My Rocky Road From Analog to Digital

I’m an analog person. I admit it. As a young wife, I was content with my books, my three TV channels, and my corded telephone. Life was so simple! And then computers rocked my world! It’s my husband’s fault, of course. He became obsessed with them and his obsession spilled over into every corner of my life.

First he bedazzled me with a sleek looking word processor — so cool! I could erase without erasing! Just backspace and it was fixed. How much easier than carbons and white out. One problem though — you could only see one line at a time as you typed. Not perfect, but wait! Soon came the word processors that could also print. Definitely amazing! I became much more interested in putting my fledgling writing on paper.

But the Christmas our young sons received a huge box, mysteriously and uncharacteristically wrapped by my husband, was the true turning point.

What was in the box was the beginning of a weird and wonderful friendship for them, and strangely, for me. The box contained our first computer, a TI99. Eyeing the alien object, I memorably said, “Sooo, what will they do with that?”

Our sons knew what to do. They ripped open the present with great excitement and spent the rest of Christmas Day setting it up. Soon they were stringing zeros and numbers together to program it. They hooked up an old black and white TV to use as a monitor and a tape recorder to save their files. It turned out the computer did things, lots of things. They created games, made crude drawings, and learned basic coding skills. They also developed an excitement for what computers could do. Soon our home was filled with other kids who came to watch and learn. Who knew programming computers was such a social amusement? It also made a terrific racket — buzzing, beeping, and screeching echoed throughout the house.

In the evenings, I stubbornly squirreled away with my beloved books amid the digital yammer surrounding me. Computers were not for me — I was a tactile person.

Somewhere along this timeline, we got our first personal computer with a keyboard, a big step up from the Christmas TI99. Now I was curious. A computer that worked like a typewriter/word processor and could save my writing, too? When no one was around, I cautiously tried it out. Was it possible to find my way in a digital world?

It seems it was! I learned enough to be hired by our local hospital when one of the job requirements included basic computer skills. I had picked up enough to learn the job and even teach the other nurses. Osmosis is a wonderful thing! So began my journey into the computerized domain. What followed was a dizzying array of personal computers with hard drives, then Windows, integrated circuits that led to tangled, mindless passwords, which I learned to hate with a passion!

At work, our hospital was among the first to have centralized scheduling for all our surgical procedures. It also brought endless latent periods when the mainframe went down. So, back to pencils and paper to keep up with incoming calls and then many hours trying to catch up later. Life was bumpy in the 80s.

Meanwhile, our home became outfitted with a confusing array of the latest of any technology that hit the market. Doorbells that played tunes and rang endlessly every time there was a power interruption. Home security systems that regularly misfired, sending a god-like voice bellowing through the walls, “Halt! Exit the premises at once!!” And each time the alarm went off, the local police came around, much to the delight of our teenage daughter. The 90s were noisy!

We had phones that played Notre Dame’s fight song and, much later, laser systems that were programmed with seven separate commands to turn on the Christmas lights. They could blink, chase each other, change colors — anything but turn off when we wanted them to. A neighbor dryly told me that she was sure glad her bedroom didn’t face our driveway. Our home was not a great experience for anyone with sensory issues!

Meanwhile, my hubby enthusiastically set up technology to manage as many tasks as he possibly could. He was clearly enjoying his newfound hobby. Some of it I found useful, like the button that turned off all the house lights at night. Others, like the multiple WiFi boosters that were plugged into every possible outlet, leaving none free to operate a vacuum cleaner, was another discussion.

Once retirement was upon us, things really kicked into high gear. High definition TV, plasma screens, more Windows, devices telling corny jokes to each other, multiple remotes for every television in the house, and more channels than any human could possibly watch. So confusing! But for me, the most aggravating thing was hearing Siri tell me that I was getting mail from my sister and that it was most probably a birthday card. I felt like she was opening my mail!

The digital age has sped along and most of us have tried to keep up, some more successfully than others. I use a computer every day, and I know that the technology has truly enhanced my life. Well, enhanced may be a strong word, but I do know it has added a lot of useful value, entertainment, and noise! One really great thing about being married to a geek — he doesn’t seem to mind spending time fixing my many computer issues while I read my books — on my beloved Kindle — while listening to my playlist with earbuds and checking my email. Hmmm.

Picture of Maureen Woltermann

Maureen Woltermann

Maureen is a retired nurse and English instructor. She volunteers as a case manager at St. Vincent de Paul’s food pantry at St. Mary’s and is occasionally active at Aiken Community Theatre as a director. She enjoys reading, following medical research, Sudoku, women’s studies & literature, writing poetry, and traveling (when there’s no pandemic going on!).
Picture of Maureen Woltermann

Maureen Woltermann

Maureen is a retired nurse and English instructor. She volunteers as a case manager at St. Vincent de Paul’s food pantry at St. Mary’s and is occasionally active at Aiken Community Theatre as a director. She enjoys reading, following medical research, Sudoku, women’s studies & literature, writing poetry, and traveling (when there’s no pandemic going on!).

In the know

Related Stories

How to Say the Hard Things | Palmetto Bella

How to Say the Hard Things

Have you ever been in a situation where you are not sure how to say what needs to be said? Sometimes it’s sympathy for the loss of a loved one or an expression of sadness for an illness or unfortunate occurrence. We know the words, of course, but are they the right ones? Are they the words we would want to hear? Experts say there is no one correct way to express feelings of comfort or sadness, but it is important to convey our good intentions and concern. Many of us do this with a phone call. Finding the right words can be difficult. We want to comfort without intruding.

Read More »
Letter From the Editor | Palmetto Bella

Letter From the Editor

The dialogue took place in church, in late August 2019, just before the service began. Ladonna and I had become closer friends in the month before, and she seemed a bit stressed. me: “Everything OK?” Ladonna: “No, we’re behind on Bella and I’m up against the deadline.” me: “How can I help?” Ladonna: “What can you do?” me: “I’m a trained proof reader.” Ladonna: “Can you be at the studio at 6?” me: “Yup.” And then the music started. So for 18 months I have edited all of the content in Bella. I was fortunate to be raised by parents who were meticulous in their use of the English language.

Read More »
Be Lucky | Palmetto Bella

Be Lucky

“If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.” John Irving March is The Luck Issue! I always thought of March as a lucky month. It the month of spring’s arrival and rebirth, a week’s vacation for spring break that almost always includes travel, horse racing and hats, St. Patrick’s Day, and the occasional Easter, and it is the month in which I was born. Lots of things to celebrate! This month we completed an entire year of surviving a pandemic. So much has changed, and I feel extremely lucky that Bella and I have both survived

Read More »
Don’t Get It Twisted | Untwist the Love | Palmetto Bella

Don’t Get It Twisted | Untwist the Love

Let’s not get it twisted. When it comes to matters of the heart, one word tells the story — that word is love. If you are living in this world you have experienced acts of kindness and compassion, butterflies in your tummy, tears in your eyes, and maybe something that feels like a massive heart attack, but not entirely — these characteristics can be feelings associated with love. Some people say, “I had love in my life” or “I am too young to know what love is” or “I was in love once.” Guess what? Love doesn’t have an age limit! Love never leaves us! Love never dies! Love lasts

Read More »