It’s easy to look back at any particular time period and think, Oh it was better back then.

Most of the time, it’s not really true. It was different, but that doesn’t always mean better.

But I also think there are things we can learn from each decade. Things we can and should take with us into the future, or rather into the now, that might make life better.

And since the 90s had internet, but it wasn’t in our hands or pockets 24/7, I definitely think there are some aspects of those pre-social media days that could make our lives better right now. In no particular order:

• Land lines. For any young people, these are phones that plug into the wall and can’t go with you everywhere on planet earth. Can you imagine being unavailable sometimes? The horror. And the freedom.
• iPods/MP3 Players. Music without the internet access. Perfect.
• Movie rental places. You had to literally go to the store to pick out and rent a movie. It was an activity. And it was great.
• Radio. I know radio still exists, but most people have streaming music. And streaming music is good shit. But the radio would expose you to things you really wouldn’t hear otherwise.
• D.A.R.E. Just because it was fun.
• Computer labs. We used to walk down to the computer lab at school. No laptops in the classroom, just good old paper and pencil. Going to the computer lab was exciting.

Damn, I miss the 90s. Let’s logoff sometimes, shall we? I think we’d all be happier…

It’s Saturday. 5:15 am.

When I was young, I’d wake up this early so that I could watch Saturday morning cartoons.

Remember what that felt like?

My little brother and I would huddle right in front of the TV as it sang “One Saturday Morning.”

When the sun started to come up, in the warmer months of the year, it would start to smell like fresh cut grass while we watched. The smell would waft through the screen door.

The neighborhood would slowly wake up. It would start with silence and slowly add a noise at a time. We’d hear birds, then cars, then lawn mowers down the street.

We’d watch for hours, unless we had soccer games, in which case, we’d watch as long as we could waiting around in our little YMCA soccer uniforms.

We didn’t know it at the time, but these were core memories. These were little moments in a heaven we wouldn’t understand until we were adults.

And now, my kids wake up to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Sometimes they watch in their little uniforms while waiting on their games.

I didn’t know that Saturday morning cartoons could be so safe. So necessary. So quintessentially childhood.

But here I am, 5 am, reminiscing over childhood cartoons.

LIKE A REAL GROWNUP.

Now, I’m off to do the games on the back of the cereal box.

I miss when phones were attached to the wall, but people were free…

Remember what it felt like to answer the phone and ask, “Is so-and-so home?” We don’t have to do that anymore. We just send a text or some other form of instant communication, and BOOM. We’re done.

No more sitting in one place to talk. No more missing a phone call. No more twirling the cord on your fingers. No more satisfying sound of the numbers turning.

No more freedom.

No more disconnecting.

No more putting the phone down.

How sad is that?

Let’s connect the phones and disconnect the people again.

What’s happened to kid birthday parties?

I’ll tell you — social media, that’s what’s happened. Suddenly, kids’ birthday parties have to be HUGE. And beige. You have to have giant beige birthday parties that cost a gazillion dollars.

Is anyone else sick of that nonsense? Because I certainly am.

Kids’ birthday parties used to have character. They used to have normal themes. They used to look like the kids actually chose what they wanted instead of the parents. They used to be at skating rinks and bowling alleys and parks. Or just at home. A normal sized home.

Now? They look curated. Perfect. Like a photo op.

Remember when birthday parties were all homemade cakes and paper plates? Remember when parties didn’t have to look like you hired a party planner? Remember when you didn’t have to style every picture, make it picture perfect for social media? Remember when all you got were a few shots between the fun?

I remember.

And just in case you need to hear it, social media is a lie.

Make the homemade cake. Let your kid pick the theme. Use all of the colors. Get the awesome pictures, but the rest of it? Nonsense.

Birthdays were better before social media, just like life.

Here’s your permission to opt out.

I binged an entire show this weekend.

The whole thing.

Four seasons.

Hours and hours and hours of watching.

When I was young, I watched Full House every Friday night. I looked forward to it so much. I had to wait a whole week for the next episode.

When the series finale happened, I was so excited! I got home from school, ate, played, and then got in my bed – TV on and turned to the right channel.

And right before it came on, I fell asleep. Missed the whole thing. Cried.

I didn’t get to watch that episode for months.

And you know what I got from the experience?

Patience, dealing with the feeling of disappointment.

A memory, for heaven’s sake.

I won’t have a memory of staying in bed this whole weekend binge watching Netflix.

But when TV didn’t dominate my life? When I looked forward to next week? When missing a show meant more waiting?

Maaaannnn, the memories are so good.

Maybe we don’t need to be so satisfied all the time.

Maybe a little waiting would do us all some good.

Maybe an old black and white TV and old-school commercials is all we need to feel whole again.