Little by little, bit by bit

- Just words -

I've noticed how technology has caused me to change my ways. The way I spell, the way I fill out forms. It causes my narrative to change.

Take the word y'all. I used to write it ya'll, but autocorrect doesn't like that so I just go with the suggestion it makes. Looking back at old letters, though, I see that we spelled it ya'll. 

I've tried resurrecting letter writing with a few people, but it didn't take. It's like I was being a weirdo and they let it pass by without comment.

I'll admit, sometimes letter writing was boring. There was more pleasure in seeing familiar handwriting than the content. Phone calls could be the same way, enjoying hearing a familiar voice more than what was actually being said.

I can't believe I didn't have a constant phone line until after I had my second child. It was nice, my parents lived across town, but they were in another world as far as I was concerned, since they couldn't instantly access me. They were always in another quadrant, in my mind, anyway. I loved them, but I was living a different life, even when I lived in their house.

Another way technology has noticeably changed my story is how I am allowed to answer when filling out online forms.

Insurance companies won't let me say that I got my license when I was 15. I did, though. It was called a hardship license. Like many kids around here, I was driving long before I got my license. Some time around the age of 11. Somebody had to follow Dad on the tractor.

Since I was forced to lie on my insurance form, I just say whatever seems to be wanted on other forms. I gave up trying to be correct, in that sense. Except on my taxes. I try to be precise there, but my stomach still hurts when I turn in my 1040.