But my colleague would shout in the middle of our business day: "This isamazing!" He convinced our boss to let him sit and surf the internet tofind potential clients and contacts. Of course he got a little sidetrackedalong the way. The pictures, soundtracks, people and companies on the netastounded him. And he enticed me. Suddenly I wanted to learn about the net.I had to put up with his overly-detailed technical lessons, but Ieventually figured out how to connect and do a simple search.

When our company went under unexpectedly, we sat in our office wonderingwhat to do after three years of working together in Israel, a foreigncountry to both of us. Bam! It hit him like a bolt of steel and me like asheet of paper - I had to be convinced. We would build advertisements forIsraeli companies on the net. Israelis love any new fad especially ifAmericans are doing it. They also are captivated by the power ofadvertising.

There was only one problem. Although we knew how to surf the net, we didnot know how anything on the net got there. Over the next three months, weworked hard and figured it out. Then we began to sell our product toIsraeli companies.

We divided the labor: I would tackle the monster known as HTML- the codinglanguage that lays out text. My partner would work on the heavy computerstuff, like setting up a server and compiling it. I'm still not sure whatthat means. We farmed out the graphics to the graphic designer from our oldcompany, and with a demo in hand, we went on the road as
"Israel Xpress."

Israeli companies loved the little portable computer demonstrating what wewere telling them. Israel Xpress was one of the first companies to putIsrael on the net. Today we get new clients through our graphic designpartner, newspaper ads, and of course, the internet.

I had always wanted to work at the first radio station in Jerusalem to haveEnglish programming. About 6 months after trying unsuccessfully, I metsomeone at the station and mentioned Israel Express. He was looking for anintern for his English weekly program about the Internet called "Wipeout."He gave me a ten-minute corner called "The Lowdown with Amy" each week. Itmetamorphized into "Internet News."

Yes I, basically a newbie, was commenting on Jerusalem Radio. After a fewmonths I got paid for my spot. When the English programs ended, I waspicked up by the Hebrew programming at the station. I do a corner on anafternoon women's show and I talk about websites on women's race cardriving, Israeli Valentine's Day, alternative medicine, gifted children,men who cheat on their wives, Jewish Studies on the net.

But I remain a technophobe. I haven't mastered JAVA or JAVA script or evendecaffinated coffee. But I have my little Internet company and radio showspot, and every day I discover a new product or extension that makes thelives of me, my partner, my graphic designer, and my HTML coders a littlebit easier.