On the Road With Cybergrrl...

b o o k

d i a r y

v o i c e s

a u t h o r

h o m e

Digital Camera
from Olympus

v o i c e s

Have tape recorder, digital camera (from Olympus) and laptop with modem. What else does a grrl need?

Stardate 020998, Cybergrrl's Log: Washington, DC

Okay, couldn't resist. Today begins my exploration of how women feel about the Internet. Each day, while on my book tour, I'll not only give you my thrilling accounts of travelling to promote the new Cybergrrl book, but I'll also be interviewing women that I encounter along the way. Here is what they have to say...

Hiroko Makabe, Hotel Guest Services Representative

"I have email, but I'm not online. I'm about to get it, but not yet."

"I think (the Internet) is good. In a way, it will be really beneficial, but probably the reason I don't have it yet is that I'm scared that I'll be stuck in front of the computer and of losing human contact."

When I asked her what she would look up once she did hook up to the Internet, Hiroko said: "Women's Issues - I think that is where the more interesting information is."

Marlis Majerus, Radio News Correspondent

"I use (the Internet) for work. I check newspapers across the country in markets that we cover and that's about it."

"I think (the Internet) is kind of scary. I'm not real technically oriented. I do just what I need to get by for work, but I'm intrigued."

"I think I will (use it for my personal life). I think I'm getting up the nerve. I've read your book and I think it's going to help. I want to make a stab at it."

When I asked her what would be an interesting thing she'd want to find online, that would be of personal interest to her, Marlis said: "I'm a big music person so I'd love to find some music history stuff for some particularly obscure musicians that I'm interested in...like Amy Beecher."

LaTanya Horne, Television Production Assistant

LaTanya had been on the Internet at school. "I've looked up things for history and computer classes, I was on a couple of chat lines like Black Line and Black Chat, that's pretty much it."

"I think (the Internet) is interesting. I've met people from overseas and talked for hours with them. It's just a 90's way of meeting people."

When I asked her what she'd end up doing online (once she got a modem for her home computer), LaTanya said: "Probably just searching. And I have some people who live in the Carribean and some who live in California, so I'll probably try to chat with them."

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