Oh, how we have grown so dependent on all of our technological gadgets. They're great when they work, 
but when they don't, often times in makes our world come to a screeching halt.
Yesterday, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Government offices were closed and schools were not in session. My internet access worked fine in the morning...no problems. Then, after 12:00 it went down. I had lots of things I had to get done. In the past it has been my experience that my internet can be very slow on holidays, when everyone is home, on their computers. But, this time mine was completely down.
I called a couple of my friends and they had no internet either. And, my internet service provider indicated our area was down.
No big deal, I figured...I will easily shift to something else...
I needed to fax some listing docs to an out of town seller. No big deal. But, I realized I needed to pull a couple of the forms off the Florida Realtor's website. So, that had to wait.
I needed to work on my current newsletter. No big deal. But, I realized for the last couple of articles I was writing, I needed to do some online research in order to finish them.
I needed to set up appointments to show houses for the following day (today). No big deal. But, I needed to go to the MAAR website to pull the listings, and get the listing agent info.
I needed to do a market analysis for a client. I couldn't, I didn't have internet access.
I needed to follow up with a customer for an appointment tomorrow (today). He promised he would email me to give me the additional info we talked about, first. But, I couldn't get online.
I needed to write a new blog article. I couldn't. My computer was down. You're probably thinking, 'she could have written it with a pen'. Well, if you have seen my penmanship, that wouldn't have been an option.
So, I decided to make some phone calls, to wish some of my clients Happy New Year. I started making the calls and in the middle of one, my cell phone died. I turned my phone back on and called back. 10 minutes later, it died again. The battery was still showing a full charge. I called her back on my home phone.
My internet access came back up after 5 hours. And, my cell phone came back up later too. I stayed up tiil 12:00 AM getting everything done that I was unable to accomplish during the day.
I laid in bed wondering, how did we function before we had the internet?
And, I still can't figure it out!
This article is authored by Sandy Shores, Brevard County Real Estate
Melbourne Florida Real Estate News
that for you
I know....I dropped a phone into my coke one day and was completely cut off the rest of the day. It was on the way back from the airport and had planned the two hours to return calls, instead....I just fumed in the traffic.
You are not kidding. I almost go into a catatonic state when I have no access to the internet.
ps. Your wallpaper on your blog is terrific. Did you take the picture yourself?
Sandy,
Did you have a back up plan? Maybe see if a library had internet service. Go there for an hour or 2 to do internet work.
Sandy: Yesterday I worked from the office for a short while. The computers in our office were having a problem with Adobe Acrobat. Seems a minor thing, but the listing agreement I wanted to print, the listings I needs, the CMA, the market analysis were all PDFs. I could not print them. I had to call my husband at home, have him log in from my computer at home and print all that stuff for me. Pathetic.
Sandy,
I feel your pain! We are so dependent on our technology.
Glad you are back up,
Ann Hayden in snowy Wildwood, Missouri
Hi Karen, Uh-oh you dropped your phone in coke - that would have been awful.
Hi Ellie, I know, we have become so dependent on our internet. Thanks for the compliment on my wallpaper. Yes, I did take this picture last month here in Melbourne Florida, only about 5 minutes from my house. I LOVE taking pictures and am so lucky to get so many great ones!
Hi Tony, Great idea! I did call the library and it was a 2 1/2 hour wait to get on one of the computers!
Hi Chris, So you know exactly what I'm talking about! Don't you just hate it? I sure do!
Hey Ann, Thanks - I know you had the same thing happen not long ago. Stay warm and be safe!
And it always seems to happen at the worst possible times. I'm not sure how we all got by before the internet. I can't imagine how life was before cell phones. It really wasn't that long ago. I guess things just took longer back then.
Before something is invented, we do the best with what we have and don't think anything else. Like the old saying, "you can't miss what you never had".
Hi Justin, I think that you are absolutely right about that! I think we have gotten spoiled.
Hi Tony, Love the saying and so true, "you can't miss what you don't have."
I asked a long time Broker in our area what they did before cell phones. He said they carried rolls of quarters for pay phones. Pay phones? I vaguely remember those things.
Hi Ron, I remember pay phones, vaguely, like you, I suppose. We are truly spoiled today, aren't we?