Meet George Jetson!

Back in 1976, I was 8 years old, and always wearing something patriotic, as was the fashion during that bicentennial year. I had such high hopes for my future then, not that I considered it that often. After all, I was only 8, and way too concerned with mudpies and Barbie dolls. One thing I did hope for stemmed straight out of a Jetsons episode. It was always my firm belief that by the year 2000, we'd be flying around in those cars that transformed themselves into briefcases at the press of a button. We'd have those automatic grooming machines that would instantly get you ready for the day. And there'd also be a Rosie the Robot maid that would come standard with every house.

Well, it's 2008. I have no flying George Jetson car. Heck, I don't have anything remotely close to what George Jetson had. I drive a nice car, but it won't fly me above any B-town traffic jam. There is no conveyor belt I step onto each day that has an automated program to get me dressed, coiffed, primped, and ready for my day. And Rosie the Robot? I don't even have Rosie the human that drops by once a week to do the heavy cleaning. If I did, I'm sure I'd do all the cleaning before she showed up just so she wouldn't see how messy a house can get with 3 kids, a mom, and two dogs living in it.

It doesn't mean that I don't still dream of the day that cartoon concepts become reality and bring us greater conveniences to our everyday lives. Maybe the day of flying cars, automated grooming conveyor belts, and robotic maids isn't too far off. Then again, with gas prices in quite a similar inflated state as 1976, we might be closer to seeing the favored mode of transportation resort back to the horse and buggy.