Google, Doctor Who, and Me
I just found out that in NZ, on the other side of the world and on the other side of the International Date Line, released the Google Doodle commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first airing of an episode of Doctor Who. It is an 8 bit Dr. Who Game to celebrate and recognize 50 years of the Doctor.
Lot’s of non-nerdy type folks my age do not recognize the importance of Doctor Who. I participated in a blog hop that went live today that was supposed to be about the Kennedy assassination. Downer. Trendy. Obvious. Important but obvious. My juxtaposition of the event with another 50th anniversary, that of Doctor Who, did not resonate well with most of the other “hop” participants… nice ladies close to my age. I certainly did not get the same number of comments that most the where I was and what I was doing posts in the “hop” seemed to get. Perhaps I seem strange to them, perhaps my post seemed irreverent, but I did not want to write about an assassination. I wanted to connect with the time and culture. And there were other things going on 50 years ago. I know, I was there. Space exploration was big.
Most gray-haired, I need a color touch-up, pudgy to plump, grandma-type humans are not techy-nerdy types. But I am. I have never fit in with my own cohort, the people who should be my tribe. Sometimes this makes me sad. I blame my mother. Really. I’m working on a book about that. She isolated me most of my childhood. But I digress. I have found great comfort in the ability to observe my culture and society. Because of that observant nature I see things that others do not take the time to notice. It is not that they cannot. It is that they do not or have not. I have no special abilities, but I am always heartened when some of my peculiarities are shown to be not so peculiar. This time I was right on track with no less than Google.
The rest of the world is reliving a day in time when our new age with its glorification of personal violence was cemented as a constant via the cathode ray tube. I am to but not, not to the same degree or in the same way. Doctor Who mystique is for nerd culture, outsider culture, and released a game tribute doodle for the Saturday world while the Friday world mourned a man long dead and in many ways mourned the birth of their culture.
I love these little juxtapositions. I love life. I love its intricacies. I detest glamorizing assassination. I’m so glad there has been something else on which I have been able to focus this week.
In a few hours I will be able to watch new programming on BBC about the the history of the series and a new drama about the creation of the series.
- Nov 22 8:00PM Doctor Who: Explained
- Nov 22 9:00PM An Adventure in Space and Time
That is today. If you are still trying to catch up and figure out about The Doctor I recommend reading this online summary about this week of special programming.
Tomorrow there will be a new episode with the two most recent Doctors, and the fun continues on Sunday with the top episodes with Matt Smith as voted for by Whovians.
You n’me sistah! I watched it last night with one of my sons, and dvr’d it for my other who had to work. Loved the special with all the Doctors and their companions and the Blue Box that blends… the other, meh.
I’m kinda nerdy too. I was 2 when Kennedy died, and yes I agree – it was a downer All. Week. Long. IMO, the media just stretches out the bad news – even past bad news – as long as they can to get eyeballs. The good stuff, not so much.
We had a good dinner table conversation about it since my son just studied it in his history class at college, but we moved on to Dr. Who and left the past … in the past.
I love technology, but I find that it moves a bit too quickly. Once I get the hang of something really well, tech has moved on through 3 more updates. It’s okay – I can SEE that, don’t have to understand it thoroughly to use it.
I think that’s what trips up our generation – they feel like they have to understand its workings completely before using it. But if you watch, the younger people just trip along, making things work faster and better. And the older get left behind.
I hate being left behind.
My goal this weekend, while the ITeen is home from school for a week, is to move on to Google Wallet and Google Sites.
I found you. We are now a Tribe.
Hi Pamela, Tribe indeed! I think you nailed a characteristic of our generation that I have not seen covered before per tech. We do want to understand; we expect to understand at a higher level than those generations that came after us, before we actively engage. And we are do not like to being left behind. Enjoy Doctor Who today, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your sons!
I’m just learning about Dr. Who, although long ago and far away, I knew the third Dr. Who. Does that count?
You knew Jon Pertwee? I am so jealous, amazed and impressed. Cool. Cool. Coolio!!!! And “Hell, yes! It counts!”