Generations

It's so funny the differences in generations. Today I was talking with a coworker about my grandpa and how it was so challenging when we got him a computer for e-mailing. He is hard of hearing so e-mail is a great way for him to communicate with others and allows him to still work (at 80 he just can't quit!). About 8 years ago now he got an e-mail only machine. That's all it did. Then, about 4 years ago, the company that ran that system shut down. We looked all over to find him something that would work, but realized that the only way to go was to get him a computer.

I became "IT Becky". At least once a week we would talk....on the phone. I had to help him restart the computer, find MSN, write an e-mail. It was hard because he didn't understand (and still doesn't) the terminology. Desktop? Files? Double Click? Scroll? Mouse? His desktop had a picture of a mountain so I would have to say "Grandpa, go back to the mountain..." and things like "on your mouse, you need to click the left button 2 times - don't hold it down, click quick." It would be really funny because I would be on speaker phone, my grandpa would be across the room and he'd have my grandma be between us. I would say "Now put the arrow on the mountain and . . ." and my grandma would repeat it back to him. Oh, those were the days. He's a wiz now. I only get calls maybe every-other month about the computer. He was so afraid to try things because he was afraid that he would break it. He says that one of his big regrets was not learning how to use a computer when he was working. He let the young kids work on them.

But why this post? We have 2 ladies that volunteer in my department weekly. The put together packets for us. They bring us treats, catch up with all the office news, stuff packets all while chatting away. Today they were talking about DVDs and CDs. I laughed out loud when Audrey said that they have a lot of VCRs (aka VHS videos) and then asked for more tapes (our promotioal DVD that we send do people). My grandpa calls VHS tapes VCRs and anything that looks like a CD is a CD. Now with HDTV, we're in for a treat with the older generation!