An Old Vs. Modern (Postmodern?) Friday Five

Singing Owl says: "Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on. As for the questions!"
1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not live without? While I suppose if it came down to it I could really live without all of them if I had to, I have to admit I rather like my convenient little life. I like being able to reach out and have contact with my lovely bloggy community with my laptop (and when it was at the computer doctor I pined). And as much as I whine about people being able to call me at all hours, I surely like the convenience of my cell phone to reach them! If someone said I had to give one thing up, though, it would be my TV. That is the thing I would miss the least.

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day? Why? I'm not sure the Hum-vee counts as a modern invention or convenience, but I fail to see why anyone needs to drive a TANK in regular life. If there are good reasons, and anyone is a hum-vee lover, please enlighten me.

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? If so, do you use it (them)? I still have a combo tape/AM/FM radio that has little earbuds. It's bright yellow and when I take it to the gym I get funny looks!

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or something else? Change is always a both/and....but then for those who know me, you know that most things are always a both/and! One of the places change is scary for people is in the church. So many folks are struggling so mightily with the fact that it simply cannot be what it has always been and survive, and yet it is not comfortable for them (or truth be told for anyone) as we move into an unknown future....trusting, gasp, only in God to guide us! I'm feeling pretty in touch with all this right now myself on a personal level too....some days it's all moving too fast and some days the future cannot come fast enough because then I would know whatever answers there are out there that I am supposed to be discovering through all this change!

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain? Bonuspoints if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process. More downtime....we have lost that in the twenty-four seven world. Corporately there is of course no going back, so we each have to take our own stand for Sabbath and rest.