Tiny Half-Baked Beans

Good bye to Grandmas Brag Book.  It was THE present to give grandma when the blessed event arrived--a wallet sized book to place those precious pictures of the new arrival.  This neat little book could be kept nearby Grandma, in her purse, in her pocket, ready to answer the call when someone asked, "How are those grandkids doing?"

My mother was the quickest draw on photos in the Brag Book east of the Mississippi.  From her eldest --John--to the baby, Anna, She had her Brag Book ready to show.  (Note, she did have another grandchild whom she did not meet, Allison, whom I am sure would have received the same treatment.)

Those days are over.  Now it is TINY BEANS, a website that the new parents share to family and friends on a daily basis.  Yes, DAILY BASIS.  As I think about it, pity the poor child who at the many graduation parties, weddings, and reunions, are faced with 25 years of daily photos of their life, playing endlessly on loop.

I came to know this site through a friend.  She had sent a new baby gift to a couple whom she had known since the dad was a baby.  As she told me the story of how she had attended the shower and was thanked only by the grandmother who was her dear friend (And that was only through email), she noted that the announcement of the blessed event was sent via email. In fact, the birth announcement was sent via email too! No thank you for the gifts, just with the link to the Tiny Beans website.  As she thought that by clicking on the link she would be sent  to a thank you to the gifts she had sent, it turned out that it was actually to subscribe to the Tiny Bean site.  Now daily, she receives an email containing four pictures or a video posted by the loving parents of their new additions that she is to oooohhh and aaaahhh over as these children grow.  I am sure that deep down she is wondering how to unsubscribe or block these emails without the knowledge of the parent. But that is me.  She looks at them, then immediately delete knowing in her heart, she has satisfied the parents as I am sure they will review insights and trends of the pages. 

But what about grandmas of today?  Most the of the Seniors I know ( and while I am in that group, I consider myself more savvy when it comes to cell phones, laptops, kindles, and I pads) have a bare minimum cells phone. By that I mean, these phones sport large numbers, but when it comes to texting, you have 3 letters per number and have to really think about your message--or ignore texting at all. No Photos. No need for GB (giga bytes) of usage for data. It is a phone to use for calling. They do not want data. If they need something important enough, a face to face, a phone call, or a letter will suffice. They will have to figure out Plan B when it comes to photos of their grandchild.

So, Hello Tiny Beans.  Maybe I will start a website for the aging process called OLD BEANS. I will invite you to watch --in a secured server for photos and videos access only--  daily shots of myself as I age for all to enjoy and share.  See the lines in my face increase. See my gray hairs multiply.  And unlike the Tiny Beans,  you may watch as I return to diapers.