making and marking events on an oversized wall calendar. It's reassuring to my naturally and hopelessly low tech nature.

The concept of a paperless society tends to unnerve me in spite of all its promises of progress. I still like watches with real faces rather than digital readouts, still prefer cash to credit, would rather write than talk on the 'phone. I want books with spines, preferably in hardback, acoustic guitars before electric, a real piano rather than a keyboard and trifocals as opposed to contacts. I'm out of step and like it that way despite the fact that it's a struggle, I'm still more likely to cross things out instead of redact them, more willing to walk than run.

I drink diet coke and take plain aspirin, don't believe in electronic fencing or rap music, have developed a thing for Pavarotti and miss wood stoves and clotheslines. I hate cell phones, don't understand Ipods, am suspicious of GPS tracking devices, don't trust politicians and take a dim view of computer operated cash registers. I'd rather read Life or Readers Digest than People and can't stand the idea of fitness clubs. On line dating spooks me and having met my inner child made me want to move on.

I miss real neighborhoods and leaving my doors unlocked, being able to smoke in restaurants, song lyrics that make sense, people with a genuine work ethic, well behaved children, masses said in Latin. Shrink wrap plastic is the definition of evil and contrary to public opinion, there is precious little veritas in vino. The war on drugs will never be won, poor breeding has ruined too many breeds of dogs, and there's a difference between dancing and advertising.
Glass elevators are in poor taste and you shouldn't expect to find Kraft singles in an upscale wine and cheese shop.
I yearn for real butter on popcorn, romance, a Schipperke to win Westminster, on demand rehab, affordable health care, gun control, the recognition of same sex marriage, harmless chocolate.

To the flower children and rebels of the 60's, to the change resistance in us all, to the struggling, disillusioned and poor, all too stubborn to give up - Peace Out.