Memories

[Rhyd6]

At the bun scuffle after a funeral yesterday I was talking to one of the relatives of the deceased and she said "I envy the relatives of actors and actresses who've died, they can watch their lost ones on film or in TV series and it must be great to be able to see them when they were young". I must say that I hadn't really thought about this, like most people I have photos of my parents, grandparents etc. but nothing much from when they were young as cameras weren't as popular as phone cameras are today when you can get instant results and videos and send them on to grandparents straight away.
After mulling this over I agree with her it must be a comfort in a way to watch something on TV and suddenly realise you're looking at a young version of a family member.

R6

[Lootman]

My concern with that is that over time your memories of that person would be replaced by the images of them. That over time I might come to see them differently and through that lens.

Last year I wandered past a house that I had owned in the 1980s. As I stood outside gazing at it, the current occupant came out and engaged me in conversation. The upshot of it was that he invited me in to look around. It was interesting to see all the changes he had made, but I came away with a feeling of unease because now I have some newer memories that might get in the way of my pleasant memories of the way that house when I was there, newly married, my children were small etc.

Not quite the same thing but sometimes I feel like I don't want to risk good memories with new inputs.

[88V8]

If one plans ahead, one can now converse with the mourners at one's funeral https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/grandma-uses-hologram-speak-funeral-27752393

I have a few pictures of my parents in their 20s, but it general yes, photography was expensive and much less spontaneous.

Mind you, thinking ahead to when I'm in my decrepitude, would I really want to be looking at my younger self? Hmm.

My concern with that is that over time your memories of that person would be replaced by the images of them. That over time I might come to see them differently and through that lens.
.....sometimes I feel like I don't want to risk good memories with new inputs.

I agree. Mind you, if someone has had a difficult and protracted end, it might be better to overwrite those recent memories.

V8

[bluedonkey]

My concern with that is that over time your memories of that person would be replaced by the images of them. That over time I might come to see them differently and through that lens.

Last year I wandered past a house that I had owned in the 1980s. As I stood outside gazing at it, the current occupant came out and engaged me in conversation. The upshot of it was that he invited me in to look around. It was interesting to see all the changes he had made, but I came away with a feeling of unease because now I have some newer memories that might get in the way of my pleasant memories of the way that house when I was there, newly married, my children were small etc.

Not quite the same thing but sometimes I feel like I don't want to risk good memories with new inputs.

The house I grew up in was recently put up for sale by the subsequent owners. The estate agent had made a walk through video which I loved watching. Couple of points.

Despite it being many years since my family left, it was remarkable how little had been changed in the house, in fact, it had been left to run down somewhat and looked a bit of a mess. The property certainly hadn't been "dressed" for the video!

My sibling really disliked watching the video as she felt that the new owners hadn't looked after the place. I suspect that her memories from years ago had a golden halo and that in reality the house was not in great condition when we left it.

[robbelg]

Yesterday I was listening to a radio play where there was a disscusion about watching and remembering the sunset, one person suggested taking a photo and the point was made that you end up remembering the photo not the actual sunset.

Rob

[Clariman]

Mind you, thinking ahead to when I'm in my decrepitude, would I really want to be looking at my younger self? Hmm.
V8

I've had a bit of experience of that type of thing - unexpectedly at first. I had stored many digital photos on my PC over the last few decades but rarely looked at them. Last year I started using MS One Drive as a secondary backup and so that I could access PC files from my phone. I decided to allow One Drive access to my photos.

Now every morning, One Drive pops up a notification on my phone which shows photos I took on this day last year, 2 years ago etc. It also picks up the dates on my old digital photos, so I get photos of this day going back up to 22 years ago! Most of them are much welcomed like seeing family holidays with Master C or what we were doing with the grandkids last year, but some are shockers when I see how much younger we all looked.

[bungeejumper]

Yesterday I was listening to a radio play where there was a disscusion about watching and remembering the sunset, one person suggested taking a photo and the point was made that you end up remembering the photo not the actual sunset.

