Why aren't I Amish?

One of my favourite songs of all time is "Stereo" by The Watchmen, (who I believe are named after the graphic novel which is also very good and left me with the disturbed empty feeling after I read it that I take as a sign of its effectiveness). To this day I am bitter because I wanted to go to their last concert in Toronto before they retired and my parents finally gave me permission literally hours before the show began at which point it was, of course, sold out. I've heard that The Watchmen are great in concert and at the time Stereo was my favourite song. I swear I listened to that song almost every morning because it seemed to capture all my fears and insecurities and set them to music that I could angrily bounce around my room to, singing loudly along. It's been ten years since the song came out and I still think it's great and it's still line for line the voice silently screaming inside my head on bad days.

Lyrics to Stereo

My life is a stereo, how loud does it go?
What songs do I know?
What ever happened to my plans?
What ever happened to the life I thought I'd have?

My life is a stereo, kinda cheaply made though
How bad does it show?
Whatever did become of all my friends?
Whatever happened to the likes of all of them?

My life is a stereo, turn me on and let's go
Turn me up louder, I'll scream as loud and clear as I can scream
And if you like what you're hearing, please hang on to me

I like being here
And I'm all hooked up wrong
Hang on to me, I'm one of a million
One of a million, one of a million
Please hang on to me

My life is a stereo, out of phase but you know
60 cycles humming,
Whatever happened to my friends?
Whatever happened to the likes of all of them?

Oh, I like being here
And I'm all hooked up wrong
Hang on to me, I'm of a million
One of a million, one of a million
And my lights are like candles
I'm so afraid of new technology
I'm in the race and I don't, oh I don't want to be
Yeah I'm so afraid of what's to come for me
I'm in the race and I don't, I don't want to be

Life ends in stereo,
Pack me up and let's go
Put me anywhere,
Please don't think of leaving me behind
Whatever happens to you, I'll get on just fine

I'm one of a million, one of a million
One of a million, one of a million
One of a million, one of a million
One of a million, ooohhh
Ah, ladada


Tonight I was thinking of this song in very literal terms because my parents got a GPS system for the car, something I fought against long and hard. I am highly resistant to change of the technological variety. I still chop by hand or use a mortar and pestle rather than pull out the blender or food processor. I fought the good fight against CDs, then DVDs, MP3s, cell phones. I don't know why since I adapt fairly quickly once the offending tech is brought into the house despite my protests. Not that I've given up my mixed tapes.

My parents on the other hand love gadgets and it was only a matter of time before the GPS entered our lives. I should be happy really, considering my father's nonexistent sense of direction (something I inherited btw). I swear, I had a near phobia of giving directions to anyone based on my watching my parents on road trips which are pretty much the only times I ever see them fight. Not only does my father have no sense of direction, he can't even follow along well when my mother tells him where to go, ending up lost and cranky. Now, although my parents got the GPS over my protests it still fell to me to figure out how it worked. We have a very strict division of labour in my family which is why I have only done laundry thrice in my life (it's my sister's job) and why no one but me has read an instruction manual in the past 15 years. If it has words, it's my territory; "You like to read, see what this says...." Gah!