A new day dawning

September 17, 2009

Attention, please!

WE NOW HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET AT OUR HOUSE!!!

Yes, after four long years of dial-up, of hours upon hours spent waiting for pages to load, of getting booted off the web at random and inopportune times, of tears and swearing and intense exasperation and frustration, we are connected.

Two men came to the house yesterday (Miss Beccaboo* was worried that the one looked too young to be holding a job—“he looks like a teenager!”—and asked me if she could ask him how old he was—I said maybe not this time) and hooked us up to the big wide wonderful web. I immediately called several people WHILE doing stuff online. I’m telling you, my stomach felt twittery-jittery all day long. And it still does.

This change comes after an exceptionally bad spell with Juno, an evil four-lettered word if there ever was one, (I am such a traitor, using the company for ten years and then tossing it as far as I can throw it at my earliest possible convenience), in which I was reduced to a pile of blubbering snot and left home (for only several hours) in search of finding some connection, a connection, any connection. On my second stop (the first one produced more snot) I found it, along with a fabulous live band and lots of decaf coffee. And then, two days later, those glorious men came to my house and fixed my problem once and for all. (We didn’t do it before because there was some miscommunication, or lack of communication on part of the company that installed the new tower a whole freakin’ six months ago. Not until this past Monday did we even know we had this current option.)

We’ve been basking in our new freedom, watching youtube (how a fly takes off, the young drummer), listening to NPR, looking up photos, and actually clicking on the links that people include in their blogs.

And so now that I can (and I could before, too, but now it’s SO much easier), I’m going to pass on some links to you. These are all worthwhile reads—I’m not giving you this stuff just for the heck of it—so, if you have the time or the interest, please do take a look.

The question of socialization? Pioneer Woman addresses it, by way of Mrs. G, on her homeschooling blog. I find it refreshing when people are candid (and she manages to be polite, too) about this question that plagues all homeschoolers (or rather, plagues not the homeschoolers, but the non-homeschoolers around them).

Do your kids fight all the time? If not, don’t tell me. If they do, go read this little post (and its links) from The More, The Messier, one mother-of-six’s blog. It’s glorious, I tell you! The sweet words are balm for the battle-weary soul.

And finally, one mother’s perspective on why she stays home. She makes a very good point.

*A commentor referred to Miss Becca Boo as “Miss Beccaboo” and I much prefer the later name. Don’t know why I never thought of that myself. Ach, vell, the change shall be duly made.

About One Year Ago: Greek Pasta Salad.

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8 Comments

  • You Can Call Me Jane

    September 18, 2009 at 2:23 am Reply

    I can't wait to see how (if at all) this changes your writing (frequency, content, etc.). I hope it doesn't change you too much:-).

    I see the internet as an idol of sorts (speaking about myself here). I'm drawn to it. To the connection with others. We're very good at keeping our kids away from it so they can be creative and use their little minds. I should take my own advice.

  • Anonymous

    September 17, 2009 at 7:15 pm Reply

    And now you too have the perfect "family life crusher". I say this admitting how much I myself have come to love the wealth of information available without having to talk to anyone or even crack a book. I can go there whenever I want. And I do enjoy the few blogs I follow. Immensely. How did we even have a life before this monster came along?

    Believe me, I have seen it all.

    We raised our family without TV. The kids didn't think so at the time but now the adult ones see the benefit. That was easy. The computer is this necessary attraction that drives me to distraction at times.

    Our adult children stop in, say "hi", engage in a bit of chit chat than it's straight to check the latest on the computer. There's a beaten path across the living room carpet.

    Our early teenager thinks he has to have a facebook acount so that he can keep in touch with everyone he ever met and than some. (we haven't gone there yet). And we're pretty rotton parents because we said no.

    Our 7 yr old would spend all the time looking at pictures and would love to play computer games but we haven't gone there either. Every day he asks to do something on the computer. I say "not necessary", he complains, than gets to playing. It's amazing the creative things he comes up with once he puts his mind to it. I learned from experience that to let them even play games (seemingly innocent ones) when they are sick makes it hard for them to think up anything to do at other times. The screen is way more alluring.

    Family get-togethers have turned into youtube watching (admittedly funny, amazing, and totally entertaining), gmail checking, sports score updating times that b.c. would have been game playing , conversational, carrying on crazy times.

    Whew, thanks for giving me a chance to vent.

    Aunt V.(the old stick in the mud)

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