August 9, 2005

Wireless Internet as Mysterious as Most Religions

I’m traveling with the laptop again hoping that I can get internet access and stay up-to-date on my email addiction. This wireless thingy is difficult. Poor Stephen is often on the receiving end of a frustrated phone call. “Hi Sweetie Pie, it’s me. I can’t make this wireless thing work and time is running out.” He valiantly tries to talk me through the connection screen but I don’t get it. Just make the bloody thing work. Okay, I’m internet spoiled.

The B&B that is my home this week in SF supposedly has wireless. Let’s be honest, I’m steeling some guy named Dogpack’s wireless connection because the B&B’s just doesn’t cut it. Like shooting up bad speed – I need more, I need it faster and I need it NOW. Resorting to steeling. When it finally does connect I watch those magic vertical bars with hope and dread, knowing that at any moment they will disappear and my current email will be lost forever in internet lala land.

Ventured out to an Oakland Café to meet up with a friend and tried to oh-so-coolly connect to their wireless. Paid a buck for the password but didn’t know where the hell to put it. A very nice coffee drinker tried to help me but he couldn’t get past the fact that I’m using a PC and he’s on a Mac – another type of addiction issue.

Finally, it connected. Not sure how or why. But then I was out of time. Do I need to resort to a Blackberry? I really fear for my sanity if I move into that level of emailing. My friends with these phone-internet connections look like they are hunched over praying with a stylus-pointer in hand following every significant phrase. I picture myself bumping into walls, walking into traffic, ignoring Stephen while I click, click, click on my email. For now I’ll keep praying to the great wifi voodoo god.