, I'm Vicki Hare.

Welcome to the wonderful world of computers! They make such a difference in most of our lives that we find we've become dependent on them for a variety of reasons. If you've yet to explore this wonderful world, you're in for an exciting "trip." The Internet itself is like having a library in your own home. It literally puts volumes of information at your fingertips--plus, you can play games and shop!!! Then, too, having e-mail access allows you to "talk," send greeting cards and photographs to almost anyone in the world ~ who could ask for more?!! I mean, really! Talk about versatility and opportunity! Of course, new technology constantly updates itself so there is always some new area to pique your interest and explore.

Besides my part-time instructor position with Rowan Cabarrus Community College and Rufty Holmes Senior Center, I have a full-time job as a Police Telecommunicator (Dispatcher) and work a 12-hour shift using a computer that is on a network system. That just means the system is shared by several other agencies or individual users. Even after sitting at a computer for hours on end, I can go home and use the personal pc in my home office to do all the things I mentioned previously:

• For instance, I can use the Internet to view different cakes, recipes and hints since I also decorate birthday, wedding and anniversary cakes in a side business known as "Busy Brides." (A different website for that will be coming soon.) I also teach cake decorating and can order supplies or view the latest equipment in cake decorating.
• And I can use it for ideas for Children's Church since I teach that on my Sundays off. Most of those sites include pictures of the church and staff as well as miscellaneous information and any employment opportunities.
• I can use e-mail to converse with other decorators or teachers, as well as family and friends; or go to the Internet to shop, play games to relax, or search for information about anything from diseases to diamonds. What a wide world the web is! (Hummmmm, I should copyright that!)