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Kay Glynn
As a boomer, one of my goals in life is to not give up on technology!  I have a love/hate relationship with it right now!  Doctors are telling us that as we get older we not only need to be physically active, but we should give our minds a workout, too.  They suggest things like working crossword puzzles.  Instead of that, I spend my “brain workout time” learning how to use my computer!  We have to stay connected to our younger generation of people!  I’m glad I can enjoy current photos of my grandkids!
 
It is really important that we are computer literate, and we need to know how to use it as a learning tool.  We need to take care of ourselves as we age and help the doctors help us, so it’s even more important to be able to look up symptoms, learn about new medical technology, learn about nutrition, and learn where to find help.  The more I learn how to use my computer, the more valuable it becomes.
 
In order to learn more about how to be successful in my hobby of competing in track and field, I was determined to learn some new things on my computer.  Now, I can film myself at practice, put it on my computer, slow it down, take it apart, and study it to learn what I need to do.  I can also edit it so that I can email it to people who are helpful and willing to say, “Here’s what you’re doing wrong!”  Maybe someday I'll throw it on YouTube and say, "Help!"
 
I can't see myself being a tweeter.  That's too time consuming, and that would be giving out too much information.  I am planning to join Facebook soon.  I believe the younger people of today share WAY too much information on the internet, and while I don’t plan to share a lot, I keep hearing about all the helpful information that can be found on Facebook.  I will let my kids help me set that up, though.  I know enough to know that you have to be sure that your settings are correct so that you don’t invite your children over for your birthday and end up inviting the world!
 
My kids will give me directions for something on the computer and then send me home to work on it.  If, after spending countless hours working on my project and almost completing it, I still can’t quite get it, I can call and ask questions.  They will THEN, and ONLY THEN, help me!…..they call it “tough love”….what’s up with that?!

About Kay Glynn

Nearly 40 years ago, she was a college track star. At the age of 48, she decided to put her shoes back on and give exercise a try again. Today, in her late 50s, and a grandmother four times over, Kay holds the world record in indoor pole vaulting! She's the US Masters Decathlon Champion and she's a champ at high jump, long jump and hurdles. She's become a role model for the rest of us in a way that's been positive, healthy and rewarding. And the biggest lesson of all? "I have learned that change can be a good thing!"

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Bobbe Lyon
I google, I skype, I'm on Facebook, I check YouTube regularly, I text, but I haven't tweeted yet. I just haven't gotten around to it.  It was easy as pie to become a regular user of the others.  I like it a lot. I see what my kids and grandkids are doing and get to see and post some cool pictures. I've heard from old High School friends and relatives too. 

Even though I'm a business owner, I use the above mostly for social interaction. For the business side I'm getting ready to get on linkedin and I'm going to write a blog.  Sometimes the business and social overlap and that's o.k.  It hasn't been a problem so far.  Can the Ipad and Kindle be next?  Maybe.

I'm 70+ and going strong.  Never felt more stimulated by the "new media" but I love newspapers and magazines an am a regular subscriber.  Ditto PBS and NPR. (I contribute too)

All that having been said, let me add that nothing, nothing beats face to face communication.
Then again, the virtual classroom allowing interaction is pretty neat.
Suffice to say, I think there's room in our wonderful world for the old and the new.

About Bobbe Lyon

Bobbe Lyon, M.D. (mirth dispenser) is a believer and practicioner in the power of humor. She thought her life was over at age 45 when her husband died. After wallowing in despair, humor became her primary tool for survival. It worked so well the Laughing Lyon earned a BA in Journalism and an MA in Counseling. Soon she decided to take her humorous ideas public. She has been a National Speaker ever since.

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Elli Fordyce

As a matter of fact, Twitter really knocked my socks off, especially early on. Since joining about 1-1/2 years ago, the biggest thing that has happened is many features, e-pages, interviews (including on Growing Bolder), etc., have been arranged with folks met on Twitter.

