Getting connected....

I consider myself a fairly computer savvy person. I use a computer daily, at work and at home. In fact, over the last several years my shift in how I get news and entertainment has very drastically changed and I get most of it now from the Internet. I used to be a big time television watcher. It's how I grew up. TV was where it was at and there were shows scheduled every night that were "must watch". You know, the ones all your friends watched so you could talk about them the next day. I still have a few favorite shows. I love The Walking Dead and American Horror Story. I am also a proud fan of Survivor. And I confess I watch...Dance Moms. I do...sorry. Can't help it. But other than that there really aren't any regularly scheduled shows that I make a point to watch.

These days, rather than TV, we talk about the latest meme we've seen around the water cooler. We swap ideas we've pinned on Pinterest and whine about the level of frustration we have from Candy Crush Saga. I have my own Internet routine each day. I log onto Facebook to check out what my friends and family have been up to lately. Everyday - first thing in the morning. I check my news sites to see what's going on in the world. I look into Goodreads to see what people are reading these days and often go add some books to my Kindle based on the recommendations they make. I check Twitter to see what those folks I follow are up to. I follow a mixed bunch too - getting recipes from Andrew Zimmern, jokes from Eddie Izzard and updates on my beloved Green Bay Packers as well as finding out what my nieces and nephews are doing. I've ventured into opinion based sites where companies want feed back on their products. Yes, I have to put out a little bit more personal info than I was used to or previously comfortable with but it's been worth it so far. Getting free stuff nearly daily is fun and I've loved trying out new things too. I stream movies on my computer through Netflix. I shop online. Recently, I reconnected with my Aunt, who is a nun, and new to email. Her correspondence has been a riot as she's in her 80s and a nun and hasn't used a computer ever in her life. I stay connected using a variety of devices too. I have a desk top, a lap top, a tablet, and a smart phone. I can get on line from anywhere. Overkill? Maybe. Yeah....maybe. But oh well! I know I wouldn't change it. I love my toys!

My Internet life has been pretty amazing. I've connected with really good people and even met my wonderful hubby via the Internet. Old friends have come back into my life because of the Internet. Creative moments happened because of the Internet. Getting connected and staying connected has changed my life.

Whoa. We are connected...

So. tonight I was playing Words With Friends with about five people. I was on my mac, on Facebook. Alex was using the TV, playing a video game he just got. I was waiting to watch Project Runway All Stars which started at 8pm when I realized I didn't need the TV because I can get that on my iPad. I could watch it on my iPad while still playing Words With Friends on the mac. While he played the game on the TV, he was working something out on his computer so would occasionally run over to it to click something.

It dawned on me then that we are probably most "connected" couple I know! Haha! Here we were in our little living room accessing all manor of electronics and "interacting" with other people. Yes, we are in the 21st century. So, while we don't have those cool hover cars they promised us in those futuristic movies from the past, we do have high grade communication devices and, frankly, I'm all for them!

I am one of those people who can say that knowing how to use a computer and the Internet has really changed my life. For one, I have connected with so many truly talented people that I have been inspired to nurture my own inner creativity which is something I have neglected for a long time. Another great thing, my world is smaller than most people I know. I have friends all over the world. True friends too, not just names and faces, but people I know would be there for me in a heart beat if I needed them. I met them because we share a love of Sweden and our friendships grew from there. We share our good and bad times and support each other and some of us have even met each other. It's been very good. The best thing that's happened to me via the Internet is, of course, meeting my husband! People sometimes raised their eyebrows when they hear we met on the Internet. They're thinking "Internet dating sites" or something and even those have changed dramatically in recent years. Alex and I met on an independent musician website. I was writing lyrics and singing on collaborative songs with other artists. He uploaded some music of his own that blew me away! We started corresponding and talking as friends. He got me through a rough time. And then he proposed!

I know I will embarrass him when he reads this but Alexander is the best person I know. Funny, kind, super smart and excited about life. I love him so much.

Okay, enough of that...where was I...oh, yes, the Internet. I have reconnected with people that fell out of my life years ago and that's been a blast. I've had lunch with grade school friends and we have laughed our asses off each time. I have dined with college friends and we have the same reaction. Time changes much but not what matters. That's important. Write it down.

So, I'm a big fan of the internet and electronic devices that allow us to multitask and connect to each other and other parts of the world. And you can find some really weird stuff too. And that's okay...as long as you know it's weird and move on!

On impulse...

Two days ago, I was looking on line at the Best Buy ads and oohing and aahing over some of the very low priced lap tops they are now offering. (I have long wanted a lap top.) Yesterday, at work, I had to take a client to Best Buy (I swear this was a coincidence!) to get his portable DVD player repaired. See, one of the things I help my clients do is learn the life skills most people take for granted. Not everyone has the confidence and knowledge of how to speak up to a repair person and ask the right questions. It's particularly difficult if you have an anxiety disorder or schizophrenia. So...

there I was at Best Buy helping my client deal with the Geek Squad when I realized I was a mere 15 feet away from those laptops I was coveting the night before.

Well, I ask you. What's a girl to do?

I'm writing my blog right now on my beautiful new sleek black and shiny laptop which is sweeeeet and faaaassst and I love it, love it, LOVE IT! :D

Oh what a tangled web we weave...

So. today a new phone that I ordered arrived and I excitedly rushed home to set it up. It's one of those phones that let you use Skype to call anywhere in the world for free and allows you to NOT have to be tied to the computer to do it. I opened the box, took out all the stuff, turned my behemoth of a PC tower around as far as I could so I could see back there amidst the giant octopalian mass of wires and realized that this wasn't going to work at all. I didn't have a spare Ethernet port. I checked the back of my cable modem...nope...none there either. I chose some cherce curse words and said them loudly and frequently.

I needed a router.

I bundled back up (it's friggan' cold outside) and rushed out to Radioshack to pick up a cheap router. They had them...two of them. I bought one and rushed back home. Following the instructions on the handy dandy instruction CD that came with it, I, again, turned the beast around, unplugged this and that, replugged this and that, fought Arnie off all the while as he loves dangling things, and, VOILA, it was all connected. Except that there was no indicator light on the mini-tower thingy that came with the phone so I had no way of knowing if it was working.

And then....

Booo-beep! From across the room, the phone itself came to life! IT'S ALIVE! MY CREATURE IS ALIVE!! MWUAHAHAHAHA!!!

I shoved all the escaping cords back behind the computer table and out of sight. (It's damn scary back there! Sheesh!) I know that doesn't really fix the horrible mess that is laying in wait back there but out of sight, out of mind I say!

What matters is it's working, and I did it. It took me three hours and a trip to Radioshack and probably made my neighbors consider calling the cops what with the colorful language coming outta me BUT I did it! Me, the most UN-technical person in the world. Me, who can't even figure out how to connect the DVD player to the TV. Me, who once gave away a George Foreman grill because it was just way too complicated for me. Little 'ol me! I am so proud.

And the phone works...and it will save me oodles of cash...and that's the important thing! Yay for me!