Life without connection

It has been a busy couple of weeks here. As I suspect it has been at most places. It is after all one of the busiest times of the year the world over. Of course you have no idea just what I have been up to because the universe decided that I was to have some time out from the technological world.

Source

It all started the Saturday before Christmas. Some lovely friends from interstate had dropped in for a visit. They have a daughter five weeks younger than Miss Six. The two were tummy buddies, sadly though they never got to spend too much time together on the outside before the move was made.

Anyway they are visiting their old stomping grounds for Christmas and had popped in for a swim to cool down, only with them came a rather large electrical storm. Needless to say the swim was postponed. While we waited for the storm to pass I went to put the kettle on for a cuppa. It just so happened that as I touched the tap, lightning struck somewhere rather close by. I got the shock of my life as I felt the electricity travel up my arm and out my shoulder.

At the same time as this the lights went out and the power surged. It was all very exciting (for want of a better word) till we discovered that the modem no longer turned on and my shoulder throb for the next two hours.

Our Internet provider supplied us with the modem and are sending out a new one which normally takes three days. Apparently over the festive season though this may extend to three weeks. Or at least it feels that way.

To begin with I was not too fussed about the lack of Internet. I still had some access via my phone and not having wireless was just one less thing to argue with Miss Eleven about. However on Sunday when I dropped my phone, smashing the screen and rendering it useless I started to feel a little closed in as social media and all the Internet contains was quickly and almost literally slipping through my fingers.

Despite it being Christmas Eve I traipsed all the way into the city to the phone repair man. You can only imagine my excitement when I discovered he was closed until the 27th. Three whole days away. My mind began to boggle trying to come to terms with no phone for three whole days. It already felt like an eternity.

Being a silver lining lover I decided to run with the notion that disconnecting was a good thing. Because let's face it, it was. As much as I missed not sending mass texts messages of joy, goodwill and love, I did enjoy just chilling with my girls and living in the moment.

Towards the end of the three days I realised I could put my sim card in the iPad. This did give me access to most things but, just between you and me, I liked not feeling the need to constantly be checking in. Plus Miss Eleven's constant complaints about not being able to check in with her Facebook friends made me realise just how involved this house had become with social media, the Internet and the like.

Once I had dropped the phone off at the repairers though I was more than keen to retrieve it. Waiting all day for it to be ready felt like forever. I was so pleased to be able to race in and pick it up, five minutes before closing time. I did think it was strange the way it kept saying 'searching' but my sim card still wasn't installed so I didn't think much of it.

I wish I had of because putting my sim card in didn't fix the problem. In fact there was nothing I could do to fix it myself. Mr Awesome kept saying to check in with what Google had to say but I was just too distraught to think straight. I was fine with a short imposed break but I was just about at the end of my tether by now.

When I took it back to the repairers the next day it took them all of two seconds to fix and show me how I could of *easily* done the same. Or I could just not smash it to smithereens in the future. Though my elation was short lived because it was my mother's birthday and there was no way I could do anything other than spend the day fussing over her.

Imagine my excitement when late on Friday night, nearly one whole week without my phone, I finally get some time to sit down and flitter about social media. Imagine that excitement fading faster than a setting sun when I get a text telling me I have reached my data limit for the month.

Suddenly human implosion seemed very possible.

Then to top it all off, just as I began to get into a slight flurry over how I would be able to be ready for the first IBOT post of the new year, Mr Awesome informs me that we still have an old dial up modem that would give a slow connection to the Mac.

SERIOUSLY.

Deep breath and lots of them.


-fairy wishes and butterfly kisses

The Internet - How I have viewed it's growth

Recently I have decided to retrace my blogging footsteps. I know that looking back is not always the most advisable way to move forwards but right now it just seems to make a whole lot of sense.

Source

Anyway my first port of call was my draft folder. There were a heap of old posts sitting there with broken links in them. Some have just been deleted not worthy of a second thought. Others have been sent to a new folder where new life may be breathed into them in the future days. And some, are deemed worth of a reshare.

I am fairly certain that my current readers were not around back on January 19th 2008, which is when this post was originally written. The now defunct link was to a parenting site I use to write for, one that is no longer in existence unfortunately.

Anyway I give to you the following

This whole Internet concept is still rather new to me. When I first went to university there was no Internet. I remember huge amounts of hype of the computers in the 'special lab'. I had no idea where or what this meant, except the computers in there were of a much higher quality than any of the others.

