[As a preface, I direct all of this upon myself, because I am an addict of destination wifi spots and the “oh so” convenient idea of wireless internet…EVERYWHERE.]

It’s a sunny day in Portland, so most are outside. Sipping their Rosé and snacking on some nice home-baked goodies. 
I notice the inside crowd. 
Hunkered in front of their laptops — generally facebook or twitter or other time consuming and mindless programs.

I hear everyone yelp that the internet is down and that it sucks and isn’t reliable.
Now, I know in cafe/coffee shop culture, good internet means longer sitters. That doesn’t mean more business, but only that your cafe looks busier. Which, like I said, is not usually the case.

If a person has to pay two bucks for a cup of coffee, you’re gonna bet their gonna be sitting there for five hours and jump on you every time the router knocks them off. 
Most compliments and complaints I hear throughout my days in the cafe world revolve around the fact that the WI-FI is good and dependable. 
What about the coffee? What about the food? What about our glowing faces that love picking up your nasty habits?

My problem is not so much with the Internet…though we are connected and disconnected by it in several ways…
My problem is the understood idea that it has to be EVERYWHERE in order for a place to be “good”. We get pissed when airplanes don’t have wifi! [Anyone see that Louis C.K. bit?? Ok, anyways…]

What is this need to have internet everywhere??
I swear, I see people come in and hardly say a word before they pull out their iTouch or iPhone and go at it..never making eye contact - just a rushed, “…thanks!” as they nearly run into the door before looking up from their shiny toys.

But, I have an iTouch and I like that I can check the internet at places without having to have a computer. Hell, I even have a data plan on my phone so I can check email. 
I ask myself, “Is it really that important?”
My inbox does not need to be in my front pocket at all times.

As I come to a place in life where I will soon be getting rid of internet in my home, I’ll find it necessary to find a place where I can connect, but maybe not so much more on a daily basis. 
The internet and I have a sketchy past, and I don’t want it to come back anytime soon.

It will be in my best interest to fight this. To fight the urge to always know I can look at my inbox - to update where I’m at…or what I’m doing…
Maybe I’ll learn again to bring a book. Or a pen and some paper…and maybe a good friend. 

Hopefully I’ll learn to look around again. 

It is an addiction I’m fighting to break.
No, the world does not need me on the internet writing silly blogs and rants, such as this - though I must say, it feels damn good to do so. 
And I am not kissing this idea goodbye cold turkey, but it is a start.

We lived fine without it.

I think we can do it again.