Techno-Girl

Let it be said - I'm not a afraid of technology.  I just happen to be perfectly content in my house, reading a book or knitting.  I've always thought "quiet" in a house was to be prized and savored when possible.  In fact, until I started knitting, television wasn't a big part of my life when I was alone.  I've never been ignorant of technology though.  Starting at a young age, living with a dad who was a "computer guy" - I learned about word processing, how a computer works, and how to play all those fun games back on the Commodore 64 (you remember - the ones you hooked up to a TV and the hard drive was in the keyboard!).  My sister and I could spend hours of fun with Teddy Barrels of Fun (which looking back now, was a card printing software).  And through high school, we weren't the only kids with our own personal computers, but we were the first of our friends to get them. 

Living through technology for so long has made me a pro as trouble-shooting (especially via phone, long-distance, while I was at college - thanks Dad).  This has led me to be a pretty fast typist, and very comfortable working in a lot of the major software programs available today.  All great bonuses, and have helped me in many jobs, whether I was the only one who knew how to use the computer, or I was on the "tech" team to help with basic computer problems (never my 'real' job, not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'd rather be teaching). 

But, up until recently I've firmly resisted social networking and all that implies.  Facebook, Twitter, Blogging.  Really?  Why would I need that?  And wasn't email a perfectly fine way to get ahold of someone?  Never let it be said that my sister is one to listen to the word "No."  Not when she could create a Facebook account for me, under a pseudonym invented by one of her friends, and find as many of my friends to invite to the page as possible.  Or, refuse to talk to me on email, saying - "Facebook messages is so much better"  It still seems like email to me, only I have to log on to Facebook to read it!  LOL.  Well, I have to give her props - Facebook is fun, and it is entertaining to read what my friends and coworkers are up to.  And yes, I did have the Farmville phase like so many other newbies.  That lasted until Farmville got too big for my old computer to load quickly, and I got bored waiting.

But now, it's time to move to the next phase.  Twitter & Blogging.  Yikes!   Scary thoughts.  However, to be a fully connected Etsy store (and maybe sell some of my knitting, since I still knit whether I sell anything or not, and it's piling up!), it seems that being connected is the thing to do.  I was already on Facebook, so it was nothing to start up a Facebook Fan page for my Etsy store.  For those of you who've missed it:  http://tinyurl.com/mirandagabrielle But, again and again, I'd see articles by other Etsy sellers talking about Twitter and Blogging.  Apparently I was really missing a big part of my potential audience.  I kept thinking - later, later - when I have more time.  Well, here it is - summer vacation.  Time is no longer a problem.  Time to tackle some of these technologies.

This morning, I've officially signed up for Twitter (3 tweets so far) and have created this Blog.  Twitter, I'm relieved to see, can be totally online and does not have to involve my phone.  Thank goodness, because I have one of those simple phones and actually don't like to text either.  And Blogging - so far, it's been fun to design the page and set it up.  My fear here is that it will be like having a pen pal - fun at first, but then tapering off.  Hopefully, by practicing this summer while I have time, it will be habit by the time school starts in the fall.  After all - I do love to talk, so blogging does seem like a good match.  I look forward to getting some followers that comment, and talking back and forth.  Tips & Comments welcome below.  :)

Well - hold on world - here I am on all sorts of social media.  I can be followed, liked, and commented on.  Oh boy!  : /

Should you want to, here are the websites again:
Facebook:  http://tinyurl.com/mirandagabrielle
Etsy:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/MirandaGabrielle
Twitter:  @MirandaBrielle

Now, time to go.  It's almost 7 pm, and here in the Central Time Zone, on a Tuesday evening....well, you know what that means.  Time for NCIS.  I have to admit, I'm a not-so-closet NCIS fan.  You know, the kind that will watch again tonight, even though we are past the season finale, so you know it's a rerun.  And, yes, I've already checked which one.  It's that one with the new agent from this season - EJ - yes, the one I didn't like.  But, a fan's a fan.  I'll be staked out with my knitting, watching my favorite characters interact with this interloper yet again.  So, happy watching.