July 28, 2018 -Weathering modern inconveniences

I chatted with a friend this morning and she asked me how I was doing.  She has concern about my healing hamstring and my life in general.  She's a good friend.  I try not to outright "bitch" about things not going my way, but I think I actually screeched out: "I don't have internet connectivity and it is driving me insane."

Since that outburst and ensuing discussion, I have calmed down and thank myself that I haven't put all my eggs in one basket like my neighbors.  They have the "bundle" with their phone, internet and television service with one carrier . . . and that carrier is the same one that is out of service from 7/24 to 7/30.  Just think of that six full days of complete nothing from my carrier in the way of internet service.

So, I am as good as can be expected while I am not connected will be my new mantra for the coming week.  But, the internet connection interruption is more than a disruption in my life.  I had to think about how long I've been on the internet and surprisingly it is way before 2000 - about two decades now.

This internet service not functioning has highlighted how much I actually use and depend on the internet. Yes, the internet has impacted our lives on all fronts for example.

• Paying bills, checking the balance in my account
• Emails to friends and family
• Watching movies instead of going to the video store to pick them up

Just in two days it has not allowed me to carry on my life as usual.  I have burning questions and they are not being answered or fulfilled while I am in this limbo.

• I couldn't look up a phone number or website of an entity in the next county that I need to drive to today.
• I need a map to get me where I am going to today.
• I've jotted down three items of interest advertised on TV and I can't research them.
• I want to learn how to dissolve soap scum on fiberglass shower stalls in order to just wipe it off.
• I wanted to look up a word definition.
• I wanted to verify if it was a copper head or an immature rattle snake my husband almost stepped on yesterday.
• Which of the 5 or 6 library branches has the book I am looking for in their new arrivals?
• I need a recipe for Eggplant Parmesan . . . I've already baked the breaded eggplant slices and they are sealed in plastic in the refrigerator, waiting for the next step.
• I want to research the 1968 Presidential election . . . Lyndon Johnson was an incumbent and he didn't run for re-election . . . the first in history . . . that was referenced on the news.  I want the full details on that.
• I get just a short sound bite of national news that seems out of context, yet I can't get on the internet to get the "rest of the story".
• Fall planting season is coming upon us and I want to get the late summer planting dates for my fall crops and verify the first frost in order to set up my planting schedule.
• A lipstick commercial had a close up of red lips which reminded me of the song, "Addicted to Love," [I think] - was that Robert Palmer?  It would be fun to watch that music video - how old is that? Gosh, it made me think about everything that I've witnessed during my life - like the introduction of music videos and YouTube.

And - the most serious of all:

• I can't pull down and print out any Web Sudoku - medium level sheets - to while away my time - during commercials - when I watch TV or wait for something to cook on the stove.
• No internet means I can't even enjoy killing time!  GASP!

I feel like I'm sitting in front of an old fashioned TV test pattern.

Fear not - I will be getting out and about today - having to do things the old fashioned way like going to the bank and checking on my balance, driving to entities to pay bills, and stopping at the library to see if a book is on the new arrival list [and possibly post a blog].

At least I know how to do things the old fashioned way.  I need to put a spin on this and just enjoy these days of nostalgia.