Whatever “LTE”is, I’m in its hands

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Last night we had a malor-league windstorm. i mean, i opened the door at about 8:30 PM dressed to finish my walk, and was greeted by a noise like a freight train. The biblical ”mighty rushing wind”.. i didnt go, and while i hate to be a wimp, that was no more than prudent. Huge, still-green pines and other skyscraper trees were down across our lane this morning. My BMD and our new factotum spent all day clearing them.

No cable TV this morning, no Alexa-generated music this afternoon. Our landlines are out. No, the slender thread I’m yanking to find out that Bygone has agreed to ban Russian oil, and to speak here with you, my dear interlocutors, is ”LTE”. It’s the reason my IPad, alone of all its ilk, is working.

We do still have electricity, thank god, because without that the furnace wont work. and we expect snow tonight. But communications are knocked out.

Still, i feel confident that it will all come back at any moment.

Imagine how we would feel if we knew the failure was the result of an enemy cyber attack.

Dear readers, join me in praying—or hoping, willing, whatever you think may be efficacious—that we are not about to find out.

Published by Hypatia

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191 thoughts on “Whatever “LTE”is, I’m in its hands”

    1. I am seriously considering getting a generator at some point, but then I ask myself. If the power grid goes for a long period of time, do I really want to stay here? A generator costs about 5000. During a short, relatively minor power outage, driving a bit and staying in a hotel for a few days is a much cheaper option. If the power goes out for a really long time, would staying be the right choice, or even a choice at all? I don’t know. Some things, you can’t know until it’s too late.

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      2. I am sorry, I missed that one. My understanding is, that if the power goes out for a long period of time, the running water, if there is any, will start to become toxic? And a generator won’t stop that. Also, I have gas heat. Would gas continue to be delivered to my house through city pipes, or is that another problem the generator can’t fix?

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      5. Thank you so much, Simon. If it comes to it, and I can snag a plane to Thailand, I would love to join you on your farm. Thank you 🙂

        One concern, though: if hell breaks loose, China will take over, or try to take over, most of Asia, won’t they? Including Thailand, right? This gives me pause, but you know the situation much better than I do.

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      7. LOL 🙂 An old friend used to call me, “The Black Thumb.” I have killed every plant I have ever owned. I wish this were not the case, but there are other things I can do!

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      12. Yes, I believe that I can. I have never actually done it, but seriously: I think I could probably could.

        I once hiked 26 miles in two days in Alaska. The temperature was around 50 degrees? It was awful, and it was the first real hike I ever went on, but the good thing about it was, everything after was so easy. When I lived in Hawaii, a guy there took me on a hike that was only for a couple of miles in the tropical mountain jungle. He kept warning me about how difficult it would be, and he seemed skeptical about whether I could do it, but I did it with ease. That hike in Alaska prepared me. 🙂

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      14. Whatever you tell me to eat. You understand how to survive in the jungle far better than I do: I would follow your commands 🙂

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      22. I can sleep anywhere. I am thinking, I would have a backpack with some kind of hammock in it? No worries: sleep is one thing I can virtually always do, and can always do when I am truly tired. Just tie up a hammock to some tree branches, right?

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      24. I am not going anywhere alone. You said “join me on my farm.” I am ok with joining you on your farm, but now you are sending me into the jungle on my own! How did we get here? I feel like you are moving the goal posts, lol 🙂

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      25. If the shit hits the fan I will not have the luxury of hanging in Chiang Rai until you get here.

        You said Alaska had prepared you to hike or have I lost that bubble as well?

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      29. I am sorry 😦 I was joking around, but I guess that didn’t come across. I have never been compared to a bad drug before. This stings 😦

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      37. Ok, so I just fly to Chiang Rai, hop a bus or something up to Doi Chang, and then call you, and you will find me? I may have to hike to Doi Chang, I know that, but at least I will be able to see where I am going. That is how I look at it.

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      46. I would far rather hike for a month with you than hike for a week by myself, so, yes, if it is ok with you, I am cool with that. Thank you!

        I have never been bitten by a poisonous snake.

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      48. Well, I am a decent cook. I am also good with babies and elderly people, and I can do laundry all day long, every day.

