A wife realizes her frustration was really a blessing in disguise.
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My husband and I speak two different languages when it comes to communication. I speak digital, own more than one computer, an iPad and a smart phone. I text, use Skype, and an assortment of apps that make my life better. I have a GPS in my car and on my phone.
He speaks pen and paper, prefers the old fashioned phone book with yellow pages and a uses a flip phone. He writes the same list over and over again.
There are days I am frustrated that I can’t send him a text and get a response back. Many of my friends share their cute conversations with their significant other, texting back and forth during the day. How much easier my life would be if I could send him a quick note, text him an important question, or share a phone number with him that he would know how to access. He struggles with his phone, trying to figure out the missed calls and voice mail. I don’t think he was meant to be one with technology.
His friends like to tease him about his Facebook account, the one I set up for him so I didn’t have to friend all his friends.
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I do admit there are many days that he is frustrated with me as well, but only because I am texting with friends and on the computer. I am what I would call a frequent user, (some might say addict) often watching TV while writing, or playing a computer game at the same time.
He doesn’t totally live with his head in the sand. He knows that there is something called Google that I can use to get him information, and even print out things from the Internet for him. He appreciates it’s value for things like instructional videos and boarding passes. He even thinks it’s cool that I can pay for things with my phone.
I did set up my iPad for him so he could watch bowling videos. He calls it his laptop. To make it easier for him, I created a list that plays one video right after the other so he doesn’t get lost in cyberspace.
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His friends like to tease him about his Facebook account, the one I set up for him so I didn’t have to friend all his friends. OK, I know that sounds shallow, but it’s not meant to be. It’s my way of trying to give him a presence in the digital age and it allow his friends to leave messages directly for him instead of asking me to share something with him.
Maybe one day when he retires, he’ll take a computer course and also learn to text.
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Granted, he doesn’t know how to use a computer, much less log onto Facebook. I log on as him on his account about once a week, and respond to friend requests. I am also really good about “liking” anything I’ve posted and I share all my blogs on his timeline so his friends can see them. But he participates too. With his input, he might add a wonderful comment, and I also help him message his friends and leave a few comments on their posts.
His bowling buddies caught on quickly and joke with him and me about “his posts.” Yes, they know it’s me, but he also knows it’s me and is happy to have a personal assistant that takes care of his digital needs.
Maybe one day when he retires, he’ll take a computer course and also learn to text. In the meantime, I know I can say with certainty, his name did NOT appear on the Ashley Madison website!
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Photo: Getty Images