An Internet Hiatus?

If you tried to access my blog yesterday, you found that it was unavailable. This is because Google disabled it, I still have no idea why. But they sent me an email saying they were sorry for the inconvenience and that it was back online. This troubled me and got me thinking. I wrote this post yesterday in response to my entire Google account being shut down. The problem is not fixed with no further issues, but I still have no explanation.

An Internet Hiatus?
December 15, 2011

At first this thought excited me, but now I wonder if it is even possible. I'm actually not sure that it is. I had to look up how to spell "hiatus" on the Internet because I couldn't find a dictionary.

First of all, let me explain where this came from. Today my Google account was disabled. i have no idea why. Stephen sent me a text saying that he couldn't access my blog. I was concerned. Upon checking it out I find the message "Account Disabled." But you have to understand that Google is so integrated on the Web that I can't check my email, can't write on my blog, can't visit Google+, can't access contacts or my calendar events, can't look through the picture gallery, can't view Google Docs, I can't even sign into YouTube. It seems great that all of this is connected--until something goes wrong.

Needless to say, I don't feel comfortable being on the Internet today. I have no idea if I did something wrong--it wasn't knowingly by any means. I have no idea when I will know. It definitely changed my plans for the day though. Zoey is napping and that means I would usually be writing on my blog and reading other's blogs. However, today I can't. It makes me wonder if everything gets cleared up will I want to tomorrow. Right now I'm thinking not.

In fact, my first thoughts drifted to how much I use the Internet, computers and technology every day. It has increased in the past several months with my blog and my iPhone. Instead of getting into playing blocks with Zoey I find myself bored unless I am checking Facebook, Pinterest or email. This is not who I want to be. I miss sitting down with a pen and paper and pouring my heart out. I was at first timid to write publicly on a blog, but there was a switch somewhere to make it so it didn't feel worth writing unless someone read it. It's amazing how quickly your whole perspective can change.

I realize it is impossible in this day and time to turn from a computer, even the Internet. If I am serious about publishing a novel, I will have to write it on a computer. If I want to continue photography a computer is essential. I mean seriously, I can't even spell without a computer correcting me. Though I think I will find/buy myself a dictionary.

Getting away from the computer may be impossible, but I can tone down my reliance on it. I miss crafting and being there 100% for Zoey. Perhaps if blogging, Facebook and emails are not perpetually in the back of my mind I can be free to be more hands on. It would be nice for my mind to be in more creative/productive areas than surfing the Web.

Today I am aggravated and worried about what happened with my account. I don't want there to be any further trouble with it. However, I'm not sure that I would be sad if I just tucked it away for a while.

[end post]

Today, after all has been restored, I have a clearer perspective. However, the whole occurrence got me thinking. I enjoy blogging, Pinterest and keeping up with people online too much to actually go on an Internet  hiatus. At the same time, I am making an active attempt to limit my time and thoughts with the Internet to one large block of time a day (during naptime.) That way, I have time in the day to look through everything that I want to, but it doesn't consume me throughout the day. Of course there are times when you need to look things up and shopping online seems to be bigger this year than ever for me, but the idea is there. The goal is to stop thinking about it constantly and live in the moment, whatever I am doing.