"I don't get it"

Technology is seriously driving me crazy! It was a great thoughtful gift but learning to use it is one of my frustrating complaints for the end of this year! An Ipod. Which stands for an infuriating pathological obstacle discouragement! Other known as a palm sized electronic device primarily to play music. Usually I only listen to music during car rides but I wanted something to take to the gym, pumping energizing music to keep me going! Well...."I don't get it" Technology is probably the most frustrating "obstacle" for me that turns me into a pathological infuriated discouraged human being! In the ole days with the Walkmans you bought the tapes, slipped them in and listened to music. These Ipod's need computers. It was an all day adventure learning to download music from Frostwire, then highlighting, dragging and placing the music in itunes, from there downloading onto your Ipod! I still don't get it. Or maybe "I get it" but I can't do it. I feel like the little engine that could. As I continue through my frustration chanting, "I think I can, I think I can" trying to overcome this almost impossible task! So now I have 100 songs on my Ipod. No where near my teenagers Ipod's with over 500 songs! For me to download 500 songs that I like, I've beaten all odds! This is where I would loose my patience, technology isn't my expertise. I do find it fascinating that our teenagers can figure out technology easily. Not only easily but it's their way of communication. It's like a new age era where they need technology as their essential tool. Socializing has become texting. Even I'm guilty for one reason only, texting is economically cheaper then using your talking minutes on your cell phone. I can text family all over Canada at anytime from anywhere without any extra cost. My sister in law and I communicate all day long doing this! Texting our teenagers is an easy, quick way to communicate from anywhere that allows service. So I'm not all against new age technology, I understand and appreciate the benefits. I just feel old school. Our teenagers get frustrated with me because I'm not catching onto this whole downloading dragging thing. They keep saying, "OH Mom!" with an aggravated voice. My husband and I have no clue about online banking, Internet shopping or anything really that involves the computer. I can receive, send emails, blog and download pictures off of my camera onto my computer. Believe it or not I've had this camera for over 5 years and I still don't know how to use it properly! In fact I blame the camera! A great essay for teenagers to write would be the pros and cons on today's technology because there is definitely a high number of both. The Internet is a great tool but I've witnessed first hand on how it interferes with learning. When I was in school, I learned strictly from books. Now I've noticed our teenagers still have the books but they're not directly internalizing any learning from them. They are inserting information from the Internet. I read in a survey they found that children are accessing the Internet between ages five and ten, they are receiving a cellular phone between the ages of eight and ten, and are starting to access social networks between ages eleven and thirteen if not sooner! For me that's not shocking but when I see it physically happening in front of me, I'm blown away! (Not with our children I will add) For instance we were swimming at the public pool and I was sitting at a table watching my husband and children swimming. (I and my second oldest daughter wasn't swimming that day) Next to us was two children maybe ten years old both with laptops on facebook. My daughter who's 15 of course was mentioning to me, "Wow they have laptops and they have facebook!" I looked at her basically stating, "Not our family" I've written before we have one communal computer and it's basically for schoolwork. For our fifteen year old we allow a slotted time after a chore where she can communicate on MSN. (Facebook isn't allowed) I have it for proper communication when needed. Again technology has it pros and cons. This is a topic I can go on and on about being right or wrong with what I believe but basically we're not protecting our children from individuals on the street anymore, it's over the Internet. Our vulnerable children don't understand how easily they can become victims with a click of a mouse. For me, I feel like a victim of frustration all the time with the computer. Getting back to my Ipod (sorry jumped off topic) after adding music to this little device, I can turn it on, shuffle music and listen but it's still like my camera, "I don't get it" With time, like the little engine that could, I will. Hopefully.