7 Top Futurists Make Some Pretty Surprising Predictions About What The Next Decade Will Bring

[SheilaT]

51. I'm curious. How old are you?

I'm 66. Never had asthma, so I can't begin to comment on those meds.

I was an airline employee for ten years, from January 1969 to August, 1979. I had the amazing good fortune to work during the best possible decade. I flew for free. Okay, so sometimes there was a service charge, but sometimes it was totally free, no service charge at all. And I almost always flew first class. I was even served alcohol by stewardesses who apparently thought I was maybe sixteen years old, even though I was all of twenty-one.

Computers. I started working on them in that same January of 1969, because my airline was the second one in this country to go to a computerized reservations system. Which means I've been working on computers since before most of you were born. But I do appreciate the younger generation. Earlier today my son helped me solve a problem with my Ipod, and an hour ago the nice people at the check-in desk at the Motel 6 I'm staying in solved the problem of getting on the internet. I will NEVER trash the younger generation. NEVER.

Tires. My mother was very good at changing tires. She needed to be. Twice and only twice did I have a tire blow out on me. The first time, in the late '70's, a stranger helped me out. The second time, some forty years later, I called AAA and they helped. I will admit I could not change a tire if my life depended on it.

Cars. As someone who has lived and driven in various parts of the country, I can say this: Much of the time people always think the local drivers are truly awful. It's my observation that drivers are equally bad around the country. With the possible exception of Oregon, where I'm currently visiting my younger son. Drivers here are amazingly considerate. They stop to let pedestrians cross. They don't run red lights. I might move to Oregon.

The point is, as we all know, things change. Often for the better, but not always.