Frustration is Fruitless & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #79
When I woke up this morning to get this post written for publication in a less than a timely manner, I quickly discovered that my Wi-Fi was not working. Like not at all. After implementing all the basic troubleshooting techniques to no avail, I did a quick search on my phone to discover that Spectrum, my internet provider, was experiencing outages throughout their entire service zone of 25 states. Okay, then. That’s what I get for procrastinating. While the service outage is clearly not my fault, the putting off getting my work done in a timely manner is entirely my fault. So getting frustrated and angry at Spectrum and their employees (people whom I do not even know) is really quite ridiculous, not to mention completely fruitless. So why waste valuable energy on anger and bitter frustration when I clearly have a million other things that need to be done that do not require internet access? It is that flexibility in our routines that is so important for easy living. Internet is down…so just rearrange your to-do list and find something else productive to complete.
The reason I procrastinated on writing this post is actually of significant consequence in this scenario. You see, I didn’t really know the topic I wanted to discuss today anyway…and now I do…I guess it is true that all things happen for a reason…even Wi-Fi outages. Yet another reason to not get upset over the whole service outage thing…because there is good that came out of it. For me, at least. And as you know, we are all selfish in one way or another.
My #SpreadTheKindness posts are my way of either doing an unexpected kindness for someone, injecting positive and kind energy into the universe, or just spreading the word that living purposefully with kindness and patience is such a better way of life than existing in a constant state of anger, agitation, and harried impatience. Just last week, I talked about The Art of Delayed Gratification and how it is a trait that we must learn. It is not inherent in us to sit patiently and wait for the things we need, crave, and desire. This became glaringly obvious to me as I read through the comment section on the Spectrum Outage Map. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the frustration involved when we lose internet access in this generation that is so dependent on technology. But sometimes, even the best satellite internet can falter and fail us and there really is nothing you can do except sit it out and wait.
Wait. Oh my goodness. That word is so dreadful to so many. Perhaps yet another fault in our humanness. We cannot tolerate waiting. Again…we must learn delayed gratification, it does not come to us naturally. For example, this comment to Spectrum from a customer in Kentucky:
“Spectrum internet went out about 15 minutes ago. Any clue as to when it might be restored? People rely on their internet connection for much more than just surfing the wth these days. Like phone, streaming services, home security camera systems, etc. This is not acceptable.”
The internet was out for 15 minutes and this customer is already posting a comment. Fifteen minutes! In the first 15 minutes of the outage that I experienced, I patiently started troubleshooting the problem myself…before even the slightest inkling of anger or frustration wormed its way to the surface.
*All comments quoted herein have been unedited…any and all typos are from the original sources.
And this customer from Texas:
“Out for over 30 minutes. What gives?”
Okay, so they waited 30 minutes before starting to lose it on Spectrum.
Granted, the website did ask customers to report any outages they were experiencing in the comment section. And the majority of the comments are simple reports of just that. But sprinkled consistently throughout the comment thread are posts like these:
From South Carolina:
“No internet for hours . problems for over 24 hours off and on but just OFF now. Can you please remind me what I pay you for. This is awful!!!!! Get it together Spectrum”
“Get it together Spectrum”. I am fairly certain that Spectrum did not just throw their hands in the air and say, “We have no idea what’s going on. We give up. You’re all out of luck. We quit.” Probably not the case, right? I am even more certain that Spectrum employees have been working diligently around the clock to identify and rectify the issues that are causing the extended service problems.
This one made me chuckle:
“They wont tell you what is the problem, dont bother calling them, just a waist of your time. I miss Time Warner!”
I was a Time Warner customer as well before they were bought by Spectrum. And guess what? Time Warner occasionally had service outages, too. Just as infrequently and sporadically as Spectrum does. And I bet if you searched old service outage pages for Time Warner you would find similar comments about how awful the service is, how they need to get their act together, and so on.
Blasting the internet with anger really does not speed up the process of fixing the service issue. These comments literally have my eyes rolling and my mind wondering really what kind of selfish, small universes so many people live inside. Let go of the things you cannot control and allow the employees of Spectrum to do their jobs. I promise, they are working on the issue. They are not sitting at their desks laughing at the insanity of the general population’s inability to delay gratification or to simply see the bigger picture of life in general. That’s me…I am the one sitting at my desk laughing!
“This is ridiculous! They had BETTER credit our accounts!!!! Out in North Canton since 10 AM. This is bull crap!!!”
