Scary thoughts of the future pertaining to possible killer robots and metal artificial trees are among writings made in a time capsule of items tucked away by B.C. man Dan Robin, family and friends on New Year含羞草研究社檚 Eve 1999 to be unveiled 20 years later.

Dustin Karemaker was just 13 in 1999 and drew pictures of a killer robot and a metal tree, wondering what might materialize.

含羞草研究社淚 hope that in about 100 years there aren含羞草研究社檛 giant killer robots and metal artificial trees,含羞草研究社� he wrote. 含羞草研究社淚 hope that things improve by global used electric cars and solar power things.

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 think any of that Y2K stuff will happen. In 20 years, I will be 33. Wow!含羞草研究社�

Rather perceptive for an early teen.

There含羞草研究社檚 plenty of songs that capture the essence of the motivation for the group.

For starters, there含羞草研究社檚 Jim Croce含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渋f I could save time in a bottle.含羞草研究社�

And then the Steve Miller Band含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渢ime keeps on slippin含羞草研究社�, slippin含羞草研究社�, slippin含羞草研究社� into the future.含羞草研究社�

Robin and company wanted to essentially preserve that moment in time before the start of the 2000s and then reconvene at the end of 2019 to have a look back at what was saved and what everyone had written as predictions and observations.

含羞草研究社淭wenty years is a long time,含羞草研究社� conceded Robin of Crofton. 含羞草研究社淭hings change.含羞草研究社�

The world was on the verge of the Y2K threat and the uncertainty surrounding whether computers would click over to 2000 without serious issues occurring.

Robin remembers all the machines at the Crofton pulp mill being slowed down as a precautionary measure.

含羞草研究社淚t could have caused the entire mill to shut down,含羞草研究社� he indicated.

But as the world prepared for the clock to tick past midnight on Jan. 1, 2000, all fears were allayed.

含羞草研究社淎s everybody knows, nothing happened,含羞草研究社� Robin chuckled.

In the last half hour or so before the big moment, everyone assembled at the Robin household wrote letters and put away magazines and newspapers from the time period into three cylinders for storage.

As Robin said, a lot can change in 20 years. He was 43 and is now 63, both his parents were alive at the time and are now deceased, and that含羞草研究社檚 just the beginning.

Oldest daughter Holly White of Duncan is now 36, middle daughter Jennifer Robin of Duncan is 34 and youngest daughter Theresa Buchanan of Kelowna is 30. Dan Robin has seven grandchildren among them.

It含羞草研究社檚 obviously been enough of a lapse in time for another generation.

含羞草研究社淭hey were so excited to see it,含羞草研究社� said Robin of his daughters. 含羞草研究社淭hey were little kids, they remember it.含羞草研究社�

Sean Karemaker was 16 in 1999 and showed an accomplished artistic ability evident in his drawings at the time that he carried into later years.

含羞草研究社淭he number of the approaching year is insignificant,含羞草研究社� Karemaker wrote. 含羞草研究社淚t is the prophecies and impending hate that are pushing it along. Anyway, good luck if that is a factor.含羞草研究社�

The early drawings exhibited by him were actually a sign of things to come. He now teaches art at three different universities and has done some work in China with his talents.

The Karemakers were among the friends gathered with the Robins on Christmas Eve 2019 to open the time capsules. There was a magazine with a burgeoning Britney Spears on the cover and newspapers from around the Cowichan Valley, including a real estate section from The Pictorial that showed some rather cheap housing prices by today含羞草研究社檚 standards, as well as individuals letters and some libations for good measure.

含羞草研究社淲e had a lot of fun here,含羞草研究社� said Robin. 含羞草研究社淭wenty-seven people were here for the opening of the time capsule.

含羞草研究社淲e laughed, cried, it含羞草研究社檚 all the emotions.含羞草研究社�

Only two of the original three cylinders could be located. There was a move along the way and Robin含羞草研究社檚 hoping the other cylinder can still be found because it contained a letter from his dad and other family members he含羞草研究社檇 like to see.

The Robins and company don含羞草研究社檛 plan to wait another 20 years for the next one. They含羞草研究社檙e cutting the time period down to 10 years and putting together items and letters again to reveal in early 2030.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a good reason to have a gathering to make a time capsule,含羞草研究社� reasoned Robin.

It含羞草研究社檚 truly history in the making.