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In the early 80's my Mother bought a Microwave oven.
Nothing elaborate - just a very plain functional Microwave.
Which she couldn't use.
The keyboard may as well have been written in Chinese - she couldn't make any sense of it at all.
And was terrified of it actually.
She called me up
Mom said - I can't stand it
Suzan said - you'll get used to it and wonder how you ever lived without it.
Mom said - Why do they have to make it so confusing?
Suzan said - It's very simple Mom, really
Mom said - Well I'll never use it, I can tell you that.
It took her quite a while - we didn't live in the same province so I couldn't just scoot over - and show her which buttons to press to use the thing - and so it sat on the kitchen counter like a kitchen decoration for some time. ( See? I have all the modern appliances in MY kitchen !!! )
Until she got brave.
And then cocky - and eventually it was something she couldn't live without.
In the early 90's she got a bank card.
She was frozen with fear.
She'd go to the ATM machine - stare at all the buttons - run home and call me ( by this time she had moved back to our Province ) and I'd go with her and show her how to do the transactions..........
It took her a long time - for what seemed forever I was an extension of that bank card - I'd simply go to the bank with her - she'd put the card in - and tell me what she wanted to do.
( unlike my girlfriend's Mother - who insisted she didn't need any " damn " help and tried to fold money into the slat where the actual card goes )
My Mother was quite willing to hand over the operation to me.
Until she got brave.
And then cocky.
While sympathetic for sure - I can remember being very frustrated. I mean these were easy things to do -
they only involved pressing keyboards after all -
My girlfriends and I would giggle over our parent's lack of computer skills - some of which led to some pretty hilarious situations............
One girlfriend's Mother decided she needed a cell phone - which she would lend to her grandson from time to time.............until the day ( she was in her 70's ) the phone rang loudly while she was waiting in a line for a bus - and the ring tone was a filthy rap song -
She looked around the group of ladies - all shocked at these lyrics supposedly coming out of nowhere AND sharing their disgust over the lyrics - until she realized the music was coming from HER purse.
Yes - we would smuggly giggle.
They're of such a different generation after all.
In the 70's, one of my first jobs was working on a very rudimentary computer - I sat and did data entry all day for Sun Life insurance.............it was an entry position - one step up from mail room duties really - and a boring job to say the least.
But my Mother AND Grandmother would tell everyone - Susie works on a computer - as proudly as if I were a Lawyer.
Such was the mindset of a generation that had never seen a computer much less worked on one.
But those days are long gone right?
Everyone knows how to operate a microwave today - and everyone goes to an ATM when necessary.
We're an enlightened people.
______________________________________________________________________________
2014 - Easter - Birthday
My computer dies -
And my incredible Son in Law decides to get me a new one -
And he installs it -
And they leave -
And I sit down excitedly -
And I look at the screen -
And I call my daughter
Mom says - I can't stand it
Lindsay says - You'll get used to it - and wonder why you didn't update years ago
Mom says - Why do they have to make it so complicated?
Lindsay says - It's very simple really
Mom says - Well I don't think I can use it, period
Mom says - I have to stop blogging now - I simply can't use it -
They came over last night -
Lindsay says - Tell me exactly what it is that you don't like
Mom says - Well my inbox for example - why are there so many icons everywhere - the old one didn't have half as many as this one !
Mom says - And why am I seeing the last email received instead of all of them together?
Lindsay took the mouse - and clicked to expand the window -
AND
voila - I had a normal ( my version ) outlook screen again
Mom says - Oh - is that all I had to do?
____________________________________________________________________________
Dear God, I've become my Mother......................
Can you imagine?
Even though I worked on computers in the 70's LMHO !!!
( and I know - I just freaking know - that Lindsay will be giggling with her friends over this )
AND BY THE WAY - I BOUGHT A CONVECTION MICROWAVE - DON'T TELL ANYONE THAT I HAVE TO READ THE DIRECTIONS EVERY SINGLE TIME I USE IT
But I wrote this post up without any problems - so I'm feeling a little Bill Gate ( ish ) this morning
Have a wonderful day all
Much love,
Billy Joe Gates ( AKA ) Suzan
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