by Rix Quinn

  I got a letter from an older friend reminding me that “time passes by so quickly.” The fact that his letter is handwritten on parchment also indicates he may be a little behind the times, too.

     There’s a theory that the longer you live, the shorter each day seems. That’s because – compared to, say, a ten-year-old – a single day accounts for a much smaller percentage of your life.

  Also, communication now makes our world seem much smaller. My friend and I can attend separate football games in different states, then call each other to report on each contest. This is called “grid lock.”

  And, now there’s “instant news.” Fifty years ago, you got most of this coverage in the newspaper, or on radio. But back then, some of that news was several hours old.

  But not now. Look how the press covers some events today. A celebrity newlywed is spotted somewhere. Suddenly, you’ve got a correspondent on the spot, he’s got a cameraman with him, and they’re attached to satellite. You’ve got people forecasting a divorce before the ink on the marriage license dries.

     And you know what’s really weird?  If you watch TV late at night, you can call this phone number, and a psychic will attempt to tell you the news before it happens.

    “Progress,” the writer Ogden Nash once said, “is a good thing…but it’s gone on far too long.”