I type this from a painfully slow computer at the library. I stopped by here on the way to the market to tell you something.
In the past 48 hours, all of our neighbors have moved out. If you follow me on twitter (@mandythompson) you’ll know that surrounding neighbors can slow the pace of my home-recording ventures. So, yay for no neighbors.
But in the process, they packed up their wireless modem and took it with them (oh the horrors at 7:23pm last night, as I watched the wi-fi signal go from full to empty. nothing. silence). We were sharing with them, well – they were sharing with us. Totally legit. We paid them. Blah blah. But now they’re gone.
[sigh]
And we probably won’t get internet in our apartment.
[insert much weeping and gnashing of teeth]
Why, you ask? First, because I’m not gonna beg for it. Second, because we don’t have it in our tiny little budget. In all honesty, the internet is my BIGGEST distraction from the writing process.
There.
I said it.
So, now I guess I’m going to set up a bracket on this here blog to take bets on how long I can last without internet at home…
My goal? Until the end of the year, when we move.
Yes. That’s 6 months.
How long do YOU think I will last?
Good luck! I would go crazy without internet at home! But I think you can do it . . . hang in there . . . !?
we mooch off the in-laws for both internet and dish. they live next door, and offered for free. of course…proximity alone could be considered a large payment.
Oooo, that’s tough. But you’ll be able to finish the rest of your 100 songs for the year and then some.
It will just be a painfully slow process to tell your fan club about them all…
I’m with Mary though – you can do it!
…even better though – get new neighbours who love recording and offer free access to their modem.
My husband and I were without internet in our apartment for a very. long. time. There were many days when this was EXTREMELY annoying, but for the most part, it was kinda nice. I miss the days when I could say something to my husband once and he would hear me the first time because he was not reading something on espn.com.
) So…good luck with that. Stay strong!
for the record, it makes me very sad that this turns my smileys into
I don’t mean to make surprised faces all the time. I just make my smileys with noses. Wow…it feels so good to finally get that off my chest. 
hahaha. About four times a year, somebody has to just GET OUT their smiley frustration! It always makes me laugh – like this:
phew…I’m glad I’m not the first. : o )
UPDATE:
I’m about 1/2 day into this and I’ve only regretted it 3 times… Ok. Maybe 4.
whew.
This is gonna be tough.
woah.
I mean, GOOD FOR YOU! YOU CAN DO IT!
No, I actually mean, woah. But it’s a woah for me… I’d have nothing to do all day. But it’s all good for you… here’s how you should think of it:
You give yourself a reward system… like, each day that you work on a song for a certain length of time, you get to go to Starbucks and order a coffee [cheap and plain if that's what you can afford] and mooch their wifi to come say hello to all of us.
That way you spend your time at home focused on your craft… even if that focus comes from the desire to be online and drink coffee. You can totally do that! And it’s also great because time spent at home will be focused on you, your songs, your hubby… I think someday you’ll look back on it as some of the best times you’ve ever had.
Yes ma’am. You’re onto me. This is exactly why I wanna get rid of the internet for a while… no worries.
I can mooch at school – at St.Bux – at Panera. There’s puh-lenty!
Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. What idiot said that.
As long as you can get Internet access everyday, to answer e-mail, and twitter, I think you could get by for at least the next several months. Without Drew’s support and encouragement, maybe a couple of days.
How much do you use online resources to help you in the song writing, and producing, process?
That’s a good question, Ed. I’ve got a few of online things that I use, but none that I can’t download and use without the net distractions!
You will only have to last until fall when new neighbors move in. I suffer the same thing when we go to our weekend parsonage… I was able to borrow a neighbor’s wifi… but now I can’t get online. It is like withdrawal from some drug or some other addictive substance. I stand and look at my non-functioning computer just waiting and praying that by some miracle I will suddenly be online and once again connected to the world….
I say you will have strength for the journey … or at least until a wonderful neighbor moves in…
(finishing up work – checking in – and tweaking tomorrow’s post. whew)
No more:
Streaming TV shows.
Google Calendar.
Pandora.
Picnik
crap
Google tasks
I think you’ve used your fifteen minutes of netless fame, Mandy.
And besides, I AM WRITING AGAIN!!!
http://thenoreaster.wordpress.com/category/book-of-pstorms/
They just come out on pen and paper and are posted on the same day.
I can’t get them out fast enough.
(Sound familiar…?
)
I’M SO GLAD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You ain’t kidding. Been a while. Nice to get the creative energy back.
3 weeks.
You’ll have internet in 3 weeks.
I’m checking before work this morning… Opened my blog & gmail and nearly had a panic attack. Honest to goodness, my heart rate jumped.
This.
Isn’t.
Working.
I have FULL confidence in your ability to fight off the wi-fi monster. Besides, it’ll give you more time to cuddle with your husband!
I have faith in you. Write write write.
You can come mooch off of us if you want. You’ll just have to play with three cute little girls to do it…
I think you & the Donis’ will be my lifeline… sheesh
the internetz are my lifeline.
i couldn’t do it.
i’m already cringing about the crazy slow internet i’ll have for the next 3 weeks in SA…