Memory Lane - 1989

Here we go folks, another trip down Memory Lane. My memory lane to be exact.

For sometime now I have wanted to transfer all my old VHS tapes to a format that was more secure (not fade away with time) and easier to access. I have copied a few to CD's but that was very time consuming and dangerous. I've accidentally erased parts of my some of my old VHS tapes trying to figure out how to transfer them. I'll never get that recipe back again as Richard Harris said in 'MacArthur Park.'

I had considered paying a service to transfer my precious VHS tape memories but at $25 a pop, that was just more than I could afford.  Plus, I didn't want to send my tapes to India (and that's where they go folks) and take a chance on losing my original tapes, which I read happens.  No thank you sahib.

A few weeks ago I was searching Amazon.com for equipment that could more efficiently process my video tape transfers I came across a place called Lotus Media.  All their reviews were excellent and they only charged $10 a tape. Viola! I took a chance and send forty-three of my old VHS tapes in that large cassette format out to 'Kirk' (the owner of the company) in a large box via UPS, sealed tightly. 

Last week I received those tapes back with a tiny flash drive containing all my VHS tapes.  I plugged the flash drive into my computer and viola!  (yes, another 'viola!')  This is what I found, looking at myself on sometimes too long tapes but none the less interesting.  

I'll be the first to admit the tapes are boring because they are too long.  However I plan to cut and paste those tapes in my account at You Tube and make a lot of small vignette videos. I'm just not sure how to do that yet, I don't want to lose any more of my original tapes.  I hope I can take a portion of the taped recording out and create a new video with all the bells and whistles like a beginning and an end.  I want to send them to my relatives and friends.  Unfortunately the friend you hear on this tape died a couple of years ago.  He would have loved to seen this video.

Looking at these videos I am again reminded at how fast life goes by.  This video was taken in November of 1989, twenty-eight years ago!  Wow, where DID the time go?  One thing is for sure, I won't be here twenty-eight years from now. But another thing for sure, my memory of my life will be here for all to see in You Tube, if they're interested.

Enjoy!