One DJ, @CurtJazz, Curtis Davenport, immediately uploaded a batch of my 2nd CD's cuts to include in his jazz programming on http://www.live365.com/index.live. Within a short time, 2 of my cuts were climbing up his charts, where I now have the record of 3 weeks straight at Number 1. That record was previously held by Ray Charles with a holiday cut during the season, and was only 2 weeks! Curtis, also a freelance writer, also reviewed the CD for the print quarterly, Jazz Inside and included it in his best recording list for 2009. Recently, Curt has been Blipping, which I love because you don't have to be online at the moment, as with the radio stream, you can replay the Blip any time and when you ReTweet it, folks can listen when they want to. He often includes cuts from my CDs in his Blips. Even tho we haven't met, I consider Curt a great friend and am always happy to see and support his tweets. Recently I heard in-person and went out of my way to meet a pianist I'd first heard of on Curt's radio show, a standout local musician.

Another exceptional experience birthed by Twitter has been a series of 12 articles I've done in collaboration with artist Rajesh Pancholi on his blog, beging with this piece: http://r27creativelab.blogspot.com/2009/01/elli-fordyce-still-very-cool.html. Rajesh, a jazz and jazz-record-cover lover in London heard my music soon after I began tweeting, invited me to write a piece for him to illustrate, and the rest is history.

One woman I met on Twitter I've formed a strong bond with, initially over our mutual love of jazz. More recently we've done an informal cooperative life-coaching-kind-of email exchange. She was one of the first people I tweeted with and next year she'll be moving to the East Coast from CA, so we'll probably meet. Another woman, also a jazz vocalist, and I became friends in the real world and although she's been traveling a lot I expect our friendship will evolve over the years. Another woman whom I've known forever but was never very close with I've become much more in touch with initially over our Twitter experience and recently have taken it into other realms of mutual activity. I could go on and on but let's say I always encourage folks to try Twitter and see if it's for them and, if so, in what of the myriad possible ways they might wish to use it.

All that being said, I was about to learn to use FB when I found Twitter and there was no contest about which to invest time in. It's a matter of style and attention span, but I find Twitter suits me and FB does not. Same with other social sites, so far. I use YouTube, plan to add to my small channel, and sometimes look up videos there. My manager 's office puts all her clients' music on various internet radio sites and stations, with good results, but I'm not involved with the mechanics of that (tho it's fun to read her reports on number of hits, etc. Some day I hope for a check in the mail for plays.

About Elli Fordyce

Elli is a highly accomplished vocalist and actor. She has entertained all over the New York Metro area and has numerous acting credits: Film -- September 12th, TV -- Cappelle's Show, and Live Theatre -- Guys & Dolls. Amazing, considering she didn't sing a note for 15 years after a debilitating and traumatic auto accident. But now, in her mid 70s, Elli is back on stage, as entertaining and inspiring as ever.For much more with Elli, check out our special 5 Questions With: Elli Fordyce feature. You can hear her music and see clips of her acting performances in several short films.

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Ted Skup
Are we becoming "Facebook Zombies." I personally chose Facebook as my internet addiction. It's both a tool and the world's biggest gossip venue.

Like Al Pacino said, "Just when you think you're off, someone pulls you right back in", or something like that. I can't do anything productive on Facebook without one of my sniper friend's butting in.

I'm still trying to decide if Twitter and Facebook are the beginning of 'The End of the World!!" Years ago spies would hide behind newspapers with dark sunglasses on, now  they could find you and I on Facebook.

About Ted Skup

Ted believes that with obesity levels at an all-time high, fitness needs be a national priority. He says despite the fact we have an arsenal of exercise options at our disposal, the ultimate choice is, the simple push-up. Skup takes on the 35-billion-dollar fitness industry and explains why it is failing us, with its bogus claims, magic bullets, and quick fixes. Although the fitness industry may not want to hear it, push-ups are free, no equipment, no gimmicks and totally portable. He is the author of Death, Taxes & Push-ups.

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Ed Shadle
I do "facebook". I didn't sign myself up, my daughter-in-law did. I think she was only trying to help. As it turns out, I actually do make comments and post an occasional photo on facebook.

