Technology is Neat

When I was a kid Nintendo, was new technology. I can remember the day my parents brought it home from a trip to Bellingham. My brother and I spent hours trying to get Mario and Luigi to save the Princess, each time being met with yet another Toadstool telling us Great job "But your princess is in another Castle". My bro quickly conquered the game and moved on to Dr. Mario and more. It took me years to gain the same accomplishments. As the years went by we had Super Nintendo, then he had N64, my technological desires had shifted away from the video games and towards another great invention.

The computer!

I remember our first computer too. My Mom made us all leave the room before she turned it on the first time, just in case the computer imploded. It didn't, and she, quickly became the master of DOS and Windows. She packed around that manual until she'd read it cover to cover. I was enthralled, I learned about Yahoo, e-mail and ICQ *UhOh!*

A message! Someone's talking to me!

And then, there was the single piece of technology that has completely altered life as we knew it! That is continually morphing and changing our worlds.

Dun,dun,duuuun

The cellular telephone. Does anyone remember "The Brick"

My Dad has one of these for work. Zach had one too, remember, Saved by The Bell? I was a kid but boy did I think he was pretty cute and some serious hot stuff. I mean, how cool are you if you can sit in the back of a classroom and "discretely" order a pizza off a telephone that's larger than your chemistry textbook.

We've sure come along way in the past 20 years (I'd say 26 but seriously dudes, up until that Nintendo entered our house when I was around 6 or 7, the extent of my technological experiences involved Sesame Street. Not too thrilling).

We have gaming systems that double as your gym membership, computers small enough to carry in a stylish purse and cellphones that fit in a shirt pocket. We can text, instant message and communicate "hands free" while driving (although if you are me, you very rarely talk "hands free" such are my flailing limbs). Blackberries, Macbooks and iPods. I didn't even mention the advancements the musical and video portions of our entertainment systems have experienced.

I've rolled with the punches, I have a DVD player, I love my iPod and the relationship I have with my Blackberry is special, very special. In fact, I actually kinda like technology. Blogging is the other part of our ever evolving world of tech that I heart. I love HTML and sharing my stories with the world. Thanks to the advances in technology I can channel my need for creative writing to an outlet that allows my family and friends a glimpse into our lives and my heart. It's all good, really, the changes (the ones that don't involve nuclear war or child pornography of course. Those are bad, very, very bad, evil even.) in technology are fabulous and I'm down with it.

But while I do love the changes I can remember a "simpler" time. I do remember days with out a family computer, a time when making a call away from home required a phone booth and calling card (google it, someone will explain) when the only way to work up a sweat at home required Richard Simmons, tight shorts and a few of the Oldies.

My children however, they are children of the times. They know technology, in fact, the don't know anything else.

Before you go getting all, judgy on me, I don't mean that their days are consumed with techie type toys. Their favorite toys are Little People, Mega Blocks and a Dr. Kit (that had my little B proclaiming that she'll be a "Doc-er" when she grows up and use her "testicle-cope" to listen to people's hearts beat), we are big on crafts and imaginative play because the world has and will continue to be changed through the channels of our imagination. We limit the amount of television that is watched and I do my best not to spend every unused hour of the day (which equates to about 15 minutes) on the computer.

But my girls know what a computer is, Beth is pretty sure everyone has one. They of course know what a telephone is and what a cellphone is. They both have their own cellphones, made up of a collection of toys and our old ones. Beth has learned to talk on the phone to people and will actually walk around as she chats with Grammy in the morning. When the phone rings AJ points and makes noises and when I answer will quite often put her little hand up to her ear and say with enthusiasm "Hi!".

I knew they would know a different world than I because well, they are born in a different time. But I didn't quite realize how much they knew and would learn about technology so young until the other day.

I asked Bethany to do something and she turned her little head and said,

"In a minute Mommy, I'm sending somebody a text".

I just stood in silence. What did she say? A text? Who taught her about texts? Ahem

Then I laughed, and realized. It's a sign of the times, and my girls they are growing right along with it. And it's ok, because really, technology is neat.

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY Hint #5: When I was in Grade 5 all the cool kids played "Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego" on the new/old Mac in our classroom. I was a "cool kid" (that is said with great sarcasm, but I did play the game.)