MY BOGGY BLOG: find your way through the murk

I'm in Love with...

the Internet! What did we ever do before the Internet, before Google made it so easy to look up anything, any topic, any combination of words? Like the other day, after seeing A Christmas Carol where Scooge says to Bob Cratchit "we'll discuss your raise over a bowl of Smoking Bishop," I wondered what the hell Smoking Bishop was.

In the Old Days (the 80's... oh so long ago) I would have probably dismissed the idea because it would be too much work to find out. But if I really wanted to know, I might try fumbling through some encyclopedias, or calling a reference librarian who would spend at least 10 minutes trying to find the answer... if I could get through on the always busy phone lines.

But now, on Google, I know in 2 minutes that Smoking Bishop was a warm mulled wine drink made with oranges and grapefruit that have been baked until browned and added to wine with sugar and spices. In the 1800's, there were a host of drinks that had clerical names to them. I even found a recipe that I could make, if I so desired.

My kids already know the ease of looking up things on the Internet. My grandkids are never going to believe that there was ever a time when it wasn't easy, when you had to find some expert to look it up for you. And what will they have then that we don't even dream of now?