I finally moved in the direction of the 21st Century this year. (I work in IT. I deal with technology all day. I like to unplug when I get home. My 20-something co-workers tease me constantly about not texting and turning off my cell.) But I did get an MP3 player for Christmas. (My 5 year-old niece has had one for a year and half.) I love it. I wear it to Wal-mart during my weekly (not so much fun) grocery pilgrimages. It makes the experience better. I just hope I'm not dancing or singing in the aisles. (I'm tone deaf, and I lip synch in church.)

This is progress for a young 40-something who still has vinyl and cassette tapes stashed in the closet upstairs. I used to buy an album or a CD for one song, so downloading music solves that problem.  

I'm the organizer, and this lets me make lists in another media. I love making playlists. I've got one for almost every mood — happy, nostalgic, play-it-loud-and-drown-out-the-world,...

I'm not sure if I'm ready to tackle Smartphones or electronic books for home-use yet. My cell phone is just a phone, and I still have a land-line. And I still like holding on to the books that I read. May be these will be my next great technological ventures. There could still be hope!

Happy New Year!