Learning to navigate at an early age....

Bob Dylan said it best: "The times they are a-changin" ...." My recent battles with technology have convinced me that it is never too early to begin learning to use all those I's: IPad, IPod, IPhone etc. etc., and young parents today know this. While in the security line at the Minneapolis airport on my way to Chicago in July, I saw a baby in a stroller with an IPad on her lap. At first I could not believe what I seemed to be seeing. The baby was no older than two and her fingers were dashing about the screen with purposeful intent. Her mother had her snugly belted into her stroller, and she was so focused on her I-Pad that she had no time to fuss or cry like the other babies in the line, because she had some learning going on!

I had been quietly congratulating myself on my technical savoir-faire. I had printed up our e-tickets at home the night before my sister and I flew to Chicago. The baby will probably be doing that on her next trip. I found myself a bit befuddled at the airport computer as I tried to check in and pay for the bag I wanted checked. There is always a nice airline employee close by to guide you through your befuddlement; but this time my sister, 7 years my junior and really techno-savvy, was there to assist me. I can tolerate the pretzels the airlines now refer to as lunch: I just hope they never economize to the point where they eliminate those helpful employees that swoop in to help you with your ineptitude at the computer screens.

I spent several hours yesterday trying to navigate a web site that my health coverage mandated I use to track my exercise program for two months. Should I fail to do this, the co-pay for my doctor visits will go up by one third. I had to call for technical assistance three times as I tried entering my data on the web site. At one point, I found myself near tears or near screaming, and I asked the polite young women helping me what it is like trying to help us grey hairs. She politely confessed that it was challenging. Towards the end of my two-hour session entering my "data", I realized it wasn't all that difficult, just a painful learning curve that ate up a lot of time. I have no trouble with the idea that it is good for people to take responsibility for their health, and for sure, being physically active is important as one ages. Maybe people old and young who do not take good care of themselves should pay more in health care costs, but an older person should not be penalized for being computer-challenged.

I do not have an I-Phone, partly due to my secret fear of this amazing device. My sister is in love with hers, and when we were in Chicago together, she gave me the hard sell, introducing me to some of the the cool apps she has downloaded and insisting that I too would love them. I told her I could probably skip learning to play Angry Birds, but some of the apps did indeed seem great. The truth was that her I-Phone helped us easily solve some of our travel woes in Chicago.

I try hard to fight my fear and keep an open mind with regard to all the technology that permeates life today. I can now use pretty well the teacher smart-boards in the classrooms I sub in, and I was one of the first in line when the Kindles were introduced years back. Yesterday, while riding up on our building elevator, I noticed that the 80-plus gentleman who lives down our hallway had what looked like a Kindle in his hand. I asked him if it was a Kindle or a Nook and he said he wasn't sure, opening the cover to check. He said he really liked it.

My hairdresser, Natasha, who is 32, discussed the pros and cons of the Nook, Kindle, and I-Pad yesterday while she did my hair. Natasha said she found the Nook she recently purchased a real pain and she had returned it, planning to buy an I-Pad. She said I inspired her by always bringing my Kindle to my hair appointments. (Going blond is labor intensive, so I always have time to read while the foils are doing their work.) Being called technologically inspirational was a new one, and it was fun to be able to discuss the differences in these devices with a member of the younger generation.

I recently bought myself a MacBook Air computer after having used and coveted my friend Bill's Apple Computer in Florida for many years on our Thanksgiving visits. The turning point was while we were in St Louis in June, seeing the MacBook Air my stepson, Ivan, had. The very same day that I fell in love with Ivan's computer, Amazon sent me a great deal to buy this computer on line. Sold! My MacBook Air arrived a day after we returned home. I love, love, love, my new computer, and named her Gala: she is an apple after all.

I vividly remember having dinner in a nice restaurant on Harold Square in New York with Harry a couple of years back. We were seated at a small table, and noticed that right next to us was a vacant corner table. We asked the waitress if we could have that table instead. She said no, the table was reserved for a young couple who had just become engaged that very day. The couple promptly arrived with their I-Phones, and they spent the entire time talking and texting to their friends and family, barely speaking two words to each other. So much for a nice romantic engagement dinner. Harry commented that he didn't give much for their chances together -- but then he's just an old romantic himself! As Bob Dylan said, the times they are a-changin'.