Battling technology just isn't worth it

By Josh Salm/Piscataquis Observer
Hi. My name is Josh Salm, and I’m an technology and information junkie.
There. I admitted it. It’s not something new that I just found out recently. I’ve known about this quirk of mine for years. It’s a product of the 24/7 news cycle, Internet news sites and working in the newspaper business.
I also love playing with computers and game systems. I know nothing really about how they work, but I know enough to turn them on, get online and that’s about it. It’s enough for me to get in trouble.
My problem is fed in large part by the wireless Internet connection at my apartment and my laptop. I am online constantly to read sports stories, check the latest AP stories and playing Texas Hold’Em poker.
This all came to a head Sunday morning, when I sank into the recliner on a beautiful, sunny day with my coffee cup and laptop to take in the second round of the NFL draft on ESPN and follow my Green Bay Packers online.
That’s when the Internet connection went out.
Now most people would just close the computer and go do something else, like I don’t know, enjoy the summer-like weekend we had. I would have loved that. Instead, for some reason that boggles my mind even now, I fought with the Internet for an hour or so. I tried to fix the connection through the computer, then rebuilt the connection in the wireless modem and lastly reset the cable company’s modem before realizing there was no information going in or out. So I called the cable company to get a new modem, because I was sure I fried mine.
The 20 minutes I sat on the phone, listening to a lovely recorded female voice tell me over and over again that I could probably fix the Internet connection by resetting the modem. I’m glad that recording had a pleasant voice, or I would have been screaming at the poor guy who finally spoke to me — only to tell me the whole state was out of service and it would likely not be up and running for some time.
Again, it was a beautiful, sunny day outside and I cooped myself up inside, having resigned myself to my Wii game console to play golf — you know, instead of actually going outside to play golf, because who does that on a sunny Sunday morning? Well, guess what, my Wii wouldn’t turn on.
Another 20 minutes later on a customer service line taught me I can fix it myself. I guess those new-fangled game consoles have sensitive surge protectors in them, so they will lock down if the power fluctuates in the house. Too bad that wasn’t around 15 years ago when I had my Sega Genesis.
After thanking the nice woman on the phone for fixing my Wii instead of making me pay $250 to replace my Christmas present, I decided I had enough. Off went the TV — the draft won’t change at all if I watch it or not — The laptop was closed and the Wii stood silent. I went out to my porch to enjoy the sun for a while.
I mean, how many times does the mercury reach 80 on an April weekend anyway? At least I could cope without technology for a while.
That didn’t last long after the Internet came back, but it’s a start.