The electronic age has wonders for us all. We can send instant messages all around the world and be in touch with family members several times a day with ease.

We can cell phone each other from one car to another, from one end of the country to another, or just across the hall.

Although I don't have one that sends pictures, one of our great-granddaughters recently took pictures of Lester and me and interviewed us over her phone.

Her questions may not have been what she will want to know in 20 years or so, but if she saves the interview (which I doubt) she could hear our voices and thoughts while seeing our picture years after we are no longer alive.

All of these things are wonders. But there are drawbacks to these wonders.

Last week I sent my Middle Age Plus column to the newspaper early because I was going to be under a lot of time pressure this week. I wrote an excellent, funny column about hating the little tags that adorn the backs of the necks of most dresses and shirts.

I was pleased that some companies have started stamping the laundry and size information on the clothing instead of having the starchy irritating little tags that rub our necks until we cut them off. (The tags, not the necks!)

I relaxed about that responsibility because I sent it in early.

Wednesday morning I received an e-mail from the newspaper saying that because of a foul up they didn't have my column. They couldn't even find the fax that I always send along as a follow up to the e-mail. They asked me to please resend the column.

That would be no problem. I merely go to my open file, find the column and send it in again. There was one little flaw there. I couldn't find the column on the computer. Well, I always print off a copy to keep in my files so I can fax that in to the newspapers.

I looked in the file drawer and found every recent column and every article for the Senior Page, but couldn't find the wonderful column I wrote last week to be used this week.

What's worse, I couldn't remember exactly how I titled it so I couldn't do a quick search through the titles. I remembered the topic. (How could I forget when one of those tags is rubbing against my neck as I write!) But I couldn't remember just what title I used.

So I went through the whole long list of titles and information that I have stored in my computer. Nothing rang a bell as being the right one.

In the meantime, the presses are rolling. I don't think they really roll anymore, but it sounded good.

So the only thing I could think of to do was to write another column really quick. I could have just tried to redo the first one, but I hated to mess up one that I thought was really good. I may find it somehow and can use it again some day.

In the meantime you will just get a 10-minute version of my Wednesday morning frustrations.

This electronic age really messes us up at times, especially when it is obvious that we are the ones who did the messing up in the first place.

I know I wrote the column. I think I sent it properly. I think I sent a fax. But just MAYBE, I messed up and hit the wrong buttons somewhere.