When internet surfing slows down

This last week has been one of church planning, visiting and deciding.

In the midst of all this, I’ve had little time to surf the web.  I missed it!

A few decades ago I would never have made that statement! 

In 1986 I was serving as a Teacher’s Assistant while completing my Master of Library Science.  The computer was just becoming a home appliance.  In my earlier high school days I had done some computer programming and enjoyed it thoroughly.  When the professor who taught Computer introduction found this out, she asked if I would sit in the computer lab.  All I had to do was help students turn on the computers and not break anything when the computers failed to do what they were told.  And for the timid soul, I taught them to “push the button — it won’t blow up.”

While in the computer lab I also to helped students sign on to various library databases.  To find information on the web required reference books and perseverance.  Search engines were pretty well non-existant (the term “googled” was a non-term, waiting to be born!!). 

When it came to surfing the web, most students were just beginners looking for water — they couldn’t even fathom there were waves big enough to ride!

At the time, I took the view that this “net” thing was fun, but not a necessity.  20 years later I have a very different POV (point of view)!

Now, I use the net to prepare sermons, find phone numbers, check on travel and accommodation, find appliance manuals, read/hear the news, find jokes and illustrations!  The other day I asked my wife for the translation of a latin phrase.  Having studied Latin in high school she easily translated most  of the phrase.  But when part of the phrase seemed to be a mystery, she headed right to Google instead of to a Latin dictionary.

So, tonight after more meetings, I’ll head home.  Check on some blogs.  See about some news.  And maybe just pick a word out of the air and see what Google turns up!

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