Going back in time

My way and world of rewinding the clock

It's plain to see that I'm an old soul. I firmly believe the 80s and 90s to be a better time, at least in terms of lifestyle, though I wasn't there to see so for myself. I miss the elements of anticipation and surprise and the important influence of patience, grace, inconvenience (it's a part of life!) and intention. I wish to rid myself of false connection, alleged convenience, intrusions on my privacy, choice fatigue, and other ailments that arose from or festered more from the rise of social media, smartphones, and post-Y2K existence.

Here is part of my plan to emulate those years and to eventually exit the contemporary culture.

Actionable steps:

• Go without a laptop and eventually give it up.
• Carry cash, among other things important in a purse: a notepad and pen, a pocket calculator, a camera, etc. DONE
• Do researches at the library and treat it as the one-stop informational shop as much as possible. IN PROGRESS
• Rent DVDs and VHSs and release myself of streaming services. DONE
• Taking it further: opt for CDs and the radio exclusively and eventually give up music streaming. NOT YET
• Invest in special stationery for correspondence, and make more than the mere expected use of it. (For example: writing to companies regarding their products.) NOT YET
• Choose to document things with and on paper as opposed to online. Also get things in or on paper wherever possible (for example, tickets). IN PROGRESS
• Invest also in intercoms for the home as well as a landline; maintain my newspaper subscription. DONE
• Befriend neighbors, make new pals, and maintain friendships offline only, except for those dear few from online. DONE
• Prefer "old school" things, such as reserving a taxi instead of using an Uber, using paper maps or MapQuest, and using cash and check as much as possible. (This is broad!) ALWAYS IN PROGRESS

• Cell phones, car phones, and computers are OK. Those were present in those years, though they were expensive! DVDs and CDs are also fine.
• Social rules do not apply. We must always be polite, kind, and mindful. Human decency is always appropriate, and, in fact, required.
• I once heard the advice to "make the Internet a place" and that absolutely applies to all of the above (and below).
• Of course, enjoying modern media is allowed. Talent is timeless.
• No generative AI allowed. AI as we know it for things like an email spam filter, medical purposes, etc. is fine.
• It's great to embrace vintage style and technology, but it may sometimes be cost-ineffective, or just plain silly, which may be worked with. (For example, I'm not going to buy all used things!)

Go back?