The Six Stages of Digital Angst

1. Frustration
I was out of the canyons and back to a place with cell service. Two bars of 4G on the phone, one bar of 4G on my JetPack. (Why does the phone get better reception, Verizon?) So I got online to post and to check on things in general. Then the signal dropped to two bars of 3G. Then one bar of 1X. Then no service. Was it because of the storm moving in? Ergh.

2. Confusion
I thought, okay, maybe if I went into town where the signal is stronger. I did. Still no service. Hmmm. What if I jumped on some free wifi? Oh look, Gunnison has city-wide free wifi. Click to connect and... Nothing. Hmmm. What about McDonald's? Their wifi is dependable. Nothing. The phone wouldn't connect. The JetPack wouldn't connect. The laptop wouldn't connect. What's going on?

3. Panic
Oh crap! Has my account been hacked? Have my devices been screwed up by some kind of malware? Is there a Verizon store here where I can get answers? I can't even search for one online. Aaaaak! I'm going to die!!!!

4. Enlightenment
Then I learned it wasn't just me and my devices. Service was down over a wide area. Someone had accidentally cut a fiber optic cable. (I thought the cellular system communicated only wirelessly. I guess not.) ATMs, cash registers, gas pumps, anything connected to the Web—all down.

5. Serenity
This wasn't about me, and my problems were small compared to others'. So, breathe deeply and wait for technicians to restore service. (And for some knuckleheaded backhoe operator to be yelled at.) Time for a nap.

6. Celebration
Yay! Everything is back back up and running. All is right with the world.