You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks! 

Dear Reader, Would you believe that I can now send and receive e-mail? To those of you who are computer-wise, that probably doesn't sound like much, but to me it seems a miracle. Up to now, the only use I had for a computer was to reserve library books. My education was "either sink or swim" because my grandson and his wife put a computer in my house and asked me to send my columns via e-mail. If it hadn't been for the patience of my grandson and my children, this could not have been accomplished. It really took two generations to do it. My children have learned it during adulthood, but my grandchildren have grown up with it.  This puts a different perspective on teaching it to an oldster. I've had to learn additional vocabulary to go with the process -- words that come naturally to younger people. We did this mostly long distance, through questions and answers (see Mark's note). As my son told me, nobody, especially your adult child, knows what it's like to learn to use a FAX machine or send e-mail at eighty years of age -- they've never been there. But I want you to know that it can be done! Grandma We use a great software package, called "pcANYWHERE," to work together on our computers via modem (we live in different states). This software allows me to show what I mean, rather than explaining it over the phone (Grandma's right -- the lingo is a big problem). Using pcANYWHERE, I can see what Grandma's doing on her computer terminal, and give hints, or even troubleshoot computer problems from my end. Mark MacGregor