GOOGLE AND THE INTERNET IN MIDLIFE

Do you ever wonder what we did before Google and the Internet?

INTRO

Today's Social Saturday guest is Lise from Caribbean Cruise Digest where she blogs about (you guessed it) cruising the world on ocean liners - a subject which she is an expert on after taking 40 or so cruises. I feel like a complete stay at home in comparison! Today Lise is taking a slightly different tangent and asking a question that has often occured to me as I enter a question into Google search.

HOW DID WE KNOW ANYTHING BEFORE GOOGLE?

In a novel I'm reading, a 16-year old girl asked herself: How did they know anything before Google? 

Which cracked me up. Indeed, how did we? 

When it comes to today's technology, I absolutely LOVE it! The internet has literally changed my life when I turned 50. That’s when I asked myself what would I do with the rest of my life. Little did I know that I would get to be a 71-year old tech nerd and web designer.

I know people of my generation who don’t like computers, the internet, and even some who don’t have a computer. Oh my! I would be lost without access to my emails, my blog, Facebook or even Pinterest.


GOOGLE IS 20 YEARS OLD

Wow! That’s amazing.

Google is everyone’s go-to for anything. It has even become a verb: “I’ll google it”. Google knows everything 
J it can come up with dozens of answers to your questions in an instant. We don’t have to go look it up at the library or in the encyclopedia. The information is there at our fingertips.

I use Google for my emails, for writing, to find keywords for my posts, look up the weather, search for a recipe, read reviews of products I want to buy, etc. There are so many ways to use Google and the Internet.

I even got for Christmas last year the Google Home Mini and I can ask her (yep I decided it’s a female) anything even to play music.





THE INTERNET IS OUR FRIEND

If you’re working from home, like I do, you’re not alone anymore. I have designed websites for clients from all over the world and actually talked to them via Google Hangout or Skype. I have made online friends who speak the same language as me, i.e. Wordpress, CSS, code, etc. We have a weekly meeting online to talk about our frustrations, our goals, our successes.

Facebook groups make it possible to meet others with the same interests, whether for work or pleasure. Our immediate world has expanded because of them. My daughter, who has a 5-month old baby, can find help through groups of mothers who have been, or are going through the same stages. She can ask about bottles, feeding, etc. She can also search and buy used baby stuff from local Facebook groups. I wish that was available when she was growing up.


DEVICES I USE ON A DAILY BASIS

Cell phone: I think it was only 4 years ago that I finally got a smartphone. It took me a while to actually leave it on all day. I would forget since I’m mostly at home, in front of my computer and we still have a landline. So it was in my purse, in case of emergency when I go out.

You would have laughed at me when my daughter showed me how to text on that first phone. We were in a shopping mall and we went our separate ways and we’re to text each other when ready to meet for lunch. When she did text me, it took me so long to write my text, she met me before I could even finished it. I’m faster now but still I’m really intrigued when I see young people texting, how the heck can they move their fingers so fast?





Now I keep my phone on all day, even in the house, in case my daughter sends me a text or a Messenger, which works perfectly since I don’t have Facebook open on my desktop while I work, the temptation to scroll would be too much.

Laptop: I’m an “Apple” lady, I love Mac. I switched from a PC years ago and never looked back. When I go in the Apple store, I’m like a kid in a candy store. I use my laptop to watch Netflix, check my emails and do some writing, as I’m doing now, because I can be sitting anywhere with it.

Desktop: I have a big Mac, 21” screen and this is where most of my work is done. Everyday, I’m sitting at my desk working on blog related stuff.

iPad: I use it to play games before I go to bed, or to look up a recipe while I’m cooking it. I have a little stand so it can stay open. I also bring my iPad when we go on cruises, it’s small enough to fit in my purse and it’s what I used on the ship to go online. Plus I download Netflix shows to watch on the plane, since they took away the in-flight movies, except on long-distance flights.




E-reader: I love my reader. I downloaded a lot of books and I find it’s really doesn’t take much room in my carry-on when I travel. I do still enjoy reading a ‘paper’ book and I alternate between the two.

GROWING OLD WITH THE WEB AND GOOGLE

I look at it this way: If we were still before Google and the Internet, I have no idea what I would do to keep myself busy. Probably sit in a rocking chair and watch the world go by! What a dreadful thought...

I hope to be able to continue working until I can’t anymore. As far as I’m concerned, it forces my brain to stay young and happy.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Do you remember the days of looking things up in the encyclopedia? Do you remember landline phones with curly cords? Do you remember when there was no Facebook, or Skype, or email?


