Hawaii-Fi-O


I spend most of my time leaping from one Wi-Fi signal to another.

It’s like an addiction: I MUST HAVE FREE INTERNET. I’m like a monkey swinging through the trees; though in my case, the vines have been replaced with iCloud, 02 and BT Openzone. It’s a clunky simile that almost works.

It doesn’t help that the Doggett & Ephgrave office doesn’t have a hub of its own. We’re both with BT, so have opted to just use their hotspots (“…and what is a hotspot not?”). This is fraught with pitfalls. Yoghurt pots connected by string offer a more reliable service. I open my laptop each day, hoping for the best.

It’s the same when I’m out and about. One of the first things I’ll do on entering a public building is attempt to connect their wireless. I’m not the only one to do this. It’s become a part of most people’s routine.

While the prevalence of free Wi-Fi is convenient, there’s a hidden expense. It affects face-to-face communication. Watching a couple sitting at a table more engrossed in their phones than each other is a depressing sight.

I make it my mission when I’m with someone to be present. What’s the point of being there when your mind is somewhere else?

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