Disconnect

It's been a week since that fateful earthquake off Tawian that disrupted telephone and internet services almost the all throughout Asia. The earthquake severed 12 fiber optic cables, cables that transmit telephone signals as well as internet data and linked the different Asian countries. It's been a week since I had a decent internet connection at home.

For the past few days I've experienced what I considered as withdrawal symptoms from an addiction. I wasn't totally cut off from the world wide web. I could open some websites but they load slowly or had to try numerous times just to open a website. I coudln't even get in to Google Mail and Yahoo! Mail. Instant messaging was even affected. The one website that was really quick to load was Friendster. For web addicts out there: can you imagine having to surf nothing but Friendster for a week? Gaaah!

What I missed the most was downloading podcasts. I found myself at Bo's on New Year's day since I *had* to download the lastest episodes from the Non-prophets podcast as well as from Freethought Radio, just two of my favorite podcasts about atheism (Why yes, Virginia. I am an atheist). It was such a relief that a few days ago I discovered I can finally download some podcasts.

The downtime had a big plus. I finally, albeit slowly, went back to reading again. I miss reading. Perhaps podcasting has ruined me since it just let's me sit back and listen to information rather than having to read it. But there is still something in reading that I enjoy and crave, and I hope to bring back my passion and fervor for reading once again. I have been amiss in my role of being a nerd or a geek for the past few years. How I wish I can bring those wasted years back.

I also re-read Marcus Buckingham's Now Discover Your Strength. Good book. I'm going in full blast into reading
again as soon as the books I ordered from Amazon arrives. I am quite eager to bury my nose into Richard Dawkin's God delusion and Sam Harris's End of Faith. The other three books will also keep me busy at for next couple of weeks. And yes, as the titles suggest, the books are written by atheists.

When I went back to work, the net connection was better. I managed to check my emails and get some news off the net about Apple and other tech stuff. Instant messaging using Yahoo Messenger still bites but there's Meebo. A nice web application that allows you to send IMs using Yahoo Messenger, GTalk, MSN, and ICQ. Go to www.meebo.com in case the PC you're using doesn't have an IM client installed.

My co-workers commented that Smart Bro didn't seem to be affected by the big internet hiccup PLDT and PISOlutions (our broadband provider at home) seem to be experiencing. I wonder what Smart is doing differently. Taiwan did say that they are sending ships to repair the cable on January 2. I don't know how long it will take for the cables to be re-attached or repaired. PLDT actually said the internet services will return to normal by the END OF THE MONTH. Damn. Are they dumb or are they just playing it safe?

So what did the earthquake last December 26 teach me or help make me realize?
1. I think I am addicted to the web.
2. I am addicted to podcasts.
3. I miss reading and I am getting it back.
4. I don't consider what I'm doing right now as work. I am having fun and I believe I am making a difference.
5. I am not doing as bad as I think I am.

Four days into the new year and these are my new year's resolutions:
1. Wean away from the internet (hard to achieve once the cables are repaired and things go back to normal)
2. Podcasts are my addiction and I'm keeping it.
3. Got to get addicted to reading.
4. Get back to blogging. It may be a waste of time but it's fun.
5. Take baby steps so I can take great leaps in making a difference.
6. Be happy and keep being happy.

Now, THIS is a rant.

'Nuff said!

Happy 2007, everyone!

Advance happy year of the pig, too. (That's on February 18.)