Period-Question Mark-Semi Colon

Technology doesn't come easily to all of us. I feel competent dealing with most of the technology that I encounter, but I certainly don't consider myself an expert. My husband, Neil, however, struggles mightily with technology. We've been working on how to save a file on his computer (not the same computer) since 1995. I think that it got it a couple of years ago. Despite the many challenges that technology presents to him and his tendency to want to be a Luddite, he sits in front of his computer every day - throwing himself into the work that technology presents him, struggling to master what he wishes to accomplish...email, Word documents, web searches, YouTube, photo editing, music notation software and the like. It's rough work, but here's there everyday, mastering technology, which can only be done with the assistance of some curse words and regular threats to throw the computer in the river.

 Neil was fascinated by smartphones long before he ever had one. We held off on getting cell phones for a long time and then waited even longer to make the plunge into the world of smartphones. Both the monthly fees and potential addiction kept me at bay. I knew that once I turned that corner, there was no going back. Smartphones have been a good addition to our lives. Photo-addicts as we are -- we have 35,000 digital family photos, taken in the last 10 years or so --  we love the ability to take photos at any opportunity. This isn't to say that the smartphone camera hasn't presented some problems to Neil.
Neil, trying desperately to take a picture when we were in Hawaii last summer. Not only did he accidentally reverse the camera lens setting, but then he switched on the video option.
Neil uses his smartphone most for sending text messages. His fingers are too wide for the little keyboard and shortly after we acquired our smartphones I discovered the microphone setting on the keyboard of our iPhones. Not only would the iPhone take down what we said, it also understands instructions for punctuation. Neil, a grammar Nazi, wants the punctuation of his text messages to be accurate; (I do too, I confess). So, when Neil "talks a text message," it sounds something like this:
"Hi comma Dorothy period I got your voicemail period I'm going to be in Maine tomorrow period Could we meet at 11 o'clock question mark" 

This, Neil has mastered. Technology doesn't have anything on him in this area. In fact, this has become pretty much the only way that Neil prepares a text message, regardless of his location. So, if you're in the grocery store and you hear someone talking to their cell phone...period...question mark...semi colon...you can be pretty sure it's Neil, the Luddite who mastered this piece of technology. I can't wait to see what's next!

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