Every now and again, I am astounded by modern technology. Actually, scrap that.....all the time, I am astounded by modern technology. I know that I'm only 40 years old and I've started this post sounding more like an 80 year old, but I am seriously in awe of the things at our fingertips these days. I regularly wonder how on earth we coped before certain things were invented.
In 2006, 'google' became a recognised verb by the Oxford English Dictionary; a verb that is almost certainly uttered more regularly than is healthy, in our house:
Child: "Mummy, what's the capital of Outer Mongolia?"
Me: "Google it....." (aka: mummy hasn't got a clue!)
Google has got me out of many a scrape in the past and although I used to try and hide my ignorance by scuttling off to the PC, or surreptitiously rummaging for my iphone when questions were asked, I don't bother anymore. I recognise the utter brilliance of google and send them straight to it.
To prove my point, over the last week alone, I have gained knowledge in the following subject matters:
- origin of the expression 'the bees knees'
- suggestions of what to do with leftover pork
- recipes for marrow
- if pointed shoes are still fashionable (ok, I'm getting old and not sure what's in fashion anymore!)
- how to make a favicon for my blog
- the point of google+ (still unclear on that one)
- bible verses about anxiety
- where to purchase Cheryl Cole t-shirts (assume that was DD2's search, not mine - honest!)
- if Morgan Freeman is really dead
Seriously, have a look at your own 'google history'. If nothing else, it will give you a good giggle. I asked the OH to have a look at his, which resulted in huge guffaws of laughter from both of us! Owing to the privacy disclosure that I had to sign on starting this blog, I am sadly not allowed to share :(
So what did we do before google I ask myself? In the olden days (as my children like to refer to it), we would be seen flicking through the Encyclopedia Brittanica - remember those beautiful, shiny red books? Growing up, we never actually owned a set but I was always rather jealous of anyone who did - the neat row of purposeful books standing proudly on the shelf (yes, I do have a tendency for OCD but they really were very useful). Kids today will have never even heard of Encylopedia Britannica - I do wish I had a set to keep for prosperity. Anyone got some hiding in their loft? Keep them, they will no doubt be a historical artefact one day, if they're not already....
What couldn't you live without?
I just had a crazy idea for a meme, so I'm going to tag three of my favourite bloggers who are funny, articulate and brilliant all rolled into one:
Rules:
1) Mention me somewhere in your blog post (and link to my blog)
2) Tag 3 other fabulous bloggers
3) Pin my lovely badge at the bottom of the post
If anyone else would like to join in, please do - I would love to find out what you can't live without! All I ask is that you grab the badge below and put it somewhere on your post. Simples :)
Thanks very much for tagging me and thanks very much for calling me funny and articulate and brilliant :) I'll have a think.
ReplyDeleteTis the truth! Looking forward to hearing your take on it.....
DeleteHa I just had to google whether Morgan Freeman was really dead. I couldn't live without google now. The kids would starve, I wouldn't be able to look up how to cook things! x
ReplyDeleteExactly Gina,it's the fount of all knowledge!
DeleteThat was a great read, and you are so right - Google is a God send - ninth wonder of the world? It's amazing to think what one actually did in the dark ages of research ('70's '80's) ... we had a shelf tacked full of those red Encyclopedias too! :o).
ReplyDeleteYou had them? Jealous! Thanks for commenting :)
DeleteThis is a very entertaining article. You should submit it to a magazine/newspaper. (I could be biased though). Re technology - we were just recalling recently that when our daughters were at Uni we could only phone them if smeone happened to be passing the payphone in the corridor where they were in halls, and that person could be bothered to knock on their door assuming they were in their room! We had to write letters and send them by snail mail instead. What is a favicon?
ReplyDeleteAnd that was onlyif your daughters wanted to speak to you! A favicon? Its the pretty little visual icon that comes up next to my name when commenting :)
DeleteHaha this is all so true! I also googled whether Morgan Freeman had died - was so glad to find he hadn't!
ReplyDeleteI'm often on google now for all sorts of things, not sure if I dare look through the history though!
Great post x
Thank you :) we did have a laugh when looking at the history!
DeleteMission accomplished! Here it is... http://mumofthreeworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/i-couldnt-live-without.html
ReplyDeleteHey, I didn't know what a favicon was either! I do now! Thanks.
Oooh I'd love to do that, how do you see your history?
ReplyDeleteLOL Great post - I look up so much on Google and send my son to it a great deal, although I try and stop him looking at wikipedia as I know sometime this is not factual as I edited it to say that Miss Cisco wrote The Mighty Boosh and starred in it ;)
ReplyDelete