I’d seen the storm coming, through my window and on the weather radar, so my computers were turned off (but not my modem – although it appears to be OK).
I called Bell at 4:30 a.m. Saturday and again at 7:30 a.m. Sunday; a summary of the conversation can be read here. The précis is that BELL has failed miserably as a communication company in not keeping us informed of the situation.
- I can’t fault them for the lightning strike.
- I can fault them for the delay in repairs, and for lack of communication.
What has this done to my business (and my busy-ness)?
Well, for one thing it has made me aware of how often I’ve been popping on to the web for a little light entertainment, a break between tasks. I am now aware of a frisson each time I’ve reached for the mouse thinking “I’ll just check up on the news/weather”, or “I wonder what new postings have been made on Eileen’s Lounge”; “I think I’ll blog that, it won’t take but 5 minutes” all the way to “It really is time I learned the lyrics to the 2nd verse of Neil Diamond’s "Save me a Saturday Night’”.
There was an initial period of withdrawal that lasted about 6 hours.
I have a cell phone (which I rarely use) which has come in handy for picking up voice-mail AND changing my voice-mail greeting: ‘If you know anyone who sells Rogers phone and internet service, please have them call me on my cell-phone”).
It’s 9:30 Monday morning.
Right now I want to phone the editor of a national trade journal and invite him to breakfast, lunch or supper, and I reach for the phone …
Right now I’m wondering how my colleague in Orangeville weathered the weekend …
Right now I should be calling my client in New Jersey to let them know of the progress I made over the weekend …
Right now I should be responding to a small flood of emails that have, no doubt, arrived from the client in the east-end regarding that critical project …
And the 60 hours?
I got a lot of work done on that New Jersey project; head down, thoughts, paper/pencil etc.
I did some superb batches of no-knead bread; sorted out the spare bedroom, and did some gardening.
In short, while I lament loudly that lack of a communication channel, I recognize that I have been driven by the communications channel.
Think you couldn’t survive without it? You can, for short periods.
Try this:
Unplug your internet and phone connections for one hour. It’s as if you’ve been out for coffee for one hour.
Next day try 2 hours. Go on! No-one will know.
Try unplugging at 6 p.m. Friday, and see just how long you can go. If you can make it to 9 a.m. Monday, like me, you’ll have proved that you are your business, regardless of the medium.
More stuff
(1) I have arranged a meeting downtown at The Jersey Giant. My first instinct is to jump on the web and find out exactly where they are; “St Lawrence Market” isn’t good enough for me. I want my internet!
(2) Perversely, now that I don’t have access to fre elocal calls (I get charged for my cell phone), I want to Hit the Phones. I want to get in touch with him, and her. No Time Like The Present!
(3) I’ve become a dab hand at Spider Solitaire.
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