As I write this post, I watch the little blue circle going around and around as my computer so politely reads: Connecting . . .
I never thought of myself as tech savvy. Not even in my wildest dreams. In fact, in earlier years, I would probably be considered somewhat of a purist. I love the feel of a real, heavy, dog-eared book in my hands. I get a little thrill when I go to use a phone with a chord attached to the handset. My idea of a really nice TV is one that has a remote . . . and more than 3 channels . . . in color . . . with a bigger screen than my laptop. I held on to writing things by regular post way past the email era. Even my husband and I exchanged letters while we were dating and I was in South America. We’d wait 4 weeks to get a reply to our questions. I held out for a long time without a Facebook account and still have never used Twitter or a whole host of other things people talk about. For the record, I have no idea what a hashtag even does.
Now, why am I wanting to throw my computer across the room just because it’s a little slow? Let me explain. I moved to India. Now, I’d love to say that I could do just fine without the computer here. I guess I could if I had to. But I don’t have to! Today I don’t have to wait 4 weeks to get a reply by mail from any and every relative and friend I’m wanting to connect with. Today I don’t have to wait in line at a pay phone and pay over a dollar a minute to hear my Mom’s voice . . . or wish my Sister-in-Law a Happy Birthday. So, I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve gotten used to Skype and a computer-based phone number and Facebook and emails and Youtube (God bless Youtube).
In our new city, though, you can only get a plan with 12gb of info per month before the speed goes down. Now, I say that like I know what it means. I don’t. All I know is that about halfway through the month, our speed goes to a snail’s pace and I’m reminded of the early 90s. I guess it’s all the Skyping and Youtube that really sucks it up, but when you don’t have a TV and you can watch Masterchef after a long day of trying to make sense of a new culture, it can be pretty therapeutic. (I guess we have a thing called ‘Dropbox’ that we use for our business and pictures and such that I have no idea how to use that takes a lot up as well.) So, when we went to our local internet provider and asked for a larger package -- or a second package -- or something to help us, they looked at us like we were crazy. “Wow, you’re tech savvy!” I think is what the guy told Chris. Well, thank you, Mr. Internet Man. Really, I just want to see my family’s faces . . . and hear their voices . . . and watch something that reminds me of the world I once knew. So, thank you to all those who have made this technology that I would normally rave against possible. Thank you to all of my family and friends who write me emails, call my Skype, or message me on Facebook. May you be blessed for remembering us out here!
In our old house when we had an unlimited internet plan . . . sigh!
I never thought of myself as tech savvy. Not even in my wildest dreams. In fact, in earlier years, I would probably be considered somewhat of a purist. I love the feel of a real, heavy, dog-eared book in my hands. I get a little thrill when I go to use a phone with a chord attached to the handset. My idea of a really nice TV is one that has a remote . . . and more than 3 channels . . . in color . . . with a bigger screen than my laptop. I held on to writing things by regular post way past the email era. Even my husband and I exchanged letters while we were dating and I was in South America. We’d wait 4 weeks to get a reply to our questions. I held out for a long time without a Facebook account and still have never used Twitter or a whole host of other things people talk about. For the record, I have no idea what a hashtag even does.
Now, why am I wanting to throw my computer across the room just because it’s a little slow? Let me explain. I moved to India. Now, I’d love to say that I could do just fine without the computer here. I guess I could if I had to. But I don’t have to! Today I don’t have to wait 4 weeks to get a reply by mail from any and every relative and friend I’m wanting to connect with. Today I don’t have to wait in line at a pay phone and pay over a dollar a minute to hear my Mom’s voice . . . or wish my Sister-in-Law a Happy Birthday. So, I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve gotten used to Skype and a computer-based phone number and Facebook and emails and Youtube (God bless Youtube).
In our new city, though, you can only get a plan with 12gb of info per month before the speed goes down. Now, I say that like I know what it means. I don’t. All I know is that about halfway through the month, our speed goes to a snail’s pace and I’m reminded of the early 90s. I guess it’s all the Skyping and Youtube that really sucks it up, but when you don’t have a TV and you can watch Masterchef after a long day of trying to make sense of a new culture, it can be pretty therapeutic. (I guess we have a thing called ‘Dropbox’ that we use for our business and pictures and such that I have no idea how to use that takes a lot up as well.) So, when we went to our local internet provider and asked for a larger package -- or a second package -- or something to help us, they looked at us like we were crazy. “Wow, you’re tech savvy!” I think is what the guy told Chris. Well, thank you, Mr. Internet Man. Really, I just want to see my family’s faces . . . and hear their voices . . . and watch something that reminds me of the world I once knew. So, thank you to all those who have made this technology that I would normally rave against possible. Thank you to all of my family and friends who write me emails, call my Skype, or message me on Facebook. May you be blessed for remembering us out here!
In our old house when we had an unlimited internet plan . . . sigh!
No comments:
Post a Comment