They were grey when you bought them, then they turned beige over time for whatever reason! No one actually really had all those crazy flightsticks we all saw in magazines, though. Maybe a dad here or there but teenagers made do with a ball mouse and keyboard.
That's another one: having to take apart and clean your mouse regularly or it would start to suck more and more the longer you waited.
Hahaha christ I forgot how long we've had optical and laser mice. I got pelted in the side of the head once by a mouse ball during an IT class. Really fucking hurt!