And if they don’t credit your accounts, are you going to boycott the internet altogether?
“Also getting the “app” message. Totally honked that I am missing World Cup knock-out match(es) which happen only every four years!”
I am sure this one person missing the World Cup knock-out match(es) is right at the top of Spectrum’s priority list!
“Akron area….can’t call, can’t chat, guess I’ll be switching providers.”
Switch away, my friend, switch away. You will encounter the same issues anywhere you go…because this is life!
“Wi-Fi/cable out all evening in lake milton,oh.o I mean it’s Sunday night people.what else is there to do!?!.”
Um…read a book? Play a board game? Engage in conversation with your family? Go out for a beer?
“What the heck? … the SPECTRUM internet service cut out on me all day long for the last week or so and Not a single one of their apps work anywhere I go. I think their ads are fake and the crap they offer is … well … crap.”
Indeed, fake ads and fake service, too, probably. It has all been a figment of the imagination. The internet isn’t even real.
“Please fix. My internet has been down in Spring Hill Tn for hours. Can’t watch tv! That should say it all.”
Oh. My. God. The horror!
And this poor guy…
“I just want service…”
Yes, as we all do. But we don’t have service, so we need to acclimate to this sudden change in our environment and this unexpected disappointment so unfairly delivered to us. Keep in mind that failure to acclimate is what causes species to become extinct.
Yep. I am still laughing. Probably not the kindest gesture on my part thereby defeating the purpose of my #SpreadTheKindness post. But I suppose we are all entitled to fall short of our goals every now and then. Let me share this though: I waited patiently without anger because the problem was completely out of my control. In the meantime, I found some other things to do that needed to be done. And just a few short hours later, my Wi-Fi is working just fine. My blood pressure is stable. And I’m not anxious or unhappy or at all derailed from enjoying my day just as I would have otherwise.
Perspective, patience, kindness, and the ability to make adjustments. These are key attributes to living the best kind of life. Spectrum, keep up the good work and disregard all the negativity being tossed in your direction! I support you with kindness.
And now the featured favorites from last week.
Yvonne of Funky Forty shared her post, How to look stylish in shorts at any age! Seriously, I need this outfit! You all know how I love my long kimonos over my cut off denim shorts. But this just takes that combination to an entirely new level of fabulous!
And Grace of Color and Grace shared her post, Life After Loss || An Interview About Grief and Loss from Homegirl Talk. Always inspiring in her Life After Loss series, Grace once again shares her journey through grief openly and honestly in a way that reaches so many people.
What do you do when your internet service goes wonky? Are you the type who freaks out or just rearranges your schedule for the time being?
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Ups.
Outfit Details:
Shoes: Charlotte Russe Open Toe Slingback Sandals
Top: Victoria Beckham for Target (Old)
Shorts: Old Navy (Old)
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
54 Comments
Jodie
We do learn so much as we get older, don’t we? I used to get so upset when my site or internet was down, but it’s out of my control, so why get all annoyed??
I love this top on you, Shelbee!! And those white shoes are something I’ve been looking for (because I need more shoes in my life…ha ha)
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Absolute truth, Jodie! Except there are mature individuals that still haven’t learned the benefits of leaving the frustration at the door and moving on. Aw, well, we each travel our own path at our own speed, I suppose. Thanks for the lovely compliments as well! If helps you at all, I always need more shoes in my life! And Charlotte Russe is currently having a sale on shoes, Buy One, Get One for $12.50. I do love their shoes for inexpensive on-trend styles! Have a wonderful 4th of July!
xoxo
Shelbee
Andrea Steiner
What a pretty black and white top and how you combine the top with this jeans shorts and this beautiful white shoes is so pretty. you look so good my dear. Have a wonderful day.
xx, Andrea – Strawberries ‘n’ Champagne
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Andrea, thank you so very much! It sometimes gets difficult to style a cute outfit when it is so hot and humid, but I think I pulled it off!
xoxo
Shelbee
Trina Morgan
Cute shorts and top! You look awesome! 🙂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Trina!
