What are you thinking?

There was a time when I thought that the hula hoop was the best invention ever. Then later on it was a certain feminine hygiene product.  Time passed -- it became the disposable diaper or the post-it note that was at the top of my "major discovery" list for a while, and now, I often think that I will be eternally indebted to the individual who invented painters' tape. When I think about inventions during my life time, I am a bit overwhelmed. I find it difficult to decide what is most important. Most seem at least a bit important and many have changed all of our lives -- at least those of us who have moved/been dragged out of the cave, and that covers, I think, almost everyone in the entire world now.  Think about it...  even those who live in the most primitive of conditions are touched by the outside world. There is no escape. In most case scenarios -- our lives are improved -- hope so.  Anyway --

From time to time I have thought about the significance of the fact that many of our grandparents moved from a wood stove to central heating, from horse and buggy to automobiles, and from work horses to tractors. Remember that they were one of the generations who walked up hill both ways.  Then again -- our generation has experienced leaps as great -- and in larger numbers perhaps. Our world is changing so very quickly, and... we find out about new "stuff" in record time -- sometimes even years before the common folk have access to whatever it is. Our world is both smaller and larger at the same time.  

Of course there are a multitude of medical discoveries and a bunch of scientific developments that I know nothing about and wouldn't understand even if I did explore them a bit -- like the whole fiber optic "thing".  I know that these inventions are making our lives better and am thankful for the smart people who figured it all out. But turning to things that are more readily understandable and more frequently utilized brings us to such things as -- personal computers, cell phones, video games, the World Wide Web (does anyone call it that anymore?), and then there is GPS as well as DNA testing, etc. (Lots of letters in our world today; that's for sure.) 

On a more personal level -- I love my garage door opener (especially in bad weather), central air conditioning, and...  I am fond of the TV remote control, Roku, Netflix, and Acorn TV.  I also enjoy the convenience of the ATM machine and cordless tools with interchangeable batteries. I even comprehend, on some level, the importance of bar codes. Now that I think about it, there are a great many "newfangled" things that are changing our lives and in some cases -- becoming necessities. These are things that fulfill needs and wants that we never knew we had before their creation.  Swiffer products and microfiber cleaning cloths are cases in point.  Is your mind spinning with other inventions that have come into your life in a big way? Feel free to share.

Many times I wish that I had thought of that - whatever that is. Seriously -- how did someone know that pet rocks would become such a hit or that Chia pets would last as long as the did? ("Ch-ch-ch-chia!" has been running through my head off and on since the '80's for cryin' out loud.) I don't know about you, but I would like to have an idea that worked out well... that brought fun or, better yet, an idea that helped someone out a bit.  The thing is if I ever had an idea for such an invention, I didn't stay with it long enough for it to come into focus or I remember the idea after someone else had actually brought it to fruition. I guess the place to start might be with what people seem to need help with. Some research is necessary here.  

It is a fast moving and interesting world we live in. At times I wish we could all put on the brakes and slow things down so that people could catch up a little bit. Remember that "game" Would you rather be deaf or blind?  It's a game that made you really think about and appreciate important aspects of your life. Well let's play a variation -- Would you rather have transportation of some sort or access to media?   I am just wondering what you are thinking.  
Call it research.