Sky Movies. Netflix. I do love having a huge digital library of film and TV shows, available to watch at just the click of a button, especially when an old gem of a film I haven't watched in years pops up, I'm first in for a mini fist pump.

However, despite enjoying the modern world we live in where everything is at our fingertips whether it be the answer to an obscure question or wanting to order a new outfit, there are times I miss stuff from the old days. I spoke once before about missing CD's and why physically owning an album you had yearned for for so long will ALWAYS be an incredible feeling and after watching an old episode of Friends (the one where Monica bumps into Richard and her knickers are stuck to her jacket) I realised I missed something else too: Video Rental Shops.

Going to 'The video shop' (as we always called it unless it was Blockbuster, then we called it Blockbuster) to choose a film for the evening was part of the evening. It enhanced the experience. Walking through the door, the bell rings, taking in the smell of the place and the never ending walls stacked high with hundreds of videos that all just looked so enticing. I will never forget as a kid looking at the covers of the horror films and thinking how frightening they looked or me and my brother daring each other to cruise the 18+ aisle through all the rudey videos. What larks.

In the end we would have picked a video each (unless there was an offer on of course) the term of the hire was set by the shop and you knew how long you could rent it for by the sticker on the front. Newer releases would only be a couple of days due to high demand and obviously older films you could keep for longer. That was always an epic win, finding the film you desperately wanted to watch and the sticker saying you could have it a whole week. DAYUM sometimes it's good to be alive.

We also had a 'Video Man' who visited once a week (or maybe once a fortnight I can't remember) who had a van with a mini library of videos. I remember being beyond excited when I saw adverts on the TV for the release of 'The Little Mermaid' onto VHS as I hadn't seen it at the cinema and experiencing sheer excitement when the video man turned up later that week. Please please pleeeeease don't be out of copies of The Little Mermaid Mr Video Man, PLEASE!

I just had a little flash back, weren't there rental cards for the videos also? If the card was poking out of the top of the VHS case it meant it was available to rent but if there were no card, someone else was renting it. (You were given the card with the date it needed to be returned by and the video casette was put in a blank VHS box while the actual box was put back on the shelf).

Ahhh memories.

I honestly cannot remember the last time I stepped into a rental shop. It is amazing being able to rent films and whatever else sitting on your arse in the comfort of your own home wearing a face pack but in all honesty, cruising the video aisles was part of the fun and something I now miss. I can kinda understand why people a lot older than us feel like we are missing out on a lot of experiences and interaction. Technology and the internet does so much stuff for us now and it makes us less sociable. We don't need libraries because we have the internet, we don't need video rental shops because we have Sky or Netflix, we don't need shops because we can buy whatever we need online. It is quite sad. Don't get me wrong I am an avid internet user, I love netflix and love shopping online (clothing being delivered to my door is like Christmas over and over) but I do sometimes miss that simpler time. Good GOD I sound so old. 

I love technology and it is opening up so many new opportunities but no matter what, I will always have fond memories of hearing the words: 'Right, you have just five minutes to choose one video each, I don't want to be in here all night'.

Anyone else feel the same?