30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 18

As I was laying in bed this morning (see earlier blog), I thought about how grateful I am for computers. First off – without computers I wouldn't have my current job. Secondly – I wouldn't be posting this blog. Thirdly – most of us would be totally lost.

Just thinking back over the changes I can recall in my lifetime:

• When I was young, you had manual typewriters and carbon paper if you needed to duplicate something
  
• Selectric typewriters were a big step up. The best thing about them – being able to correct a mistake without typing an entire page over
  
• CRT monitors for inputting orders. You had to follow the form, but it was a whole lot better than manually typing up an order in triplicate
  
• Filing – many of my jobs involved spending hours in filing. Now, no one seems to file – we just store all our documents electronically
  
• Telex and Teletype machines – when I worked for the Chicago Branch of Banca Commerciale Italiana, if we needed to get a document to the head office in Milan, Italy quickly – we typed it onto a tape and then ran the tape. It was so great to finally get our first fax machine
  

I can recall back in 1983 when our Credit Department got its first computer. The box sat on the floor for days until I asked when it was going to be set up. Somebody mentioned that they were waiting for a company to come in and do it and I pointed out that that just wasn't going to happen. I ended up reading the directions, setting up the computer, researching and buying software and creating processes for our entire department. I guess that was probably the start of my 'IT career'.

When I graduated from BYU in 1982 – I had never touched a computer in my life. When I went back to college for my next degree – computers were the big thing and I got a degree in Computer Science from Weber State University in 2002. Now, I spend my working time on computers and a lot of my free time. I have computers built into my iPod, cell phone, PDA, running watch, and so many things that I can't count them.

Now – it's time to post this blog and get back to work on my computer.