In the age of the internet...
My internet is currently unavailable. That poses several problems. In the United States, in metropolitan areas, that poses a special kind of problem. If you're like myself and you earn money online, how much more then that effect is compounded. But I'm not here to talk about my general woes, at least not today.
Earlier today, in the afternoon, after hours of limited connectivity, I made the decision, and one I frequently make, to go to the library. That's right, this is another library appreciation post! What I've done for decades now, back when laptops were relatively new and more inaccessible, is go to the library looking for media to pass the time. The modern library is a lot of things. Not exclusively a home to works of the printed word, the library is a community center, a meeting space and that means more is offered.
For my broke ass, that has meant access to rentable DVDs. Borrowing DVDs is how I got introduced to the 9th Doctor. It's how I spent lonely hours entertained in college. It's how I've watched so many foreign films, for school and for leisure. Before regular internet access was a part of my home and now, daily life, back when Blockbuster was alive and thriving (or even in it's decline; we miss her); shoot, even since elementary school (probably VHS tapes, but that's not the point) being able to take TV episodes and movies and whatever else on loan was a game changer.
So back to today. I don't have internet. I can only read so much. I can't do anything to earn money because my main source of regular income demands internet access (but also privacy because it's confidential, hence why I can't do it at the library, where unfortunately there's not much private space). Of course I'm making headway towards the arbitrary goal I set foe myself of reading as much before the month is over (I think at most I can finish three books), but I'm bored, my mobile data (thanks to which I'm able to write this) only goes so far. I had to wait for to leave, but when I do I know it's going to be a race against time because I left less than an hour before the library was set to close and it takes like 15 minutes or so to walk there. But I got there. I returned the DVDs I'd borrowed the day before and had time to peruse and sit for a few minutes.
Faced with the option of returning home empty-handed to face boredom I decided to rush to another library, set to close half an hour later than the one I was at. But I got there too. And in time. I was able to select two movies before the call for checking out started. Now I have two hardcovers, one eBook, and two movies (really one because my mother wants to see one of them so I'm going to wait to watch it) between which to occupy my time and mind in case I need a switch up.
So what's the takeaway here? That libraries are great. They have resources you can use to enrich your life in ways besides reading. And it's great for broke bitches. So consider your library and all it has to offer next time your broke self no longer has internet.
Earlier today, in the afternoon, after hours of limited connectivity, I made the decision, and one I frequently make, to go to the library. That's right, this is another library appreciation post! What I've done for decades now, back when laptops were relatively new and more inaccessible, is go to the library looking for media to pass the time. The modern library is a lot of things. Not exclusively a home to works of the printed word, the library is a community center, a meeting space and that means more is offered.
For my broke ass, that has meant access to rentable DVDs. Borrowing DVDs is how I got introduced to the 9th Doctor. It's how I spent lonely hours entertained in college. It's how I've watched so many foreign films, for school and for leisure. Before regular internet access was a part of my home and now, daily life, back when Blockbuster was alive and thriving (or even in it's decline; we miss her); shoot, even since elementary school (probably VHS tapes, but that's not the point) being able to take TV episodes and movies and whatever else on loan was a game changer.
So back to today. I don't have internet. I can only read so much. I can't do anything to earn money because my main source of regular income demands internet access (but also privacy because it's confidential, hence why I can't do it at the library, where unfortunately there's not much private space). Of course I'm making headway towards the arbitrary goal I set foe myself of reading as much before the month is over (I think at most I can finish three books), but I'm bored, my mobile data (thanks to which I'm able to write this) only goes so far. I had to wait for to leave, but when I do I know it's going to be a race against time because I left less than an hour before the library was set to close and it takes like 15 minutes or so to walk there. But I got there. I returned the DVDs I'd borrowed the day before and had time to peruse and sit for a few minutes.
Faced with the option of returning home empty-handed to face boredom I decided to rush to another library, set to close half an hour later than the one I was at. But I got there too. And in time. I was able to select two movies before the call for checking out started. Now I have two hardcovers, one eBook, and two movies (really one because my mother wants to see one of them so I'm going to wait to watch it) between which to occupy my time and mind in case I need a switch up.
So what's the takeaway here? That libraries are great. They have resources you can use to enrich your life in ways besides reading. And it's great for broke bitches. So consider your library and all it has to offer next time your broke self no longer has internet.
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