Lise and where you can find her
 

Lise Galipeau is married with a grown-up daughter, grandmother to 5-month old baby boy, and fur mother to 2 dogs. She lives in a small town near Montreal, Qc, Canada and is French Canadian. She has worked online for the last 20 years. She’s a self-taught web designer. She and her husband have been on 40+ cruises which is why she has started a new blog on cruises. Interested in cruises? Then come and visit her on her site and download her Best Caribbean Cruise Tips.

Caribbean Cruise Blog: https://caribbeancruisedigest.com
Web Design site: https://galidesigns.com
Facebook personal: https://www.facebook.com/lise.galipeau
FB Cruise Page: https://www.facebook.com/caribbeancruisedigest

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/caribbeancruisedigest/




Do you ever wonder what we did before Google and the Internet?

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30 comments

  1. I LOVE all things google, internet, computers --as an educator, mother, human being! Totally agree with everything you say -- I'm equally comfortable in a MAC and a PC world.

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    1. I often wonder how we lived without the internet Janet - or how we'll live without it if it ever blows up! How will I Google my ailments, or my weird wonderings, or recipes? Perish the thought!

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    2. Thanks Janet, loved that you added as a human being :) And Leanne, you made me laugh...

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  2. Hi, Lise - It is a pleasure to meet you here. I love your enthusiasm for technology and am impressed with how quickly you've learned to master so much of it.
    My answer is a resounding "yes" to each of your closing questions!

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    1. I could answer Yes to all of them too Donna - I really don't miss encyclopedia browsing - it's fun when you have no specific agenda, but the ease of typing something into Google when you want a specific answer just leaves the days of books for dead.

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    2. Thanks Donna, actually when I first started online, I took a course to 'build' a site. It wasn't as easy as it is today, for one thing Wordpress didn't exist! And I remember asking the gentleman who was giving the course, how long it would take me to build the website, he told me probably about 1 month...it took 6 months! After that, I did buy books and learned more html, and later on CSS with the help of Google.

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  3. Hi Lise, I so envy you! I'm 51, and I'm the complete opposite of you and haven't yet embraced this technology. I have a laptop and a Nokia phone (not smart). I don't know if it's allowed, but I wrote about this exact thing on my blog and if Leanne let's me I'll put the link in a comment here. I wish we could go back to the days of trekking to the library to get information from books, scouring the newspapers for latest events and second hand goods, and talking to people for hours either by phone (yes, the one with the curly cord!) or in person, instead of sending abbreviated messages to each other 24/7. For me they were the good old days :-) Cheryl

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    1. Hi Cheryl - I think I'm somewhere in between you and Lise. I still love my landline phone (without the curly cord) and can talk for hours. My laptop and I are best buddies but I rarely use my mobile phone for anything other than an occasional text - I'd rather work with a keyboard and decent sized screen!
      You are more than welcome to add the link to your post - I'd love to read it :)

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    2. Hi Leanne, I need a keyboard for typing (as someone who learnt to touch-type on an old clunker of a type-writer about 100 years ago!). Thank you for allowing me to put my link here, it's very generous of you. https://borninacar.com/dont-need-smartphone/ Have a nice weekend!

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    3. Hi Cheryl, when I was your age (LOL don't I sound like really old!!) I didn't have a phone, I think only flip phone existed. I just read your post, it's hilarious. I'm with you though that it's amazing to watch people out in the world, walking looking at their phone, eating looking at their phone, etc. We even saw a couple once eating at a restaurant and they were both on their phones...why?? And I don't have all those apps, I barely use any. What I like about having my phone is that I can text my daughter instead of calling because now that she has a 5 month old son who doesn't sleep much, I can ask her something or we can schedule when it's a best time to call, since I never know if either the baby is sleeping or she's trying to sleep. And like Leanne, my landline doesn't have a curly cord :)

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    4. Hi Cheryl - I visited and left a comment - you certainly are living a very interesting life - and you're a fellow WA girl!

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    5. Hello Lise and Leanne! Thank you for your replies and for reading my post, glad you both liked it :-) In the old days, we just took the phone off the hook when we didn't want people to disturb our sleeping babies :-) How life has changed since then!!! Yes, a WA girl, Perthite.

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  4. I'm a geek - even at my age (65) - I love technologies. And hate them. I taught myself to use all the software I have and still get a little thrill when I discover a new, cool app. I'd hate to go backwards and have to look things up in a library even though I still hope libraries will be around forever. The only thing I won't do, absolutely not, is read a book on a computer. That takes all the thrill out of reading. I will say this, though, throughout the years, my least favorite technology has always been the phone. I find it to be a true annoyance, albeit a necessary one.

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    1. So glad I'm finding other geek around my age. I don't want to go backwards either, I'm excited to see what else comes around.

