My mother, bless her heart, has taken a technological leap into the 21st century. She’s on Facebook, which is simultaneously wonderful and kinda scary. Now I have to think about Mom reading what I post? There’s an equation I haven’t had to factor into my writing over the years. I wonder what she might think about having raised such an opinionated, ornery smartass…and then I realize it undoubtedly beats the idea of having reared a knuckle-dragging dumbass. At this point, I am what I am, and if there’s one thing I’m not very good at it’s reigning myself in. Take it or leave it, what you see is pretty much what you get.
Mom’s in her mid-70s, and, ike a lot of people in her generation, computer technology tends to elude and confuse her. For years, she refused to have a computer, so keeping in contact via email wasn’t an option (‘Cuz who writes letters anymore??). I was shocked (and very pleasantly surprised) to learn recently that she has a Gmail account. This represents significant progress, though technology still isn’t her friend. Not that I blame her; there are those in my generation who have the same problem. We didn’t grow up with the Internet and the 24/7/365 information availability millenials accept as the norm and their due. I’m pretty conversant with technology as far as I need to be, but I’m reminded every day that I’m barely scratching the surface. The more I learn, the more fascinated (and very, more confused) I become.
‘Course, the odds of seeing Mom on Instagram or Twitter are similar to the odds of me being elected Queen of England…but baby steps, right? I’m just glad that I don’t have to try to remember how to write a letter. First of all, NO ONE can decipher my handwriting, I can’t remember where I left my typewriter, and I can never find the damned stamps. I think Erin hides them on me because she like to mess with me…as if that’s much of a challenge.
For a family that’s never been very good at staying in touch- we’ve always pretty much sucked at communicating- Facebook and email are truly gifts. After having a conversation with Mom yesterday via Facebook comments, I’m hopeful that we might just be able to keep in touch. Stay tuned….
