The "Old Days" Are Not That Long Ago

Today on one of the morning shows, a young male guest mentioned promotion of his work to his following on social media. I was late tuning in and don't know if he was a singer, writer, or whatever. It doesn't really matter because he sent me into shock when he said he didn't know what people did to promote in the "old days". They probably had a couple of posters to friends to hang up in some distant city.

Wow! The "old days" aren't that long ago, are they? Actually, I sort of still like to see a pretty poster hanging to promote an event. I hope that doesn't mean I'm too attached to the "old days" and am becoming an old fogy (fogey).

He is, of course, quite right about the immediacy of promotion on the many arms of social media including Facebook and Twitter. It is an especially wonderful tool for creative folks. The world has become a very small place. We can reach out to people and places all over the world in just a minute or two. It provides a great opportunity for promotion of all sorts, but it is a dangerous place as well. What you say cannot be taken back, so more care with our words is needed than ever before.

I love the Internet and getting to know people I would never have known existed in the "old days". The "old days" were a simpler period when we spent more time talking with the people in our own little towns.

For many years, in the "old days", I wrote on a typewriter. A young man on another recent TV show said when he first saw an old typewriter he thought it was a new invention. I was taken aback because until then I hadn't really thought about how many things we grew up with that children today have never seen.

What do you think about the "old days"? Would you want them back? Sometimes? Never?

"Hibiscus" MM Sikes

 At least the flowers I grew up loving are still around. The hibiscus bush pictured here is the prettiest one we've ever had. And, strangely, this one bush has two different colored flowers blooming on it. While most are peach, a few of the blossoms are bright red.

Maybe that's a sign of something good!


--Mary Montague Sikes