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Without Internet:
- I'd go days without talking to another like minded adult interested in my crafts (as let's face it all hubby really does is pull that 'mmm it's lovely face')
- I'd pull my hair out not being able to fix the creaking door without utube
- I'd waste so much time without knowing about 'household essential tips (seriously my fitted sheets never looked so good!)
- I'd get lost on the way to my friends houses without google maps
- I'd not have any funny cats to laugh at as my own just seem to lie around which isn't really amusing
- I'd throw out half the things in my cupboard without recipe.com to rush to before dinner time!
- I'd probably have more money in my bank account as internet shopping would be impossible :-)
- I'd never know what was happening with my favourite TV shows...and not be able to watch them as most are US only based
- and so many more!
Let's face it...life has changed - things are easier to find/have/get/discover, but also harder to hide/gloss over/deny. It's not always a good thing but we'd never be without it. I can barely go a day without having to check an email, refresh my newsfeed, catch up on my favourite blogs or check in with distant or busy friends. I love the internet - love love love! I am careful though. I limit my time when my kids are about as I don't want them to grow up thinking mum always has a phone in her hand or a screen in front of her; or worse to think they rank under my 'online time'. I don't put pictures of my kids faces on my business page - personal choice but I don't like doing it. I don't accept friend requests on facebook from random people or those I haven't 'known' for a while - and even then I may only have them as 'limited' friends. I use encrypted passwords and I don't believe that I've won $100000000000000 dollars from some lottery in Nigeria I didn't buy a ticket for. So yeah...I'm careful.
What I do love about the internet is convenience - I love that if I want to buy fabric at 2am, I can. I love that I need advice on why my 5 year old hates dinner time, I have access to 100's of journals, 1000's of fellow mum's advice and suggestions. I love that I can 'meet up' with people who share my passions and interests and talk to them; openly and honestly and I love that the internet can be a place of wonderful virtual support 24/7.
It does have it's drawbacks (like a lot of things). I hate that sometimes the internet allows people to hide behind comments or react in a way that they wouldn't if you met them in person - I've come across this more than I would like too in the online handmade business world :- ( However I am happy to say that 99% of the fellow handmaidens I meet and interact with are wonderful...the other 1% don't generally stick around too long.
One of the biggest things that I love about the internet is that it has allowed me to turn what I love to do into a business. Without the internet I wouldn't have been able to learn as easily and at the touch of a button that I need to: be registered, get an ABN, apply for Wholesale rates, network, improve my SEO, start a website, engage with customers etc. Without the internet I wouldn't have had the support to do it either - I might have given up or spent many more hours trying to get there. I love that this virtual world has actually opened up my 'real one' - I have met so many wonderful people that I first met online - I also have a wonderful group of online friends who truly are that even if I've never met them in person. I am grateful to be living in this era where I can access all facets of history, technology and support by switching on a device in my sewing room and connecting to the world.
The thing is though virtual world is wonderful and it's only young - I wonder what another 5, 10, 20 years will bring? I'm excited to see what the future holds.
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