Big Fish/Little Pond

If you hold on tight and close your eyes, technology can take you to places you've never been before. Like right into the 21st century, as scary as that may seem! I amaze myself on a regular basis by how much technology I've assimilated into my daily routine; I do things that I didn't see myself doing just last week, or even yesterday, and I remind myself that I'm still capable of grasping concepts I was afraid to take on not so long ago.

For many of us over 50, and particularly more so for those of us over 60, technology is something we tell our friends about. It's not always a personal experience. I hear friends talk about how their grandkids have been using computers and tablets, even iPads, as early as 3 years old (some even sooner). They wouldn't touch an iPad on their life, because, well, it's just too advanced for them. Huh?

It's called "Fear of the Unknown," and we all are sometimes too quick to embrace the excuse. But you know what? It's no different than jumping in the pool that first time many years ago; you just have to learn to swim and you're fine forever. So, I encourage you all to take the leap into the "ePool;" it's deep, and sometimes dark, but it's worth the effort.

I sat with a client yesterday who was in his 50's. He asked what was new, and I told him about my new eBook, Serpent's Curse, which is now up for sale on BarnesandNoble.com (check it out at :http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/serpents-curse-mark-t-bradbury/1117054863?ean=2940148783268). When I told him it was an eBook, he told me he didn't have a tablet or iPad to read it, but that he'd be happy to pass the info on to his Mother and the rest of his family, since they all read eBooks. He went on to tell me about a family event he attended the weekend before where everybody there, his Mother, sister, brothers, kids, etc., were all using iPads throughout the weekend. He was embarrassed to admit that he has a dose of "Fear of the Unknown," and hasn't purchased an iPad because of it.

I laughed, and gave him my own rendition. Two months ago, I signed a 2 year contract for satellite service with DishTV. Prior to that, I had been happy to live out my years without an iPad or tablet, computer watch or glasses, and all the rest of the products bombarding us every day. But Dish had a special offer; if you agreed to pay the regular monthly price for the first year, they'd give you a brand new iPad2. I went for the deal, since my work with Little Pond Publishing, a digital eBook publisher, required the use of a tablet to demonstrate how eBooks work.

My iPad has now become part of my personal and business life, more so, it seems, every day. I read my book on it and totally enjoyed the ease of operation. Online Skype conference calls, checking emails, texting and watching live TV (thanks to the Dish technology) are all now common occurrences. I love it!

So, don't make your 80 year old mother make you look bad, Boomers! Toughen up and take the leap; you can do it.