Blending the Technologies

Ok all you whippersnapper, genius kids. All you technological gurus. All you young computer and phone junkies. I am here to tell you that you can teach an old dog new tricks. I actually prefer to use the words mature and worldly woman, but I don’t like to hear you snicker.

Even though you believe you own the world of up and coming technological stuff, those of us that are in our fourth and fifth decades and beyond have infiltrated your seemingly private world.

“How could that happen?” you may ask. Of course you would say “How cud that hapN ”. Well, believe it or not, those of us that are in that “sandwich-tween generation” – the ones that are still raising you and your kids, and are helping our parents too – actually can multi-task.

I don’t really want to show off, but my life is a combination of the best of both worlds. Stuff I learned in school and stuff I am learning from present day life. For example, I can actually use a calculator to perform a math problem – not Google the answer. I can figure out the tip of a check in my head – and not have to look on my phone for the “tip calculator app.” I can spell. (Well, most of the time – I am human after all). Oh, I can text too. Ask my kids. However when I hand in a memo at work it doesn’t say: ‘Hay, gr8 job, ty. C U L8r.” I have, however, figured out your secret code, and language. It was fun for awhile, but I realized my brain was getting mushy, and have gone back to the old-fashioned way of writing.

I have also gone the Facebook route, and am slowly winding down; tiring of the daily diatribe and dribble of the best friends I’ve never met. I will keep in contact with those I care about, and use it as a platform for uplifting information . I have a Twitter account too – but I forgot my password, which is fine – since I don’t really care if someone is grocery shopping or getting their car washed. I do, however on occasion pick up my phone and call my friends and family. No texting. Just wonder when the last time all of you under 25 did that? It’s a lost art, but those of us in the ancient inner circle have a whole lot of desire to keep the art alive.

I have a smart phone, a laptop, and a desktop that of course has Word, with spell check (thank goodness). But I also have a notebook pad with a pencil, a dictionary and an eraser. My smart phone has a GPS that I am thankful for, but I can (believe it or not) read a map.

I can bowl in a real alley, not just with my Wii game. I can strum a guitar…without the “Hero” part. I read books with real pages, and take my real dog for a real walk outside in the real world.

I’m not saying that I don’t like the new technology. I am just saying that I like being able to blend both worlds…and yes, live in whichever one suits me at that moment. “Lyf iz gr8” in both my worlds. Just don’t make me chose one!