Internet vitality

I live on probably the only block in the country where there are about five wireless networks, and all of them secured. Currently, I'm still recovering from Christmas and insurance and cell phone bills and graduate school application fees and test fees....you name it, I've incurred it over these past weeks. Consequently, I have no internet access at home. It's interesting to see how much I still rely on the internet to get my bills paid, make sure that my life is in order and generally keep in touch with people. In my opinion, the internet is achieving "utility" status, right up there with gas and water. Of course, many others would probably disagree, but those people probably aren't reading my blog, either.
It's hard, but enlightening at the same time. I grew up without internet access, and I was in high school by the time it really started hitting the masses where I lived. Seems odd that something so new could be so life-changing. I suppose that's what they felt about electricity as well.