xoxo
Shelbee
Linda Cassidy
mine went down yesterday for a few hours. Luckily I did not realize it as we were outside enjoying the sun. Normally I am not a patient person though, only because my new provider who I have been with for three years now has been down more than my previous provider that I was with for 20 years. Go figure and the first three times was due to human error disconnecting me by mistake and then fibbing about it so, no patience at all. Loving your top though
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Linda, thanks so much for sharing your internet experience! I totally get the frustration especially when there is work to be done. And while I can easily forgive human error, when people don’t own up to their errors, that can drive me bonkers! As I’m sure it did you. At least you know yourself and at which point your patience breaks down! Thanks for the compliment on my top. I hope you have a fabulous week free from internet issues!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
I feel your frustration on the internet outage. But good for you for keeping it together. I have a hard time waiting and trying to learn to be patient. Love this cute top Shelbee!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Kathrine, thanks so much for reading and commenting! It is important to be in tune with ourselves as well and know how we will react to certain things. Over the years, I have learned that so many things are simply just out of my control and there is no point to my getting all stressed out. Stress is an awful thing! And patience is a virtue…at least that’s what I have been told! Have a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lauren Sparks
Love your sense of humor. Thanks for sharing. You made me giggle today. laurensparks.net
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Lauren, I am so glad that I gave you some giggles! I try to inject humor every where I go! Thanks for stopping by and making me smile as well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Cheryl Shops
I can totally relate to this—I get irrationally upset when technology fails me—but a) you got a gift, which was the topic for your post and b) you handled it gracefully, with a laugh and the knowledge that the situation is beyond your control. It’s all about a shift in perception!
Cheryl Shops | http://www.cherylshops.net
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Cheryl, thanks so much! It really is all in our perception, isn’t it? Recognizing where we can improve is so important, but then implementing the changes can be life altering! Have a wonderful week, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carrie@curlycraftymom.com
Haha, I do have to say when the internet is out at my house I am not happy either! Such is the life a blogger and I am one that is writing their posts the night before usually. 🙂 Just love that b/w top with those white shoes.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Carrie! The benefit is that you know who you are and that internet problems will stress you out! Lately, I have been writing my posts the day I need to be publishing. Nothing prepared in advance these days! So while internet issues could totally stress me out, I am learning to let it go when it is completely out of my control. No point in giving myself a headache! I wish you a very happy 4th of July!
xoxo
Shelbee
Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies
Oh I’ve loved reading this Shelbee haha! I would be like you and distract myself with other tasks. Ones that probably have been long over due! Love peoples reactions – you can’t help but laugh! xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Maria, thanks so much! I am so glad that you got a good chuckle out of it, too! No point in getting all frustrated with things out of my control. I hope you have a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Edwige
You look great and so summer ready! I love the top and the heels are gorgeous!
Edwige | http://www.hypnozglam.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Edwige! Have a fabulous week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lisa Richardson
Seriously Shelbee, you are just so cute! First, I love your take on all the cable outage drama. You had me smiling the entire time I was reading your commentary. Second, this top feels different to me from the tops you typically wear and it’s darling on you. You have such a fun sense of style enabling you to wear any and everything. I love that. Have a great day girl!!! XOXO
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Lisa, thanks so much! I am literally blushing here at my computer. I was kind of cracking myself up while I wrote this post, too! Hey, if I can’t make myself laugh, then I would be doomed, I think. And yeah, this top really is different from my norm. I wore it on Saturday to visit some friends for a pool party and when I came out wearing it, my husband went a little crazy..with lust of some sort! He couldn’t praise it enough. Now if he only had hidden my bra strap before taking the pictures. Haha. I do like to change it up on the daily with my style choices. It keeps life interesting! Happy 4th of July to you, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
We seem to have pretty good service here in the UK with Sky…not that I want to tempt fate! I do get annoyed with my laptop for being unresponsive, although as my husband points out, I probably need to do a bit of maintenance on it every so often! I love those white shoes!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Emma, thanks so much for stopping by! I don’t think our service is terrible…occasionally it goes out, but very occasionally…I don’t understand the over exaggeration that we see about it. And yes, it is inconvenient, but my word, some people freak out too much! I probably could use some maintenance on my laptop as well now that you have brought it to my attention! Thanks for that. I hope you are having a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kellyann Rohr
Oh my goodness, people are crazy all over, aren’t they? Thank goodness it’s only the internet! Ha! Imagine if it was a real crisis?
