Unplugged: Learning to live life offline

Growing up, I wasn’t part of a “high-tech” family. We weren’t the first … or second, or even third … to get anything technology-related.

I was always envious of the kids with the Super Nintendo when all we had at home was the plain, old, regular Nintendo. Sure, Tetris is fun, but it doesn’t beat Donkey Kong.

We had a PC for years before we got Internet access. We were content playing what few games came on a 1994 Gateway (I may or may not be exaggerating on the year).

And then … we were online. I don’t even remember now what Web sites were popular then (nor do I remember the year), I just know it was all about MSN Messenger.

Instant messaging!? You mean, I can talk to all my friends at once and not get yelled at by Mom for being too loud on the phone? Fantastic!

And so I IM-ed — meaning Instant Message-ed — my little heart out for basically all my high school years. I won’t even get started on cellphones.

It suffices to say, I was hooked.

Then I went to college and I had a laptop. Everywhere a person could go, there was Internet access.

Facebook! MySpace! Google! Yahoo! Blogs and news and games, oh my!

I graduated from school and moved to beautiful Moses Lake. One of the first things I did was call to get wireless Internet hooked up at my house. I was happy.

And then … we moved again. Now, we live outside the city limits, in the county. I love it out there. We have trees and flowers and shade and a shop and lots of room for the dogs to run and the cat to chase butterflies.

But I have yet to find a source to cure my Internet cravings. There is no DSL where we live, and the satellite and wireless Internet providers who have come to the house can’t seem to find a strong enough signal.

For about a week, I had one of those USB Internet service things (yes, that’s the technical term) through my cellphone provider. But the signal was weak and it took three days to load Facebook, so I returned it.

And now? I’m adjusting. I’m learning to enjoy the peace and quiet and take the time to relax. I’m doing more laundry and less IM-ing. The house is cleaner and my computer is probably safer. It certainly has less music on it than I may prefer and my iTunes has been neglected, but I’m learning that’s OK. I’m making phone calls and playing fetch with the dogs.

And sometimes, only sometimes, I’m checking Facebook on my BlackBerry and really enjoying my Super Nintendo.

Kaci Boyd is the Columbia Basin Herald paginator. Don’t let her fool you. She still works on a computer every day, juggling her cellphone calls, work e-mail and text messages with ease.