Ah, The Joy Of The Modern World

My broadband internet connection was down for just over two weeks. No one at BT could tell me why, but they did keep apologising. Is that the latest in ultimate customer care? No matter how sh*t the service, how irate the customer, or how clueless the service provider is, keep apologising. And make every apology more profound and heartfelt than the last.

Anyway, it's been refreshing going into the local library for 30 minutes of free internet access, and also disturbing to realise how dependent on an internet connection I've become. We've all become!

The modern world, eh. Progress. Advancement. Last week I heard this snippet of a gem of a revealation masquerading as some idle chit-chat between two friends in WH Smith.

Woman A: "Oh, can you believe it's February already?"

Woman B: "No, and it Shrove Tuesday next week. Easter's going to be early."

Woman A: "I can't be bothered with that Shrove Tuesday. I've no time to be making pancakes."

Woman B: "I know what you mean. But listen, you can buy a pack of ready made ones from Tesco; all you have to do is stick them in the microwave. That's what I'm doing."

Woman A: "Really? Oh well, I could do the same. I might celebrate it after all. Thank God for Tesco. I wouldn't have the time otherwise."

And there was me thinking pancake mix takes minutes to make, pancakes take seconds to a cook, and Shrove Tuesday's about using up your rich ingredients before starting a diet of simple foods out of respect for some guy called Jesus who fasted completely for 40 days and nights!!