What happens in this wired-to-the-Nth-degree culture when we are away from our normally daily internet fix? Some of us can almost FEEL our email boxes filling up unattended as we actually go about our lives.
She was about to go into Internet withdrawal.
When Patti Schillaci, 15, and her mother, Brenda, moved from Illinois to Flagstaff, they had no Internet access for a week -- quite a problem when Patti used to log on about five times a day.
And when Patti checked her e-mail for the first time the afternoon of Aug. 7 at Bookman's Internet cafe, she had 300 new messages and was welcomed by an inbox that was overflowing and automatically deleting messages.
"I probably couldn't have lasted much longer (without checking my e-mail)," Patti said, who continued to type and instant message a friend.
It will probably be another week before the Schillacis have access at home to the Internet, Brenda said.
"I bet we'll be in here a few more times," she said.
While some people may not check their e-mail more times than they eat, many travelers cannot take a trip without checking their e-mail.
It is interesting, this feeling of being "unplugged", of missing "something" that may have happened, though you can't really say what. I always feel silly when I rush back to my computer after not checking my email for an extended period. It's difficult to explain to people who don't really "get" the Internet, like my wife. Sometimes I think she'd be just as happy if the Internet just disappeared, and sometimes I think she just might be on to something.
You'd think I'd be able to stay away for awhile. Nah....
