A nasty ice storm blew through my town last weekend. The big old apple tree in my yard, encased in ice, couldn't bend with the wind. It snapped my phone line when it fell, severing my connection to the infostream. USWest said it would be a week before they could come out to re-connect me.

Ack!

This is the longest I ever have gone without my phone line.

These past few days have made me realize exactly how much I rely on the 'Net -- for chatting with friends who also work from home, for news, for just plain exploration.

The absence of connection causes a visceral response in me. I feel as though an artery has been severed. There seems to be an important ingredient missing in the air that I breathe. No, I'm not using creative license to describe what I've been feeling. My longing for e-mail, for communication through the wire, has been very physical.

Despite loud music, tv-noise, and lots of exhuberant play with my dog, my home feels silent and odd. My computer seems to collect more dust (even though it's on and in use). I usually don't feel lonely, but I have been feeling ALONE -- in an eerie, sad way.

Ugh.

And I wonder if perhaps all of those folks who talk about Internet addiction may be right. I feel incomplete without my connection to my ISP and points beyond. Am I addicted? Do I have a disease?

I fight this interpretation.

I don't think it's wrong to want to be connected. I don't think it's a disease to "depend" on my modem. To be sure, I am surviving just fine without a phone line -- it just doesn't feel great. Meaningful parts of my life are on hold.

Yes, I did say I feel incomplete. I miss Midnight dialogues. I miss using e-mail to make plans with friends. I miss the freedom of being able to socialize in my pajamas. Is this so wrong?

Please tell me. What do you think?

USWest is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to hear my modem sing.