LIKE many I have a routine when I get up in the morning.
I firstly take a hot shower to wake up, take the dog for a walk, switch on the kettle for the early morning cuppa, turn on the TV to see the breaking news and after that I’ll check my emails on the computer.
On Tuesday last week that routine was thrown into chaos by just one thing.
The Opticom internet connection was down and that meant no TV, no music and no connected computer.
Members of my local social media group started frantically posting, concerned it may just be their home.
For me, a strange silence hit the Chapman household.
As I pondered what could have happened to blackout our entire Springfield area, I reflected on just how much we now rely on the internet as well as our mobile phones.
Years ago, a TV had no need to be connected to the internet, you just had to make sure the aerial was pointed the right way and that the power was on.
The radio only needed batteries and the idea of having a google home speaker system you could ask to play any song was like telling someone back then we’d soon be driving all-electric cars.
As I waited for the internet to come back on, I considered what life would be without it.
Firstly, I would not have to pay high monthly fees and with the bills getting larger every week that would help the bank balance.
I’d also save on the costly Foxtel and Netflix streaming services.
I could go back to reading books and sit down with the family and have long conversations without any interruptions.
As I was pondering this the internet came back on after 13 hours and my home came back to life.
My google home speaker started playing the latest music and I switched off my phone’s mobile hotspot, so I didn’t have to pay for the extra data to use the computer.
Unfortunately, Mr Internet is now an important member of my family and I get upset every time he leaves.
He now costs me almost as much as a teenage child, but he’s worth it.
