July 17th, 1983 (1:30PM)

We're (all of us) constantly passing thru multitudes of moments every day that make up the massive bulk of what we will eventually describe as our personal lives. And rare it is that we'll bother to make a big deal about any of those little moments at the point of origin.

But that's what I enjoy about today's video. While strolling the top of Queen Elizabeth Park one long-ago summer's day with Sandy, a moment approaches; a moment arrives, and a determined effort is made to capture it forever on video tape. Now, if I ever feel the need, I can fire up the video playback machine and relive that early afternoon moment of July 17th 1983 at 1:30 PM over and over until I'm blue in the face.

This VHS footage (below) was shot a mere two months after a thrilling journey across the Atlantic to visit Jon and Maureen in England. Back in those days, video cameras were much too bulky to drag overseas on vacation. As it was, I had to use a mailman's sachel to carry all the parts with me; I looked like I was working for BCTV news. Even the battery was twice the size of today's elegant hand held digital video cameras for sale at Futureshop.

So recording a tourist stroll like this on VHS video was not an easy thing to do back in 1983. Too much fuss. I can only envy the kids of today with the ability to record most (if not all) of their entire waking life on video with only the most minor of inconvenience. I know I would have done it if I'd had the chance.