Anyhow, you look summer perfect in that adorable top and shorts – girl you have some killer legs!!!
xo,
Kellyann
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Kellyann, thanks so much! I have to admit that I do love my legs and I am finally embracing showing them off even “at my age”! Hahaha. And yes, can you imagine if people freak out over 15 minutes of lost internet what they would do in true crisis! I mean I definitely would freak out if my air conditioning went out right now…but that’s understandable…it is hot AF! Stay fabulous and cool, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Susan
My internet goes out, sometimes, usually due to weather, but I am fortunate in that I can use my phone’s personal hot spot. So I freak out a lot less than I used to. Now, the air conditioning is a different issue entirely…
I noticed the shirt is a different genre for you too, Shelbee, but I adore that shirt. Looks great with the shorts and shoes, and you do indeed have great legs.
Have a nice Fourth
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Susan, thank you so very much for the lovely compliment. I do love my legs and have no issue showing them off these days…as everything else is beginning to sag with age, I must embrace and flaunt my assets! And the shirt is definitely not my norm, but it was fun and flirty to wear! While I remained calm through the Wi-Fi outage, I would not be nearly as calm if it were my air conditioning either. I would most likely lose my mind! And probably head out shopping at some air conditioned location!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy Baten
Oh how awful I feel now!😨😨😨 yesterday, I had planned on working on the blog all afternoon. And I started the laptop, and st that exact moment Microsoft started a update! A for hour update!!! I’m sorry to say, but I was pissed😂😂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh no, Nancy! I totally understand. I get pissy at those poorly timed updates as well. But then I change perspective and realize that I should have been on top of things better and the blogging stuff will always be there! It seems to always be there with tons of catching up to do! I hope you got your work done after the update! And remember, we are all human and we all get unnecessarily frustrated and annoyed at things out of our control. So don’t feel too awful!
xoxo
Shelbee
Deborah Stinedurf
I’m not going to lie and say that I’m as patient as you were today…I’m as high strung as a chihuahua that drank a six pack of Red Bulls…lol! Although, I don’t go off on insane rants about it like people tend to do in comment sections on the Internet. That’s just silly and mean-spirited. In any case, good for you for making productive use of your time. I totally did today’s post last minute this morning too…and I have Spectrum; guess I lucked out!
Love those fab white peep toe bootie/sandals! They’ll be awesome in the Fall with a pair of socks!
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Debbie, you totally crack me up with your analogies! I just got the perfect image of a crazy little chihuahua binging off the walls chirping at a computer that won’t work! I am glad that your internet was functioning properly while you were writing your post at the final hour! And I need to learn not to read those silly comment sections on internet articles. I only get annoyed and heated when I do. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July.
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar A Strauss-Benjamin
Love that top. So summery!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tamar! Have a great 4th of July!
xoxo
Shelbee
ADA
I love your Tuesday Kindness posts because you are always so raw, real, honest, humble and kind in them. I too may get upset over not having WiFi because we live in 2018, I am attached to my phone if I am being honest and I am a blogger. But I would never write such a horrible comment especially after just a few minutes of not having WiFi. These people clearly have no big problems in their lives.
Recognized that pretty peplum tank by VB collab with Target. So cute on you.
P.S. I did a special story on you with your photo in the long floral kimono and pigtails, the day of your 100th linkup, but I don’t think you saw it. I tagged you. ☺😚 Huge congrats once again, my friend!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Ada, thank you so much, my friend! I also am attached to my phone so when the internet goes down, it can be annoying..especially when I need some way to look up troubleshooting techniques! Ha. And I saw that you tagged me in your IG story, but in all honesty, I can’t figure out how to view them! I am such an Instagram idiot, I swear. I am going to go back and try again. Thank you so much for sharing the story about me. I really appreciate that and love that you also spread so much kindness!
xoxo
Shelbee
Laura
I have so much going on in my life that if the internet is down I just go do something else on my to-do list! I don’t have time to waste being annoyed! Haha! Love your summer outfit!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Cheers to that, Laura! I am exactly the same way! I hope you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick weseman
Looking very summery. I hate when stuff like the internet goes down and our provider Comcast can’t tell us what is going on. Sorry that you had to go through this. Hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Fourth.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Patrick! It is quite an inconvenience when we lose any of our technology since we are so dependent on it. But it is also a great time to unplug for a bit. I hope you have a fantastic and safe 4th of July as well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Babita
Oh it happens here to! Depending on weather or if any other damage happens! I can totally understand, how it feels!!! I seem to call them couple of times and my local person too so that it gets back at the soonest time!!!
Love that casual, chic look!
