Dear Webby,
I worked as a Secretary for many years, before retiring. When my daughter purchased a new computer she gave me her old one which I enjoy using for writing letters, recipes and the like.

I would love to have an email address and get on the web to explore various interests, and correspond with my sister in Florida.

My husband hates the idea. He is afraid I will get in a chat room or phonographic site by mistake. He also thinks somehow they will get my credit information and we will have terrible problems.

How can I convince him?
Signed: Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,
It is easy to relate to your husbands worries with all the horror stories floating around on television and radio. Apparently your daughter is on your side, because she sent this inquiry for you.

Have your husband look over the computer, and familiarize himself with it. Men often like the nuts and bolts of things.

Get him a game he can play and show him how. Be careful here - maybe someone else should show him. It's often very hard for us to teach our loved ones, (remember learning to drive?). Show him that with common sense and careful usage you can both have a ball.

It will be a wonderful winter pass time. He can learn to email his old army buddies and friends out of town. One of the problems I find with most men is that they never learned to type. With practice, their 2-finger approach often outpaces our way.

Have your daughter show him the wonderful places he can go with his own interests and hobbies.

I think a lot of people (of course not your husband) fear the unknown and think of the computer as a big scary demon. Not true. Computers are the only thing people brag about not knowing how to use. Down deep they are afraid they can't learn, but they can, and are missing so much. Don't tell his friends till he is ready to brag about his "adventures on the web".

Explain to him how careful you have always been with credit card spending (you have, haven't you?), and that you will never explore a chat room without him.

Don't give up. Remember your vote on the issue is as important as his - wear him down! Soon you will be bargaining with him for time on the computer.

See you at ClevelandSeniors.com.
Happy surfing,
Webby