Walking around my city centre I realised I'd got old, that wasn't the worst thing though I was out of touch. Not out of touch with the trends or what was going on but out of touch with people, I didn't recognise my home town. I'd noticed sooner, but sort of shrugged it off and refused to believe it.
It really hit me when I sat down to watch the latest Die Hard, A Good Day to Die Hard... Looking around the cinema at all the empty seats at a premier I realised that me and longtime carer (Mrs. Esmonde) were the only ones there. A premier night?! So I got to the city centre, fancying a drink to fathom it thinking I may have to queue, make my way through the masses to get a drink - but then it hit's me again - bang dead, like a ghost town. Where was everyone?
Its not just a lack of industry, online shopping or piracy to name a few killing the high street, it's digital generally. I'm as guilty as the next - I used to buy a magazine to check out what was hot online, now print is becoming as scarce as bookstores. The scope is narrowing and your limited to how you'll discover the next thing because the internet is starting to bottle neck. When net shopping was new- oh the kick I had reading a mag, then importing my first DVDs. If only I knew then what I know now.
The fun had been lost, times change but there was always people about. But these days there's not even the bodies. The irony - I was making my books and films available for download even setting the trends, but you know regardless of the (over used term) financial climate, it's the media that has changed people, the digital age. Photo's may fade, albums get worn but at least they couldn't be deleted/lost at a touch of a button.
Everything is fast and just like instant food it doesn't mean better. You don't need a digital copy to come with your DVD or Blu -Ray with UltraViolet. Not even a physical copy of any sort. Online gaming, film streaming. That's the thing, if you don't have the physical what do you own, what have you got -nothing...
If the severs stop working, the site closes or your broadband stops you've nothing and nothing to show for it. No album, no tape. No fancy sleeve art, not sausage, just a void... Yeah this nothing new to many of you, it not just films, socialising and may other aspects may become a thing of the past.
The fun, the anticipation, the excitement - all gone. Granted the old days weren't any better but they seemed one hell of a lot more busier and fun.