Xo Babita
http://travelhues.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Babita, thanks so much for sharing your internet experience and for the lovely compliment. I suppose it is just the nature of these things…the internet will have issues and we need to be able to just deal with them as a part of life’s little annoyances. I hope you have a wonderful week…free of internet problems!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lorena
I hear you Michelle ! We are not accustomed to waiting much anymore. In one of my classes I remember that it was brought up as an issue with society today and how with those that have kids its important to teach them to wait. Even if you can provide immediately… it detracts from becoming rapidly infuriated people. Like many of those people posting 🙂
Funny thing is how we’ve become so dependant on the internet, when it was not around 20 years ago!
One last note that might make you feel better: at home a few months ago we went with 24 days NO INTERNET.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Lorena, I agree with you completely…our inability to tolerate waiting has turned us into a population of very easily frustrated and angry people. And I make my children wait quite often…probably my most famous words if you ever asked them…”You’re going to have to wait a few minutes.” Yet, they remain impatient little creatures! And it is crazy how dependent we have become on the internet in just a few short decades. I do have a lot of patience to deal with things of this sort, but 24 days without internet access might possibly send me over the edge! Oh my! Thanks for sharing. I hope you have a fabulous day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Truhlik
Hi, you signed on the linky list for the Monday’s Music Moves Me blog hop but I couldn’t find your music post. Where’s your music post for the group? Please don’t waste people’s time by signing up on blog hops if you’re not going to participate. I didn’t appreciate having to wade through a bunch of your posts only to find there isn’t a music one here…
Michele at Angels Bark
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh wow, Michele, I obviously accidentally added unrelated links to that group. I really thought I was adding to the Wordless Wednesday link up but I apparently clicked on the wrong post. I have asked the hosts to remove my links so as to not further anger anyone else by my innocent and quite harmless mistake. I do apologize for wasting your valuable time. In the meantime, I wish you the most wonderful weekend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Cathy Kennedy
Shebee,
I’m sorry for the unpleasant comment and certainly understand that your link up was a mistake. In the past, we’ve gotten obvious websites/bloggers who were only looking to bump traffic because there was no music content. I do not control the linky to remove the URL you added but I did send an email to Marie who manages the code. Again, I’m really sorry for the reaction you got and know that if you’re looking for a photo link up that I normally host a not-so-Wordless Wednesday party but during the summer I’m taking off. And, you’re always welcome to dance with me on Monday’s Music Moves Me even if you don’t participate in the hop, just leave a comment and I’ll be sure to return the visit. Enjoy your weekend and God bless!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Cathy, thank you so much. You absolutely do not need to apologize to me. I just didn’t know how to remove the links so I commented to both you and Marie. In fact, I think I added the links on Marie’s page anyway. I have both of your Wordless Wednesday Link Ups listed on my Fabulous Link Ups page and when I clicked to Marie’s site, I must have not read as carefully as I should have, saw the link up, and just added my recent posts. I am really not in the business of attempting to artificially boost my traffic (as evidenced by my lower numbers of everything! haha.). Occasionally, I do share music in my posts and I will certainly add those to your music link up when I do share them (now that I know you have a music link up). I actually did not even know about this link up and I do love music…so there is one benefit that came out of a negative comment, right? And I learned my lesson to be more diligent and pay closer attention to what the heck I am doing! Mom brain and menopause are often a tragic mix! But I choose to focus on these two benefits that came from an unfortunate situation. Thank you again for your quick response! I hope you have the most wonderful music-filled weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marie Moody
LOVE LOVE LOVE your outfit and your front porch! I wish I had a big porch like yours & a shape like yours! Thanks for sharing girlfriend! Great photos & have a great weekend!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Marie! I do spend a lot of time on my front porch! It is one of my favorite parts of my house!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jessica
While I understand that many people rely on internet for so many ways; security, work, etc., I also know that there are unexpected circumstances that can compromise the connection. Patience indeed, is not the ability to wait. But the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jessica, thank you so much for this comment and those wonderful words of wisdom! I love that definition of patience…”the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting”, indeed.
xoxo
Shelbee
Marilee Gramith
I understand your frustration Shelbee. Your attitude and ability to prioritize mindfully will get you through these “gumption traps”.
In the meantime KNOW that hou look DARLING in that black and white floral top. I just love it!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, Jude! “Prioritize mindfully”….I like that! I think more of us need to practice that…it definitely will keep stress levels at a minimum!
xoxo
Shelbee