Technology Autobiography

I was born in 1988; however my earliest memories involving technology occurred a few years later. I can remember watching VHS movies and then using a special machine to rewind them when the movie was over. My sisters and I would get very annoyed if we started to watch a movie only to realize someone hadn't rewound it the last time it was watched.

My family had one desktop computer that had dial-up Internet.  You couldn't be on the phone when someone was on the Internet.  (This later became a problem with three girls and my parents bought a second phone line.)  I can remember my mom having a car phone when we were little.  It had to be plugged in to the car in order to be used.  Her cell phones have gotten smaller and smaller since this phone fortunately.

I got my first email address when I was in fifth grade.  I used it to write back and forth to my friends about things that happened during the school day.  This was exciting until we all discovered Instant Messenger. Instant Messenger was probably the biggest source of argument in my family.  My sisters and I all fought for computer time so we could converse with our friends and post our away messages.

Throughout my educational career we had computer classes.  These classes taught me everything from how to type to using Microsoft Office to navigating the Internet.  All papers were expected to be typed (despite what they told us in elementary school about always writing in cursive)!

When I went to college I got my first laptop.  I remember at Gordon students still needed cords to connect to the Internet in dorm rooms though some other areas were wireless.  I couldn't wait to get my college email address because you needed one to create a Facebook.  Many of us had already become Facebook friends with each other before we even came to Gordon.  There was already some kind of community established before orientation began. Technology played a major role throughout college as I learned to research and create a variety of projects.

I cannot image my life today without technology.  My husband and I together have six Apple products in our house (2 iPhones, 2 iPads, 1 Mac, and Apple TV). I use technology (Google Hangout) to keep in touch with my family and friends.  I use Pinterest to help with lesson ideas for my classroom or to find a new recipe to try.  I use technology to listen to music, pay bills, check the weather, shop for clothing, write papers, and for entertainment.  Technology has come so far in my lifetime; I can only imagine what will come next!