Why Magic is the Correct Answer for Old People

I didn't realize how little I actually knew about technology until I lived with my grandparents. I actually have "technology" in my job title at work... even though I only know the tech stuff because I need it to produce the creative stuff that actually drives what I do.

But, yeah... it wasn't until living with two octogenarians that I realized how little I understood myself. These poor people are so scared of technology, that they actually refer to it as magic. After learning that my iPhone wasn't a "Blackberry" they try a different berry every time they reference it "get out your magic blueberry and look up... " or "can your Brambleberry tell us if..." and even "what time is it on your raspberry?". HonesT. That has happened.

They have more questions about technology than a 2 year old who has just learned the word "why" and is using it to simulate conversational patterns of turn taking speech. I realized i didn't know a lot when they started to ask questions and my answer was always followed with "why?".

The other day was a perfect example. The router that splits the cable line into TV, Internet and Phone runs internet to my personal wireless router so I have wifi all over the house. The router stopped working correctly, so i went upstairs to unplug it, blow on it, and plug it back in (a fix i learned early on with Nintendo Cartridges).

My Grandfather was very concerned that I had to unplug the wireless.

"Why did that light go off on the Comcast router?"

"Because I unplugged the wireless line, and it stopped drawing signal."

"That's what happens when the phone stops working... that light goes out."

"Your phone is fine that is a different light"

"I don't believe you. Unplug that thingy again"

I do, and he checks to see if the phone still works.

"Well, the phone still works."

"very good"

"wait, don't leave... why did you unplug that thingy in the first place"

"because it stopped working and i wasn't getting internet."

"why?"

"because the signal wasn't being sent to my computer correctly."

"why?"

"I dunno."

"Why did unplugging it fix it?"

"magic."

And honestly, in his defense... why would the wireless router just stop sending the right signal? It has one job... make electronic internet signal into magic fairy waves that connect my computer to the world wide interweb. My computer, and my Huckleberry.