Uhm, as someone who has been in a lot of thunderstorms (and I _do_ enjoy them!) I'd like to point out that a computer and a modem are not the best things to play with during a storm. If lightning hits the phone lines between you and the nearest transformer-thingy it'll ground right down through you. Painful if you're lucky, fatal if you aren't!

My Mommy's rules for thunderstorms:

No phone calls, No baths, Shut the windows, silly! Gray sky -- go watch. Greeny-blacky sky BAAAAAAAD! Go hide.

(She never did mention a yellow sky. I wonder what causes that?)