Who’s with me in this endeavor?  In the very near future, I am going to avoid using the web to follow any hockey-related news for a 24-hour period.

Just thinking about doing that has brought up many issues I may be facing.

Let me take a step back and tell you at one time in my life, I was web free. The past five or so years I have become a web fanatic, but before that time, zilch.  I knew how to turn on a computer and use some business-related software that was required for my previous job, but I was never into searching the web for anything.

After I started a blog during the NHL Lockout, well I changed my ways and have not looked back. Now I have become dependent on the web for the vast majority of my hockey news. A few days ago, I lost internet access for about eight hours and at that time realized how much I use and really need hockey-related news via the internet.

When I was unable to access the web, I just sat in front of my computer for about 10 minutes, staring at the screen and watching my modem to see if all the green lights would turn on, indicating web access was once again available.

But that did not happen and truthfully, I was lost. I cleaned up my emails, I cleaned up my computer, both internally and externally. I kept glancing for the green lights, nada. I had already called my service provider and received a recorded message -- "We are aware of the service interruption in your area and are working on resolving the issue."

My response to the recorded message, “Yea, but I need to get my hockey news, now.” 

After waiting around for about an hour, I came to the conclusion that, maybe, if I made a short trip to the grocery store the problem would be fixed by the time I returned home. After unloading the groceries, I took a glance at the modem, no green lights. So I went outside to rake the leaves, but really was just trying to kill more time. Every 20 minutes or so I would step into the house and look for green lights, again, nothing. I even tried resetting the modem, powering off and turning the computer back on, nothing, nothing at all.

Now I start wondering, and panic is really starting to set-in. A trade, an injury, perhaps nothing, but I don’t know that because I don’t have web access! I need it, I want it, I can’t live without it.

Whoa, slow down Paul, it is just the internet and not a life-and-death situation.  The voice in my head was trying to convince me, but I wasn’t buying it. I needed my hockey.

I played a hockey related DVD, but that only makes things worse.  I once again take a glance at the modem, finally green lights.

I open up my web browser, open up the 10 bookmarked tabs I have for hockey related news, and settle in.  I read, I keep reading. 

Guess what? I didn’t miss much, nothing really happened and now the voice in my head is laughing at me.  I start laughing too, realizing how much I really do need the web for hockey news, but also coming to the understanding that it is not life and death.

Therefore, I will commit to a day in the near future, probably a Saturday or Sunday (big hockey news is less likely to happen on those days), and take a break from the web.

Will I survive? Will I be able to go a full 24 hours with anything hockey related via the web?  I have my doubts but I am sure going to try.

How about you, will you join me?  Maybe we can set-up some kind of support group during that 24 hours, after all, I only said web access, not phone access.

As always, feel free to email me at [email protected]  with any questions, comments or concerns you may have regarding our game.  I will attempt to respond quickly, but do understand the emails have been coming in fast & furious the last few weeks and I may be a little slow with a response.