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  5. I love Google. I am moving towards using other Google services also, like Drive & Docs. I use googlemaps a LOT! Yes, what DID we do before Google.
    :) Gwingal

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    1. I use google maps too, Nikki, and I found out this past week, while driving to a cottage for the week, that it will also tell me what the traffic is like :)

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    2. I'm a big fan of Google maps too - I just have to remember to update my GPS regularly or they lead me astray! I can't remember the last time I opened a paper mapbook.

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  6. I love my Samsung phone, because my keyboard has a "swipe to text" capability. I can type pretty fast just by swiping around to the letters in a word. I had to use my sister's iPhone once and it just killed me with its slowness!

    I remember when facebook came out because I had a different blog no a now-closed site, and all of a sudden everyone in that blogosphere talked about transferring their blogging to this new thing "facebook". I do like how it can connect me with people I haven't seen in a long time, and people who would be otherwise lost from my life, but I hate all the drama.

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    1. Thanks Red for the info, I didn't know that about the Samsung. Yes Facebook for me now, is mostly about finding groups that I feel comfortable in and meet others.

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    2. I love Facebook for maintaining connections with distant friends, but I'm also a big fan of the Unfollow button when they start to get too political or too dramatic - or their lives are too glossy!

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  7. I love Google! What did we do before?
    Case in point: We are movie aficionados. And always wanting to know the story behind the story. A few years ago, Husby bought me a large book, called The Movie Hound. It had all the facts behind the movies to that point in time. (Of course, all too soon it became woefully outdated) We consulted that book almost daily. Then I discovered Google. And additional sites like IMDB. A few months ago, I found that formerly well-thumbed tome in a far off corner. Dusty and unused. I simply didn't need it when Google was at my fingertips. Ready and immediate. We managed before, but it is so much better now!

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    1. Good example Diane. Google is so much faster and is definitely up-to-date on everything. But a few years ago we bought a t-shirt for my husband with the saying on it: "I don't need Google, my wife knows everything" and he always wears it at least once during our cruises and everyone we meet gets a good laugh. And I'm proud to point out that I am the wife :)

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    2. I do the same thing with movies Diane - and also when I see an actor/actress who I know I've seen somewhere else and can't place them - to be able to Google (during the movie if I'm home!) and place them makes my brain happy. I remember the first time I did this was when we didn't have internet but my niece did - she Googled it for me (probably Yahooed it for me back then!) and I was blown away by her cleverness :)

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  8. This was an interesting read Lise, it’s koveky to meet you here at Leanne’s. I love technology too and wonder whatever we did before we had google!! I do think I need to take a break from technology every now and again but it’s fun keeping up with what’s happening around the world and on everyone’s blogs. Thanks Leanne for sharing Lise’s insights with us.

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    1. It was a fun post wasn't it Deb? My husband and I were talking about conspiracy theories the other day and all the websites dedicated to them - how did we ever hear about things before the internet? And what did I do before Wiki? It is soooo much better than my old Encyclopedias!

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  9. Hi Lise & Leanne! I have to admit I wonder sometimes how we knew things before Google :) I can be watching TV with my husband or in conversation and if something comes up that I/we don't know, I just grab my smartphone and look it up on Google! Technology is great if used correctly. I just had a break from Social Media and my blog which was very liberating and I try to have a technology free day each week, however, I wouldn't trade my phone, laptop, tablet or internet for anything! Have a beautiful week!

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    1. Hi Sue - you're so right - it's a Catch 22 where the internet has so much to offer but can also be a time trap and distraction from real life. Getting the balance right is the secret and I try to give myself some time off - especially on the weekends :)

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  10. Let's say I'm in the older crowd but I own a computer, three iPads, two iTouches, a cell phone, and know how to integrate technology into the classroom effectively. I regularly lecture on it locally. I am trying to find time to update my skills for coding. It is not our age but our attitude that slows us down in this area.

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    1. You are so right Lee (and also so clever!) I am grateful beyond words that I learned about computers when they were just word processors, then learned about the internet, then blogging came along and I've learned a bit of HTML - the secret is to always be open to new ideas and not to be scared to try your hand at things - if in doubt.....we can always Google it!

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  11. Thanks Lise and Leanne, I don't much like a lot of social media but I love Google. We have a saying that Mr. Google knows everything. I do a lot of research and I would hate to have to do it in a library chasing around for books. I am not sure I would like a Home Mini, Lol I would feel like I had a spy in the house.
    This post has been quite popular so we will feature it on the next Blogger's Pit Stop.
    Kathleen

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Thanks so much for your comment - it's where the connection begins.