Same with the Mona Lisa, of course. You queue for 45 minutes at the Louvre, and eventually you get your 15 second slot in front of the famous lady, and what do you do? If you're like most visitors, you get your phone out and take a snapshot so that you can look at it later. Duhhhhh.

BJ

[Clariman]

On the subject of photos, it's interesting how holiday photos have changed over the years. The subject used to be a nice view and you might have other family members posing in front of it. It was capturing the moment as a memory. Nowadays it is far more common to see people take selfies on the balcony of their gorgeous apartment, holding a glass of fizz, so they can share it on social media later.

[servodude]

On the subject of photos, it's interesting how holiday photos have changed over the years. The subject used to be a nice view and you might have other family members posing in front of it. It was capturing the moment as a memory. Nowadays it is far more common to see people take selfies on the balcony of their gorgeous apartment, holding a glass of fizz, so they can share it on social media later.

That's one of my gripes.
I've heard of folk who claim their hobby is photography when all they do is take photaes of themselves in their phones!

[didds]

Yesterday I was listening to a radio play where there was a disscusion about watching and remembering the sunset, one person suggested taking a photo and the point was made that you end up remembering the photo not the actual sunset.

Same with the Mona Lisa, of course. You queue for 45 minutes at the Louvre, and eventually you get your 15 second slot in front of the famous lady, and what do you do? If you're like most visitors, you get your phone out and take a snapshot so that you can look at it later. Duhhhhh.

BJ

Unlike Lenin's tomb where you got (get? no idea if its still a "thing") and woe betide you doing anything but glance and keep moving!

[stevensfo]

On the subject of photos, it's interesting how holiday photos have changed over the years. The subject used to be a nice view and you might have other family members posing in front of it. It was capturing the moment as a memory. Nowadays it is far more common to see people take selfies on the balcony of their gorgeous apartment, holding a glass of fizz, so they can share it on social media later.

That's one of my gripes.
I've heard of folk who claim their hobby is photography when all they do is take photos of themselves in their phones!

To be honest, it used to be worse. At least these days they tend to hold their phones in their hands. There was a time when metal selfie phone-holders were all the rage and groups of tourists resembled some kind of rehearsal for a swordfight.

Re. the Mona Lisa, I didn't know you were even allowed to take photos. Many galleries don't permit it. Having once lost a good hour of my life many years ago just to see it, I would strongly recommend giving it a miss and going straight to the Musee d'Orsay. Amazing place!

Steve

[bungeejumper]

Unlike Lenin's tomb where you got (get? no idea if its still a "thing") and woe betide you doing anything but glance and keep moving!

I was surprised to find out that apparently you can still queue to visit Lenin's mummified body; the irony, however, is that Russia is no longer Lenin's communist state but a plundering kleptocracy which is run by the profiteering mafia types who carved up the state's assets for themselves, more than 30 years ago.

So if you're going to look in and say hello to the father of the international socialist revolution, it's probably a bad career decision to show your face to the CCTV cameras. Although perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to recall that both Krushchev and Brezhnev were born or raised in Ukraine. My word, how memory has been playing tricks with us since Stalin first 'adjusted' the historical record.

BJ

[bungeejumper]

Re. the Mona Lisa, I didn't know you were even allowed to take photos. Many galleries don't permit it. Having once lost a good hour of my life many years ago just to see it, I would strongly recommend giving it a miss and going straight to the Musee d'Orsay. Amazing place!

Seconded. All the really great French art of the last two hundred years, and you don't need to spend a week in the gallery to see it.

BJ

[scotview]

Simon & Garfunkel - bookends.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sKHNxW4XDo

[Dod101]

As usual we are now miles from the op's comments. I am not at all sure that I would want to see my late wives for example in any sort of video/film and certainly not hear them. I would find that much too emotional. I am happy with photographs of them in their youth and much later.

On the subject of houses, I loved my previous house but it was too big so we moved to where I am now. The new owners did not know the district so I left a list of reliable tradesmen whom I had used. The painter and decorator still comes to the house I am in now and gives me an update on the previous one as he still works on it. Clearly it is well looked after but I am appalled that the largish and very productive vegetable garden has gone as have a lot of fruit bushes. In general, I think memories are better left in one's head.

Dod