Technology – Page 2 – Stephanie Hurt

I had someone laugh at me for publishing my books in paperback. I was astonished. For a few seconds I could not even respond. When did we lose the art of picking up a paperback and turning pages. I still get a thrill out of picking up a book and reading, don’t get me wrong, I still use my Kindle too. But there is something about the smell of a paperback and the feel in your hands. Maybe I’m old fashioned and I won’t apologize for that, but it still holds a special place in my life.

Also, on the point of publishing, it feels really good to hold a book in your hand that has your name on the front. It is like when you are pregnant, the baby is in your stomach and it is obvious that their is a baby there, but when you can actually hold it in your arms it makes it real. Just like with a book. The first time I held one of my books in my hands was surreal. I actually shed a tear or two. It was so different from looking at it on a computer screen or a e-reader.

I can also tell you that Shakespeare feels different when read on the computer. There is something about the classics in book form that just pulls you in and grabs you. SO please do not throw out all of your books. If you have not picked up an actual book lately, try it. You might find out that it still has potential. By the way there are still many people who do not have e-readers, so you have to get your books in their hands too.

Well, I’m off my soapbox until next time. Have a great Friday and as always have a blessed one and good writing! Remember today starts the weekend. (We have Fall Break next week so I’m sleeping in!!!)

Well the things that nightmares are made of happened to me on Thursday afternoon. It started with a simple request from my phone provider which also handles my internet service and fax line. They wanted to help lower my bill so they convinced me to combine my lines assuring me that I would only be down for a couple of hours. Well…

Being an accountant and writer I depend on my internet to keep up to date in my business. I am currently having to take online courses to keep up to date with the IRS. Also to keep up with my cyber friends. So my internet is a necessity.

Well you can imagine when the deadline for my services to be restored came and went I started to panic slightly. Three hours later my panic was rising to stressful levels. I asked my husband five hours into the “Black Out” as I labeled it, when had I let technology start ruling my life. He laughed and said it had been a while. He told me to take a warm bath and work on my book. I could not even face my laptop.

Upon waking yesterday, or I might as well say just getting up from no sleep, I crossed my fingers and turned on my laptop. Well, the little icon was still red and my DSL light was blinking a demon eye red. It watched me and winked at me for five hours. I started to sweat and have withdrawals. I could not eat, I could not sleep. It was terrible. I was slipping into a frenzied insanity.

After four different associates and four terrible hours on hold off and on, I got results. The lady said the words that made my heart sing “Hallelujah”, they were “your service will be back to full status by end of business day”. My stomach growled and said “now you can eat”. I took my son out to lunch and came back to a solid green light. The demon was gone from my desk and I took a cleansing breath.

It was like a awakening as I opened my browser and was able to connect. My fax line went crazy from client fax back up and business was back to “normal” or as normal as it can get. So that was my 24 hour meltdown without technology. I don’t want to go through that again. I was back to writing last night. Sad how technology takes over your life. You don’t know how bad a case of technological obsession you have until you have to go 24 hours without it. Have a great day fellow bloggers!