the future is just after you read this

By Todd Stadler · Thursday, February 22, 2001 5:59pm

Every once in a while, probably to the annoyance of those in my vicinity, I ponder this world we live in. Specifically, the futureness of it all.

It doesn't seem all that impressive to me on the surface, but then I try to think about what 10-year old me would think. And I'm not sure he'd be impressed, because I'm not sure he'd really understand it all. But I do, so I'm impressed, somehow.

I suppose we all could have guessed computers would have gotten more powerful and important. But to the point of being able to make feature-length films completely on them? Or who would have guessed that computers would shrink to the size of a book, and yet remain powerful?

CDs, MP3s, the Internet ... it's all so common now, and yet so amazing.

But then, maybe it's just the music I'm listening to - Amon Tobin makes for a good futuristic soundtrack for the present. It certainly makes working on a computer a lot more sexy than this Notepad window would imply.