I write stuff for kids...and muse on writing, children's books, and the publishing industry in general

Thursday, January 13, 2011

What can't you live without???

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR TRILOGY CONTEST IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!

I've realized over the last couple of weeks that (*cough*) I'm addicted to the internet. I get a little antsy when I can't check my email regularly, and it's even worse when I know I have an email waiting for me that I can't open. I start pacing when I can't keep in touch with all my blogging friends. Have they noticed I haven't visited for a while? What if they blog about something I want to read? I feel frustrated when I can't check in with my critique group. Miss you guys!

So it's been an experience for me to move to a new house that's situated in a communications black hole. Why would they build a new development/suburb and not consider communications beforehand??? Our previous internet/phone provider thought they could connect us but couldn't, so we've had to change providers and it's been great fun trying to cancel our contracts without termination fees! And we still haven't been connected yet, even after all that.

I'm relying on a pre-paid mobile broadband internet usb stick thingy, but in a house where the signal is almost non-existent (and moves all the time), I've had to be very creative in order to get connected. I should have taken a picture of some of the places I've finally got the internet to connect. Standing in the garage with the laptop on a tall packing box! Standing in front of our glass cabinet with the laptop above my head, typing by touch!! Holding the usb stick thingy (attached by a cord to increase coverage) above my head while I type one-handed!!! It's been an experience!

And I guess it's made me realize how much I rely on the internet in my daily life. It's such an amazing technological advance, and one which I often take for granted. No longer I think...

What about you, is there anything you can't live without? Are you dependent on the internet, or would you be happy to go without it for a few days/a week/a month?

24 comments:

Unknown said...

I definitely can't go without the internet. I'm constantly checking my email or blog to see what's happening.

Kari Marie said...

I've come to realize that I can't live without my iPhone. Sad but true.

Jess said...

When I'm isolated from it (as I was during the holidays with my family for 7 days), I'm fine. But if it's within my reach and I've gone too long without checking my email (particularly if I've sent out queries lately), I start to get twitchy :)

Grandpa said...

Hi Rach, poor thing... hope things will improve soon to make your life easier.

I cannot live without my scateur (pruner). And I cannot live without my Canon, my laptop and the internet too - apart from wireless at home, I have a broadband stick that I carry with me whenever I travel. Either that or I look for the nearest hotspot - Coffee Beans or Starbucks.

Christopher said...

Wow, that usb thing sucks. I only had to do crazy stuff like stand in the garage when I was stealing internet.

I can't live with out people. I need someone to yak it up with or I get a little weird and start talking to myself.

Michael Di Gesu said...

Poor Rach,

At least you're getting plenty of exercise raising your laptop ...lol

I know I could live without my computer. It's been my life line for the past two years.

Hang in there, Rach,

Something will work out.

Michael

Tessa Quin said...

A few days is okay, but more than a week gets me missing it. It really depends on what I'm doing. If I'm writing, I can live without the internet (well, not really since I use the online dictionaries and thesaurus's to help me). But if I can't, for technical reasons, connect, then I get frustrated. I guess I like to know that it's there and I have the option to connect and stay connected (nothing worse than being online with an unstable connection - I feel your pain).

PK HREZO said...

So that's where you've been! We've missed you. I'm a total internet junkie too... not necessarily social media, but blogging for sure and all things writing. It's good to take a break from it, but it also makes you feel so unconnected.

Hart Johnson said...

ohmygawd--that image of you with your laptop up over your head cracks me up. Sorry you are in a black hole! I would feel totally lost without the internet, too (but having it sporadically would probably really increase my writing efficiency). I hope they get it sorted out!

Margo Berendsen said...

We share wireless with our neighbors and sometimes (dark, stormy nights for some reason) it's really hard to stay connected, and it can be so FRUSTRATING!

However, I took a break from interent (except at work, for my job) in November during NaNoWriMo, and I did okay. I was so deep into my book, I didn't miss it THAT much. Well, just a little.

Golden Eagle said...

I would be able to last without Internet for a few days, but I would miss it.

Cinette said...

I usually do my blogging and surfing on weekends, but blizzards have been knocking out our internet on a regular basis, and I'm running way behind. My inbox has over 500 emails!

Melissa Gill said...

I know what you mean. I just got a 4G phone so I can check my blog no matter where I am. You're experience reminds me of when I was a child and we had an analog antena for the TV. In bad weather you'd have to move the rabbit ears all around and become quite acrobatic to get a TV signal.

Michelle said...

Hi, I can't live without THE NEWS. I just have to know what's going on locally, in my state, the nation, and the world. @BreakingNews on Twitter has soo much great info!

Marianne Arkins said...

I go a little crazy without internet. Twice in the last year we lost power for several days. I about lost my mind ... once, I ended up at Barnes and Noble and once at Wendy's to borrow their WiFi, but it was massively stressful not to be able to hop online whenever I wanted. It's incredible how much I rely on the computer for ... everything!

L.A. Colvin said...

I'm so sorry your having so much trouble but the image of you and your laptop had me laughing so hard. I can't live with out my hot cocoa. Even though the area I live in is considered sub-tropical I am still addicted to my hot chocolate.

L.A. Colvin said...

ohhh I totally forgot. I CAN NOT go with out a shower or a toothbrush. lol

Anonymous said...

Probably same as you, I'd be thinking about emails and blogs etc. all the time! I didn't know you were moving, that is a transition in itself. I've missed you around on here, it has been busy with MoP though, not much blog hopping in Jan from now on! Good luck with contracts, hope they don't charge you. Look forward to catching up soon :)

DL Hammons said...

Coffee. I can't live without coffee. :)

I can unplug from the internet for periods of times, the longest being a couple weeks, but then I'd start to feel the "pull". *sigh*

Len Lambert said...

I can't live without my notepad and my pen. They are always with me wherever I go. And perhaps my laptop. It's what I use to write. I mainly use the internet for communicating and research.

erica and christy said...

Back in 2003/2004, we built a house (literally - we build most of it using consultants) in the middle of a hay field in rural Wisconsin. I had a cell phone that required me to hang out the window of our second story in order to get a signal. Then I'd yell directions down to my husband for whatever I was calling about.

(Out the window): "The ___ isn't working? How do I get it working?"

(In the window, as loud as possible): "He said to _____."

and so forth....(oddly enough, I've never owned a cell phone since then.) Good luck!
erica

Faith said...

Honestly, I love going on vacation and just forgetting about the computer/internet for a few days. Unplugging is a wonderful feeling, and I wish I could do it more often. I may choose to this year, in fact. As much as I love technology, sometimes I feel too connected or too pulled to be online, and I don't like the feeling of dependence.

Adina West said...

Blogger doesn't want me to respond to this post because I've tried TWICE and my comment has been eaten TWICE!

Sigh.

Gotta love the internet...

aisyahputrisetiawan said...


Banned complain !! Complaining only causes life and mind become more severe. Enjoy the rhythm of the problems faced. No matter ga life, not a problem not learn, so enjoy it :)

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