Yesterday we had an 18-hour internet blackout, including 4 or 5 hours of e-power outage. I was reminded that the lack of power is my most precious asset. To wit: The internet in many cases is expendable.
The blackout happened because during a planned power outage, fierce winds caused the 25,000-volt electrical line that our heroic local linemen were working on to accidentally cross and come in contact with fiber optics cables, which instantly melted them. It wasn’t a beaver, badger, or backhoe this time.
I lost my procrastination-enabling, worry-inducing, sensory-overloading connection to the InfoBahn. I was unable to make and receive calls or texts, find out what Putin was doing, watch certain TV programs, work on this blog, buy stuff online, view my favorite educational video subscription, make and read social media posts, or use my utility apps. Bummer.
Instead, I was forced to do other regular human stuff, like troubleshooting our LAN to make sure it was them and not us. I meditated, read books, slept, made coffee, took a couple of baths, had conversations with a live person, made a print, looked at and installed art, watched birds, wrote jokes, and even walked outside a little which is tricky lately but felt good. In fact, it all felt good. Lighter.
Those dedicated power company repair crews risked their lives and worked all night long to repair fiber cables so that I could watch yesterday’s video episode of “Bad Chad.” And in an hour and twenty minutes, I’ll be able to watch today’s episode of “Bad Chad.”
Fans of Ghostbusters I will remember that Dr. Egon Spengler warned, “Don’t cross the streams. It would be bad.” If it happens again, and the ensuing total protonic reversal means I must give up the internet and restore homeostasis without it, I think I’d be okay with that.