Once again, I am answering this week’s SYW from Di

1. Did you ever keep a diary?
Keeping a diary — ah, what secrets used to go into that tiny book with the little key that I kept in my teens! When I found this little treasure trove of embarrassing comments while clearing out before leaving home, I destroyed it! Sometimes I regret that, but honestly, if anyone had found those scribblings, I think I would have been mortified. I believe Greta Garbo did the same thing, and for much the same reason.

2. Do you use a calendar that is NOT on a computer/smartphone?
Yes, I put a monthly appointment calendar on the fridge, but I also use a digital one and set alarms on them. I am very forgetful and even if I do remember I tend to get involved in a task and forget the time so having an alarm set with sufficient time to get me to an appointment is magic!

3. When was the last time you wrote a letter…… using pen and paper, not a computer.
I used to write snail mail letters right up to the nineties but what a joy when I discovered fax and email! I have always found writing by hand a chore. And when school record keeping became digital it changed my life. No more re-doing whole documents because of one tiny error and no Tippex allowed!

4. If you had a column of 10 figures, could you add them up or would you need a calculator?
I could but why would I? The calculator is quick and accurate unless you mistype a digit!

Gratitude

I am so grateful for technology! I very much doubt that I would keep a diary if it weren’t for computers. Emails and Whatsapp as well as social media keep me in touch with the many loved ones I have scattered around the country and the world. And then there’s the blogosphere which has widened my world even more. Many people of my generation say it was better in the old days – It was great in the old days, but better? No, I don’t think so. For me it’s better now.