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I've been teaching a basic computer skills class at a senior center. It was a paying gig, $10 an hour, but total of just 14 hours.
2 of the women had birthdays today, well on the 25th, and I mentioned that ironically my anniversary was the 24th and my Mom's birthday was the 23rd. They made cupcakes and brownies and shared with me.
I noticed cards being passed around to sign, and it wasn't until the end of class that I realized one of the cards was for me.
I had been worried they were bored that I wasn't really helping and that they were just being nice to me. I was genuinely touched by the card. It came as total surprise, and a very pleasant one.
Even though I was following a curriculum, there were a number of things I skipped over that I thought were way too much for a beginner class. I also ad-libed a lot of things into the course, particularly about security.
We're a very computer centric society, and one really takes for granted that something as simple as mastering Double-Click of a Mouse can be a real challenge for someone who hasn't used a computer before or who has only had very limited experience.
Couple of times I was asked about other classes, and I told them to check out the free classes at the library. Gave them the name of one the librarians there at the branch in that community, whom I ironically have met a couple of times, and said he's very smart and helpful and teaches a lot of the library's computer classes. Also told them to ask the librarians about the free online MS Word and other training the library offers.
I suck as a salesman.
It was hard at times not to feel like I was talking down to women who are my Mom's age. Their words in the card told me I must have done something right.
Christmas cards, birthday cards, Valentine's cards, and the like just don't do anything for me. They seem so impersonal and just a ritual. There is something really special about a meaningful card.
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