Sunday, September 14, 2014

Re-Thinking Plans


Whether it was a cut fiber-optic line nearby, or havoc wreaked by solar flares this weekend, our Internet service was down for a good portion of the day yesterday. While the latter may make for interesting nighttime lighting effects for those living up north, whatever it was that took our Internet service down did not do any good for those of us who needed online access to continue our research. We were not amused.

The down time afforded one blessing in disguise, though: the dawning of the sobering thought that, should an unexpected difficulty like this arise during our upcoming research trip, we will need to be prepared with a “Plan B” approach.

Since A Family Tapestry runs on a daily basis, and since the original concept was that you all would (virtually) go with us to Ireland on our soon-approaching research journey there—you are coming, aren’t you?—the thought was to post a journal in transit of each day’s events, discoveries, and even dashed hopes. (Yes, sadly, I am bracing myself for the possibility.)

There is one key ingredient in such a plan: Internet connectivity.

At first, before being educated on the current state of Irish Internet connectivity, I had assumed this would be a challenge. By the time we had thoroughly researched travel arrangements and housing plans for our daughter, who is now studying at University College Cork, we realized one thing about Ireland: there is wifi everywhere. Most of the hotels I checked out offer it. Even the train from Dublin to Cork provides it. And, if all else fails, we can access a cell phone plan which includes hotspot service.

Once I found that out, I thought: no problem. This is do-able. I was gleefully planning daily posts of mini-photo-documentaries from each of the stops along our way up the western coast of the island.

Until I couldn’t even manage to get online in the comfort of my own home. All afternoon.

I envisioned the worst: not being able to create a post for the upcoming day’s issue. And this is before I’ve even left the country.

With that in mind, I’d like to offer a caveat to our upcoming adventure: if, for some reason, you tune in with the expectation of having everything in place, as it always is in your daily blog-reading routine, and find I’ve come up missing, no worries. It’s only been another extra-celestial glitch intruding upon our earthly endeavors.



 Above: "Job Lot Cheap," 1878 oil on canvas by County Cork native William Harnett; courtesy Wikipedia; in the public domain.

6 comments:

  1. You can only do what you can do. I know that you know how to schedule posts for later dates. I do that all the time with the Forgottens ! Sometimes it is still difficult especially if your signal is down.
    I won't worry..but I will be waiting:)

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  2. And chances are that there will be at least one sometime during your travel.

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  3. In the grand scheme, it really doesn't matter if you miss a day, or two, or even a week. But it's you and your every-day-for-4-years blog -- it's like the baseball player in the midst of an amazing hitting streak, the team on a winning streak, the kid with perfect attendance from kindergarten through his senior year -- how much longer can it last? There's a dread for that day when the streak ends.

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  4. I have just been reading your series of posts and enjoyed them. Re-Griffiths I cannot find the reference its after 12pm here in Scotland.but I believe that there are 'notebooks' completed by the men on the ground and they contain snippits of information which did not reach the published version but they are now available and on line?. Re your man who immigrated after 1849 , was the family supported by the poor house ? records? or did he work for the local estate or someone like Boycott and found it tricky there when things began to get better. Also as light viewing try Who do you think you are UK Julie Walters re her Irish farming folk. a final thought can you link your phone to a hotspot Good luck

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  5. Should I discover that you have missed a day while on your trip, I may even assume that the day was SO productive, it left you without online time.

    I too have had days without the internet and although I really don't like them, I confess that at times they are truthfully my most productive.

    Meanwhile we pack our virtual bags and anticipate a great trip.

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  6. I'll be ready whatever days you do post on!!!

    :)

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