Tuesday, January 10, 2006

1/10 Amazing

I just finished speaking to my daughter, Jill, via instant message. If I weren't at work, we would have turned on our webcams and I would have talked to my grandkids--voice and picture.

This morning, before I left home, I communicated with my son and daughter-in-law in Okinawa. We read each other's blogs, we are on the same writers' forum, and we email. Sometimes we use Skype to communicate via instant message, with voice. They broke their webcam or lost it or something, so we don't use that. But I am able to hear their voices.

When we absolutely must, we use the telephone. But we all have access to computers almost constantly, so we don't phone very often.

I even have access with my digital phone--I receive email, instant message (through Yahoo), and can read their blogs as well. This is so welcome when I'm in airports and on the road.

All this technology helps me immensely. I'm living and working where I have no family, and now it's so easy to connect. Almost my entire extended family uses Yahoo Messenger. I have it at work, but don't use it. It says "I'm working." But it's there so my kids and sibs can contact me immediately if something important happens. When I lived in Englad in 2004, it was invaluable.

It's so cool to feel close to my kids (that includes you, Beata), even though they live thousands of miles away.

I'm a lucky bug.

4 comments:

anne frasier said...

when my daughter was in sweden last month we used the audio setting on ichat to talk. so cool! and so free!! :D

Beata said...

Mom! You are totally right, technology is a great addition to our lives! And thank you for including me as your kid. I don't even feel like you are my mother-in-law, but a real Mom! :-) I love you!

Jerilyn Dufresne, author said...

It's funny. I started using free voice connections with computers nearly ten years ago, when I was in New Zealand and Louisiana. Of course, it's a lot more clear now, and it's made a big difference in staying close to my family.

Jerilyn Dufresne, author said...

Me too, Beata.