The Day After

Crazy, but I feel ambivalent about the internet connection. For a while there, we were convinced that the internet connection is already a necessity, no longer a luxury but a need.

For me, the internet connection would make work easier for me since my work is basically internet based. In the past, if a client informs me through text that a job is available, I had to rush myself to the nearest internet cafe (kahit hindi pa nakaligo) to check the mail... and before I could open it, I already lost the job. And at other times, I could not submit the necessary document dahil umuulan at di ako makapag-wifi.

For the kids, many of their researches are internet based. When they come home from school, they have to change clothes and go to the internet shop to do their research - sometimes, they are out of the house even late in the evening - e yung internet shop where they go to hinold-ap. kaya nakakatakot din talaga.

So we decided to get connected even if, as Tatay puts it, "nadagdagan ang monthly bills on top of meralco, water, LPG."

We decided to get connected as a step of faith:

1. hoping that with the internet connection, more jobs would come my way (and thus be able to pay the internet monthly bill). This is in fact an investment, and not a luxury. This is God's way of providing for our needs.
2. trusting that this is God's way of protecting the family. The children need not be out at night to do their research.

But this is also a test of discipline. Already, I made arrangement with the children that during school days, internet use is for research, at puedeng pang-update ng friendster and facebook account. Weekends, puede games.

Humirit pa si Katha, "Nay, puede YOUTUBE?"

Now this is a test of censorship, do I check what youtube features they view? baka merong di kanaisnais.

This is where the ambivalence enter. Now I feel like, we opened our home to the invasion of the world ---how do I protect my family from not so pleasant information that saturates the world? How can I when I am not internet savvy. My children are more computer savvy (subject kaya nila to sa school. Ako, by experience lang). They know more sites than I do. Do I have to sit with them when they are behind the computer? Ano ba yan!

Hay! Welcome to the worldwide web. And I don't know if I'm happy about it.