Yesterday evening, after returning from work, I turned on the TV to find not the news I expected, but lots of snow. After clicking through the channels impatiently with my remote, at least 10 times up and down, I was left puzzled. All 45 channels were showing snow. I have never experienced a total loss of all my cable and found this a bit disconcerting. I turned on the radio, which is receiving signals from the cable as well - and likewise, there was nothing but the loud sound of an empty aether. Finally, I noticed that the light on my modem monitoring the Internet connection was blinking red.
After going through all the emotions such as surprise, disbelieve, shock and finally anger, in this particular order, I verified quickly that this outage was indeed affecting a larger part of the city. The house felt much more quiet then I ever recalled and suddenly I did not know what to do with my evening.
I am used to have the TV and the radio on all the time, no matter what I am doing. I turn on the computer every evening when I come home from work and every morning when I get up. I use the Internet to finish of work, to check my mails and to stay in touch with friends and family either via instant messaging or by making online phone calls (as I am blessed with my near and dear to be spread all over the world).
Being without all of this, even for just one evening, was not possible to imagine. When the reality of all this finally sank in, I capitulated. I went through my large CD collection and decided for an old, favourite CD I have not listened to for a very long time. I pored myself a glass of really cheap French red vine, turned on the candles and spend the evening in the company of my own thoughts and memories, something that I have not done for ages. It was amazingly relaxing and brought tranquillity to my stressful mind.
Still, this morning, I woke up with an unsettling feeling which dissipated first only after I made sure, that my world was on-line again.
4 comments:
I actually got rid of television for more than 2 years, because I thought Ryan was starting to 'depend' on it too much. I broke down when I went away for 2 weeks and my mom had to stay at my house... I would have come home to her curled in the corner, shaking and stuttering, had she had to go without TV for 2 weeks. But I have to admit that I'm the same way without my internet. Unless I'm camping or something... if my computer is within eyeshot (is that a word?), it is ON, baby! ;)
I think I could go without TV, if I had to.;) Sometimes I have it on without the sound, just so I can see some "life". It is stupid, I know. But I can not be without a radio (sound, music).
And deffinitely not without a computer, just as you.;)
Sometimes we forget to just listen to the real world around us. For the last year, I've opted to leave my iPod at home when going out walking.. and take my camera instead. I think I miss too much of what's around me when focused on the music. It IS relaxing to not be bombarded with technology.. and just enjoy the quiet occasionally. That having been said.. my computer is ALWAYS on. ;)
Hilary, your pictures are always so emotionally loaded and they speak more than words, so the decision to leave iPod at home must have been a good one.
I guess all of us love our computers to bits.;)
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