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      54. I was thinking I would bring the laundry to the river, but that probably isn’t such a good idea, but desperate times call for desperate measures, so that is my answer: I would bring the laundry to the river.

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      67. One of my lieutenants is going to march for almost 2 months through tropical mountain jungle to guide you to a preppers camp for your laundry services?

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      68. LOL 🙂 Well, I was thinking that he might do it as a favor to you, because you are such a great guy? If I had gold rings, I would barter them, but I just don’t have any.

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      72. No. After reflecting, I have changed my mind and I see now that this is not a good idea, so I will stay in America.

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      76. Well, you invited me to join you on your farm, and then you laughed at the idea of having a Black Thumb on a farm, knowing that I have a black thumb. 😦 I am totally joking, fyi, just fooling around 🙂

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      78. I could do that! I would be happy to do that 🙂 I could cook and clean for them too 🙂 And help take care of babies and elderly people 🙂

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      84. Yes. I could cook the deer once it is skinned, or if someone taught me how to skin it, I am a quick learner. Please don’t give me the ok sign again. I really am a quick learner!

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      88. I don’t know. As far as I know, I am pretty sure that I have never been stung. One of my cousins is allergic, so I have always wondered about that, but I am literally not allergic to anything, so probably not allergic to bee stings, hopefully.

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      102. I don’t think you can buy venison at the store. I don’t think I have ever had venison, but I used to eat a lot of moose in Alaska. Also, I am pretty good with a fishing rod, for some reason. Fishing isn’t something I do for fun, but every time some guy ever dragged me fishing with him, I always did pretty well. So, there is that.

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      113. No! I don’t want to make work for anyone. I was thinking, division of labor? I could catch the fish, and then somebody else could carry the bales of hay, and then I would do something else, and then they would do something else, and so on?

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      117. Someone has to gut them and clean them. I have seen this done many times, but have never done it myself. I am a quick leaner.

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      124. No, you have helped me to see the light. I think I would do much better, and be far less trouble, and be far better able to contribute something in Missouri.

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      126. Well, partly. I was thinking, he could rest while I caught the fish, and then I could rest while he carried the bales of hay?

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      136. You are right. It’s not necessarily a trap. I am just scared that you will ask your uncle and he will say No, and then I will be sad.

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      143. I am laughing so hard there are tears streaming down my face. I have not laughed like this in a long time. Thank you.

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      153. I don’t know what this comment means, in this context. I am always willing to work alongside others, but your use of the phrase “food chain” makes me nervous. I would like to be higher up the food chain than any non humans in the area: I am totally willing to work alongside my fellow humans. I am still wondering where you will be during all of this. Why would I go to Thailand if no one I know is there? I don’t go to places where no one I know is there. 🙂

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      155. LOL 🙂 Ok, now I now understand, lol. I thought you were trying to assess how useful I might be on your farm?

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    2. “Bonus Marchers”, learning how to hold a pencil/pen/write in cursive script, surrounded by silence, etc. Battle-planning/communicating in the field a la WWII, etc.

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    1. After some reflection, I think maybe it would be best for me to stay in The United States. Hiking by myself in a foreign country where I have no idea where I am or where I am going, and am surrounded by poisonous snakes does not sound like a good idea to me. Thank you for the offer, Simon, but I think I will stay here.

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      3. Speaking of young people, though. I have never worked in a place where lots of physical strength was required, but I spent my young adulthood waitressing in busy restaurants. We had to be faster than fast, and no matter how fast we were, we were never fast enough. That was just the way it was-in restaurants, in grocery stores, everywhere. I have heard that the South has a slower pace, but up North where I was, we had to be speed demons. It was difficult. But now, I go places, and the kids working there seem to be under no pressure at all. They take their sweet time-they are slower than slow. Drives me nuts. If I were down South, or somewhere else, I would ascribe it to a different culture, but this is not a cultural thing. It’s a generational thing.

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  12. You were right not to go for that walk in windy conditions, Hypatia. When I lived in Wisconsin, there had been a blizzard and the winds were still howling. I waited until the howling stopped and trudged outside to get the mail. A huge gust came up and I held onto the mail box post hoping I wouldn’t blown away. I swear on my keyboard that the wind was so powerful I was being blown sideways.

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