Tag: computers

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From Education to Homeownership: My Goal Achievement Story

L.M. Hosler

I think that I have achieved a lot of personal goals in my lifetime. Some were easy goals and some were hard goals. But with determination and a little support from family I achieved the goals I set.

I first completed my goals of going back to school while raising my children. The boys were older but still in school. They often times did not get along or got in trouble when left on their own. With my sister’s help I managed to complete a computer programming course. I still couldn’t program but I graduated. Never got a job in computer programming and programming has completely changed now.

After I moved to Florida, I also went back to school for something different. I got an associate degree in accounting. Education is never lost even if you don’t go into the field you studied. Today everyone is expected to know how to use a computer. Accounting is used everyday as we manage our finances.

Beautiful Colonial Home Similar To Mine WhisperToMe

My biggest goal, perhaps not the hardest goal, has been buying my own house as a single woman. The hardest part of buying the house was getting through the mortgage process. Banks and government regulation can make things harder. I bought my house ten years ago and I love being a homeowner on my own. I don’t like renting although I have done that. When you rent the owner gets to keep all the equity in the house. Meanwhile, all you get is a stack of receipts. Owning my own house, the equity if I ever have to sale the house, the equity will allow me a good retirement. Owning a house is a smart investment.

So I have met several of the goals I set for myself over the years. Now my goal is to continue making improvements to my house. My final goal is to have something to pass on to my children. I guess I will never achieve my goal of becoming filthy rich.

Daily writing prompt
What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?
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The Impact of Computers on Daily Life

L.M. Hosler

How quickly our world has become accustomed to using computers in our daily lives. They have changed communication, shopping, reading, games and so much else since computers early days.

Without my computer, it would be much harder to get information. I am constantly telling people, “just let me look it up on the computer”. A computer has become what a set of encyclopedia used to be a generation or so ago. We can even use our voices to ask questions and get an answers.

Using the computer has changed my shopping habits. I do a lot of my shopping online now. Now most brick and mortar stores also have an online store. At the moment I am waiting for my latest order from Amazon. I also buy pet food online. It’s delivered right to my porch without me having to go to the store then drag it home. Without the use of a computer, I would be spending more time shopping. I don’t do all my shopping online. It’s hard to find clothes that fit without going into a store. Groceries can now be ordered online and delivered. I prefer doing my own grocery shopping and picking out what I want myself.

An Old Typewriter Life magazine 1891

I would be using a typewriter or even a pencil and paper if I didn’t have a computer to do my writing. I would be spending a lot of time sitting in a library doing research. Letters and cards would still have to be handwritten and mailed through the unreliable post office. Now with a computer, I can send an email and get a reply within minutes.

Using my computer, I communicate with people all over the world. Social media helps to keep us in touch with near and faraway friends and family. I get a lot of news and information from those social media sites.

With the use of my computer games, music and movies all entertain me. Not that I do much of those but they are a nice diversion at times. Computers can do so many things in our lives today.

So what would my world look like without a computer? Honestly, my world would look a lot like the simple life I grew up with. Reading would require trips to the library. Writing would be done on typewriters. Information would come from books and other sources. Letters would be handwritten and sent through snail mail. I would be getting together with friends and family more often. I would be using a house type of telephone instead of a smart phone. And I would still be lugging home big bags of pet food and cat litter from the store.