Writing a diary, with ordinary letters clicked by a finger, can combine and arrange into elegant verses, displayed for netizens to appreciate; chatting, typing out hospitality and courtesy to friends visiting from afar, thus showcasing the host's style and refinement. However, carelessness or lack of skill can easily backfire, even leading to a ridiculous blunder. Two years ago, I made a laughable blunder that caused a middle-aged woman visiting my blog to suffer great humiliation.
So how did the story begin? Let's start with my experience learning to use the internet.
I. Learning to use the internet: a difficult but joyful experience of performing a "double act".
I'm over sixty years old, and although I have some literary knowledge, I'm a complete novice in the vast "sea of the internet." Why would someone my age bother learning to use the internet? It stems from my job as a program supervisor at Tangshan Radio and Television Station. According to regulations, I'm required to listen to and watch certain radio and television programs each month, then write commentary articles and promptly submit them to the station's internal publications, "Listening and Commentary Briefing" and "Monthly Supervision Report." The traditional method of writing and submitting articles via post is no longer suitable for the current fast pace, so I was "forced" to learn "high-tech."
My mentor is my 14-year-old granddaughter. She built a virtual space for me, enabling me to submit my commentary to radio and television stations promptly and connect with netizens from all over the world. She taught me how to write a blog, how to type, how to add friends, and how to chat. Initially, I dictated while she typed, and the two of us acted out a "double act," receiving visitors through the screen. Because we cooperated so well, it was quite enjoyable...
However, my granddaughter has to go to school and has homework in the evenings, so it's impossible for her to stay in the same room with her grandparents for long periods as a "training partner" or "secretary." She encouraged me to "take up the post" independently and hone my skills. But I'm not a strong swimmer, so how could I dare to go swimming in the sea? Therefore, when I'm away from my granddaughter, the computer has to be shut down. Later, my daughter and son-in-law specially bought me a writing tablet, and only then could I, leaning on my "crutches," reunite with my long-lost online friends.
In early 2010, the city's Writers Association needed to compile my published works from radio and newspapers over the years for approval, as they wanted to admit me. Being a slow learner, I spent two months typing tens of thousands of words on my own. During this time, I encountered numerous difficulties. For example, initially, I would type two or three thousand words, and still wouldn't finish by midnight. The next day, I continued typing, but the previous night's text was gone. So I started over. But then the power went out. After the power came back on, I continued, only to repeat the previous "tragedy." By now, most readers probably know the "secret," but I was completely baffled. That evening, my granddaughter came home from school, and I eagerly asked her for help. She laughed and said I hadn't clicked the "save" button. She demonstrated, and it was that simple! All my efforts had been in vain.
This reminds me of the CCTV program "Happy Dictionary," where a doctoral student, faced with a very simple everyday trivia question from Wang Xiaoya, was so flustered he broke out in a sweat and couldn't answer... In reality, there are many talents, but no one is a jack-of-all-trades. The simplest test question might be the most difficult for different people. For those who know, it's easy; for those who don't, it's difficult. Only by humbly learning from others, like a beginner, can one progress.
Second, his disgraceful behavior was fully exposed after his defeat, and he had to exhaust his words to beg for forgiveness.
After two months of practicing typing, I finally got rid of my "crutch"—the writing tablet—and started using a keyboard to chat. As you can imagine, having just graduated from "kindergarten," how could I not swallow some saltwater when I bravely went swimming in the sea?
That day, I was replying to comments on my social media page. Suddenly, someone added me as a friend and started a conversation. A pop-up window displayed the words "Hello, writer." I immediately realized that the visitor must have read my blog beforehand; otherwise, why would they call me a writer? So I gladly replied, "Hello." To express my enthusiasm, I quickly typed "Where are you from?" on the screen. However, when I looked up, I saw that the screen displayed "Where are you from, you awesome person?" My mind went blank: embarrassment, shame, confusion, and self-reproach overwhelmed me! It was too late to delete it, because the other person's "return" had already been delivered. One can imagine how furious this unexpected guest, who had come with high hopes, felt about my "disrespect" and such insult!
