Permanent Flux

Changes in my life time

When I very first received this brief I didn’t really have an initial idea, and I kind of struggled with this idea of ‘permanent flux’. However the more I thought about it the more I realised it isn’t as challenging as once thought.

I initially thought of general things that where flux, with the weather being the most obvious as it constantly (permanently) changes from day to day and even hour to hour. This however was too literal really and probably thought of by everyone else. So I carried on trying to think of change, even jus in my life and it is amazing what around u is actually changing.

Even in my life time I have seen stuff come and go. For example the mini disk, this is the major one for me as I used to use it and believed that it was going to be the future, it was small, virtually unbreakable and reliable but the CD was just too strong, or people don’t like change!? I suppose other examples of products that come and go can be the Playstation and n64 for example but the mini disk is the only real product that I have seen come and go.

Something’s I have seen come but have yet to go yet or have witnessed the end of a product (mostly technology as it is moving so fast).

Come:

Widescreen
Channel 5
Free View
The Internet
Mini Disk
I pod
High-Definition (in the home)
Digital Cameras/TV/Music (mp3)
First Space Tourist

Gone:

Cassette Tapes (very nearly)
Music Tapes

Not only have I witnessed changes on a technological level but also where I live and where I used to play as a child has changed in a very short space of time. Where I used to play as a kid on a day to day basis was a field. I had many very happy memories there from playing ‘man hunt’ to having bonfires there on bonfire night; I suppose you could say most of my playing childhood was based around this field. Now the field has been changed into a new development with houses ranging well above £300,000. If I’m ever explaining this to anybody, I always think it is such an old person thing to say. ‘When I was a lad, it was all fields’. I feel that it should have taken a long time for such a big part of my life to change, however it is changing so unbelievably fast, its hard to notice. Even where we used to go on holiday in Wales has changed since I was a lad. I have seen Anglesey get more developed and more Scouser’s go there as it’s a cracking holiday destination under two hours away with crystal clear sea water, believe it or not. Not only has the popularity increased because more people are discovering it but it is also due to leisure boat users. Since the speed limit was introduced at Windermere in the Lake District, water skiers have had to find other places to use there boats, Anglesey being one of them places for its outstanding natural beauty. Even things that I don’t think about very often but see every now and again surprise me. For example as a family we would sometimes go down to the river Mersey for a day out, maybe on a Sunday and have a walk around the docks. Recently I went with my girlfriend and it has totally changed, they have developed new buildings there and converted all of the old maritime buildings, turning them into multi-million pound flat over looking the Mersey. Not only that, since the new city of culture aspect has arisen, they are having a stadium built on the water front which will be used, I believe to have concerts in there and should most defiantly be ready by 08. This has had an impact too as it was possible to park up the car and watch the sea, right on the front. However the new stadium has done away with that and stands out as a mass of man made metal spoiling the view and its accessibility.

posted by Martin Crosbie @ 9:38 AM