When I finally discovered the location of this special lab, I was hugely disappointed. These computers didn't make me type my essays any faster or better. Nor did they do half the things today's machines do! I had no idea what all the fuss was about and made a firm commitment not to be any part of it.

I stood by conviction for many years. I avoided computers like the plague. I even went back to my trusty old type writer for my essays. It was electronic after all.

Over the years I became more aware of this place called the World Wide Web. It sounded fascinating but not for me. I enjoy the simple things in life and keeping up with technology was not a priority for me.

When I finally ventured to this web world it had a name change and now referred to as the internet. I found it difficult to navigate and didn't really enjoy the experience. I had lived without computers and the all the rest of it for this long I didn't need one now.

Around August last year, my husband and I purchased our first computer and quickly signed up to the internet. Which is now known as the Internet. I was quite surprised to see that internet was now worthy of a capital letter. Hard to believe it has evolved so much.

When I sat down to write this post I had something else I wanted to say but I am glad this story came out instead. It is one I have wanted to share for a while. I really was amazed that the Internet had grown so much that it now deserves a capital letter. Where had I been to have missed this milestone?

I will save my original post for another day. My husband is watching Dogma, I had forgotten how amusing it is so I am off.

Thankful Thursday - All Things i

In the dying days of holiday time hubs just insisted that we go and update my phone.  You see for a few months now it has driven him slightly insane that there is not an iPhone 4s in the house.  Hubs, bless him, doesn't like to keep up with the Jones, he likes to be them.  Or at least have way cooler gadgets than anyone else.  To be fair though he does not actually live out this desire nearly as much as he would like and I guess everyone is entitled to have dreams.

Back to my point though.

Around three days before the 4s was released, hubs actually went and upgraded to the relatively recently received iPhone 4.  For the past two years he had been the proud owner of of a 3G but like I said he likes to keep up with the times.  As a result of this upgrade I was handed his old phone.  Which kinda worked well because I was in dire need of a new one.

Originally I had been against all things Apple.  This was based on some crazy notion that I developed based on childhood arguments.  Slowly though as I began to see more and more of the wonders of Apple I am rather pleased to say I was quickly converted.  Even after only being an iPhone user for a few months I was in love.  I knew there was no going back.  I was so thankful to feel like I was part of a rather cool club.

Only my beloved new possession was beginning to show signs of failing.  It took slow to a whole new level.  I could do most things I wanted to, you know like tweet and check Facebook, just, as long as I keep tapping the screen to make sure it didn't time out and go to sleep.

Suddenly it hit me.

What would I do if my phone stopped working?  How could I ever return to an ordinary phone after having experienced the many joys of i?  I shared my fears with hubs, who concurred there was no way I should have to suffer with anything less than the awesomeness that comes with Apple or Androids.

It was about now that I saw a light pop on behind hub's eyes.  He had had an epiphany.

"Let's go to Telstra and get you a phone"

I was torn.

As much as I didn't want to lose the beauty of being an iPhoner I didn't want to cross over to the dark side that is Telstra.  Telstra has plenty of money, I don't see why they need any more of mine than I really need give.  In another lifetime I was a mobile phone retailer.  I started with Telstra but hated the fact to them I was merely just another numbered worker.  Before long the competition came and snaffled me up and I swore never to use Telstra.  Slowly over the years though, I have had to give in, as despite being thieving rascals at times they do offer some services here that no one else does.

Even now I still wonder how hubs managed to convince me.  He must have caught me in a moment of weakness or something.  He is good like that, always working out when I am least likely to say.  I sure am thankful that he did though.

You see the phone is much cooler than I ever expected.  And fast.  Oh so very fast.  Pages open instantly.  I can even actually surf the web, read blogs and what not.  I can even write and post to my own blog.  Though this is not as fail safe as using the computer since I have recently lost not one but two posts this way.  Live and learn though.

The real winner is the voice to typing feature.  I am not sure why but I just love it.  Like seriously love it.  Perhaps it is just the fact that I get to hear the sound of my voice saying something that almost sounds intelligent rather than the usual mum stuff I hear.  Unfortunately the translation isn't quite what I said but you can't win them all.  It is a great exercise in speaking slowly and clearly.

Oh and did I mention Siri?

