Yesterday, the network at work was down – that meant no email, no intranet, no internet (and no internet meant no Google!) Not being able to use technology for an entire day made me realize just how much I love getting dependent I am on email. I’m still young enough to remember the world before email. I got my first email account in 1997 when I was a freshman in college. Prior to that, the computer was the thing you used to play Oregon Trail.
Nowadays, I use email all the time, especially at work. I use email to connect with colleagues. I use email to make lunch plans. I use email to check on friends. I use email to say, hey I’m leaving early; hey I’m a little late. I use email to exchange witty repartee. I don’t use email to send forwards because forwards piss me off – like really – and I don’t want to get any so I don’t send them. And when email goes down, you wonder if there are still people out in the world. The people in the cubicles right next to you don’t count.
Yesterday, I had to make lunch plans over the phone. Sometimes it can take 86 emails to set up those plans. Yesterday, we did it in two phone calls. It wasn’t as fun. Or funny.
I had to walk across the hall to ask a colleague something because I couldn’t email her. I mean, she was all the way across the hall! And I’m still recovering from the 5K that I ran-walked on Sunday.
I had to exchange witty repartee in person. That wasn’t so bad…I think I’m pretty good at in-person witty repartee. Unless, you know, you’re an eligible, single man in his early to mid-thirties. Oh gosh, if there wasn’t any email at all, I’d never be able to communicate with eligible, single men in their early to mid-thirties!
Not being able to email was a drag. (Is it ironic that the mailman’s daughter is writing this? No, really, is this an example of irony?)
Luckily, the network was back up today. How’d I know? I checked my email.
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