My internet was out.
For two whole weeks, my internet was OUT. I called the service provider so many times the customer service rep and I are BFFs now. I know his kid’s name and everything.
It was not an easy two weeks. It was like being in Cast Away, but unlike volley ball Wilson, my dog did not want to have long conversations with me.
Me without the internet for two hours:
![[gickr.com]_3b4896bc-a7fe-bec4-3da8-0fd686f6d449](https://missfoureyes.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/gickr-com_3b4896bc-a7fe-bec4-3da8-0fd686f6d449.gif)
While the internet was out, I figured I might as well use the time to take a break from my computer. I’ve been meaning to do it anyway.
My computer is my life! I read on it, I work on it, I blog on it, and if it were possible I’d eat on it too. Virtual food looks so much better than when I cook the real thing.
Things I learnt from taking a (devastatingly long) computer break:
- Coffee becomes a necessary part of life.
- My place is inadequately equipped. I had the thoughts (cringe) ‘well I should go look that up in an encyclopedia’, which was immediately followed by ‘Shit. I don’t have an encyclopedia’
- Newspapers suck.
- The sun is SO bright. (in a very good way)
- My legs are as pale as a computer geek (wait…I am a computer geek)
- Technology is crucial for cooking. How do you convert ounces to grams manually?!
- Books ‒ real physical books ‒ are so relaxing.
- Books are heavy.
- I love writing in yellow legal pads.
- Dancing in the rain is crazy fun.
All in all, the break was perfect. I think I really needed it. I had a ridiculous amount of free time without my computer. It was fantastic.
Did you ever take a break from your computer?
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Miss Four Eyes 
We wondered where you had gone, we sent an email. I would die without the computer, so I have always thought but you have made it through and are still alive to tell the tale.LOL I did take two days off but my inbox exploded. We all need a break sometimes 🙂 Glad your back..Big Hugs xxx00xxx
Mollie and Alfie
Don’t worry, I got your email. Just looking for the recipe. 🙂
I was so scared to open my email after the two weeks. The thought of all those emails alone tempted me to stay off the internet forever! But that was never going to happen, so glad to be back. *hugs*
I was off the grid recently as well! It’s good to know that there’s life out there beyond the interwebz, but I did miss it. I love the meme thing or whatever your little moving picture thing is called. Welcome back!
It is great to see the world outside the internet, but honestly I’m so glad the internet exists!
Oh and, it’s a gif I made with some of my doodles and a gif generator. Here it is if you ever want to try it out 😉 http://gickr.com/
Two weeks?! Ours has been lost for a day at most, and I about lose my mind. But I always have my iPad to fall back on. Such crazy dependence we have on the Internet. Glad you were able to escape its clutches for a bit.
It was great, but I still hope you never have to go through the horror of not having the internet for more than a day! 😀
I actually just visited your blog yesterday because I was getting worried someone took you hostage.
I’ve been trying to ease up a little on the computer myself. On the blog, I used to post everyday, but I’m down to three times a week now. We all need a break sometimes (even if we’re hesitant at first. How to survive without Google?!?).
I always wonder, if bloggers do go missing, how would we ever find out? Were they kidnapped? Have they gone off and eloped in Italy? Did they become super famous, and is that them on the news?
That’s awesome that you were able to turn your internet down time into something quite cool 🙂 We all need a break from our computers and the net from time to time. Appreciate everything else that life has to offer. All the subtle things like light and wind and walks 🙂
Even though moving have been the craziest and most stressful thing ever lol, I’ve kind of enjoyed the break from so much computer stuff!
Anyway, it’s good to have our white legged computer geek back!
*Big welcome back nudie hugs!*
Rohan.
Ahh, light and wind and walks, love them all. Oh and the birds! I made peace with the birds, they sound so beautiful (in the middle of the day though. NOT at 5 am.)
Sometimes you just need to get away, huh?
*Glad-to-be-back nudie hugs* 🙂
I can’t live without Google. We don’t have encyclopedias either. I don’t know where the dictionary is or the thesaurus or where to find out anything. Do you need therapy?
Wait, there are people who actually own a thesaurus?!
I can’t live without Google either. At one point I cracked and begged my friend to let me Google something on her phone. Something, anything, I just needed to see the search results load.
Me? Need therapy? No…
Break from computer. I try that. It doesn’t work so well. I have no idea what to do with myself. I try TV, but nothing is on. I try to read, but thanks to the Net I cannot concentrate on anything that can’t be read in five minutes. I’m like your little guy up there – you got him animated. I am so in awe. I think I might buy a graphics pad so I can draw better than my awful paint people, and thus have another excuse to never leave the computer.
I tried TV too. The rumors are true, there really never is anything good on TV.
