In a Fog

Not only is this the most stressful time of year but it is also the time of year that I chose to get sick. Stuffy, foggy, watery eyes, runny nose, headache, can't sleep and grumpy. I woke up like this yesterday morning, then was fine during the day but as soon as night approached it all came back. I went to bed at 8:30 after taking two NyQuil Sinus liquicaps, slept well until around 1:00 am, then tossed and turned, couldn't breath. I am hoping it will pass when the sun comes up.

I would like to be down and depressed, everyone I know has high speed internet, they tell me all the things that they can do online. I continue to sit here in this seat, click on a link and wait and wait and wait. I have no control over that though, nothing that we can afford comes to our area, nothing comes to our area period. Our only option is Satellite and it is too pricey and too unreliable.

I also need a new computer, this one is on it's last legs. I need a new camera, we need to sell horses (our constant money drain), my DH needs a permanent job, we need a house. I need some socks.

We were reading a local article online the other night about a 6 yr. old girl who told someone that she didn't believe in Santa Claus because he had never brought her anything for Christmas. Of course, the person that she told this to went out and bought her a bunch of stuff. We laughed about it because my 5 yr. old Granddaughter had recently told me the very same thing. My Son commented that Santa had never brought him anything either. I said that in all of my 50 years, Santa Claus had never brought me anything, people sure are gullible

Then there were my plans of milking Calico all winter and having Paris kid in the spring, then start milking her after her babies are weaned and breed Calico to kid in the fall.

A perfect plan, except that Calico is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. She got out of her barn stall, somehow got out of the barn and lured Cooter through his electric fence. I found them together happily eating what was left of my little pine tree in the yard.

Like I said, I would like to be down and depressed but I am reading "The Last Full Measure" by Jeff Shaara and reading about what those men went through during the Civil War makes it a little hard to feel sorry for yourself.

Google Reader

Thank God for Google Reader! There are several blogs that I enjoy reading on a daily basis but because the authors use complicated backgrounds and lots of gadgets, I can no longer go to their actual blogs. I don't blame them, if I had high speed internet I would probably do the same thing but since I am still on a dial-up connection that moves as slow as molasses on a freezing cold day, I cannot wait 20 minutes for a background to load.

Google Reader is just great, all that I get is the text of blogs that I am following alone with whatever pictures that they posted with that blog. All of the latest blogs from my favorite authors are there in one place, no ads and no gadgets in the side bars. Google Reader helps me to find some extra time in my day.

AT&T has finally brought DSL to one of the small towns that I live near, but it does not reach me. The other small town that I live near on the other side has cable internet service but it doesn't reach me either. I get depressed when I think about it, so I won't think about it by using Google Reader.

I do have HOPE for CHANGE in this upcoming year. Once President O gets in office, I will have both cable and DSL to choose from.

Up, up and away!

Floating a New Idea For Going Wireless, Parachute Included - WSJ.com

Maybe there is hope for me yet! A company called Space Data Corp. is sending balloons into the air to provide internet service to truckers and oil companies in the south.

The balloons are filled with hydrogen instead of helium because it is cheaper. They carry an electronic device that is the equivalent of a mini cell tower that is encased in styrofoam. The lifespan of the balloons is 24 hours before they burst and the mini cell tower drifts back to earth via a tiny parachute.

Space Data says a single balloon can do the work of 40 cell towers, by covering thousands of square miles below. With about 36% of rural Americans without high speed Internet connections (that would be me), this might be a cheaper alternative to satellite dishes, which can be unreliable and very expensive.

Space Data hires rural farmers, usually dairy farmers because of their strict milking schedules to launch their balloons daily, paying them $50 per launch. They also pay 20 people with GPS to retrieve the electronic devices after they fall back to Earth, they are paid $100 per device.

I would gladly launch a balloon everyday for a high speed internet connection.