I don’t know if you are like me but I am always reluctant to adopt new technology. My cell phone is the oldest and simplest model still around, I look at microwaves with suspicion, and the thought has never crossed my mind to use a GPS in my car…. My children tease me about it and often show off how informed they are, even when it comes to my own neighborhood in Washington! Last Christmas while deciding on what to cook, it took them less than two minutes on their blackberry to pinpoint the best butcher closest to home, and during a recent weekend my daughter knew exactly what shops she wanted to explore by consulting just one particular website…

I am mentioning all this to tell you that I understand those members of WBFN who have trouble using the new tools that our energetic “techies” keep producing. Yet I would like to urge you to take the time and visit our website at www.wbfn.org. The new and improved homepage is attractive and user-friendly. (Thank you Gilda, Swati, Daniela, Sharmi, Queli, Sadeem, Mariel, Nour, Vidya, Maaike, Anne Marie, and Sandipa.) Many pictures depicting WBFN activities are displayed and will be updated every month or so. And you can find both the pdf version (exact replica) of Mosaic that you receive by mail as well as the new Mosaic Plus.

As its name indicates, Mosaic Plus contains more information than the printed version. This particular month of April, all members of WBFN are encouraged to read Mosaic Plus to get the latest on the slate of officers for next year’s Executive Committee. You can read the biographies of each candidate and become familiar with their faces and their contribution to WBFN. This will help you take an active part in the voting at the Annual Membership Meeting, on May 14. Your vote is very important. If you care about keeping WBFN on its successful track, make sure to be there and be counted!

And while you are looking at the WBFN website, try and click on the “Special Announcements” icon. You will find there all the information you need on the upcoming special events. Just try it and see how easy it is! Eventually, now that this feature has been launched, we are thinking of constantly updating our announcements on the website and reserving “@ a glance” for other uses.

I want to hear from those of you who are not in the habit of searching websites. I hope that you will tell me that the WBFN site is so easy and so intuitive that you will make a habit of checking it every few days…And, like me, you will be able to join your children in the 21st century!

Rula Ghani