Technology Narrative

Technology was always part of my life as I look back; the radio, TV, even electricity. It wasn't until I was introduced to the computer that technology changed my life, particularly in literacy. Around 12 years of age I stopped reading books and started surfing; surfing the Internet that is. Everything I wrote was on the computer there after. A new chapter of my life began with the introduction of this new technology, the computer. Computer usage helped me develop as an individual. I valued writing more and followed through with my interests. Using the computer everyday scaffolded and reinforced who I am today.
As a child, I loved to read books. All types of books; The Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, Nancy Drew, autobiographies, fiction, science fiction, mystery, I thought they were all great. I even won a summer reading contest when I was eight years old, reading 300 books in one summer alone! I was in the newspaper and everything-my parents were so proud of their little book worm. My brother thought I was nuts of course. My brother Jimmy and my father loved the computer. They were always hovering over the desk starring at the monitor. I specifically remember them playing computer games and thinking how disinteresting it seemed and that they were on for so long. I didn’t understand. I thought it looked extremely difficult to use a computer. Little did I know how drastic my life would change in a few years because of it. Soon, my mother wouldn’t have to yell at me to go to sleep when she heard my footsteps scurry across the living room floor to swap the book I just finished for a new one. Instead, however, she would have to find peaceful compromise between Jimmy and me when we fought over the computer. Who would’ve thought?
Around 12 years old my father showed me a computer program called America On-Line and immediately I was hooked. I created a user-name and password, customized my homepage and personalized the page to accommodate my personality. Even when my friends came over, we would go on the computer. America On-Line, as well as other communicative programs like g-mail, continue to be a huge part of my life today. IMing (or texting) seems to replace phone calls and e-mails replace letters. Furthermore, I pay all my bills on-line. I spend hours on the computer without even realizing it. Whether I am IMing, e-mailing, researching, shopping, or adding to my webpage, time seems to disappear; computing is timeless to me! I became familiar with the computer from using the AOL search bar. I would type in different words or things that interested me. I learned about other websites from friends, teachers, family, and advertisements thus began my exploration.
My father and brother Jimmy introduced me to a few computer games. A very popular computer game in the 1990s was The SIMS, a virtual reality family simulator where you create a family in a neighborhood. You control their movements, find jobs, mates, pets, even furniture for the house! I spent hours playing. Another computer game I was dedicated to is called Alien vs. Predator. This game was different than The SIMS because there is a headset in which you can talk to your teammates and opponents. For those who do not have a headset there is a chat (like IMing). In order to talk to the other team the “ALT” and “ENTER” key must be hit together at the end of the message. I became really good at these games. Eventually, I was an expert at the computer, connecting a 25 foot Ethernet cable extension to my room. I even bought a really expensive lab top. Any video game I play now is “live”, in other words connected to the Internet. I really enjoy the communication between teams; it just makes the game so much more fun. Halo 2 is my absolute favorite. The different strategies and tips people communicate made possible by the Internet are wonderful. I like the game more because I improve my skills with the help of my team mates. Sometimes I am even the one who helps another player. It makes me feel good to do that. We play together to achieve the same goal and make compromises along the way. Other gaming systems I have do not offer this ability. My Sega Genesis and Nintendo are sitting in my basement collecting dust. The computer literally left all other games “in the dust”.
Computer technology positively changed my life. I have always kept journals. I wrote in cute little notebooks with hearts or butterflies on them. To this day, I have stacks of journals. Sometimes I wrote so much my hand would hurt. One day when I was about 15 or 16 years old, my father suggested I type my entries in Microsoft Word. He showed me the basics to the program and I began to type my best writings, editing them along the way. Data is stored on the hard drive so editing couldn't have been easier. Then I printed out a titled cover page and put it all together in a blue, three-ringed binder. My writing went from scraps of scribble on a cute notepad to a potentially publishable work of art! Computers have a security and professionalism that pen and paper can never possess. I was really proud of myself when I was done. I can take these writings with me anywhere and everywhere since they are saved on a flash drive. It’s really small and cute, saving me lots of space in my purse. I utilize various programs other than Microsoft Word such as, Works, Power Point, and Word Processors. These programs aid me in professional writing and school related presentations. The tools in these programs such as spell check, wizards, and thesaurus help my documents be the best that they can be, not to mention they're much more attractive in comparison to my penmanship. I made my resume on the computer through a tool called resume wizard. When I walk into a job interview I hand over my resume and feel good about who I am. My self-worth is strengthened with use of these programs. I feel good about what I have wrote because of all of the editing, tools, and “add on’s” (clip art, etc.) available. These programs confidently changed my writing and how I felt about writing forever. My teachers use to give us the option of typing our assignments and researching on the computer if we would like. Today, it is mandatory and I regularly use the programs mentioned. Even though I no longer write in my journals or read many books I feel like I gained so much more.
I am always using the Internet to find out information or simply to just have fun. My likes and interests are strengthened with the computer in a professional way, thus strengthening and reinforcing who I am. I have an unlimited number of options and sources to look through. The computer is a better, much more organized, match for who I am. The fact that everything is just a click away definitely influences me to do a better job on my homework and become involved in things, topics, and ideas I normally would just brush off. I value my work, interests, and ideas more now. The computer and Internet without a doubt has and will continue to positively reinforce my character. Computers are a wonderful thing and I am proud to be a native citizen who invented such a useful technology. Computers have changed my life and I couldn't be happier with having one.