For some time I have coward myself into a comfortable corner antiquation. Coming from an era of 8-track tapes and streaking, I let myself be scared by the unexercised brain cells it might take to tackle the task. But last night I finally took the plunge; a "big" step (for me) toward being better connected with the 21st century. I got myself a Facebook account and smattered it with facts and photos. Okay, my 21 year old daughter, Allison helped me. But atleast I did it. And amazingly, it wasnt that difficult. Of course, she was there to direct my every click of the mouse. But I think I can move forward now with confidence.
The experience brought an interesting analogy to my mind. As I was interviewing an old Nazi soldier for my newest book, he said something that planted the seeds to this analogy. He didn't have much exposure to English until he immigrated to the US after WWII, while in his early twenties. He attributed his thick German accent to the fact that he was mature by the time he learned English.
It is a well known fact that when children are exposed to two languages at an early age, they easily pick up both languages, speaking each fluently without a trace of accents. That is how I view the ease at which the youth of today pickup on technology, using it with a fluency that often intimadates their parents. They become immersed in at an age when their brains are still forming, thus it comes to them as easily as learning to say "mama." To people like me, who's gray matter has already long ago established its furrows, and live in fear that the storm, that will inevitably begin the erosion process, is just around the bend, looks at becoming aquainted with technolgy like learning German. It's intimadating.
Enough said. I always wanted to learn another language. Here's my chance to take another baby step.
Buenos dias.
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