I’ve been writing this blog for a while now, and I’ve always been a “one‑and‑done” kind of writer. Pick a topic, explore it, wrap it up, and move on to the next curiosity. But recently I came across an article about the things quietly disappearing as we baby boomers age and eventually pass the torch. I expected a nostalgic little trip down memory lane. Instead, it hit me square in the psyche.
And for any whipper snappers reading along—yes, I’m talking about baby boomers. But first some definitions just so that we are on the same page.
Baby Boomers (noun):
A generation born between 1946 and 1964 who grew up drinking from garden hoses, survived without seatbelts, memorized phone numbers, and still believe voicemail is a perfectly reasonable way to communicate. Known for working hard, showing up early, and owning more good china than any human could possibly use in one lifetime.
And since fairness matters, here’s your turn:
Whippersnappers (noun):
Anyone under 40 who can operate three apps at once, thinks cash is a conspiracy, has never balanced a checkbook, and believes the world began around the time Wi‑Fi did. Known for speaking in emojis, ghosting voicemail, and treating boomers like charming historical artifacts.
Now that we’ve established the cast of characters…
It wasn’t sadness I felt reading that article. It was more like recognition—an awareness that the world we grew up in is slipping into the rearview mirror faster than we realized, grow. The objects we touched every day, the rituals we practiced without thinking, the beliefs we carried, many of them are fading. Some are already gone, vanished without so much as a goodbye.
And it made me wonder:
Are the replacements better
Are they just different?
Or are we losing something we won’t fully understand until it’s gone?
That question lingered long enough that I decided to do something I’ve never done before: write a series. A whole collection of posts exploring the things that are disappearing with our generation—voicemail, cash, checks, formal dining rooms, handwritten letters, the 9–5 workday, retiring at 65, and so many more. Some of these changes make perfect sense. Others feel like losing tiny pieces of our cultural DNA.
This is a nostalgic pause. It’s a reflection. A gentle farewell tour. A chance to look at what shaped us, what we’re leaving behind, and what the next generation is choosing to carry forward.
Because whether we like it or not, the world is changing. And as boomers, we didn’t just live through these things, we shaped them. Now we get to watch how they evolve.
What This Series Will Explore
• The objects that defined daily life
• The rituals that shaped how we gathered
• The beliefs that guided how we worked, lived, and aged
• And the replacements—some brilliant, some baffling, some still finding their footing
Each post will take one disappearing piece of boomer life and look at it with humor, honesty, and a little tenderness. Not to cling to the past, but to understand it, and maybe appreciate it one more time before it slips away.
And as for how many topics I’ll cover. Well, I haven’t decided. I’m just going to take it one post at a time and see where the road leads. When I’m done, I’ll be like Forrest Gump—after miles and miles of running, he simply stopped. When the moment feels right, I’ll stop writing this particular series. No fanfare. No grand finale. Just a quiet, satisfied “that’s enough for now.”
Coming Up First: Voicemail—The Original Long-Form Message
Because nothing says “boomer” quite like leaving a voicemail long enough to require a snack break.