Seven Quick Takes: Seven Weird Changes Recently

1

Daylight Savings Time

The date when daylight savings time ends and the endless night of doom begins used to be in October. And then one day the candy companies said hey guys, if we push that date back to November then the kiddies can stay outside longer during Halloween. I can't believe they didn't think of this earlier, but I can believe that their lobbyists were able to push it through. 

2

Cell phones got big again

Remember how the phones were bricks in the 90s? (I didn't even know they existed back then). And then they turned into flip phones and that's what all the cool kids had? And then they just got super tiny and you could fit them in your pocket or purse, no problem? I mean, I like my iPhone too, but I miss being able to drop my phone on concrete without it shattering, or popping it in my jeans pocket. 

3

The Laugh Track Finally Died - or at least lessened

Growing up, I loved Brit comedies. You know the kind: they aired on PBS about two decades after they came out. Faulty Towers, Are You Being Served?, As Time Goes By, Mr. Bean, Keeping Up Appearances.... Great shows all. But I was watching an episode of Keeping Up Appearances on youtube, and I was so annoyed by the laugh track. I mean, it was every other sentence! This didn't use to bother me at all, because I didn't know any better.  Some shows still have a laugh track, but the use has greatly dimenished. And thank God you no longer have that "ooooh" that would happen whenever sex came up. 

4

Movie Blockbusters Require an Antidepressent 

My husband is a huge fan of Independence Day, with all the "We will not go quietly into the night!" and other goodies, like Will Smith before he was in everything. We were watching it recently (he said he was getting withdrawals) and I thought huh, this would never be a summer blockbuster today. Some directors (cough Christopher Nolan cough) think that doom and gloom, with a side of blood and guts, is the only way to go. So even the new Super Man used a gun. WTF? 

5

Everything Nerdy is Cool 

I think Harry Potter was the tipping point. I mean, books about wizards at a British boarding school - nothing can be nerdier than that. And it was the biggest success in children's publishing history. The other game changer was Spider Man, and that was for one main reason. It came out in fall of 2001, and it was set in NYC.

But dungeons and dragons will never be cool.

6

And Facebook Became Uncool

It is popular, hugely so, but it is no longer cool. It was cool when it was just us college students. Now it's about as cool as a family reunion, but with more drama.

7

"Health Food" at MacDonalds

And Wendy's, etc. My favorite is Wendy's actually, because they have those awesome salads with dried cranberries. People pick on the fast food places for this, but I think it's great. When I had wheat allergies in high school I would have loved to be able to eat something at a fast food joint.