“You don’t miss the water ‘til the well runs dry.”

If you don’t think your life is ruled by technology and the instant gratification the internet offers, think again.

In order to attend a newspaper seminar in Columbus, Ga. Thursday, I had to get all my work done a day early.

The week started off fine. Everything fell into place Monday. We got Tuesday’s papers done on time and I headed to Bay Minette for a council work session and regular meeting. Along the way, I picked up a handful of stories. The beautification committee said they just got in their new bedding plants, which would go in the ground the next morning.

I thought, “Great!” I’m always looking for colorful pictures. I rolled into town a little after 8 and drove around the square. No one was anywhere in sight. I started to worry. Then I circled around one block south and found a bevy of activity. Pam Dupree had her clipboard out and a handful of women were placing potted plants in the beds along First Street. Behind them, city workers were digging holes and planting the petunias, sweet potato vines, ornamental grasses and other things.

I got my picture and was on my way. I stopped at a fast food place and ordered a breakfast sandwich. I still had half the Coke Zero I started out with. I figured I must be living the good life when the fast food workers threw in hash browns at no charge.

When I arrived at the office, a columnist had sent in the final piece for the opinion page so I set to work. Then it was working on the handful of stories I needed to write. All I needed was several hours without any distractions. Right.

Things started fine. Then an editor walked in and asked if I was having a problem with the email program. A quick check revealed our internet service was out.

I needed time to write with no distractions. What could be better?

But I also needed to double-check a name. I can go to their website. Wait. No, I can’t.

Going along, I needed to rundown a teacher by email about graduation. But no internet means no email

While the roughly four hours the internet was down did allow me to get a lot of work done, if was more of a hamper than I thought.

Life was simpler years ago. I graduated high school 30 years ago next month. There was not a single computer anywhere in the school. No cell phones. The closest thing to technology was the copier in the office. Tests were run off on an AB Dick mimeograph machine.

There was nothing like getting one of those blue sheets fresh out of the machine. Everyone take a deep breath and remember that heady aroma as the solution slowly evaporated off the still damp pages. And don’t try to say you never inhaled. We ALL did.

But I digress.

The workplace has come to rely on the internet, whether directly or indirectly. It is so easy to communicate with editors and transfer pictures and stories over digital transmission lines.

And ironically, the seminar I drove to Georgia for was dealing with newspapers in the digital age.

While I look forward to hearing what the speakers have to say, I think I will turn off the computers all weekend long and just sit outside and listen to the birds.

William Moore is the Senior Editor at Gulf Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at wmoore@gulfcoastnewspapers