Life Without the Net
So this weekend I had to go without the Internet at my complex. There are times where I will purposely not use the Internet, so I can focus on other things. I had to play host to two special guests, so I didn’t have much time to really worry about it; but it always interests me how much I rely on it. Like most things, I never realize how much I miss it until I don’t have it. It’s like when I get a paper cut, and I have to invent new ways to lift things. Sometimes I get shampoo in there too…ouch!!!
It really is amazing to me about how things revolve around the Internet and how much it makes us a
“need it now” culture. For Saturday, our crew considered going to see an IMAX show. I mindlessly clicked on Firefox and remembered that I was without service. I actually had to call the IMAX hotline to get movie times. I can’t remember the last time I did that. The last time I saw someone do it was on an episode of Seinfeld where Kramer pretended to be Moviefone. Thank God for Google Mobile!! Earlier that morning, I began writing a piece for this blog and needed a little research. Again, out of habit, I clicked on my Wikipedia shortcut…nada!
For those of us that began Gen-Y (1979-1983), remember when we had to learn all of that card catalogue stuff to do research? I don’t think I ever really learned it all that well. Even early in high school, they tried to teach it to us…crazy. In high school and college, I used the Internet constantly for research. Parents used to say, “We didn’t have the Internet. We had to carry books!” I wonder if I’ll say, “When I was in high school, I didn’t have Google Images, Reader, etc. We had to use Lexis Nexis Boolean search!” I turned 27 today, and the Internet is starting to make me feel old!! ;->
BTW, I’m writing this from one of the four Starbucks in the area because I’m still down on Monday morning…sometimes I just have to have the Internet.
Oh my gosh! My laptop died last week and I was completely lost! Peter needed to go to Home Depot… heaven forbid I find the closest one using the Yellow Pages! Then I had a job interview and I couldn’t mapquest the location… ouch! And I had a doctor’s appointment where they had sent me paperwork via email to fill out ahead of time which I could not access… uggghh! This all not to mention the social aspects of having to actually CALL friends to see what they were up to Friday night and then trying to find a good Italian restaurant in a new part of town. I felt SO disconnected. This was all of two days and I thought I’d lose my mind… oh, and not to mention finding a place to FIX the computer without the computer… ha!
Man, I hated the card catalog system. I am so glad we don’t have to trek to the library to find out basic information anymore.
Christien,
Thanks for putting the “Y” generations in brackets. Maybe one day I will get a cheat sheet to break down all the alphas!
Like flying, cars and space. Internet and PC are a watershed. Looking forward to the next great watershed that helps the populous. Wonder will I be ahead of the curve enough to participate on the leading edge to take the offensive advantage.