How often have we heard those words recently? On television, the radio, in the press, from younger members of the family or even in correspondence from the Provincial Office! People either hate the words, or smugly smile to themselves that they are already ahead of the game. But, life for all its faults, is moving on at such a tremendous pace.Where would we be today, without washing machines, power tools, DVD players, or dare I suggest to say - Computers?

There is little time to think in this modern world, and there is certainly a demand for instant access and immediate attention. “Pigeon post and snail mail” are becoming things of the past as we move into an electronic age. Mind you, I still believe that you cannot beat face-to-face conversation or a friendly voiceto- voice contact on the telephone for those at a greater distance. There is so much more you can say on a one-to-one basis, when an electronic message and, especially a coded text message, can leave many things open to question or misunderstanding.

However, that is all too slow for modern life – or so I am told! As some of you may know, I used to work in a large organisation in Central London, and, as one of the Senior Executives, I was supplied as part of my standard office equipment with a top of the range Computer. There it was on my desk, the envy of all my staff, but with no training on how touse it! It sat there for a long time almost untouched, as my PA instructed me how to turn it on each day, and when I remembered, I turned it off each evening.

Then the time came for me to work from home and I realised that, in order to keep myself linked up to the outside world from my little village in Bethersden, I had to finally succumb to not only obtaining a computer myself but also to learn how to use it! Surprise, surprise, I easily found out what happened when I touched the “magic keypad”, what the “movable mouse” could do, and that I didn’t lose all the morning’s work if I inadvertently pressed the wrong button. More importantly, I had entered another world and become a “Silver Surfer”! Life has never been the same since. I can’t wait to turn on my computer and receive my Electronic Mail (Email) and sometimes am very disappointed that I have not received a reply to an earnest request from the other side of the world. The other day, I heard that Surfing was now the number one hobby amongst retired people, outstripping even gardening and DIY.

And that’s where the Provincial Office comes in. There is now so much information for the Brethren in this Province, and we all want to let you know about it as soon as possible. Other more traditional methods of forwarding correspondence are not only slow, but are time consuming and expensive. From April this year the Office is going to be corresponding with each Lodge and Chapter in the Province electronically through its own direct Email contact. At the same time, some Lodges and Chapter are also setting up a means of electronically passing on information to their own members.

We hope you will want to be part of this new, exciting East Kent Province Surfing world.

WBro Roger Odd
PAGDC, PrG.Sec

From Ed46, P18