Home > Blogs > Lenn Harley > Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com in Maryland and Virginia

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION IS DOWN AND YOU ARE IN THE "30 IN 30" DAYS CONTEST? OR, IS IT ABOUT ALWAYS HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN??

By Lenn Harley

Real Estate Agent with Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate 303829;0225082372

September 14, 2010 03:35 AM

FIRST YOU SCREAM ! ! ! !

Then you collect your wits about you and execute your contingency plan. Always have a contingency plan.

1. First you have to call Verizon and go through 45 minutes of worthless trouble shooting with a Verizon tech.

SOLUTION: Line trouble. They'll call you back in 24-48 hours to let you know that the line problem has been resolved OR schedule an appointment to make at in-home repair. The last time this happened, it took 3 weeks to get DSL back up and running.

2. CONTINGENCY PLAN #1. Look for your DIAL UP CONNECTION to post your 30 in 30 article.

Mmmm. No icon for the Dial Up connection. Call the service. Resubscribe. EEEEKKKK! No Dial Up modem in the 8 months old computer. Ooops. The Computer Guy must have omitted the Dial Up modem. CALL THE COMPUTER GUY.

"Lenn, you must have an external DIAL UP modem. It's a little white ox connected to one of the USB ports." NO LITTLE BOX, but there is a big white box with a little white box inside. Connect to phone line and USB port.

NOTHING! ! ! Call Computer Guy back. He'll be out this afternoon. "THIS AFTERNOON? Hey, I have to post an article to ActiveRain or I'm out of the 30 in 30 contest. I'll pop up to the library and use one of their computers. If they're not open today (this is Lovettsville) I'll be at your office to use your computer for 10 minutes."

CONTINGENCY PLAN #2. Drive to the Lovettsville Public Library and use one of their computers to write an article about how to keep a cool head when your computer is down. Or, is the article about how to always have a CONTINGENCY PLAN?

10:00 a.m. Library is open. Log on and write article for the 30 in 30 contest.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH!

It's always good to have a CONTINGENCY PLAN.

It's also always good to have a library card. No need call anyone to borrow their computer for 10 minutes since no one is within 2 hours of your home/office.

THE LOVETTSVILLE LIBRARY is a friendly, comfortable place. On the left below is the Lovettsville Library. On the right below is a barn located across a field about 500 yards away.

I love living in the country.

Lovettsville Library Lovettsville Library neighbor

Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988.

My computer is the lifeline for my business. It provides me with MLS access and ActiveRain. What more does a hard working real estate broker need??

A MESSAGE FOR HOME BUYERS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA

HOMEFINDERS VIDEO

For a tour of homes in your location of choice in Loudoun County, contact Homefinders.com. We'll arrange a wonderful tour and you can get to know the county, shopping, recreation, the real estate market and the hardest working Buyer's Agents in the area.

Homefinders.com will help you ENJOY THE HOME BUYING ADVENTURE!

Lovettsville Homes and real estate.

http://www.homefinders.com
http://www.loudoun-county-va-homes.com
http://www.loudoun-real-estate.com
http://www.e-homesleesburg.com
http://www.realestatelovettsville.com
http://www.new-homes-loudoun-county.com
http://www.newhomeslovettsville.com
http://www.newhomeshamiltonva.com
http://www.realestateleesburg.com

WOODBRIDGE VIRGINIA TOWN HOMES NEAR GOLF AND WATER ACCESS - PRICED RIGHT FOR HOME BUYERS.

Re-Blog

Comments(44)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Carla. Thanks. You bet. I've been posting daily since I learned of the challenge on August 23 and I've posted daily since that day. I'm not about to give up now.

Gene. Indeed, sometimes you just gotta blog. I live in the country and DSL is the most reliable source for me.

George. I have a wonderful tech. However, the problem was in the Verizon line. The service was up when I returned from the library. My tech was coming out to install a Dial Up modem for me but it wasn't necessary.

Jack. I've posted every day, often more than one post, since Aug. 23. Surely they wouldn't disqualify anyone for posting more than one post in a single day.

Christine. Won't work. I don't use I phone. I rarely use cell. I work from home.

Kent. Indeed it is a great resource.

Jason. HA! My little library in the very rural village in Northern Virginia has 7 computers. They are not super fast, but more than adequate.

Ruthmarie. Thanks. It appears to be over. Whew!!!

Jackie. DONE!!

Sep 14, 2010 11:02 AM

Bryant Tutas

Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL

Selling Florida one home at a time

Well none of that sounds like fun. You need to get an iPhone. I can run my entire business from it and on most days. And you can write and post an article.

If that doesn;t work I just pack uo the laptop and head over to Starbucks. Actually now that we live in the old folks community we have several computer rooms on site for free.

SoliVita Computer Room

Sep 14, 2010 12:14 PM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Bryant. I refuse to be connected when I'm not in my home office.

Sep 14, 2010 12:20 PM

Evelyn Johnston

Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN

The People You Know, Like and Trust!

I'm so glad you remained cool and collected so that you could get your 30 in 30 done! Very funny post!

Sep 14, 2010 01:35 PM

Andrea Swiedler

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties - New Milford, CT

Realtor, Southern Litchfield County CT

Lenn, I love my laptop for that very reason. As a matter of fact at this very moment I am at my daughters house with my laptop. Have laptop can post and comment....

I knew I couldn't commit right now to the contest. I do my best with all the obligations I have.

I do admire your sticktoitivness!

Sep 14, 2010 02:08 PM

Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker

Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE

Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

I just had to laugh...I though it was just us newbies that had these issues.

