You know you're "dated" when...

It's not often when you have a couple minutes away from your kids. My wife and I took advantage of the freedom the other day, sat on the couch and started watching Harry Potter: The Sorcerer's Stone. We had forgotten how much we enjoyed the series from J.K. Rowling. She mentioned how excited she was to start reading the books to the kids when they are of age. But until then the abbreviated on-screen version would have to do. The two of us play a game every time we begin watching a movie, guessing the date of its release. No big money on the table, just bragging rights until the next movie. I guessed 2002 and after complimenting my guess she suggested 2000. We were both wrong. It came out in 2001, but what I found incredibly disturbing was that the original "Harry Potter" was already 17 years old! How did that happen? Where did the time go? And once you start going down that path, there's no turning back. Now, I have eight years on my wife, so reflection can be a little more depressing on my end. I couldn't help thinking about how much has changed since I was a kid. So I decided to compile my own list of "You know you're 'dated' when....."

1. The only size television screen anyone owned was 19 inches. Of course it was placed in a cabinet the size of a minivan. And when that eventually broke down, you just put the new television on top of that old cabinet.

2. The knob usually broke off and you had to use a pair of pliers to change the channel. You were the remote control.

3. Changing the channel wasn't a long process, considering you only had 13 to choose from. Oh, and you had a UHF control as well, not that we knew what it did.

4. You had only one phone in the house and there were no buttons. The rotary phone took an average of seven minutes to dial one number and make one mistake, the time would double.

5. There was really only one communications company that served most customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. That was Bell Company.

6. You couldn't wait to join Columbia House and get your seven 8-track tapes for free and an eighth for only a penny.

7. You watched Star Wars, the original trilogy, in the theater.

8. The rock stars you used to idolize, now have kids much older than you were when you first listened to them.

9. The oldest professional athletes currently playing in your favorite sports are still younger than you.

10. Madden was not the title of a video game, but actually coaching the Oakland Raiders. Yes, they played in Oakland and not just recently.

11. Leaving your kids in the car was a matter of convenience.

12. Seatbelts were optional and inconvenient.

13. You wore your letter jacket proudly while you were in high school.

14. A 2-liter bottle of California Cooler was the best way to get drunk fast. And throw-up even faster.

15. Research would consist of a trip to the local library, sifting through card catalogs and endless microfilm.

16. Animation was still drawn by hand, frame by frame, and 90 percent of the voices were from one man.

17. Water came out of the tap or the hose.

18. You were already environmentally conscious by mowing your lawn with a push only model with the DNA strand looking blade that spit the grass all over your legs.

19. Every Sunday morning you would turn the radio to Casey Kasem's American Top 40 to see who was going to take over #1 that week.

20. Your parents drank coffee only in the morning and it was either from your kitchen or a diner.

21. You read about the Justice League and The Avengers in comic books.

22. Getting a spanking from your parent was encouraged by the masses.

23. Smoking was socially acceptable and often times celebrated in almost every conceivable place.

24. After 15 years the Eagles reunite for the "Hell Freezes Over" tour and that tour was nearly 25 years ago.

25. The only way to shop was to get off your ass and go down to a department store that no longer exists.

Thank you Amazon....