A Grey-haired Geek

The term “grey-haired geek” leaped spontaneously from my lips as I tried in vain to communicate with a non-technology-minded acquaintance. I said it apologetically, as if our inability to understand each other was due to some flaw in my own personality: “I know you aren’t interested in this. I’m such a grey-haired geek!”

Delighted with my impromptu use of alliteration, I ran home and Googled the term. (Who am I kidding here? I pulled my handheld computer from my pocket and Googled it on the spot.) The search returned no results. With fear in my heart, I tried it without the hyphen and with an alternate spelling of “grey”. Oh, joy! It hadn’t been used! I had just named my blog-to-be!

Please do not leave comments saying someone else is using it now. I do not wish to be so enlightened. I have avoided Googling it again, because ignorance can be bliss. You see, all this time, I have remained blogless . . . for simple want of a name!

In my circle of friends, being forty-something with a passion for computers is considered akin to having a third eye. (Okay, so I’m closer to fifty. Stop interrupting, and just read my blog.) There are still several families in our homeschool co-op who are without email. Yes . . . I actually have to send POSTCARDS to these people. (Click here for the definition of “postcard”.) I offered to build a website for the group. One science-minded member thought I was suggesting something similar to an ant farm, only with spiders. To borrow a phrase from someone who’s funnier than I will ever be, “I am not making this up”.

My children admit to dismay over my ability to comprehend their text messaging shorthand. Their father (who is also My Husband, because it’s friendlier that way) is of the same mindset as my friends. The only mouse he has ever been really comfortable with is the one I had him dump from a trap last week. (That’s another reason he’s remained My Husband.) He does like to play games on the computer, but when I once told him he should close his browser, he was deeply offended. We won’t even discuss the conversation that ensued when I mentioned that I needed more RAM.

So, as soon as I click “Publish”, my blogging journey will begin. Without computers, many of my friends will be unable to read this. That could be a blessing in disguise.