I don't bother with Youtube or Tweeting. To much of that takes time away from more important things such as flying, racing, time with the kids, dogs and Oh Yes, my wife. After about 50 years of working in the computer industry, I don't care to much about computers and only regard them as a tool. Sometimes a fun tool, but also a time waster.

About Ed Shadle

Now in his late 60s, he is a speed demon who's attempting break the world land speed record with a jet-powered car he created himself. Shadle, who worked with IBM for 30 years, created the car from an old fighter plane. But with age apparently comes wisdom, because Shadle is looking for someone else to do the driving! So if you'd like to go, say 800 mph, be sure to send Ed your resume!

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Pat and Cat Patterson
No we don't TWITTER or TWEET, haven't taken time to explore that but seems like we'd have a hard time with 140 character limit. We're pretty wordy! How many words in 140 characters?
 
We do FaceBook, you can find us there at CatandPatPatterson. We use Facebook to chit chat with family and we're building a list of bicycling friends from around the world.
 
YouTube came into our lives when we started updating our own website. Yes, there was a learning curve but once beyond that we have been able to post lots of our video from various bicycling adventures. We're found on YouTube at WorldRiders2. Our latest posting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXstqrO2A3I is a short compilation of video and photos collected in our cycling trips. We are trying to promote the material, perhaps a Documentary or Series using the more than 100 hours of video and thousands of photos we have dating back to 1988 and Pat's trip across the USSR in 1989.
 
Anyone have any ideas for us?
 
We think that the world is changing very fast and knowing how to use these tools is the only way to keep up!
Thanks for consistently being BOLDER, Bill! Of course we're always tuned in to you!

About Pat and Cat Patterson

When Pat first met Cat both were alone, broke and without direction. But they shared a lust for life. Together they decided to make a life of great adventure. So they set out on an around the world trip, on the seats of their bicycles. It took four years to complete their journey, but what they had really done is changed their lives forever. Pat is now in his 70s and has never felt better. Cat has recovered with a vengeance from a heart attack. Both believe now is the best time of their lives.

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Susan Silver
Congrats on your great growing network! I reluctantly do Facebook...well, once and a while. I just learned how to check everyone else's...and I'm mostly wondering why it's necessary to put down every meal, every stop at a red light...really? who cares!?

I don't tweet...don't have an Ipad or Iphone or I anything. Do have a kindle and love it! Too much time is spent on these gadgets and not enough on real conversation. So..if you want more...you can listen to my radio commentary...how's that for a plug? www.robinhoodradio.com then click on Susan Says!

About Susan Silver
Susan was a writer for several of the greatest TV shows of all time, including "The Bob Newhart Show," "Mary Tyler Moore," and "Maude." These days, she writes a hilarious relationship column called, "The Search for Mr. Adequate." and you'll love her radio commentaries that cover just about everything! She is a highly sought-after morning show guest whenever the subject turns to relationships, and she's a Growing Bolder Radio Show favorite.

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Sherrie Mathieson
Yes I Tweet and I have embraced Facebook--but for my work only. I believe in keeping my private life confined to personal e-mails--and more importantly keeping phone calls as my communication of choice.

We need to consciously make the effort to maintain a certain "personal" stamp-- to our work and private lives. There's no substitute for the human voice. I have little free time as it is--and it seems all too consuming (and oddly too convenient) to do more than I've already attempted on FB.

I put a lot of effort into my blog (www.sherriemathieson.com) on style, and I've intertwined my posts with social networking-- as Twitter and FB allow. Along the way I have managed a fan page for "Steal This Style". Happily, I've connected with a few interesting people through  all these venues--and some old friends.

My blog and website continue to be my main focus --and is the way many of my style consulting clients have found me.

About Sherrie Mathieson

Sherrie has worked in film, television and commercials, and she has clientele of all ages and all personal styles. But it’s her unique way of looking at baby boomers that sets her apart from all the rest. And now, she has done it again. She’s followed up her first book, "Forever Cool" with the must-read, "Steal This Style," which is full of ways women can borrow cues from the younger generation in a flattering way.

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