My mother is 94 and lives in a nursing home. A few months ago the activities director got the bright idea to try to teach my mom to send e-mail. I had to laugh. As far as I know, my mother has never operated any kind of mechanical device that was invented later than 1950. Digital clocks confuse her. Her favorite bedside clock, until it recently broke, was a Big Ben model that she had to wind, for Pete's sake.

(Brief digression: Did you know they still make them?)

She never had lesson #2, and I never got an e-mail.

I, on the other hand, am not worried about someday having to live in a nursing home myself. Give me public radio and a fast internet connection, and I'll never be bored.