My contingency plan? EHH...Well at least I am still alive and that is only 25 more blogs to make up the difference... in other words...although I am 19 or 20 days into it...if I don't make it because of a technical issue...It won't be the end of the world.

Sep 14, 2010 04:18 PM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Evelyn. HA! Am I cool and collected? Or, are my nerve ends simply worn out???

Andrea. Some would call it just plain stubborn.

Mike. No, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but once committed, I would not want to just give up in the face of a minor inconvenience. At 5:00 a.m. in the morning when the Internet wouldn't open, it was a crisis. By 10:00 when the library opened, it was a minor inconvenience. I don't give in to minor inconveniences. The feeling of achievement for getting the job done is a good feeling.

Sep 14, 2010 10:40 PM

Missy Caulk

Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI

Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

Lenn, I bought a Sprint 4G modum to travel with, however, it has come in handy even at home. You plug in a wall or use wirelessly. It is not a card but a modum.

It works so well that I didn't have to use Comcast at our cottage this summer.49.99 a month.

We had lightening at out house this summer, lost the wireless but I was able to stay on. You can also plug it into your laptop with the USB port. That's my back-up. Once I was at the office and something was not working so I got it out of my briefcase and was able to continue working too.

I bought it for travel but it has helped in so many ways.

Sep 15, 2010 12:48 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Missy. HA! Clearly you life in a civilized area of the country.

I can't get wireless with any reliability, no cable, etc., etc. So far, I'm limited to Verizon DSL or Dial-Up.

Not a problem. I'll get by. I've spend a bloody fortune preparing for use of equipment that I never use. I've streamlined to make things more simple for my simple mind and it works. . . 99.9% of the time. When that .01% strikes, I'll just go to the library.

Sep 15, 2010 12:55 AM

Loreena and Michael Yeo

3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Prosper TX Real Estate Co. - Prosper, TX

Real Estate Agents

I love having Contingency plans. I learnt to have Contingency plans to my contingency plans. Yes, I'm a planner!

Sep 15, 2010 12:57 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I actually had the fear that something like that would happen to me, LOL! So far so good...I only need to post six more!! Congrats on your cool head and finding a solution to stay in the challenge!

Sep 15, 2010 01:30 AM

Missy Caulk

Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI

Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

Wow I had no idea you were on dial up. Amazing.

Sep 15, 2010 02:07 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Loreena. I love it. I am so risk averse. I've told folks that I have insurance on insurance. Risk reduction is essential to peace of mind.

Sharon. Indeed. When I first learned about the contest, I checked my posts thinking I'd be close because I usually post someting each day. My market area is so huge, I'll never run out of local posts. Sadly, I missed August 22. So, I had to start as of August 23. I'll make it. I'll make it.

Missy. I'm not on Dial Up. I have Verizon DSL. I added a Dial Up last year when DSL was off for 3 **^%^&*( weeks. However, I discovered yesterday a.m. that my new computer, about 6 months old didn't have a Dial Up modem. That's why I went to the library.

Sep 15, 2010 04:21 AM

Sheldon Neal

Bergen County, NJ - RE/MAX Real Estate Limited - Maywood, NJ

That British Agent Bergen County NJ

Ha ! I have an air-card for my laptop and wireless access to AR on my cellphone - both of which would allow me to write a blog if my home connection went on the fritz !!!

ALWAYS have a contingency plan ;o)

Sep 15, 2010 12:29 PM

Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty

Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL

Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

I have my library card although I have not used it in years...but a good back up it is!

Sep 15, 2010 01:33 PM

Lee & Carol Barbour, REALTORS

Murphy and Hayesville, NC; Hiawassee, Blairsville, Blue Ridge GA - Murphy, NC

Mountain Living Team in Murphy NC and North GA

LOL - Gotta have a back up plan. I was just thinking about the "30in30" day challenge the other day as rain and thunder had our internet service out most of the time.

Sep 15, 2010 03:45 PM

Eileen Liles

970-216-0530 http://WeSellDeltaCounty.com - Cedaredge, CO

Macht-Liles Real Estate Group - Cedaredge, CO

Lenn, when I saw the old barn, I thought you were going to say you took your laptop and sat at the barn while hitting the WIFI at the library! LOL - I love old barns, too. They have a special character about them.

Sep 15, 2010 04:55 PM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Sheldon. I can't get wireless in my home. Next.

Gary. INdeed. Just 3 minutes away.

Lee and Carol. Ah hah! I have a battery back up for my computer in case of elec. outage.

Eileen. I shot the photo of the old bard from the sidewalk in front of the library to who the rural nature of the location of the library. It just struck me as local interest. That's Lovettsville.

Sep 15, 2010 10:48 PM

Sheldon Neal

Bergen County, NJ - RE/MAX Real Estate Limited - Maywood, NJ

That British Agent Bergen County NJ

YOU cant get wireless in your home !?!?!?! ... surely you can pull some strings and get a personal tower (disguised as a tree ;o) put up in your vicinity !!!!!

Sep 16, 2010 05:37 AM

Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Sheldon. My house is at the bottom of a hill. The folk at the top of the hill are totally wireless.

Sep 16, 2010 10:47 AM

Older Post

Newer Post

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION IS DOWN AND YOU ARE IN THE "30 IN 30" DAYS CONTEST? OR, IS IT ABOUT ALWAYS HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN??

Comments(44)

Lenn Harley

Service Areas

Real Estate Resources

Recent Posts

Additional Information