Off the grid

While I am very grateful to my neighbor for her internet access, it feels like I'm getting all of my light from a tiny candle. I know that it's totally in vogue to cherish being off the grid and away from screens and doing a byte cleanse but I have never been in vogue and sure am not now.

If I wanted to be away from screens, I would turn off my devices. If I wanted to be off the grid, I'd turn everything off or go hide out in a cabin in the woods. I love being connected by the internet. I love having access from phones and tablets and TV and screens of all kinds.

And it is exactly zero fun to be so restricted. And it's lonely.

But... I've had the same internet service for almost exactly 4 years. Their charge for 100Mps (which they delivery consistently) has been $60 a month since the beginning. Not even a penny more. This is the third time in 4 years that my service has been interrupted. They will be here before 3 pm today. I totally need to get over myself.

Also while I'm whining I'd like to make sure the record reflects that The Elf on the Shelf came after my time and I do not get it and I am, like years before, over it already. I'd love a computer that never ever showed me anything related to Pintrest of Elf on a Shelf. Maybe I should check Kickstarter.

On the brights side of things that are broken, the digital clock at the pool was broken again today - it seems that's a thing. There's an analog clock that is not nearly as easy to see. So I ended up swimming 5 minutes and 400 yards longer than normal this morning.

But, I did not swim in the suit I made yesterday. I discovered that the reason I had cut it out and now sewn it was that the fabric pattern was flawed right on what would be the front of the suit. I'm not sure why I didn't throw it away but I'm glad now that I didn't. The serger was perfect for sewing up the suit. But then I got wild and crazy and used it for sewing in the elastic. Not pretty. It is possible to do correctly but a major PIA. Much better, easier to sew the elastic on using the regular machine. Lots of good lessons there but the suit is trash.

Today is hot water heater day. The installer is a plumber I've used before and really like so it's stress free. I have already cleared out the area so he can get in and do his stuff. I'm not sure when he'll be here - maybe at the same time as the internet guy.

I think I'll go get dressed just in case.

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It's a waiting day

I waited all morning for the hot water heater guy. The building manager was not too crisp on the schedule. I knew the minute I started lunch, he'd show up and sure enough that did it. He's a nice guy, the plumber, and very chatty. Also fine. He's now drained my old heater and taken it away while he also gets the new one.

Meanwhile it's now 12:30. I'm guessing the internet guy who's window is 1-3, will be here at 3.

I had a hilarious time with the printer today. My printer is about a year old. It can be connected via ethernet to network, ethernet to local, wifi to everything or USB to computer. I have no network. I do have an 18 month old Windows 10 laptop who refused all connections of any kind. I'm sure that if I were more familiar with Windows 10, I could have figured it out but I'm not. And I sure couldn't.

The computer said the printer was too old for USB 3 connection (which I don't believe). And it has no USB 2 ports. Ethernet cable printer/computer - not recognized by computer. My router is a mesh router so no network without internet. Wifi signal from neighbor not strong enough for printer.

I have 2 pages I want to print but, clearly, that ain't happening until the internet is back.

Back to putzing around.

Full Fledged Member of the Idiot's Club

So, yesterday ... yesterday morning... I cleared out the end of the closet that the hot water heater guy needed access to. Among all the old, dusty shit that was there, was a huge glob of old telephone wire. I haven't had a wired telephone in years. So I just cut it out and tossed it.

About 5 hours later my internet died. My internet which is fiber and uses the telephone outlet in the living room which, apparently, is connected to the line I cut.

Now, why/how it waited 5 hours to die is still a mystery BUT clearly the phone line is what's dead. D'Shawn (sp?) is patiently trying to figure out how to fix because splicing it back together is not working.

--- and hour later ----

I'm BACK!!! whew. He got the spice in and it worked!!!! then he taped it to the wall for safety and left. And I had no internet. Happily, I had his phone number so I caught him before he left the 'hood and he came back and fixed it again and this time we came up with a better scheme for securing it.

And now everything is back and operational and omg what a long and tedious day! I've never appreciated my internet more than I do tonight.

And three more things...

I had comfort food for dinner - sausages and mac 'n cheese and applesauce. It was delicious.

New people showed up in the big apartment that I can see from my living room today!! There were 3 young guys and they left the blinds up and came out on the terrace. ACTION! Also the two smaller apartments on the floor below that one have taken to leaving their shades up, too. I love to glance over and see them puttering around.

Several years ago, I had a really small bluetooth earbud that I really liked. It was cheap but it worked well. And then it disappeared. At the time I had a cat as the likely perp. Today, when I got down on my hands and knees with a flashlight to find the telephone wire I cut, I found it!