Saturday, July 20, 2013

Well .. I grew up in the era when computers didn’t exist.

There were typewriters, manual types.   Not the electric machines.  It was exciting enough when these came along.  Life really was simpler “back then” .

I clearly remember a friend of mine telling me that she had used an electric typewriter.  I was so impressed.  She came over to visit while I was polishing our (family) wooden table and sideboard with lemon oil, as I usually did on a Sunday.  At this time I was a teenager and there wasn’t much to do.  So I was relegated to some kind of housework.

She was working at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto and had met the great comedian, Bob Hope.   So that stayed in my memory banks.  I also remember that she told me that he was not a tall man.  So much for the magic of tv, that made everyone into something bigger than life.  Hmmm .. I believe that this still happens, n’est-ce pas?  Instant fame and all that, just for being on a screen.

humph.  Interesting.

Anyway, my  nearly new (since last november)  laptop, Asus, had been experiencing problems since I first purchased it .. so I took it to the shop, again,  where I’d excitedly purchased it.   Turns out all the little problems that I’d been experiencing with it equalled a faulty hard drive.

So it has now been sent off to a shop somewhere in Ontario for fixing.

And I am without a computer for 2 weeks.

In a way, this is freeing.

I do not have an i-phone or blackberry or blueberry or anything like that.

I do have, however, my trusty old $85 Toshiba .. this trusty little laptop doesn’t even have a dvd player and takes forever to connect to any kind of wireless so won’t be using that.

This will be a 2 week test of living without a computer.

At first I was going through a type of withdrawal, what will I do without a computer?  How will l connect with my e-mail?  How will  I find out the news?

Well .. finally .. I decided that this will be a good break for me.

Time to unwind, focus on nature, plants, birds, insects, read, enjoy, relax.

So that is what I’m planning to do for the next few weeks.

Will I try to maintain some type of daily diary .. yes, I think I will do that.

Interesting challenge ahead for me … one that I think I will enjoy for the changes.

J

Oh,   and about dogs..  Yesterday I saw a variety of dogs.   From a tiny Chihuahua to a stately Standard Poodle.  Of all the dogs that I saw, however, one type stands out in my mind.

It was the very noble black Lab that was assisting a lady in a wheelchair while she was shopping at the local Tillicum branch of London Drugs.    She was not able to walk, and as she saw me gaze lovingly at her dog, she gave me a smile that bespoke pride, love and happiness.in this fine fellow. 

Such dignity and such love surrounded her.  And her dog ..well, he looked to be a fine fellow, well groomed, very patient and he had an air of profound stateliness about him. 

Anyway .. I’ll be without my electronic lifeline for several weeks .. looking forward to the solitude and feel  again what it is like to be without a computer in my life.  Just like the “old days” .. kind of an adventure, I think.

🙂