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At a recent event, I introduced myself as one of (if not the) oldest geeks in the room. I discovered that, although I was probably indeed the oldest geek, I was not the only baby boomer who experienced the beginnings of the technological era of which we are now a part.

Most of the people in the room (mostly under 30) did not remember black and white TV. Oh, they knew what it was, technically; they had seen the little black and white portables you can buy in the drugstore for $25. They have no memory of when TV was broadcast exclusively in black and white.

I recall, as a child, sitting in front of the family Motorola table top TV set, waiting for the first NBC color broadcast. Imagine my disappointment when that peacock’s tail was only shades of gray. You had to have a color TV to see a color broadcast. And at upwards from $1,000 each, we were not likely to own a color TV soon.

Transparent plastic color filter that was stuck on the screen of a black and white TV to make it color

Then my brother, who was always on the cutting edge of technology, came home with the perfect answer. I don’t remember what it was called back then. It was a sheet of transparent plastic with horizontal bands of color, blue on top, yellow in the middle and green on the bottom. You would stick the plastic on the front of your TV screen and–wow! COLOR!

You have to remember, these were simpler times.

As color TV’s became more inexpensive and more people owned them, I made an interesting discovery. No one knew how to adjust them. I’d walk into the home of a friend or relative and catch them watching a picture with purple faces and glaring red eyes, green skies…the plastic sheet was better than that!

When I finally got on my own and could afford a good TV, I bought a 12-inch Sony. It was small, but it had a revolutionary picture tube that produced an awesome picture. I tweaked it to perfection and enjoyed many hours of properly adjusted viewing.

Until someone broke into my apartment and stole it.

After a month of grieving, I decided to get another TV. A bigger and better one. Even though the first one had not been totally paid for yet (ouch!). This was a 15-inch beauty. Another Sony, with a great picture.

Oh, and I moved to a different apartment building, too.

I was able to enjoy this TV for a couple years before someone broke in and took it.

Not to be outdone. I figured it was time to move up. And I was determined not to be the official neighborhood supplier of free TV sets. I found another Sony. A 26-inch console. Built inside a beautiful wooden case. That weighed a ton. I figured, if they wanted this thing, it would take at least two guys and they were going to get hernias carrying it out.

When the day came for delivery, I was shocked to see it lifted out of the truck and carried up a flight of stairs by one guy with a harness.

Anyway, I was allowed to keep this TV, and it served me well for some 18 years before it died.

Now we have a big screen TV, digital cable and a DVD player.

And what do I watch? Reruns of The Twilight Zone and The Honeymooners, and my collection of Three Stooges DVDs.

All in glorious black and white.