Grindz Mi Gearz Episode 2: Bye Bye Internet

Today's episode talks about me losing internet service everyday at home at 3 or 4 in the morning. It pisses me off. Here's the back-story:

For some unknown amount of years...let's go with six years...my dad has always been insecure about the internet. For the first two years of having internet through modem (and then eventually cable modem) he would only have it on when he was home. So majority of the day I'm without the internet and just home being bored and probably writing myself away. My parents were also strict with my bedtime so I'd only have about two-three hours on the net and only on weekends would I have more surf time. But with the time given, I was only able to fix my myspace and check my emails (mostly from college and some from my actual friends). It wasn't until I started college I'd have more internet time. By that time I was using AIM, YAHOO messenger, MSN messenger, myspace, facebook, hi-5, sconex (for those of you who actually used it and connected with those from high school), and Tag (if I’m correct lol). But most of these sites I've developed and started while I was at school and had unlimited internet access. I always dreaded being home because my internet time was limited after being spoiled by school. I had to fight to have my dad extend it and get to stay up to enjoy the full amount of time on the net. But nowadays every night he's up till about 3 or 4 in the morning to allow me internet time and then cut it off. He turns it off before bed and wake up at about 8 or 9 in the morning and back on the computer using the net.

Here's the meat of the rant: Why does he always do that instead of just leaving the internet on? Especially for that amount of time it's off? Well. I've asked him that very question several times a month lol. People always give me suggestions (ones I've already thought up) and reasoning:

• Maybe he pays for every minute or hour that it's on? I've asked this countless of times. We have the cable package with IO Digital cable and get phone, internet and the actual cable. It's all on one bill. I've even asked him if they still do count specifically using a certain amount of time and usage. He replied no.

• Maybe he doesn't want to waste power? My dad has his comp set up so that even with the internet on he can just turn off his computer and leave the switch that powers it all on. Only his modem and his screen is left on (the screen does not take up power if any). So why not leave it on all night? He doesn't want to waste any power. There really isn't much going on at 5am where there's a lot of power going on.

So my dad turning off the internet grindz mi gearz! He just ups and turns it off without any inconsideration for what I'm doing. I freakin hate having to do everything rushed and hope that he doesn't turn it off when 3am passes. It's like a ticking time bomb! I have to beg and plead to use it. It won't hurt to leave it on 24/7 or so cuz I'm up at night anyway. His excuses are because I should be sleep and he doesn't want to leave it on. But it's only a 5 hour difference between when he cuts it off and when he turns it back on. That doesn't help nor hurt him in terms of paying for usage (if he does). It just irks me when I'm in the middle of a good conversation or in the middle of reading something interesting or even watching an old episode on hulu and it all freezes or stops when he flips that switch. Then he wonders why I whine and complain when something actually goes wrong during the day. It is only because my time is limited. If it wasn't limited, I would say anything and just be patient with everything.

My only two solutions I can think of are to either get that 3G wireless network for laptops or get my own place and pay for my own internet. Unfortunately, with the lack of money I have, I'm stuck at home with his rules and his internet and have to endure the frustrations that come with it all. Will he ever change? That's a good question. But I believe the answer is a big fat NO because he's stubborn (and sadly I didn't fall too far from that ... ). Eh, so the only one solution I can actually use is to suck it up and be patient. Who knows? Maybe when I start paying for my own internet, I'll understand why he's like this now. (HOPEFULLY)