No, not a bosom pal—but more than that. Much more. I’m talking about my iPad. 

Disclaimer: This is not a product endorsement, just a reflection on what I use. 

I spend about 60 minutes with my wife each day and 600 minutes with my iPad. Maybe she’s happy that “this old man of the sea” isn’t constantly hovering around her—just kidding, of course. But the fact is, I do spend a lot of time with my iPad. 

When I got my first iPad in 2013, life became easier. I used Mail, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, FaceTime, and more. Photos became especially important, as I could no longer see my loved ones clearly in person. These images, combined with memory, helped me reconstruct their profiles. I often wonder, though, if the faces in my mind match their current appearances. 

I frequently used Pages to jot down ideas, poems, or daily notes. I even kept up my Sri Ramajayam writing routine. But as my vision deteriorated, I had to increase the screen’s zoom—up to 15x—and wear special glasses with 10x magnification. Eventually, I switched to shorter texts and audiobooks, letting Siri read emails and web content aloud. 

Technology has been both a gift and a challenge. Over time, apps update silently, and suddenly, familiar interfaces change. With each change, I find myself puzzled—navigating Google Drive, copying from Google Docs, or even using WhatsApp Web. A task as simple as copy-pasting now takes 10-15 minutes. I try to select text, but menus shift unpredictably, disappearing when I tap the screen. It’s frustrating, but I’ve never given up. 

I look forward to my sons’ visits—they’ll help me sort out these digital hurdles. Until then, I’ll keep trying, one tap at a time. 

Contd. 381. Last Word Last World