Copyright (c) 2009 Mary Lloyd

I've always believed in computers—if my kids were
going to use them. I started buying them for my boys when
my older son was 12—in 1981. But my personal
commitment to computers is far more recent.

When I HAD to use them, I did. Batch cards on the
mainframe at the university where I did my doctoral work.
Word-processed progress reports when the corporation where
I worked insisted. I took company training when I had to.
And generally told myself, "yeah, but..." in terms of doing
anything beyond the obvious.

When I left the corporate world to pursue writing novels, I
finally started APPRECIATING my computer. And when I began
writing screenplays, the specialized formatting software
seemed like divine intervention on my behalf. My tech
comfort index increased even more when I took classes
online as part of a year-long graduate certificate
screenwriting program from UCLA. I'd joined the ranks of
the cyber-skilled.

Not really, but at least I'd made a key transition. I
wanted MORE--to learn more, to do more, to be more
effective with what my computer and the Internet offered.

When I got into writing non-fiction, I discovered that
publishing details for the bibliography and background on
people I wanted to quote were a lot easier to find online.
Once the book was published, I learned my computer and
access to the World Wide Web and social networking sites
are essential marketing tools. Facebook. LinkedIn.
Twitter. YouTube. Flickr. All resources and information
conduits. But also things I'll be learning forever since
they'll continue evolving for as long as they exist.

That discouraged me at first. But it's a precious gift, and
one I wish more of my generation would accept. Learning is
GOOD. If you're over 50 and insisting you don't NEED
e-mail, or even a computer, you're missing the point. If
you "don't want to deal with all that," please reconsider.
If this is you, some tech savvy loved one probably printed
this for you, right? Eventually, you'll be relying on that
kind of kindness for the bulk of your information if you
don't get on the bandwagon.

The "all that" you want to avoid is where the future of the
written word is going. More and more companies are putting
statements and product information online and asking you to
"go paperless." More and more information you really
need—about prostate cancer or current road conditions
in Montana—is easily available online. But that's
not the greatest benefit either.

The fastest way to feel, look, and be old is to stop
learning. If you want to come across as just marking time
until your appointment with the undertaker, go ahead and
ignore technology. You can do that. But you lose. Call
it stubborn. Or scared. Or lazy. It's a bad strategy no
matter what label you use.

Yes, you will feel brainless the first few times you get on
the computer--or the Internet. Yes, you will make
mistakes. Yes, you will want to throw the thing out a
second story window when you can't get it to do what you
need to do no matter how hard you try. But you know what?
That happens regardless of how old you are when you first
start using a computer. Even geeks face that, but they
understand it's part of the drill and just keep going.

Stop telling yourself you don't need to do this. You do.
If you can't afford a computer, go to the local library.
They'll even help you get started.

Keep learning and you'll start to recognize the potential
of the Internet to improve your life. It may be by paying
your bills online. (Studies show that online bill paying
is less risky than sending checks through the
mail—and cheaper.) It might be in finding a group of
like-minded people to share ideas with. You will feel your
world expanding as you become computer savvy. It will give
you access to a whole lot of information you'll be very
glad you could find. Plus it's a good way to stay in touch
with people you care about.

Commit to being computer savvy even if your job doesn't
demand it and your family isn't begging you. Access to
information and connecting with others is faster and
easier. Even better, you're proving you can still
learn—and that you want to. Key pieces of staying
vibrant.

Who knows, you may get so far that you teach your kids
things. Last week, I mentioned Worio to my ubergeek son.
(It's a new search engine that competes with Google.) He
hadn't heard of it. Yes! Just call me Grandma Geek.

----------------------------------------------------
Mary Lloyd is author of Supercharged Retirement: Ditch the
Rocking Chair, Trash the Remote, and Do What You Love. She
offers seminars on creating a meaningful retirement and
consults to businesses on how to use older talent well.
She is available as a speaker. For more on how to get the
best out of life after 50, go to =>
http://www.mining-silver.com .

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