Definitely the Communication Age

When we had the backup generator installed at the Rookery, one of the priorities--below keeping the running water and heat going, but still on the list--was maintaining our ability to use the computers, since so much of our lives and communication goes through them. The "communication" part of that is handled through Embarq's DSL, the only option for high-speed internet we have here at the Rookery. That means that when the phones went dead last night, so did our internet connectivity. As I explained to the ever-helpful (and, at 4 a.m., prompt--I must remember to call customer service in the middle of the night more often) Embarq guy, I could live without having the phone up for a bit, but I was not looking forward to being disconnected from the internet.