Kindle

This modern technology is something else. My kids and grandkids are whizzes at it but I am - well, I am one of those dinosaurs, who didn't grow up with it. I can turn a light switch on and off, figure out my microwave, set my clock, work the washer, dryer dishwasher, and stove.

Yet, I never knew that modern technology would make me look like a dinosaur. I can handle the basics. When the video was the "in" thing - it took written directions for me to figure out how to tape a television program. When my kids owned video games, I watched them play and when I tried, I was out of the game before I even started.

I remember taking computer lessons at my local community college and I didn't even have my own computer at the time. Being a freelance writer, I was intrigued with how the backspace bar on the keyboard took away my mistakes by magic. After all those years of having to retype my copies to get it mistake free, then it was the correction tape, followed by White Out. Well the backspace is an absolute miracle! The invention of the keyboard and computer was beautiful! So far, I have owned four computers, and two laptops. I can't imagine life without a computer. Yes, I have come a long way baby.

I sometimes have to work and try four or five times before I hit the right buttons to get my TV on, let alone hit the right program to get the DVD to play and forget the DVR. My son jokes about getting me a black and white television set with the old rabbit ears. He may be right about that. He actually has written step-by-step directions on how to turn on the television, the cable and the DVD player.

The last time I went into Radio Shack, I came out with an old transistor radio. One of my sons put a piece of aluminum, foil on the antenna and laughed himself silly with the joke. I have to admit that it was pretty funny. I bought that transistor last year because I needed something to get me through my work at the greenhouse. This Christmas when we had our White Elephant gift exchange, someone else received my transistor with the foil on the antenna as their gift.

Cell phones, what can I say about them. I have one of those phones that I use with a calling card and I hate that as well. Don't bother to call me up because I don't know my phone number. Besides, the phone is lost somewhere in my house.

I did surprise my family when I invested in an Apple iPod. I read about those neat little electronic devises and figured that it would be a lot easier to manage a tiny iPod, instead of the bulky hand held Walkman that I owned. No way would I even think about bringing that ridiculous transistor radio with the foil on the antenna into the gym. They probably wouldn't let me into the gym with one of those things. In the beginning my daughter had to download the songs for me. Now, I have actually downloaded more music and I have no idea as to how I even did that successfully. The gods seemed to smile on babies and idiots.

I have a Blog and am on Facebook. Thank you to whoever founded Facebook and Blogs for Dummies. I have both of those books on my bookshelf next to my computer. Plus my genius daughter-in-law, who helps me with Blog questions, is an email away if I need her.

I also have a great camera but one of my kids has been the one to download the pictures on my computer. But I do know how to print the pictures up by myself at Target. I have no idea how to play video games or Wii games, even though my grandson tries to teach me. Dinosaur, yes...I am one. I will admit to that, even though I am not proud of that fact.

And now for my birthday, I have been given a Kindle. Something I wanted. Before I went to bed, I prayed to God - Please help me to be able to figure this one out, God. But then, I bet there is a Kindle book for Dummies.