Panda Picks-Seniors Work on the Net!

We seniors find e-mails to be the easiest and most fun part of being on line and using the internet. We send notes to each other like pen pals including those famous Soccer Mom humorous and inspirational e-mails. We soon learned not to open “attachments” to protect our PC. Those typing skills we learned in high school on clunky typewriters were put to use in a way we never dreamed they would be used. The keys had different names than we were used to but we soon learned how to use them; enter, alt. esc. control etc. We had to learn them while my grandchildren used all the buttons with ease and they haven’t even sat through high school typing class. Best of all was the way one could correct, move ahead, erase, cut and paste and no restrictions on how many copies we could send. Wow multiple e-mails could be sent and no carbon paper needed. And need I mention spell check.

*
We had to learn a new vocabulary: spam, e-mail, files. signature lines, etc. We built our e-mail list and made files. Not easy tasks but we so enjoyed the new communication system that we typed away, forwarded e-mails, and collected addresses. The computer became a prominent fixture as we used it like the telephone, receiving and answering messages. It was like a super toy allowing us to talk to grandchildren in far off towns, connecting us to people across the world we had never met. Sending and receiving humors u-tubes made us the masters of humor to enlighten each others lives.

*
Sun. Jan. 11, 2009 an interesting story appeared in my local hometown newspaper, The Lima News. A story printed there shared how local resident, Marilyn Williams used e-mail to collaborate in the writing of a book.. She told how her mother had dreamed of being a published author but it never happened.  Barbara Bailey Caspersen, Marilyn’s sister took the idea and joined forces with her sister to create a book “No Time for Tears” (The story of Anna). Barbara felt she was being helped along by her mother, but needed some assistance from her sister..

*
Of course the two ladies could talk on the phone and at times met to discuss the script.  With Williams in Lima, Ohio and sister Barbara Bailey Caspersen of Hamilton Ontario, Canada discussions could take place but it was the opportunity to send e-mails where they could share ideas on the script that allowed for instant feedback on the project.. It took two years to finish.  The option of using e-mails was a solution that worked out so well that another book “Moving Mountains” has been completed and Williams thinks it will be available by June.

*
From our 50th high school reunion this past summer, the class of ’58 connected in this unique manner. During those 50 years we only met in person 3 times and rarely communicated with our fellow classmates. Now, just for fun, we can chat about the old days and brag about happenings in our lives. We can inform each other of crises and share prayers of concern.  E-mail gave us this opportunity to connect and become re-acquainted.
Panda Picked e-mails as one of the neat reasons we seniors like to be on-line.  Ideas are shared as when we wrote letters but the instant feedback allows for a flow of communications in such a way that we can carry on a conversation. E-mails add to our lives because they are fun and informative, and ever so easy to add to our daily routine when we master their use.
How do you use e-mails?

Panda Lady