Then and Now

Being a teacher is like being stuck in some kind of a time warp. No matter how many years go by, I still teach fractions, US History, and conjunctions. It's all the same stuff you worked on, no matter how old or young you are. The kids are always the same age too, about 10, but everything around them is constantly changing. 

Each year I am reminded of how much the world has changed. You have clothes in your closet that are older than this batch of fifth graders. One of my horses is older than they are. These kids don't remember a time when a black man wasn't president. And then they almost saw a woman president. No big deal to them.

Alaska 1971 - a few months old.

My students love to hear about the things I didn't have as a kid. They also love to hear about the things I did have that no longer exist. Like answering machines. Those have certainly come and gone. And VCRs.

When I was born in 1971, we didn't have ...

• the internet. We really did use encyclopedias and card catalogs. 
• cell phones. We had a wall mounted phone with a thirty foot coil cord that was always coiled the wrong way. And we only had one phone. And it was usually in the kitchen.
• a microwave. We made popcorn on the stove top.
• seat belts. My sister and I rode in the back of the truck or the back of the hatchback. We argued over who got to sit in the front seat, but usually, we were relegated to the back seat. 
• Blue Ray, CDs, DVDs, or even a remote control. I remember watching Saturday morning cartoons on a black and white TV with rabbit ears. I also remember my dad on the roof turning the antenna waiting for one of us to confirm that the picture was good. 
• GPS. I remember my dad leaving me in charge of the map when we took road trips. To this day, I love having a map in my lap when we travel. It drives my husband crazy.
• ice makers. We made ice with plastic trays. In fact, my whole kitchen is filled with things I didn't have - a garbage disposal, dishwasher, and a recycle bin.

Today is my birthday. When I woke up, I couldn't remember how old I was. I had to do some quick math. A few weeks ago I thought I was turning 45; today, I thought I was 47. I am actually 46 which means I've been able to legally buy alcohol for a quarter of a century.

Lately, I find myself saying things like I haven't seen her in 15 years, or that's at least 20 years old. I think I said that about our juicer the other day. I don't mind getting old as it's better than the alternative. (My mom is fond of saying that.)

The New Year is always synonymous with my birthday because they happen so close to gether. For me, 2017 is the year of learning to be pateint with a good attitude. I hope that by 47, I can say I've mastered it.