Thank God my piano is not a plugged in device. Being offline for nearly three weeks was painful. My piano was my saving grace.
My main tech connection to the world died and put me on a internet time out. Usually it’s not a big deal if my device goes on the fritz. I simply go to the store where it gets a look over and if a replacement is needed, I pay the five dollars fee and my replacement comes in a couple of days. Yay, insurance plan.
Not such an easy endeavor during covid lockdown. Having only my 1st generation iPad working, only two websites worked with minimal misery; my email and Facebook. Getting store locations and phone numbers was no small feat.
Which cell phone store branches are even open during lockdown? My friends called for me since I couldn’t make calls. And after ordering my replacement device, the branch closed indefinitely while my device was in-transit. Fortunately, I had friends to connect me toward not only figuring out how to get my replacement device but they also played secretary and contacted students to cancel my teaching in the interim. It was a long-winded stressful journey to reconnect with the plugged in world.
In the space of being offline, I had one evening where Los Angeles experienced THREE earthquakes in ONE evening. That had never happened before. I immediately started packing but realized I had no plan of where to go nor was I able to contact anyone should the end of the world arrive.
My internet time-out had me mulling over moody repertoire at the piano. My neighbors probably heard that I was in a dark mood. No teaching or video calls with friends or family also meant that I didn’t utter a syllable to a soul. I wondered if I experienced more solitude and silence than a monk.
At least two websites didn’t crash (all the time) on my old iPad. Not keeping up with the alternative media news sites that I preferred, I suffered the Facebook crowd. Their doom and gloom, sky is falling, fevered frantic speak was not balanced with my daily dose of Flote, LBRY, and Hive. All the sane, calm free thinkers are on alternative sites.
I’m glad to be back. Hello, Hive family! I missed you.
JNET