I love your paint people! But yeah, I’d probably do anything to never leave the house. Leaving the house is BAAAD!
Yes we are insanely dependent on these things !! When service is down for a few hours panic sets in. So we have started using that time to clean and organize, when service is restored you realize you actually have accomplished something. Or this time of year we just go outside and enjoy some nice nude time. 🙂
Clean and organize, why didn’t I think of that? I did get a bunch of reading done though. (which was after I realized that I have way too many ebooks)
Go for nude time!
I would love to take a computer break, but between home and work there is always one somewhere. Maybe I should take this stuff called “vacation time” and see how that works out.
Try it! Let me know how it goes. 😉
great idea, though most of us would probably not actually do it unless forced to, as with what happened with you. what does happen though, is that you get many more things done in a day
Oh yeah, so many things! It was amazing how much more time I had to do stuff
A lot of people have been taking a break from the computer thing. Well, I have decided to go against convention and not only not take a break, but get into it more. I will become part of the Matrix.
Go Ben! Hey if become part of the Matrix will you tell us?
Only if I can fly and fight 50 Smiths at a time.
Glad you’re back and you made the best of it! To answer your question…in a word, no.
So glad to be back! It was great, but you really miss the internet.
Glad you’re back! Newspaper crosswords don’t suck!
Lolz at your #4.
I kinda like to do the Sudoku in the paper to be honest. 🙂
I do take breaks. I’m more of an outside dog to begin with.
That is fantastic, Soul
I recommend doing them intentionally though (in which case you can stockpile posts or just have an away message). Doing things on purpose tends to be very different.
I feel…uncomfortable away from the computer for too long. The few times I’ve been on vacation away from computers and internet have been kind of refreshing.
It’s nice isn’t it? Like a breath of fresh air…literally. It’s funny that we love being away from our computers, yet think we’ll die without them.
Welcome back! I wondered where you were. Two weeks without a computer!? You’re a strong woman. I would survive, but not liking it at all. I have gone a day here and there, and even a month once (a long time ago). I read a lot. A LOT. Even did crosswords. But I really am glad I have my puter.
A whole month? Wow! Ever think of doing it again?
no! never again if I can help it. 😉
Twice a year, for a week each time, I disappear into the mountains – away from cell phones and computers and everything else. It always feels great to disconnect for a bit. And it always feels great to reconnect again afterwards too.
Wow, sounds wonderful
I was totally stressed out after two days of no internet, I was jonesin, I would have done unspeakable things for 10 minutes on the web….two weeks of no internet and I’d probably have finger muscle atrophy, I would forget my name, I would be…wow I’m pretty lame.
Funny about the food, it does look way better in digital form.
Haha! I know what you mean. I was the same on day three, I NEEDED to Google something! By day five I calmed down and was saying “I never need the internet again!”, which only lasted about an hour. 😀
Hahaha! I love the graphics — glad you’re back on the blog! I think I might go a little loo loo without my boo boo — my computer 🙂
Haha! Oh man, Sandee, I missed you and your funny 😀
The only time I really take a break is when my Internet is down 🙂 or the computer broken.
Internet down vs. broken computer, which would you pick?
easy, Internet down
Sometimes I wish my internet were out for a couple of weeks. But then I think really hard about what that would mean, and I quickly change my mind.
Don’t say things like that! Bad things happen, real BAD.
I know. That gif you made keeps flashing before my eyes.
Sounds like you made a good time of it 🙂
I get cut off from the internet all the time, two weeks, three weeks, it depends on how happy the service provider keeps his staff. I just find a book and read when it happens, or hope that my blackberry holds up as it is quite ancient.
Yikes! Here’s hoping your service provider is having a good year and so are the staff!
Life without internet, what did we really do?
Remembered when I lived in Stavanger – the TV-supplier-company-thiny did manage to cut their own cable, refused that there was anything wrong with the service for two weeks. I have to say – it started to get annoying.
Personally I did manage the brilliant task of screwing up my blog, so I had to start all over with a new domain – I did crash it two months ago, so you could say I have had some time of.
If you disappeared from the entire internet – what would I then read and relate to?
Service providers, what are we going to do with them! My guy sent me the whole months bill even though they knew the service was down. Grr.
Glad that your blog is up and running now! Heading over right now 😉
Why are they trying to do that every time? They did that with me as well – yeah sure, my fault when you are digging over your own cable!
I refused to pay the bill, told them that I wold resign my contract if necessary – they didn’t know that they were the only company who could provide us service!
Welcome back! I usually take a break from the computer every weekend, because at home we still live in the dark ages with dial up internet, which is basically like not having internet. So I avoid the computer on weekends. And it is nice to unplug for a bit.
