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[Joost]

I always thought the world would be so much different when I was an adult but it's not really.

Not sure I agree. A whole lot has changed in the last 10-15 years, but I think we've gotten so used to it that we take it for granted. Remember that just 10-15 years ago nobody (or hardly anybody) had, or even had heard of, things like iPods, iPhones, flat screen tv's, dvd's, the internet (including e-mail, downloading, YouTube, Wikipedia, Google, iTunes)...

[Mairi]

That's true. I guess it depends on what kind of change you were expecting. I never would have imagined we would have something like youtube.

[Joost]

When my dad grew up they didn't have a tv, a telephone or a bath with running water at home,his parents never owned a car and they had one record player for a household with eight children. Me and my brothers couldn't understand how they could live without those things. But if I'll ever have kids, I can tell them that until I was in my late teens I had to go to a library if I needed any information, that I always had some change in my wallet in case I had to call someone and that I had a huge analog iPod type of thing with a cassette that could hold up to 90 minutes of music... I bet that would sound the same to them as my dad's stories sounded to me.

[Mairi]

My dad was one of those people who were always on the forefront of technology. He owned a waterproof Walkman (for scuba-diving) in the very early eighties, and bought a CD player as soon as they came out. He was so amazed by my iPod. He said something to the effect of "If someone had told me 20 years ago that I would have a daughter who had a device that would allow her to carry thousands of songs in her pocket, i would have said they were crazy."

The funny thing about technology is that it's so accessible now. My mother grew up on a farm and her family didn't own a car until the '70s plus they had an outhouse for a long time too. She's only in her late forties. I have a higher level of income than she did at my age, but I'm still pretty working class. Yet I own an iPod and my own laptop, which is probably the equivalent to a working-class kid in the '70s owning their own colour TV or a really nice turntable.

[Penny Lane]

So you're moving to Europe within five years?

Hey hey hey...you never know if Paul's gonna stop by Southern California again! We'll see what happens by 2015.

[Penny Lane]

But if I'll ever have kids, I can tell them that until I was in my late teens I had to go to a library if I needed any information, that I always had some change in my wallet in case I had to call someone and that I had a huge analog iPod type of thing with a cassette that could hold up to 90 minutes of music... I bet that would sound the same to them as my dad's stories sounded to me.

Wow, that sounds just like how I grew up too. How things have changed thanks to technology...

My Walkman and I were nearly inseparable while I was growing up, and I remember needing to carry a bag around containing my cassette tapes. I'm glad iPods are far more convenient.

I hear record players are gaining popularity with kids these days, though. I think many of the younger folks here (including myself) own a turntable and vinyls. I kinda hope the same thing never happens with cassettes cuz they just plain suck. LOL.

[Joost]

My dad was one of those people who were always on the forefront of technology. He owned a waterproof Walkman (for scuba-diving) in the very early eighties, and bought a CD player as soon as they came out.

I remember that one of my uncles got one of the first CD players. It was a relatively cheap model but still well over 1,000 guilders. When I got my first CD player in 1991 the cheapest model available was 300 guilders. At age 12 it took me eight months to save enough money to buy it. And a few weeks ago I bought a CD player for my guest room and it was just 20 euros (44 guilders). Isn't that insane?

[Euan Buchan]

He will probably be married to Nancy and playing with Bea

[Mairi]

I remember that one of my uncles got one of the first CD players. It was a relatively cheap model but still well over 1,000 guilders. When I got my first CD player in 1991 the cheapest model available was 300 guilders. At age 12 it took me eight months to save enough money to buy it. And a few weeks ago I bought a CD player for my guest room and it was just 20 euros (44 guilders). Isn't that insane?

It's especially interesting to think about how expensive iPods and mp3 players are now. Maybe in 20 years they will be cheap, and I'll be able to tell my kids that I got one for graduation and it was a huge deal.