Should I flee and shut myself away, or grit my teeth and let them decide my fate? If I run away, wouldn't my online blog become a false facade, a mere pretense? Wouldn't my username and nickname be utterly disgraced and unable to see the light of day? After a moment's weighing, I resolutely chose to face it. Fortunately, this woman didn't retaliate with insults, but instead questioned me rationally: "Where are you from, NiuX? Such an opening line is too hurtful to my self-esteem!" She said I must be a fierce, ignorant, and immoral "young punk"! I explained that it was a typo, not intentional. She retorted: "Typoes can lead to homonyms, but how can one 'you' become two offensive insults?"—A valid rebuttal! But I couldn't justify my explanation. Like a criminal on trial, my face burned; sweat dripped down my temples, I was utterly disheveled and deeply ashamed! ...I swallowed my pride and explained my limited experience with the internet; I patiently recounted the difficulties of learning to type as an elderly person with failing eyesight and clumsy hands; and the frustrations of self-taught learning... After much pleading and earnestness, she finally took pity on me, and we resolved our differences. Although I had long lost interest in chatting, she remained steadfast, ensuring the conversation ended harmoniously.
Online chatting is a display of etiquette, and everyone yearns to earn respect; yet I've made such a grave mistake—how can I not feel remorse? A drop of water can reflect the sun's brilliance, and a small incident reveals a person's character and cultivation. I am deeply grateful for that lady's understanding! I know my explanation was somewhat far-fetched, and she may have had doubts. Given how strange the situation unfolded, how could I not be perplexed myself?
III. Deciphering the "heavenly script" with painstaking effort to find clues and prove oneself.
For many years, I have intermittently engaged in amateur literary creation, always adhering to the principles of "elegance, dignity, magnanimity, and tolerance." The word "awesome" has never appeared in my speech or writing. My manuscripts have only contained phrases like "overwhelmingly arrogant" and "forced to join the Liangshan rebels." But for two single characters to combine into a word and appear on the computer screen is truly inexplicable!
The one who tied the knot must untie it. Although time has passed, I want to get to the root of the problem and come up with a reasonable and convincing answer.
I stared at the screen for a long time, lost in thought; I examined the keyboard, searching for any clues to decipher the "heavenly book"; I tried to recall every detail of how I typed it... Hard work pays off, and finally, a breakthrough was made in deciphering the "heavenly book".
It turns out that when I was typing the word "you," after clicking the "n," my finger veered off-center when clicking the "i," accidentally pressing the adjacent "u" as well. So, what I meant to be "ni" (you) became "niu" (cow). At the time, I only realized I had made a mistake, without paying attention to what the correct character was; I just wanted to retype it. However, in my haste, I forgot to delete the incorrect character, resulting in the character "cow" appearing on the screen. Then, while retyping "you," I made another mistake. Because the problem with the previous misspelling was with the "i," I focused all my attention on the "i," and when typing the "n," my finger lost sight of its surroundings, mistakenly pressing the adjacent "b" instead of the "n." What I meant to be "ni" (you) became "bi" (force). What I meant to be "Where are you from?" became "Where are you from, you awesome?"
I finally deciphered the "heavenly book," and felt a sense of relief.
Fourth, erect a monument to remember the lessons learned, seek forgiveness, and apologize again.
To err is human; typos are common in online chats. However, my mistake was so coincidental that it resulted in an insulting remark, a cold shower on a friend who came seeking my knowledge—a truly painful experience. I believe that only by daring to expose my shortcomings and admitting defeat can I learn from my mistakes. Therefore, I am revealing every detail of how I typed the same word twice and made the same mistake twice. My purpose is twofold: first, to fully demonstrate that my mistake was unintentional, that the process was logical, and to clarify the truth so that the offended netizen can truly understand and forgive me! My second purpose is to erect this "monument of shame" on my social media, to remember the lesson, and to remind myself to be civilized online and courteous to my friends. I know that as an older person, my eyesight is failing and my fingers are clumsy; learning new things is not easy. Therefore, I admit I am behind, but I refuse to fall behind. Because enjoying the internet isn't just for the young. They are vibrant and energetic, like larks in the dawn, with beautiful, melodious voices that sing their morning songs. However, the elderly also possess their unique charm and depth; like nightingales in the twilight, they too sing melodious, gentle serenades. Our internet is beautiful because of its diversity! I want to sow seeds of love, cultivate friendship, and rebuild my positive image on this fertile ground of the internet, completely preventing incidents like "Who is this 'awesome' friend?" from happening again.
Comments
Post a Comment