Staying inside during this bitterly, dangerously cold Northeast NY weather. But I have no cabin fever...because of the internet. I check in on friends and family on Facebook, check for interesting things on Twitter, share and view photos on Pinterest and Instagram. Send and receive emails and texts...all are routine now. But in 2000 when I got a job with a local company which required computer use, I was a terrified luddite. Fortunately for me, my interviewers told me they wanted my local knowledge of human services agencies and my contacts in those organizations. The owner's son, a kind young brainy tech guy, told me he could teach me the skills I'd need. And it began...I was truly terrified that I'd make devastating errors, I'd destroy necessary data, delete important files...and I did not know anything about searching, mail merge..nada. Day after day, that patient young man taught me. His best statement to me was that anything I did, anything...he could undo. That I could not destroy the company single-handedly. So little by little I did learn how to research, how to email, etc. I then wanted my very own computer at home, I got my first IMac. The Apple Store was like Disneyland! Next, at home, I discovered social media, in its' infancy then. I left that job in 2005. My next job required entering data on a federal site...more terror. But that turned out to be ok too. A new Assiatant Director made us text so I learned to do that with the help of young savvy coworkers.. If it had not been for these jobs, I would not be on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram...I'd not be in effortless communication with my son who lives in another state. I would not be researching at the drop of a hat. I'd not have wifi and stream lovely tv shows and podcasts. I am so very grateful to those who helped me overcome my terrors and opened up my world.