She also is very cool.  As the Apple site states ask Siri to help you get things done.  Siri will send a text,  dial a number, put something in your calendar, search the web.  If you live in the States she can also give you directions to the nearest restaurant.  Actually that is about the only thing about her that annoys me, the way she tells me she can only search for locations in the US.

Now I know that on the surface this might seem like a sponsored post for Apple.  It's not.  I really do love my new toy.  It has been pivotal to the smooth running of the house so far this week.  It has helped to schedule housework, kids chores, fun times, and much more.  It has kept track of what I wanted to get done and what jobs the kidlets have completed.  It has also kept me off the computer as I have easily been able to check my mail here and there without getting distracted by the wonders of the Internet.  All of that is much to be thankful for.

I am thankful that we are in a position to walk into a shop and walk out with exactly what we wanted.  Without a single drama, hitch or problem.  I don't know why but I had expected it to be full of hassles.

I am thankful that the children have finally realised that I will not give into letting them play on it and finally stopped asking for me to do so.

I am thankful Kate hosts this wonderful meme each week.  It really is one of my favourite posts to write each week for many different reasons.  Head on over and see what others are giving thanks for this week.

What are you thankful for?

Televison - The Greatest Invention of All Time

Or is it?

I mean if we really stopped and took the time to think about there is possibly some other invention that has saved a life or at least greatly improved the quality of life for someone which could possibly be seen as slightly greater than the old box but Televison - The Nearly Greatest Invention of All Time doesn't really seem to have the same ring to it.

The greatness of television debate has raged since the screens were first invented (which according to Wikipedia people first started to investigate the possibility way back in the late 1800's who knew. On the whole though it was not until the 1930's that the first actual sets entered the scene with some countries not actually getting televisions until as late as the 1990's)

Personally I am not a huge television fan.  I can sort of see the attraction but I by no means plonk myself down on the couch to watch endless hours of drivel (mainly because that would interrupt my precious computer time)  I also don't generally let the kids watch a great deal, though they do watch more than what I am comfortable with but sometimes a gal just needs a bit of piece and quite and let's face it that is one of the great things about TV.

Now when I sat down to write this post I had something pretty impressive that I wanted to share.  Rather than just cutting straight to the chase I thought that I would take you on a bit of a journey.  Share some information that you might not have already known and possibly learnt something myself (hence the stop over at Wiki).  Only somewhere along the line I seem to have gotten a little lost and no longer remember my original idea.

In between writing these four little paragraphs I have; cleaned up a toilet mishap, resolved three minor opinion differences, had five conversations regarding numerous subjects, smiled 4 times at the cuteness in the actions between the girls and won 7 rounds of tetris battle (my new favourite way to waste time on facebook)  No wonder I have lost my train of thought here.

More distractions (should read went to Helium site to look for old article on TV, got distracted by possibility of actually getting paid to write, lost touch with reality and for a fleeting moment actually contemplated writing 1500 words on the importance of being part of a community in under twenty minutes with three kidlets hanging around who are currently being amused but none other than...)

Clearly I should just go and do my TIK post

image credits here

The Internet

The Internet has provided the world with a great many things. Ebay, Facebook, and instant access to a vast array of knowledge and information, to name but a few. Then there is the communication aspect and the ability to interact without intimidation. Which is where my discussion brings me today.

Instant messaging has brought to the world free and instant interaction between people despite what ever distance may or may not keep them apart. Families and loved ones can now stay in touch at the press of a button, while new friends are only a click away.

Virtual worlds now exist where strangers and friends can gather together and escape the harsh realities of life. Fantasies can be created and played out from the safety of a keyboard. Seemingly harmless remarks, jokes and comments can be made, their innuendo and true meaning free to fly around cyberspace and unknown to the outside world.

Endless hours are spent 'chatting' without words actually being said. Husbands, wives and children can all be forgotten as the perils of daily life fades away to be replaced with whatever it is that takes your fancy.

So this brings me to the question "Where is the line in the virtual world and how do you know when you have passed it?" For those who have not quite caught my drift yet I am of course referring to cyber sex or even on a lower level cyber flirting.

It easy enough to do and often occurs without much thought. It seems risk free and is not frowned upon nearly as much as cheating in the real world but does this make it ok? There is no physical contact taking place, no penetration or kisses exchanged only words and feelings