We like to believe that memories are better preserved in our paperless times. However, this permanence is a delusion. Our feet lay on shifting sands. Things become obsolete and our data disappears forever.

I remember the old 5.25″ floppies. The old, now unused, computer sitting under my desk doesn’t even have a slot for those. The aging laptop I’m typing on now doesn’t have a slot for the newer 3.5″ floppies. My dad used to work for Syquest, and that aforementioned old computer has a Syquest cartridge in it. Syquest’s biggest competitor was Iomega. Syquest went out of business. Iomega used to make Zip disks. Remember those? Obsolete, now.

We upgrade our computers. We upgrade our cell phones.

The first cell phone I got with a camera built in it has a picture of my friend Kevin. He’s got two balloons under his shirt, making him appear very busty. It was taken at a party, but I don’t even remember whose party it was. I do remember inputting Kevin’s number into my phone. When I upgraded, his number didn’t make it onto my new phone. I haven’t talked to Kevin in who knows how long.

And I wonder when these words too, will disappear.