Computers and the Internet

Because part of our experience with Mid-Life Cruising is the creation of a web site, I thought I'd write about the computer and internet itself.

For the past day I've been dealing with a virus on my computer.  Right now I'm using another computer until I get mine running again.  It seems that viruses are getting more difficult to avoid, as I don't open junk e-mail, I have Spybot, AdAware, and AVG installed on my computer, and I am very conscientious about my actions on the computer.  However, I still became infected. 

On another note, before I started this web site about 4 weeks ago, I really knew little about computers and the internet.  Being a real estate agent, I knew how to check my e-mails, surf the net, and utilize the real estate software required by my business.  However, that was all I knew!  I don't use Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace and had no idea what to do with a digital camera other than take the picture.  My husband, Ken, always handled saving the pictures onto the computer.  MP3, zip files, downloading, uploading....all new to me. 

In the past month I've learned a little about downloading and uploading and MP3s.  However, I still have trouble e-mailing pictures sometimes, with errors such as too large a file or the person receiving the picture gets a huge picture, tiny picture, or right-sized blurry picture.  I'm sure there's an easy solution.  I just don't understand bytes and wouldn't know by the number of bytes if it's big or small.  Also, how does a favorite CD turn into an MP3?  An Ipod?  I know what it is, but have never used one.  Our sailboat, Nirvana, has a CD player and MP3 player.   I assume that means an Ipod can be plugged into it?  I'm sure all I need to do is ask my 18 year old daughter about this one.  I guess we're getting old and need to catch up on the amazing changes in technology.  We're working on it!  If anybody has any input, we're always ready to learn.

I feel like I've come a long way in the past month.  I know I still have so much more to learn.  I have been really pleased with the ease of creating a web site, and the term SEO is now in my vocabulary.  Not that it doesn't require a lot of time, because it definitely does!  I'd really like to inspire those that have never even thought of cruising before, so I guess soon I'll be learning all about Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. 

Already Ken and I are able to converse with other cruisers, and actually feel like we are no longer just on-lookers.  Everybody has been so kind and helpful.  It has been so great to find more and more people either with the same dream or already living it.  Hopefully, our cruising contacts will continue to increase and we'll get to meet up with some of them somewhere in the Caribbean! 

The best part of creating this web site is that we will now have a place to store all of our experiences and memories.  I'm ashamed to admit that I have a huge box of photos in no particular order that are shoved in a closet somewhere.  I hope to go through those photos one day and do something with them.  At least from this point on our photos will be organized and easily accessible to not only Ken and I, but to our families and friends as well.

This web site is another aspect of changing the course in our life.  We believe change is always good, and it keeps your mind young.  At least we hope so!  Hasta luego ... until then.  Mid-life Cruising!