What? No Internet?
We have had some major storms hit us over the past 2 weeks. I am grateful for the rain. We need it. The local lakes that were down to 19% of their capacity are nearly up to 80% now, and that is awesome. The waterfalls at Yosemite are flowing and so beautiful in their fullness. We have had so much rain that we are seeing mushrooms sprout up in our yard, a first for us here.
But storms can also affect our already tenuous Internet. Out of the past 14 days, we have been without Internet 7 of those days. As of right now, we have been without Internet for 24 hours, and have been told that a technician can’t get out here until Tuesday – which is 4 days from now. That is not good.
The Internet is such a part of my daily life that I use it without even thinking. Like right now….. I started typing this in a Word document, fully intending to send it to one of my support team members to post on my blog for me. It took me a minute before I realized without the Internet, how would I get this to her?
Earlier this morning I asked my Echo Dot what the temperature was outside. She replied, “Sorry. I’m having trouble understanding right now. Please try a little later.” Oh, right. No Internet.
I next decided to do some design work that doesn’t require the Internet. I like to design with instrumental music in the background. Once I sat down at my computer, as is my habit, I asked Alexa to play some John Tesh music for me. Her response was the same as earlier in the day: “Sorry. I’m having trouble understanding right now. Please try a little later.”
I first remember getting access to the Internet via America Online (AOL), in the late 80’s. We had to pay $30 a month for maybe 20 hours of Internet per month. Twenty hours might not be exactly right, but I know it was very limited because we used to keep notes on how much time we used so we wouldn’t go over our limit. Right now I would use Google to see if I could confirm that, but…. I’m without Internet.
And now, 30 years later, if I don’t have access to the Internet 100% of the time, it’s an inconvenience.
For the past 10 minutes, I have just been sitting here at my computer, staring out my office window at the birds coming for breakfast. It’s peaceful actually.
But I really do need to get some work done. I was told the technician would come out earlier than Tuesday if they have a cancellation. Crossing my fingers that happens.
How about you? Does the loss of Interest affect you? Mildly? A lot? Not at all?
P.S. The technician did have a cancellation and came late this afternoon. I’m up and running again. YEA!
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Glad you’re back up. I hate when my internet is down but now I can use my phone as a hot spot so I’m really never down anymore. I have been thinking of changing providers though because it’s so slow sometimes it’s unbearable. I’m so spoiled.
When I have no internet (quite regularly) I listen to music on the radio or from a CD. Whatever I need to do on the computer which needs to be sent to someone i just do it and keep it ready to send for when the internet is up and going again. If it is urgent and cannot be send I telephone the waiting recipient, let them know the problem and have a lovely little chat, hang up and have a cuppa coffee. What’s the hurry? If technology is running your life perhaps we need to take a better path. There is too much to enjoy in life (just living is one of these) to be frustrated by technology. We have our families, friends and acquaintances to interact with. That’s what should be in our lives. God loves all of us. He likes to talk to us. He designed us to live together. He didn’t give Adam and Eve a computer and internet to live with. He gave them each other and walked with us.
Enjoy the birds, the songs, the snow, the cold, the flowers who are brave enough to poke their little heads up, the ice crystals on your windows. That’s life! Enjoy it!
Here in Australia at this moment we have drought, floods and fire. Cattle are dying in all three situations. We watch our farmers struggle. We watch the many volunteers driving food from one side of Australia to the other so that the animals have something to eat. Then we see, and feel the downpours. One year’s worth of rain in less than a week! We watch the rivers overflow, our paddocks over run with the water, mud and debris. We fly over our paddock and see the cattle, sheep and other animals drowned. We’ve hand fed them for the past 6 years because of the drought! They’re all dead! We watch the many volunteers fighting the fires. We watch many people looking at their properties. Their homes are gone. Their business is totally burnt out. All the survivors have is the shirt on their back.
We get in and help them. We organise food runs. Clothing. Toys. The necessities of life. A toothbrush and comb are precious. A bath is serene. Especially when it’s in clean water. They haven’t had enough water for years.
The volunteers are organising fencing materials to get the fences up so that people can donate funds so that breeder cattle/sheep can be given to the farmers to grow our food and have a living.
What good is the internet then? It helps in sending messages BUT a phone call can do that much quicker and better. A smiling caring voice to talk to those in need. That’s what’s precious.
Don’t sit there staring out the window ‘cos the internet isn’t working. Get out and live!
That’s what I am doing. (Besides sitting on a computer and sending you this message via the internet, ‘cos it’s too hot outside at the moment. No, the air conditioner is not on.)
Thank you for posting your concerns. I like you and your site. I enjoy listening and learning from you when you are on the webinars with NAODS.
BUT LIVE!
God’s only given us a short time on this earth. Make the most of it.