Sunday, April 23, 2006

this whole blog thing...


...must be contagious.

Yesterday, "Dad" and "Montana twin brother" stopped by for dinner. The conversation went from their trip, pictures, digital cameras and computers to blogging, in general.

Now Dad isn't any slouch when it comes to trying new things. Heck, we (he and I) broke into the computer world years ago. We'd used "word processors" prior to the day when word processors were actually popular... We'd tinkered with "Montana twin brother's" Commodore system and in 1983 Dad and I each purchased our own tape driven computers... the type that had to be connected to black and white televisions. Everything we did involved typing strings of commands in CP/M, BASIC (which was stored on tape) to get the computer to do anything.

The computer, keyboard, printer and tapes (one was a blank tape for "storage" and the other was the "program" tape)cost more (comparison wise approximately $600.00 back then) than the lightning fast cpu's bundled with printers, scanners, flat screens, keyboards and software we use today. It was manufactured by Coleco in 1983... called the Adam and could be used as a "stand alone" home computer system or as an "add on" to the Coleco game system. The bottom line... it was not user friendly... not at all.

So, why am I telling you this? Well, to let you know that Dad really never backs away from any new, innovative challenges... never. Actually, he embraces them. His hunger for information, for trying new, innovative things has always been one of his finer qualities. He has always led by example... that "follow me" type example as he sets out to master that which is new.

So, it didn't surprise me when he started asking me about "this blog thing... what is it?"

I tried to explain it to him... an online, running diary of sorts... an area where you post thoughts, happenings, experiences, jokes... anything your heart desires and your mind conjures up.

I tried to explain it but the more I tried to explain the more I realized I just wasn't being clear.

"Do you want a blog Dad?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I do" he answered.

...and the rest is history. I grabbed the laptop, plopped it onto the dinner table logged onto my wireless router and hooked him up with blogspot. Within a couple of minutes he had his own blog and was posting his first post to it.

Not bad for an old fart!

This is just another bit of the internet evolution that happens daily... eh?

...and to think Al Gore caused all of this!

6 comments:

Steve said...

I think it is great that dad wants to blog...
as you know...what a great form of self-expression it is!

Dennis said...

Hi Steve- Yah, me too. The good Lord knows he and I have got into enough trouble together over the years... why stop now!

Brat!!!- Hey kiddo! Ya made it. You going to create a blog? And I see you made it home. Thanks for calling!

Hi Ed- Dad has always been one of those very curious people when it came to "new" things. He's just naturally inclined to see what makes things "tick".

Cathy said...

I'm going to have to keep up with him...or try to keep up with him anyway. I bet he has a lot to say. What does the SYAU HWA stand for?

Forest Lady said...

I think it's great about your dad. I can't even get my mom to get an answering machine, much less a computer!

Dennis said...

cathy- he's behind the bubble right now so you're safe... pre-occupied with "Montana twin brother" right now... syau hwa is "small talk"... how appropriate, eh?

Forest lady- thanks for stopping by! and on his site too! I redirected him to his site today so he should be able to post something soon. He's a bit wary about the blogs and all.

Again, thanks!

DG- did you get her hitched??? Are you back??? Dayum, you've been missed.

Dennis said...

Sorry Sue-

Things are getting a bit rugged here and I've been a bit pre-occupied.

It would have been around 6:15 p.m. here.

J and I did take a trip out of state to Nevada recently to meet some friends from Alaska. It was an enjoyable trip.

However, while we were there and when we returned we learned that bpbil was basically being "sold out" by his (LOL) court appointed attorney. What a farce.

Anyway, you don't need this. I purposely stayed away from the blog to see what "they" would do...

"They" (the "attorneys") did pretty much what I thought they'd do but had hoped they wouldn't do... they did what attorneys tend to do... they kissed him off.

Sorry about the glum response.

You have to get your sleep lady.

Thanks for thinking of us though!