As Our Parents Age

iPad for Dad, # 14: A Report from Dad

When my daughter and son-in-law provided this iPad, it was with the knowledge and recognition that I never honed my computer skills to my satisfaction. Nevertheless, I made significant strides using a laptop and writing paragraphs of opinion over the years. The laptop, while useful, could be complex. The iPad is not.

I have been keeping a journal in longhand since 1949. In addition, in this computer era I have written perhaps more than a thousand, not quite essays, but certainly multiple paragraphs on a range of subjects – poetry, politics, church, social issues, sports, music, family, etc., etc., etc.

My present experience with iPad is a delight. The tiny keyboard and screen belie the capacity. I rarely play games, but I can. This gadget has already ingratiated itself — what with Google, Wikipedia, keeping my writing on the yellow pad, e-mailing them if I wish, and soon printing. One can go on and on typing at a swift pace to keep up with the swift line of mental (and emotional) opinion.

So how useful is iPad? Notably it’s my stream of self-expression; then a source of information; then a place to listen. It’s not quite my reader as yet, because I prefer to snuggle up with the smaller book or periodical.

Read a post I wrote, Journaling Legacies, about dad’s lifelong enjoyment of writing.

If you like this post, read some of the other descriptions of our Father/Daughter iPad adventure.  iPad for Dad, #1, iPad for Dad, #2, iPad for Dad, #3,  iPad for Dad, #4, iPad for Dad, #5, iPad for Dad, #6,  iPad for Dad, #7, iPad for Dad, #8,  iPad for Dad, #9, iPad for Dad, #10, iPad for Dad, #11, iPad for Dad, #12, iPad for Dad, #13,  iPad for Dad, #14,  iPad for Dad, #15, iPad for Dad, #16,  iPad for Dad, #17 , iPad for Dad, #18,  iPad for Dad, #19, and iPad for Dad, #20.

August 31, 2010 Posted by Marti Weston | aging parents, Intergenerational Interaction, iPad for Dad, Seniors and Lifelong Learning, Seniors and Technology | dad, iPad, keeping a journal, seniors, technology, writing | 2 Comments