Maybe a lack of home internet access could prove beneficial. The internet free weekend project turned out to be entertaining and somewhat productive. A massive thunderstorm loomed over the City of Colorado Springs. Peppercorn the dog fears the thundering sounds of lightning. Yesterday, on May 31, 2009 a massive lightning strike caused a surge in the phone system.

Unfortunately, the DSL internet modem requires a phone line connection. A strange burning plastic smell permeated the upstairs rooms. Fear caused a quick investigation of the office to determine the origin of the burring plastic smell. A strange solitary red light illuminated the DSL modem display. The Qwest customer service phone call took about five minutes. Overnight shipping from Qwest will deliver a new DSL internet modem on the next business day.

Perhaps a few observations about a lack of internet access will help clarify the situation. Without internet access, the world somehow seems smaller. Maybe the pace of the world simply seems slower. The internet provides quick access to information. A quick trip to Panera Bread provided internet access during lunchtime. Working online happened during the course of eating a sandwich. Submission of a previously completed literature review occurred. Participation in a required online forum occurred. During the course of eating lunch, emails correspondence occurred.

Access to online document storage services was unavailable. The normally reliable online calendar was sending updates to an inaccessible email address. Online documents were stored in absolute safety. Without internet access, the documents stored online seemed very unreliable. Cloud computing seems like a great idea. Unfortunately, cloud computing requires both a stable internet connection and a stable cloud computing service provider. Any breakdown in the provision of internet access of services renders the cloud computing project untenable.

On Tuesday June 2, 2009, Qwest had UPS deliver the new DSL modem at about 9:45 AM MST. Internet services have been restored and all is right in the online world. The installation of the new DSL modem took about twenty minutes and required a phone call to a customer services representative.