I like this article. It reminds me of what growing up was like. I didn't own any phone until I was 22

when I was forced to buy one because I had moved to another country...and for work.

I had a weekly TV schedule. I loved it. I only had 3 channels. We called it the TFC (Three Fuckin' Channels) or the Welfare Network. There was a forth channel, but you had to move the antenna and I wasn't gonna do that. If you missed your show you were screwed. Mealtimes were planned around TV.

We rented two movies every weekend from a shop that doubled as an appliance store. We also rented video games.

We had subscriptions to magazines. Nintendo Power, EGM, National Geographic... something about dinosaurs.

We rode bikes. We swam. No parental supervision. We were latchkey kids. We mowed lawns and used power tools and our parents didn't bat an eye.

At university we used ICQ but basically if we organised an event and said we were coming...that meant we were coming. If someone wanted to talk they'd come see if you were home or meet you at meal hall.

About 16 years later

My best friends and I spend months playing phone tag in order to hang out for 90 minutes and down a beer. When we hang out we need to make sure to turn off our phones. Our partners ask for updates every 15 minutes.