Reconnecting

Being the product of a domestic goddess and a football coach its no surprise that when it comes to technology, well, I am technologically challenged. Unless a piece of equipment comes with one simple instruction for use -- such as, "Plug in" -- I require a little bit of testosterone help in order to get said piece of equipment up and running.

But not today. I had one challenge before me, and one challenge I was determine to win -- setting up our wireless internet.

Josh doesn't need wireless, as he gets to use the LAN line for his desktop computer. Preferring the more nimble aspects of a laptop, puts me in the "smaller computer category" and therefore forfeiting my rights to the LAN line because LAN lines are for the "big computers." Or so I have been told. Or actually, its what I tell myself to justify my continual argument that I need LAN line access because I have yet to figure out my wireless troubles. Josh is always willing to help. But also being the product of my mother, I like to think that I can do most things better than men, and if I do require their help its a result of being 5'3" than simply not knowing how to do something.

So today was my day. I was going to conquer the wireless internet issue that had been plaguing me for going on two years. I was going to figure out why the green internet light would not come on. I was going to figure out why when I went searching for wireless connections on my computer, my computer would search all night.

When Josh left for the gym, I promptly made a disaster of our recently cleaned living room as I dug through drawers for adapters with no home, cords that looked similar to those I had seen our IT guys at work tote around, and an old piece of equipment a past roommate had conveniently left. These pieces together did not seem like anymore of a solution, but I knew if I could get the order right I would have access.

Two failed attempts later, I realized a busted cable might be the culprit, so a trip up the block to ACE hardware (Ace is the place!) I had what appeared to be a true solution. And it worked! I did it, just as I said I would.

This feeling of being "reconnected" had been the theme of my weekend. Yesterday, two quarts of purple paint and a Norah Jones playlist on my ipod allowed me to reconnect to myself over an afternoon of hallway painting while Josh was at work. Time alone, and to myself is so much needed in my personal world. As those who love me will tell you, I go-go-go until I am about dead and then I throw a tantrum (usually full of tears, and a nobody-loves-me-demeanor), leaving any onlookers wondering what the hell just happened. I like to think in recent years I have gotten better at such moments, but usually when I have some time to myself I realize how close I was to a potential meltdown and how much better I feel when such feelings have subsided. A day of painting, followed by a ordered-in sushi dinner and "the Jane Austen Book club" did the trick, and now I am up to my old charades and smiling all the way.

A little down time, at both at work on Friday and this weekend, allowed me to reconnect with two of my life's favorite people. It was great to hear what they had been up to, and share and tell about my own adventures in life. Slowing down and touching base is always good for that too.

Now as I sit here, reconnected to so many things and people around me, I am eternally greatful for a slower paced weekend that gave me what I needed from life. I never realize how busy things are until I have a bit of contrast. And as I review my outlook of today compared to the start of the day yesterday, I realize that a day of "reconnections" was of pertinent desire -- and it wasn't just about connecting the great world wide web, but also of reconnecting to that "can do" attitude I have come to love about myself, and seemed to have disappeared behind a cloud. So now today, ANYTHING seems possible, and that's a pretty good feeling to have. Watch out world... I'm back!