Online

Email is practically the equivalent to talking on the telephone back in the 1950's. Housewives spent time on the telephone visiting with friends while the laundry was in the washing machine, a cake was in the oven, or discussing why so-in-so should leave that no good what's-his-name on the soaps.

Prior to WWII telephone "party lines" were mandatory for residences. Now understand, that didn't mean everyone could party on the telephone. It meant that more than one household had to share a telephone line. The ring tone determined whether the call was for your house or another one. Those chatty housewives could really tie up a phone line which might cause an irate party line neighbor to break in and ask them to get off of the phone. As the telephone gained popularity and its use in our everyday lives was seen, single privacy lines eventually took over. Taking the place of chatting on the telephone, is email or cell phone text messaging.

Since I retired, I'm able to keep up with all of my friends and family during the day. Constantly staying on the telephone doesn't interest me. My cell phone keypad is not the keyboard I use to send news to my family and friends. My Mac PowerBook, though, is my electronic device of choice. Even if people are on the job with access to a computer, we can "talk". If I have a question or they need to tell me something, the capability of doing so is available and I don't take up to an hour on the phone shooting the breeze.

The "receiving mail" tone can be compared to my telephone's ring. The exception to that being that the email will be someone with whom I am acquainted and not a telemarketer. I like reading the messages and if there is a need to remember what they wrote, I can review the message anytime. Of course, that isn't possible with a phone call. Similarly, when I open my physical mailbox on the curb in front of my house and see an envelope with my name handwritten across the front, it is generally from someone I know. Such was the case a week ago when Kim and I received an envelope in our mailbox. There, scrawled across the front of the envelope in blue crayon was our grandparent names, our address and an ink written address by an adult. We knew immediately that our grandson, Aidan, had sent us a message. This is a 5 year old's attempt at stepping onto the communication highway. Next destination...http/:www.com.

As much as I love my computer and the endless information the Internet offers to me, there are times when the same mode of communication used by inventor Alexander Bell is what I still depend on. This morning there seemed to be blockage with the Internet at my house. I couldn't "talk" to anyone through email. My email provider was not available to me. Until I was able to resolve the situation, if I needed to talk to someone, I had to telephone them. Then, I realized that when I talk directly to someone on the phone, I tend to talk longer. Also, a phone call doesn't guarantee that I'll get to talk to them. At least I can leave a message both on the phone and on email.

In the modern world we live in, digital technology has opened up another ramp on the highway. Electronic technology seems to be traveling at lightening speed. I am fascinated by the new iPhone and it's capabilities. If I could get my hands on one of those, I'd be connected all of the time. This gives all new meaning to "Reach out and touch someone". Watch out, you might be in my Fav 5.

Ha, this was been fun! Ya'll keep in touch. Okay?
ML