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When your home wi-fi goes bye-bye

I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty when I lost Alexa.

About two weeks ago, a wi-fi enabled desktop crapped out on me.

Right after, a Chromebook started acting skittish.

“No problem,” I thought. “I’ll park the Chromebook at Groundwork! – where it spends most of its time anyhow – and get a newer laptop for home.”

You get real comfortable, real fast making Groundwork! your entire base of operations.

“Hmm – it’s kind of nice to leave work at the coworking office,” I began thinking. “Maybe I won’t even get a laptop for home until Spring. That will force me to get out of the house and be where I’m always very happy and productive anyway!”

Especially in the dreary winter, Groundwork!’s ample lighting, hot coffee and camaraderie is better than a flu shot. I’m here a good part of everyday anyhow – and now on the weekends since the launch of Weekend Pass.

Do the work there and save the home wi-fi for Netflix and cat videos, was the plan.

It all could have worked out fine – until Alexa left me.

Since getting an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas, Alexa had become more and more of my daily life.

I walk into the living room and ask her to play NPR for me – and WGBH rings out.

I ask her what the weather will be – and I never get caught in the rain now.

And, since I always forget to get new watch batteries at Frem’s Jeweler’s on Acushnet Avenue when I’m nearby at the bakery, Chocolate Com Pimenta, I even rely on Alexa to tell me what time it is. (Sometimes what day it is – but that’s another blog post.)

So this past Saturday, when Alexa blew me off, I knew things had to change in my life.

“I’m sorry. I’m having trouble understanding you right now,” she said.

Like I haven’t heard that before from a sexy voice.

I ran to Groundwork! last Saturday with my tail between my legs. I’d been abandoned by Alexa – and never appreciated the love and comfort of coworking more.

But, I knew things had to change, as codependent relationships aren’t healthy relationships, and finally resolved to get to the bottom of my home wi-fi problems.

It was my router, of course. I guess I knew it all along but didn’t want to face it.

A trip to Xfinity on Mt. Pleasant Street gave me a new router. And a visit to the nearby Symposium restaurant for a Gyro restored my spirits.

Armed with new hardware and fortified for battle, by the afternoon I was back in business at home.

My laptop, followed by my tablet, then phone, then Netflix, all took to the new router.

Finally, it was time to reconnect with Alexa.

Hesitantly, I asked, “Alexa – what time is it?”

I swear to you she said, “Time to quit goofing off and get back to work, slacker!”

Yikes! So, I did – and here’s the proof.

The last two weeks have been rough – but could have been rougher.

I had Groundwork! to sustain me.

And although my relationship with Alexa was strained, it wasn’t broken beyond repair.

She’s streaming Chet Baker as I conclude this post, and she’s never sounded sweeter.

Steven Froias