That is great. I think I’m going to try unplugging one of these weekends…maybe just not yet though 🙂
Haha I don’t blame you…not after that 2 week break! 😀
Being disconnected from the online world is something I find relaxing, for some reason. It’s as though I suddenly remember that, “Oh right, there’s a real world, too.”
Funny how we completely forget about the real world, huh?
It’s even funnier how I realize how much I actually like the real world. The birds, squirrels, flowers, all of it are things that need to be experienced.
A little welcome back gift: http://maycauseirritation.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/id-like-to-thank-my-goldfish/
Yay! Coming over to check it out right away
Dancing in the rain is crazy fun! and books are awesome (real paper books)… and I love writing (and doodling) on any kind of pad or book with blank pages….
Haha, my kinda gal! 🙂
The world is an amazing place when you have no internet. I had this happen to me for a few days too. I realized my legs were blinding white, and that I could even color things without photoshop. It was a very different experience.
But I’m so glad to have you back before you started thrift shopping to find an encyclopedia set…
Do people really have encyclopedia sets? Surely it’s just a myth right? Like mermaids and fairies.
Where do you live that your Internet was out for two week???? I think I’d go crazy. When I lived in Panama I lived without Internet for four months once…I don’t know how I did it.
P.S…I love writing in yellow legal pads too.
For two weeks, I thought I lived in a cave. But, whoa! Four months? Ok, you win. 🙂
Welcome back! I tried to take a break, as you know. I think it’s probably easier when you have no choice! I’m glad you got some fulfillment out of it. Good for you.
It’s easier since you can’t actually do anything about it, but you’re still pacing around the house trying not to pull your hair out for something to do after a few hours 😀
Gets easier over time though.
I was wondering where you were. Taking a break from the computer is fine–as long as it’s voluntary. Forced breaks are hell.
I heart yellow legal pads, too. I think the color is easier on my four eyes (although I started using them when I only had two).
Yellow legal pads have a way of getting the words out of you. And doodles. Mine is covered in silly drawings 😀
Reblogged this on You've Been Hooked! and commented:
I’m still off the grid, as the kids – and fugitives – say, so here is another shot of brilliance from my blogging partner, Miss Four Eyes. This is both chilling and entertaining simultaneously.
Enjoy, folks!
You rock, Hook!
Welcome back, partner. You’ve been reblogged!
Thanks, partner! Missed you and your hilarious stories for sure
Pale as a computer geek! I must remember that one! Dancing in the rain is fun! Just as long as you are not dancing in the rain while writing in a yellow legal pad. For some reason I do not think that would work out so well!
Hmm….now you’ve got me wanting to dance in the rain with a yellow legal pad. I know it’s a bad idea, but I’ll report back on how it goes 😉
But I find that the bad ideas are almost always the most fun!
I enjoyed this and agree with #10, which is why my blog is called Dancing In the Rain.
I must visit your blog right away!
Yes – I love ignoring it for minutes on end! Actually, I try to stay away when I leave work unless I have a post up and want to respond to comments… but I will use it for music and checking random things – but I try to stay away from it b/c it consumes my life.
Definitely life consuming. I use mine for way too many things, I need to try to cut back. I use it to cook too! You’d think somebody would have left me an ancient Indian cook book.
You’d think…don’t you automagically have the power of excellent Indian food skilz in your blood?
How I wish!
I’ve been LIED to…so you won’t be coming to my house to make me baghi or saag? Not even papadan? Dahl makihini (excuse my spelling – I’m white).
I’m sorry. *head hangs in shame*
I can however make some badass Sev puri, it’s street food, really good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevpuri
as in you make with ingredients from a street? 🙂
I like street food – bring it on, baby!
I love chaat. And all those extra “aaaaa’s”
Haha, me too!
Just a cute aside, my husband & I have eaten at the same Indian food place since 1992 – and my son has loved Indian food since he could stuff saag into his little mouth (along with rice and naan) – the woman that owns the restaurant just LOVES him – when we go there- he’s allowed to walk in the back to say “hi” – and we get really good portions … it’s pretty awesome. The owner is awesome – fearsome, but awesome…one dares NOT order enough rice with their meals else there’s gonna be some trouble 🙂
That is so sweet. All of it, the fact you’ve gone to the same place since 92, your son going back to say ‘hi’, and the rice bit. Love it all 🙂
Me too – she makes the best Saag and Tikka Masala I’ve tasted. Her nephew has a place now too – and it’s pretty tasty. He makes an okra that I cannot resist (and I hate okra).
Sounds wonderful.
Count me for hating okra too. The first time I tried Indian sweet and spicy okra, I didn’t understand how I hated it for so long.
it’s slimy – this guy made it non-slimy. Everything tastes better with Indian spices.
