Women and the Internet -- What are your experiences: Hi,This is kipskid, and I totally agree with both Nancy, regardi

» prudence - Hi,This is kipskid, and I totally agree with both Nancy, regardi

Hi,This is kipskid, and I totally agree with both Nancy, regarding the "freedom to express yourself",and Terrie, "without coming face to face" with whom ever you are writing or having a discussion with. I just turned 40 and have been livivg in Mexico the past 5 years due to my husbands employment. Needless to say I got bored very quickly and began falling into a depression that happens all too often in my life. I kept saying, "I need purpose in my life. I can't just "be" and carry on day after day doing nothing" (By the way I do have a great shell collection).I left him twice looking for whatever it was I thought I couldn't find down here. But a marriage is a marraige to me and I would return to Mexico and find a new hobby. Then, 3 years ago, my husband brought home a computer and once I got on it, there was no way getting me off. Since I didn't have the books or manuals for the programs that were included w/ the computer, I had to play 'mad scientist' and toss a coin up in the air and call heads or tails as to what I should try next to whatever it was I was trying to figure out. It ranged from adding my own memory to configuering another serial port for a digital camera. Yes, there were those times when my choice was not the correct one. I was great at typing "fdisk" and "safe mode".

Today being a veteran of the Internet of just 1 and a half years, I have found myself being able to express my thoughts in the most interesting way. At times I become very comical or down right witty. It's like I have a split personality when it come to e-mails and queries. The work I do on the Internet is research. Research about anything! With no library in the town that I live in, the web is heaven to me. I just found my genealogical line 3 weeks ago and it felt like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and my Birthday all rolled up into one emotion. I have been searching for them since I got online. As far as my marriage goes, not once have I heard him complain that I am always on the computer. He sees I am finally content for where I have to live at this point in time and you wouldn't believe the money I have saved on phone calls. My kids in California, my brother in Nevada, my sister in Arizona and my Mom (who is finally getting the courage to walk over and turn the machine on)also in Arizona are all online and we chat to no end. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be laughing 'out load' in front of a computer screen. It truely has kept my sanity and also my family from drifting apart. That alone is a treasure to me. I now help others with their genealogy searches and the satisfaction I get from that is like an added Christmas Day I get each year.

This is my first post any where and it wasn't all that scary after all. Thanks for the invite to explore my curiosities. Linda

-- posted by prudence