And You Think You Got Change?
July 3, 2008, by Connie Stetson
Evolutionary art by Cristian René
Being in one’s fifties is a revelation and I am reveling in it. Though I never had as much energy in my life as I had in my thirties, I never looked as good in my life as I looked in my forties, I’ve never been smarter, more confident, more willing to say, “yes, I can” in my life than I am right now, and besides; my friends who love me and who wish to live long, tell me I look great! I am in the middle of C-H-A-N-G-E, change of career, change of habits, change of mind, change of life. The whole enchilada…the big megillah…seeing the larger picture…well, it’s all happening for me right now.
At 56 years old I am re-entering the work place. I haven’t had a “job” job in 20 years. I just started looking at a computer a couple of years ago, I just got my first cell phone, and though we bought a DVD player last Thanksgiving, (our dinner company hooked it up us for us and I still made them make the gravy), my husband and I have yet to turn it on. I freely admit that I am behind the technology curve. Not because I’m some kind of a Luddite, but because I just never saw the necessity.
My husband Lee and I, live in the sticks. Our community just got a cell tower (one of the ones that kind of looks like a tree, but yet not?) so we didn’t even get cell phone reception up till about six months ago. Who needed a cell phone? We got nagged into a DVD player, but we had satellite for Pete’s sake. Why did we need a DVD player? I love yakking on the phone. Why, oh why did I need to email anyone?
Well—email is fabulous, essential even, and I’m all over the computer now. It is my friend. Travel planning is easier, correspondence is easier, and Hey! I’m a blogger. Howboutthat? Then, on one of my trips to the grocery store (takes me 40 minutes one way), I discovered that what used to be a bank of six pay phones had been reduced to just one. One! Yikes! Thank goodness I have a cell phone, right? See? Change is good. Embrace it, use it, make it your own. I know this now in my fifties. Go with it. I still don’t know why I need the frikkin’ DVD player, though.
Blogging off,
Connie
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 am
The reason you need a DVD player is called “Netflix.” It is a life-saver, mood-elevator and shopping trip to memory lane all at once. For instance, I heard an NPR interview with John Sayles today and immediately said to myself, “Add ‘Seacaucus Seven’ to Netflix que.” You’ll understand this lingo, Connie, once you become a Netflix afficionado. In preparation for our month-long sojourn to the UK, my family and I Netflixed “The History of Britain” with that fabulously arrogant narcisscist, Simon Shama. Loving it! So dial up netflix.com and enjoy. Besides, the technology is on the verge of change again soon; you should use (and enjoy) your DVD player before it morphs into the eight-track of -in-home entertainment.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:35 am
I remember sticking a yellow Post It (paper style) on my computer in 1996 that said, “Fear not the machine” and now, 12 years later, I’ve a full-on career working with the Internets. So whaddaya know, right? Change can be scary at any age. The DVD can be your friend, and downloading movies at your whim will make DVDs obsolete soon enough, so I say, embrace it all.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:51 am
I don’t care what anyone says, I’m not text-messaging (yet)!
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I just never, ever wanted to be this available, ya know? I’m NOT NOT NOT getting call waiting. I have it already…it’s called a frikkin’ busy signal. And Pru, I’m a huge movie fan. I’ll plug technology up my nose if I have to for more movies.
July 4th, 2008 at 9:21 am
I have recently become a text-messager, albeit a slow one. Sometimes, it’s just quicker to pick up the phone, yah know? Also, I feel a little like Pavlov’s dog as I now race to see a message come in after I hear the little ding. I do love sending pics, however.
Aah yes, the love/hate with technology
July 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
If I want to communicate with my 20 somethings, Texting is what they are about. So I stepped up to the plate and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. They put me through training. Truth of the matter is, sometimes a call won’t go through but a text will. I like that I am keeping up and with.
July 7th, 2008 at 8:18 am
Texting is a bit of a pain if you don’t have a keyboard-type phone or a Crackberry, but it’s very practical. When meeting someone in a crowded loud place for example, or getting a address to your dining partner, or if someone is in a meeting and just needs to know a little fact – presto! a two or three word text is just the ticket. Technology communication is all about the time, place and what’s appropriate. Remember when there were no cell phones, emails or fax machines? We got along just fine.