Picking up my phone, I clicked on the app. It took just a few minutes to create a unique birthday card for my nephew. It was fun embellishing it with music and animation. When finished, I was amused by my creativity. I hadn't even remembered his birthday, but was conveniently reminded by an alert on my iPhone. A few more clicks and my ecard was on its way. No belated wishes, no drive to the drug store, no postal delivery delay, but instead, an easy feeling of satisfaction. In today's world, the e in electronic equates to easy.
Bucky and I took baby steps into the e-world. We toddled along reaching for the hands of our grandchildren when support was needed. We’re proud of the strides we’ve made, but in the fast paced e-race, we're more like the tortoise than the hare.
As our travels began keeping us away from home for longer periods of time, e-banking with bill pay became a convenient way to handle finances. Bucky has an e-trade account where he dabbles in stocks. We both use email. Email was essential when I was working and it remains my preferred means of communication. Bucky rarely used email in his construction business, but set up a personal account. His choice of bucksnort46 as his email address caused us some laughter. But, when auto correct continually changed bucksnort to buckyballs, a new address was needed!
The convenience and speed of email is undeniable. However, I was horrified when I received my first ecard at Christmas. It hit me hard like a slap in the face, a form of holiday abuse. Certain holiday traditions should never change, like snail mailing of Christmas cards. I felt like a child opening a hastily made homemade gift of construction paper while watching my classmates open store bought gifts. There was no enjoyment in opening this Christmas ecard. And.....what was I supposed to do with this electronic greeting? Should I print it and hang it among the foil and glitter adorned cards draping my mantle? Wouldn't the plain white printer paper droop alongside the sturdy card stock of its neighbors? Quite frankly, I was insulted in receiving it. Clicking the mouse to open this ecard could never replace the excitement of reaching into my mailbox and seeing on an envelope holding the return address of a dear friend. Then, anxiously opening the envelope adorn with a Santa stamp, and releasing from within the joy of Christmas.
Little did I realize that the sender of the Christmas ecard was ahead of us in his use of technology. I still send paper Christmas cards to street addresses, but the photos, printing and paying for the finished product are all done electronically. Perhaps I’m headed toward sending Christmas ecards, but I doubt it!
I was well into adulthood when computers first entered our homes. My parents were anxious to try this new marvel and signed up for an introductory computer course at the local high school. It didn’t last long. As Dad put it, “the little arrow jumps all over the screen and sometimes totally disappears! My hands aren’t steady enough to control it.” Looking back, I wish I had encouraged them more.
By using the buttons on my phone, I can now transfer money, text a friend, e-sign an email document and search ebay for a needed or unneeded item. Now, a new e-adventure awaits!
“Do you guys even still know how to ride bikes?”
Such was the inquiry of our youngest daughter when she heard Bucky discuss the purchase of electric bikes. She surely was experiencing deja vu, remembering a particular waterskiing event that still causes her fits of uncontrollable laughter at random moments, much like a favorite Saturday Night Live skit will do.
This wasn't the routine approach to waterskiing with the skier crouched in the water, tow rope between the skis, but instead attempted by me standing on a dock, one foot in a slalom ski, tow rope coiled and a brazen yell of "hit it!" Had I actually thought I could to do this? The violent tug of the tow rope propelled me into the air. There I flew with my fingers clenching the wooden handle of the tow rope. My arms were outstretched as my body rested horizontally above the water's surface…… Superman! The slalom ski bobbed in the water at the edge of the dock after being torn from my foot. For those in attendance, and thank goodness there weren't many, it remains an unforgettable memory. Our daughter had good reason for concern.
The electric bikes were ordered and arrived in huge cardboard cartons. Bucky anxiously read his bike's manual. He seemed more excited about his new steed than me. I looked at my bike, sat astride it and wondered if the seat was too high or was it the height of the handlebars? Snow still covered the ground so neither bike left the stable. Bucky's bike leaned on its kick stand near the front door appearing anxious to escape. My bike lounged in our bedroom with clothes hanging from the handlebars.
Finally the snow disappeared and Bucky placed our new bike rack on the truck. He lashed his bike to the rack protecting it with a piece of blue foam purposefully saved from a broken pool noodle. Bucky has a knack for knowing what should be saved for later use. With his bike following, we headed off the mountain to a dirt road in the valley.
Our first e-bike adventure will occur soon when we travel to Assateague Island. The bikes are foldable so they will fit in the storage compartment of our RV. We look forward to riding our electric steeds among the wild ponies! Giddy up!