Many years ago, or I should say decades, a cousin called me up to tell me about this new internet stuff going on. She advised me to set up an email account. At this time, much of my interactions were handled by a fax machine I had set up in the office area of my house. I can still hear that scratchy dial up like it was yesterday.
My cousin told me about this company called AOL. And before long I heard that voice resonating in my home, "You've Got Mail." I had mail! No trip to the mailbox or post office. No stationery or stamps needed. Mail was flowing to and from my computer at the touch of a button.
Within a matter of years I began teaching and the district assigned me a professional email to use for all correspondence. Having this for most of my daily interactions, I just kept that old AOL email account on the side for personal use here and there. I paid for this account as one pays for any service and thought little about it over the years.
After a couple more decades of working I retired, which meant literally over night retiring my work email --- leaving me with my oldy but goody "You've Got Mail."
I didn't think much about this until I would be on the phone or in a store and I was asked my email address. When I would give out my address, especially the younger population, would chuckle and say, "Haven't heard that one in a while." Or "They still have that?"
Turns out there are a multitude of email accounts out there that are free of charge and perhaps more effective, but I would not know because I have no clue about new and improved bells and whistles.
However being on a much smaller budget now, I realized these were costs that were no longer effective, and I needed to transition to a free account. Little did I realize the impact of making this transition. I am sure a much younger and savvier person would not see this as such a big deal. It is likely it would only take just a few clicks of a button to transfer three decades of correspondence to a new account. A younger brain may even be able to remember all the people and places needed to be transferred to a new account. But the fact that I still have an ancient email address is because I have a semi ancient brain.
This has sent me on a panicked goose chase that has kept me up at night. I have gotten up in the wee hours to go to the bathroom with thoughts of "Did you tell that person I will no longer "Got Mail?" Will I need to contact the people at that account to keep getting that 50% off coupon on my birthday? And what about all those long-lost friends and family I hear from on a blue moon but can't bring to mind in the moment? What if they try to reach out to me and I no longer "Got Mail?"
I have been panicking as the clock ticks down to that last bit of the paid for account to the point I have debated continuing to pay for it and just keep it on the side like some secret pen pal, but that sounds downright creepy. And the whole point of this is to cut costs.
So, here goes the plunge. I will join the Gmail population in hopes that all friends, family, discounts, and coupons find me through those quiet cyber waves in the abyss. No scratchy dial up or postage stamp needed. Switching from a wagon to a car!
