Good to be a computer geek

I have come to the realization that I simply love my computer. I don't know if I would or could be a writer without it. It has allowing me to make a living over the last 20 years. I cannot imagine trying to hand-write a story or type one on a typewriter. I think 'cut, copy, and paste' has revolutionized writing. The ability to move thoughts from paragraph to paragraph makes writing so easy, allowing for concentration on the story instead of writing mechanics. Of course typing is a must, but I learned that years ago.

I love the social networking sites. It has been fun to meet up again with old friends on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Just this week, I re-connected with an old friend I hadn't seen in years. We live miles apart now, both having moved away from the old neighborhood where we used to talk on the sidewalk, literally for hours. Our young children played together. Now, we are grandparents. And we can share pictures. That is one of the best parts about today's technology. I wouldn't think of going anywhere without my camera. My job as a reporter got me into the habit of carrying a camera, and I continue the practice even when not covering a story. Recording moments in time is now second nature, evidenced by the thousands of images that clog my hard drive.

Yesterday, I watched a movie on Hulu.com. Who would have ever thought you could use this little box on the desk for such activities? I admit to having wasted hours and hours on computer games. I was addicted to Mahjongg for a time. It was the ultimate self-competition until my daughter got involved. With her youthful agility, she beat my score by fractions of seconds. And her winning record will just have to stand. Now I love word games. I don't know that it has helped my vocabulary at all, but it does offer great competition. I love Upwards, and Scrabble too. One of my favorite games is Mind Your Marbles, but that is strictly for relaxation purposes.

I wouldn't be without technology, even though it certainly can be infuriating sometimes. Over the years, I cannot imagine all the hours I've spent trying to solve computer problems, although that was the best way to learn. Trying to solve a computer problem can be annoying, frustrating, aggravating, and time-consuming, but never futile. There is no better feeling than conquering the little box that thinks it knows everything. It is easier to solve problems these days, since typing in the problem into Google will usually yield thousands of people with the same problem. And they tell how they solved it. Thank goodness for a world full of computer pioneers, always anxious to help.

But the best part about today's technology is the ability to communicate. It is fast, easy, and satisfying to connect with others, to share information, and to inspire learning. And then there is blogging ...