INTERNET FOR WOMEN OF THE 3rd AGE ?

The first thing I did once the suitcases in our room, was asking at the reception about Internet connection. Behind the counter stood 3 handsome tall guys, one a kind of Omar Shariff at the times of Doctor Zhivago, a George Clooney/Mustafa and a Pierce Brosnan/Hassan.

When I asked for Internet, the 3 made eyes like saucers and probably thought that I was a little disturbed. Finally "Omar" told me to go to the Internet café. I asked him if it was still at the same place as last year and he said yes. So I crossed the huge hall, went to the shopping area and entered the door where the Internet café was last year and where I had to buy a card to get a username and password for my computer.

Instead, I found a barman behind his bar and a big snooker table in the middle of the room where the computers had been. He told me that I had to go to the reception, buy a card and ask all information over there.

I felt like a ping pong ball. I went back to the reception, and as Omar was busy on the phone Clooney/Mustafa smiled and told me to go to the 4th floor where the Internet café was now. I said I don't want to go to the forth floor, I just want a username and password and that I had my own computer, I turned around, went to my room and came back with my little Notebook.

A chaos broke out. Omar dropped the phone (or nearly) Brosnan/Hassan left his German clients and they all gathered around me to admire my little notebook.

They called another guy the computer specialist who would come immediately and help me for the username and password. Knowing that "Immediately" could last at least 1/2 h I said they should call me when he is ready and has what I need. But this time like a flash he came out of his boxroom and then suddenly all went very quick. Probably he wanted to show me that he too was able to handle a computer ! In no time I had a username and password written on this little piece of paper, because in their surprise to find a woman of the third age able to handle a computer they forgot to give me their sophisticated new card they were so proud of and which they had shown me before.



I didn't care, the most important thing was I now had my internet connection.

Ever since when I cross the hall, the three beauties give me a respectful smile and ask if everything is OK. I smile back feeling like the Queen of England.

So I saved the reputation of the 3rd youth women, and that we are not all complete idiots in this male world when it comes to Computers !

GRANDMAS AND COMPUTERS ???

During the whole week I did my market study to find a new Madame GPS, as I want to divorce from the old one and find a younger model. (Equality for women !) Since she had conducted me amongst cows, to the wrong airport and other strange places, I lost all confidence and decided to buy a new one, and for that my forthcoming birthday was ideal !

Mr. G. and son D. got the instruction to share the costs for a new Madame GPS for me. Finally I found one which fulfils all my wishes, and also a shop where it was 30 € cheaper !

Today I went to the shop to buy my new GPS. When the shopowner saw me entering his shop, he made a face as if he couldn't believe that such a grandma dared to enter his kingdom.

A women my age is not supposed to know anything about computers or internet or anything close to it. In some way he is right, because amongst my friends only very few use internet and don't really know what a computer is, except that it bites.

He took the GPS from the shelf, put it on the cash desk and ask me to pay. I told him that first I had a few questions concerning map updates with the computer. He rolled his eyes invisibly to the ceiling, probably expecting a lot of stupid questions. But when I started to speak and told him what I had done so far googling through the net to get all informations about all Garmin GPSs, his eyes almost popped out of his head. To some questions he didn't even know the answers and I had to explain them to him. As he only knew the things in French, but Garmin is in English and the French translation rather bad, he quickly realized that I don't have to be in my 30th to have some know how and that there are also exceptions in grandmas. I think for Grandpas he would have accepted these facts more easily.

Finally he was so startled that his whole world collapsed because apparently women are not that stupid as he thought. Now he didn't want to let me go ! When I arrived he was in a hurry to get rid of me, now it was the opposite. He even asked me questions ! Of course from computers itself I don't know anything or very little, but when it comes to Internet and everything which comes with it, I can hold the position.

At the end he offered his services if ever I had a problem with my GPS and even held the door open so a could walk out (head up !) !

Now I have to wait until July 8th to become a proud owner of my new Madame GPS, and I hope that she will be a responsible adult and not a teenager in puberty who sends me amongst the cows again !







Modern times !

SHOW & TELL

More participants here

Lately I wasn't happy with my HP laptop anymore. Not because of it's technical skills but because the screen was not big enough for what I am doing now, i.e. more photography and it's better to see photos on a bigger screen. I had noticed that they look completely different on Mr. G's computer then on my laptop. So I became pregnant of a new computer. It had to have a big screen but a little tower as the space in my room is reduced. Not easy to find.

But then I saw this and that was the ideal computer for my purposes. Big screen, no tower !! and rather cheap ! (400 €) I couldn't believe it and called Mr. G as he is the responsible for the technical details, I don't know how many Giga I need and all the rest. Computers are his big love (besides the cats) so he hurried over to join me in the shop. The verdict was : yes for you, it's OK. It is an Acer so called emachine ! (never heard of it)



Rosie had to help with unwrapping



and here it is in all its beauty. Enough USB plugs behind and on the side and also space for DVDs. It came along with a keyboard and a mouse.



and here is a picture of my blogging space now



a little closer look. It really doesn't take a lot of space and I so much appreciate the big screen !

THURSDAY THIRTEEN

13 Quotes about computers

1. Computers have lots of memory but no imagination.

2. They've finally come up with the perfect office computer. If it makes a mistake, it blames another computer.

3. Reading computer manuals without the hardware is as frustrating as reading sex manuals without the software.

4. The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back.

6. The only way to make your PC go faster is to throw it out a window.

7. The question of whether computers can think is like the question of whether submarines can swim.

8. Never let a computer know you're in a hurry

9. Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy

10. Always be wary of the Software Engineer who carries a screwdriver.

11. Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog. ~Doug Larson

12. Don't explain computers to laymen. Simpler to explain sex to a virgin

13. All sorts of computer errors are now turning up. You'd be surprised to know the number of doctors who claim they are treating pregnant men.







This is my contribution to Sanni's handwriting meme. I choose french because she wrote in German and french is my second mother tongue.

The first sentence is very difficult to pronounce if you have to do it quick ! "Trois gros rats gris dans trois gros trous ronds rongent trois gros croutons ronds"

The words in the 2nd sentence are pronounced exactly the same way but are written different. That makes the French language so complicated. Poissons sans boisson c'est poison !