I just experienced the ultimate frustration — having a column written on a tight deadline, then, before I could save it, suddenly erasing the whole thing. It’s been that kind of day. Though not all bad, I had the wonderful experience this morning of attending my grandson’s wedding in Washington, D.C., via Zoom. What a boon to humanity that is for all of us. My daughter and her husband set it up for me and, while not perfect, gave me a chance to “attend” and be part of their lives since my travel days are long behind me.

The local League of Women Voters has been using this method of meeting for some time now, and, while I’ve yet to use it (I keep forgetting) it offers our organization a way of continuing our activities during this blankety-blank COVID19 business. In fact, I suspect a lot of businesses that are physically scattered throughout the landscape are finding it a great money-saving convenience and will continue to use it long past the end of the epidemic.

In the meantime, many of us seniors struggle with the intricacies of the computer. When I was told that many of my service providers were going to computer billing, I thought, fine, as long as they don’t expect me to pay via computer. If they will provide me with a mailing address, I will gladly remit my check via U.S. mail. When I did a column on the subject, I received a torrent of “amens” from both people I know and complete strangers who recognized me from my picture. Most had gray hair and wrinkles like me. 

I can remember back to the early days of COVID19 when so many parents had to drive miles to use their computer because there were no connections where they lived. The schools and government soon learned that there is a great variation in people’s access to modern conveniences. Some probably are still using outhouses. For decision makers to assume that everyone has equal access to modern conveniences and that everyone has the same definition of “modern” is a big leap.

Those of us old gray heads who grew up when the nearest thing to a computer was a hand-cranked calculator have watched a succession of changes over the course of our lives. I can remember the first typewriters where the keys had to be struck with an even intensity to produce a nice even-looking page of type. Some of us never mastered that. Electric typewriters changed that. Reproducing copy went from carbon paper to mimeograph machines which gradually morphed to computer printers.

While I use only a small portions of the features available to me, I’m grateful for what I do use. I compose my writings, print copies as needed, save and store what I want to keep, organize my “files” and the like. I label myself “fumble fingers” because my coordination is so terrible. It is so nice to not have to stop and literally erase mistakes. I still have to stop, back up and correct a lot. At my age, I doubt I’ll see any improvement — more likely the opposite. My grades in typing class in both high school and college brought down my otherwise great grade average significantly. Touch typing is still better in my book than hunt and peck.

Since I am paid for writing this column, I try to be as professional as possible. Still the hardest part is turning out good copy. Only my editor knows whether or not I succeed.

Harding lives in Pullman and is a longtime League of Women Voters member. She also has served on the Gladish Community and Cultural Center board. Reach her at lj1105harding@gmail.com.