Fiber Optics Is Coming to Our Area!

At the library in town. My computer is suddenly jazzy. Weaves in and out of google, email, photos, Facebook, and websites with ease, gliding like it’s in a long, flowing dress.

Everything in the high-tech world sways like couples of the Big Band Era. I want to applaud it when I’m there!

The library is packed with people at the computer lab. They are after fast with little or no frustration.

It’s about gigabits! Speed! The more gigabits, the faster it works.

Nothing to do with coronavirus.

Google explains it this way:

A fiber optic cable is a network cable that contains strands of glass fibers inside an insulated casing. They're designed for long-distance, high-performance data networking and telecommunications. Compared to wired cables, fiber optic cables provide higher bandwidth and transmit data over longer distances.

Many of us in the county use computers. Some of us must wait and wait for connection because we do not have a dedicated line like the library with their gigabits. If you live in town, you have no reason to know this. Not one bit helpful.

But if two or three people are online in the same house in the county (as opposed to town), it may mean taking turns and waiting.

I was definitely dragged into this computer world kicking and screaming. Some of you can appreciate that, right? You know how that works.

High tech is complicated to my brain. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shut the laptop down and said, “That’s it. Can’t take any more learning today.”

Now, 12 or 13 years later, I depend on the computer for weather, news, reading poetry, connecting. Good or bad, that’s how it is.

No more rotary phone, no more word processors. We are living in an informational, high-tech world. I long for the simplicity of I Love Lucy, but it’s over like the days of the covered wagons.

My high-tech teachers. I tip my hat to these wonderful, patient people: Diane, Barbara, Alathea, Joe, our son, a niece, and grandchildren. The list goes on and on. Thank you for teaching me!

Not that I remember everything they taught me!

You know how you might get next to someone who sings loud and off-key? That’s the sort of thing that still happens off and on with the computer and me.

Tough-going sometimes. The computer is set on one way, I’m set on another. And today, head-banging time was regarding Windows 10. Sound familiar?

Best time to use the computer in my valley has been when I’m using Word, not internet. Worst time has been on Sunday evenings when I need to send out an email.

Wild questions pop in my head: Is my computer too old? Is it dying? Or is everyone in the valley watching Lonesome Dove while I’m trying to send out an email that has a deadline? Or is the carrier rabble-rousing up and down the power lines?

My energy is dancing today because I actually saw the new fiber-optics cable—red, yellow, blue, green—with my own eyes! As good as seeing a wild turkey or cinnamon bear. I stopped, looked, took a photo!

No way for me to know the ins and outs of what I saw. My husband explained, trying to put it on my level, but it was like listening to how a car works.

I grabbed what I could. One household can have access to telephones, televisions, and internet at the same time at the speed of light. If someone in the house is watching a movie via internet, I can still receive email, and still at the speed of light.

I lift my teacup to that!

But between you and me, if I were magically offered the option, I’d probably go back to the days when Leave-It-to-Beaver was good enough.

We have people who visit us from time to time. They need to stay connected to family or work in Oregon, Michigan, or Madagascar. I do want to accommodate them.

This fiber-optic thing cuts out the frustrations from waiting on the computer to download, upload, frontload, or whatever loading it does.

Life will never be stress free. We know this. Never was, never will be. Stressors. They keep changing.

Just blowing my trumpet for the message to get out there at a faster rate. You probably won’t be surprised that I love Paul Revere having a fast horse!

Here’s my Paul Revere call:

Spools of four colorful fiber-optic cables!

Now being strung on Push Mountain Road, Lone Rock Community, near Norfork, Arkansas!

Soon to come to our little valley!

Looks like I can keep my happy view and get the new technology. Who could ask for more?

God bless,

Pat Durmon

(patdurmon.com)

P.S. I thank you for comments and shares.