Okay, so I haven’t had to do without my internet, but my cell phone is down. Things I’ve noticed about me without cell phone:
1. I re-learn how to use a phone with push buttons.
2. People don’t know my home number.
3. I have way to many apps that take up my time.
4. My 70 year old mother wanted to know why I wasn’t texting her anymore and did I hate her.
5. It makes a good paper weight.
Welcome back to cyber world Hook.
#4, haha! Your poor mother! My mother doesn’t text, but if she did I think her reaction would be much the same. 😀
Hello – First time reader – saw this re-blogged from The Hook man – this was hilarious though I felt your pain. # 2 and 6 I laughed out loud…ok I lol’d How shackled we are to technology. I wish I could break the chain at times, but it’s always pulls me back….and followed 🙂
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Break the chain? NEVER! ….clearly technology has taken over my brain. You are so right though, we need to cut back, but it just never works out.
I have been off the computer involuntarily this past week. I did a full on faceplant that resulted in a concussion. Every time I sat in front of the computer everything hurt and I couldn’t read. I did not like this at all. I would sit in the other room and I could hear my computer calling me (ok that part may have something to do with the head injury). It was torture to know that there were blogs to be read and written, emails to be read, FB and Twitter waiting for me. I would not make it two weeks. Hence forth I vow to stay on me feet and off my face.
Ouch! Hope you’re all better now. Definitely stay on those feet, the internet needs you 🙂
Hello! I did take a break – I unglued my computer from myself and went to Greece for two weeks this year. It was amazing. Of course my boss called my iphone at one point… but it was ok! haha. Hope you enjoyed your break :).
That sounds absolutely wonderful 🙂
It was!
You know me, always late to the party because of my breaks. It’s good for the soul. I love books and breaks away. I’m glad you got it all sorted. Ps. I have 52 encyclopedias in case you need to borrow one! I always got your back babe!
You rock, Amber!
Welcome Back! I have goosebumps just thinking about what my house would be like if our Internet went out for 2 hours, let alone 2 weeks. I would be spending my days visiting my kids in rehab! Glad you enjoyed your break…sometimes its necessary!
Haha! Poor kids…poor you! I hope your internet is never ever out. 😉
The last time my internet went out I lasted 1hr 45minutes, then I packed my laptop into my bag, grabbed my mobile phone and went and sat in the local pub (where there is great phone coverage) set my mobile phone up as a wireless hotspot and connected the laptop to the phone. Bingo! Internet and beer! WIN!!
PS sorry about all the nerd I just spewed all over your page.
Nerd? No way. Brilliance? YES! See this is why I am your groupie 🙂
Awwwww shucks. Now I’m blushing.
When I moved to London I was without the internet for three weeks. Seriously, I had to wait two weeks for someone at the main office to “flip a switch.” I offered to flip it for them. I can flip things. But I did enjoy reading. Paperbacks are lighter. I don’t like hardcovers. I don’t like working out when reading.
Haha, by week two I was considering weight training with a couple of hardcovers 😀
Yellow legal pads are awesome. And I bet my legs are whiter than yours
They are awesome, and ok I’ll take your word for it 🙂
Welcome back, although I was away for the last while too. I’m just getting caught up now. I took a break from my computer a few months ago when coffee got spilled on it and the keyboard stopped working. I found that I really don’t do anything away from the computer except read. I got a lot of reading done though.
Me too, I got so much reading done. I realized how much I love real books and that I have way too many ebooks.
I do like real books, although these days every time I get one, I realize I’ll have to ship it back home eventually. There is a real advantage to ebooks when you live overseas.
I work some long hours and once in awhile, the whole day passes without any online time. I hate it. And I hate that I hate it.
No! No online time? Say it isn’t so!
So much love for yellow legal pads, very under appreciated office accessory.
Definitely 🙂
A few months ago my computer was taken away from me since it had suddenly fallen ill. So, internet was out. Mobile internet sucks. I did not see my computer for one whole month. It was painful. It was appalling. It was so soporific.
My school projects almost came to a standstill, because those I had prepared were in my computer’s hard disk. I’m such a stupid girl I forgot to copy them to an external hard drive or anything.
Yes, I had to call the person repairing my dear computer so many times that we became BFFs as well. Although I shouted at him for taking so long.
Finally when my computer recovered, we rushed to each other fast. We were looking at each other with watery eyes. Well, my computer doesn’t have eyes. But yet it was staring at me, lovingly.
I get it, Shreya, I so get it. The relationship between a girl and her computer…people just don’t understand.
🙂
After so long did I find someone who can sympathize with my feelings. 😀