Internet Frustration

Wednesday Blog Post

I had great intentions of writing something lovely and creative, maybe even gentle for this week’s blog post, but what I am about to write is far and away from ‘gentle’ – although it is definitely about a  big part of a writer’s working life.

As a family I believe we have a more than adequate internet ‘allowance’. As I’ve explained to all those ‘other’ internet users in the family, this is my business, if I can’t go online, receive emails, check websites (and Facebook & Twitter) . . . I can’t work! So, when advice came from our internet provider that we had used 4/5ths of this month’s capacity a few days ago, each family member was on notice. Hmmmm.

I woke yesterday morning with excitement – yes, I would have the house to myself for a whole day. It’s not that I don’t love my family, of course I do, but I do relish free, uninterrupted, private working space and time . . . occasionally. On went my lap top but the first email message was from our internet provider advising that we had reached our capacity and therefore our system would be slowed (crawl is what it was.)

I went onto the  Website Monthly Usage History to try and isolate the why, how and perhaps the culprit – was it my son who had been playing too many games (or perhaps uni research?) or had my daughter streamed too many videos?  Of course I knew it wasn’t me.

As it has turned out, the suspect is more than likely my husband who has recently gone on a binge of downloading 1980’s head beating music and when questioned he admitted (coyly) that he probably did watch the odd UTube item or two, which went with the music . . . . how many?  ‘Oh, around 50!!!!’

So in between the frustration of accessing emails on my Iphone and through Webmail, taking three times as long to access websites, download or upload anything, and having three wonderfully long conversations with internet provider staff, I am ready to admit that perhaps technology has taken over my life after all.

And tomorrow – our monthly allowance resets, so even this blog post will upload . . . hopefully.

Sunset view – to calm my jangled nerves.

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Comments

  1. Sue Our internet was slowed due to 70's music download too - only it wasn't either of us, but the 17 y.o! How can I be cross when her taste in music is so impressive??? Enjoy the faster service today!
    May 11, 2011 at 8:28 am · Reply
  2. 's Avatar
    Sharon Greenaway Hi Corinne, Hope the Internet is working well again for you. We have had problems the last couple of nights and you are so right, we rely on it very much, in fact I think if I couldn't use my computer I would go crazy and definitely not get any work at all! Best Sharon
    May 12, 2011 at 7:24 am · Reply
    • Corinne Fenton
      corinne Yes, all good now Sharon thank you. Hope all smooth running for you as well.
      May 12, 2011 at 9:34 pm · Reply
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    Chris Bell Hope you're back to top speed, Corinne. I can relate so much to this post. #1 son was only back in house 24 hours when I got an email to say we'd gone through 75% of our allowance. A frantic call home insisted movie downloading cease forthwith. Incredible how much bandwidth disappears with a couple of movies. Guess it takes us all time to learn how much it takes, and how fast it gets chewed up. We've all learned the "slow" way at least once. Still,isn't it amazing how crucial the internet has become to the business of writing? And how much we take internet speed for granted. Apparently we're so slow in Oz compared to overseas rates. Happy surfing/networking/communicating again. C.
    May 16, 2011 at 10:46 am · Reply
    • Corinne Fenton
      corinne I know, I know, sooooo annoying!
      May 17, 2011 at 11:53 am · Reply
  4. Karen Tayleur C - hope that's all sorted now and that you have forgiven the transgressors at home. It is so annoying but really makes you wonder how we survived before Internet...xkt
    May 17, 2011 at 8:23 am · Reply
    • Corinne Fenton
      corinne Not quite. A movie download yesterday shot us up to 30% already so Grant wants to increase. Not happy Jan.
      May 17, 2011 at 11:52 am · Reply
  5. Wendy Blaxland Corinne, I do hope this problem has settled itself now. As a side comment, I found a while ago when we started receiving messages about using up our allowance that it was due to my email messages backing up in cyberspace on my OptusZoo account (the one where you can access emails through the Net). The only way of solving it was to reset the time that messages sat there downwards so they were eliminated more quickly. If it ever happens again I log onto my email through the Net and delete everything that's there and the problem is solved. Clearly this wasn't your problem this time, but just in case it happens again... Now, back to the creativity!
    June 8, 2011 at 12:46 pm · Reply
    • Corinne Fenton
      corinne Thanks Wendy.
      June 8, 2011 at 7:40 pm · Reply

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