Technology and aging

I want to preface this post with some facts about Faith: I worked for IBM for 13 years, I use electronic health records and computers at my current job daily, I am constantly on the computer at home, and I own a smartphone.  I am connected. That said, the library threw me a bit.

Yes, the library.  I finally joined the library at the age of 49. I don't count the years in undergraduate and graduate school because those were forced, sort of like an army draft.  This was by choice, sorta. To be honest, I ended up at the library because I was looking for a larger community room to reserve for a class, and the library happens to be right on campus at work.  In order to reserve the room, I needed to be a card carrying member of the library.  Boy have things changed.  Although they still have books and the Dewey Decimal System, it is so much more edgy.  The card catalog is online, for one.  Super exciting.  There seems to be fewer books on the shelves, but you can do a library loan with a click of a mouse. And there is self checkout. Just like at the grocery store.

So here I am, I've gathered up all of my gardening books (you see, I am preparing for 50), and I am ready to check them out.  I walk over to the self checkout, where the machine scans the bar code on your card, then scans the bar code on each book you want to check out, and Viola! Right? Right?

Wrong. I find myself trying my darnedest to scan my over-sized composting book. Shit. The book just doesn't seem to fit under the scanner correctly.  I try waving it under the scanner, turning it sideways.. anything to get that book scanned. I am about ready to abandon it (despite that fact that I have been saving kitchen waste for a week now!) when I notice a second bar code on the book. Aha! Feeling like I've just solved a Mensa puzzle, I turn the book around,  fit it perfectly under the scanner, and Viola! My first successful checkout from the library since Elementary School.  I am elated! I turn around to leave, head held high. Bring it on. I am so ready for the next challenge.  

And there she was, standing behind me in line. Braids in her hair. Wearing a plaid skirt, white shirt, and matching plaid tie. You know the type. Standing there with her hands on her hips and a grin on her face. A stack of books for her next book report. With a look that said, "come'on old lady, you do this at the grocery store every week." But I didn't care. I just smiled back as if to say, "you'll see some day."  Anyway, nothing was going to deflate me. I mastered the online check out at the library. I have a compost book and some kitchen waste.  I can do anything.  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks :-)

Write-on,
Faith