my dad is overwhelmed by facebook.

(Bonnie's caption) "Dad says he likes black shirts because they're slimming."

OK, fair enough, not the nicest picture he’s ever taken, but he looks darn good for his age and doesn’t need his ego patted any more than it already is. And he is famous for the gusto with which he wears the various crazy items of clothing we bring home from trips to other countries.  Or goodwill.  Or the bizarre items of clothing Grandma gave him over the years.  Like the Fedora, or the Russian Comrade Fur Hat, or the Intrepid Explorer Vest.  Or the Yemeni Man-Skirt.  The list is extensive.

So, the following conversation ensued today on the phone:  I asked him casually if he’d been reading my blog.  He was apologetic, saying he’d been busy.  He went on to clarify that he’d been sort of occupied with all his new friends on Facebook.  Actually what he said is, “I’m on Facebook, and I’m totally overwhelmed.  I have over 40 friends!”  He has been “reconnecting” with a lot of old friends from Texas, old camp people, etc… I laughed like a hyena for about 10 minutes.  My parents’ adventures with technology over the years have been epic and an interesting exercise in role-reversal as they have learned most of what they know from their kids.  My mom still talks about “getting on the email”, not grasping that email can be a thing sent or a verb, but not a place you go to.  And they called me recently when they were experimenting with Skype… my cellphone rang at work, I answered, and was excitedly asked by my mom if I could see them.  They could see themselves on the computer screen, but forgot that they’d called my cellphone…  I laughed for a good long time over that one.

Sorry to lampoon them a little bit, but given that we were raised in a house with no TV or internet, and that they still live in the world of dial-up and land lines, all this skyping and facebooking is both admirable and amusing.  I’m glad they’ve finally gotten on the train.