Haiku 2023–233

no television

poor cell service, no Wi-Fi

nightmare or blissful?

— —

My answer to the question is “both”.

My wife and I went “glamping” over the weekend, renting a tiny home in rural Michigan. It had air conditioning, a flushing toilet, a hot shower, a stove, a fridge, and a nice bed. In other words, it had everything we needed to be comfortable. It did not, however, have all the modern conveniences we’ve become accustomed to. The result? An interesting exercise in just how connected we are.

Other than being unable to post my haiku in a timely manner, being removed from social media didn’t bother me much. My inability to quickly read my email resulted in some minor irritation, but not to the point I was willing to wait for everything to download. Idly surfing the web wasn’t easy, but it sure does fill lots more time when the pages load so slowly. Perusing the web to map out our day or navigate our way somewhere? That’s when our circumstances got me in a bit of a tizzy. The same can be said for using my online graphics editor for posting.

Fifteen years ago, I didn’t have a cell phone, much less an iPhone. The internet service at our house was only slightly better than dial-up. It’s amazing how “indispensable” being connected has become in the last decade and a half. It’s also a bit scary.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying being back in civilization, but I do wonder what life would be like if I were disconnected for more than a single weekend.