Doreetha Daniels is 99 years old and she recently graduated from University. Her story reminds us that we are never too old to learn. Interestingly, Daniels is not the oldest person to go to university. Brian Lowe is 102. He went back to university to get his MA, “Just to complete my resume,” he said.
Their stories remind you and I that learning (at any age) keeps you fresh and young. It challenges your brain and maintains your skills and strengths. Most of all, it teaches you not to take yourself so seriously.
I brainstormed some ways that can put my learning muscles to the test. I am learning to text with two thumbs rather than one lonely stubby index finger.
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I am half their age, so I brainstormed some ways that can put my learning muscles to the test. I don’t want to go back to university, so I did the next best thing. I decided to create The Texting University (txtedu): I am learning to text with two thumbs rather than one lonely stubby index finger.
Why did I decide to launch this new learning journey? Really, it’s because I have two-finger text envy.
I see my kids and how their thumbs move like they are on thumb-sized steroids. My one finger typing is seriously slow. I won’t lie, it’s not really because I am inspired by Dorretha’s story. Cold, hard envy is driving me to change my texting ways.
I have a new, lightening fast smartfone. So why do I put up with super-slo stubby texting? I couldn’t find an answer to that question, even after consulting with Google.
Progress is slow. I’ve been at it for a week and so far it’s going okay, but I can’t tell if I’m any faster yet.
Learning can be like that. You make a change, but seeing the results can take time. So you have to be patient and follow the super-scientific ten stages of learning.
According to Science, there are ten stages of learning:
- Waking up
- Coffee
- Playlist adjusting
- Powering up your computer
- More coffee
- Question asking
- Stretching
- Being bored
- More coffee
- Testing out what you have learned
This list gives me food for thought: Two thumbs and coffee are pretty much the essentials for re-learning how to text.
Most of what I am doing right now is UNlearning my old habits. That’s why the process is so darned slow. My lonely index finger still wants to take over and run things. My thumbs are under-skilled and it will take time and patience for them to build up the skills and confidence that I expect.
My spelling has taken a serious hit and I am sure I have offended a few people over the last week. But I am determined to get this.
When I am 99, I want to be able to say that half a lifetime ago, I became the Zen Master of two-finger texting.
If you like this piece, you may want to read more of my work:
Addiction: Laughing Loudly While Crying Into Your Beer
The Five Benefits to Being Humor Drunk
What Do Our Texts Say About Us?
I write articles about wellness, leadership, parenting and personal growth. My hope is to deliver the best content I can to inspire, to inform and to entertain. Sign up for my blog if you want to receive the latest and best of my writing. If you like what I have to say, please share my work with your friends.
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Keep it Real
Photo by Graham Scharf