Please note: The last entry before this one is to combine all my pages of the
Quest into one place. I will be making a dummy page later today. I am closing down that site, as
nobody goes there anymore and thus nobody reads that part of my life. I still think it serves a
purpose, so I am putting it in here and giving it it's own page. So there, another cleanup job
done.
Have you all read Roadiepig's diary lately? At first, I thought it was a joke, but then
realized it was legit. He will be missed.
I know some people who write here only write once
in the blue moon. Most of us write almost daily and some people write several entries a day. We
all have our routines, if you will. Sometimes though, and I have seen this happen very close to
home, This computer can start to take over one's life. I am guilty myself, to the point of being on
it most of my free time. In my case, it is not interfering with anything else, as Terry and I don't
really go anywhere or do much else. If you were to come in and take our computers away, would
we get over it? Probably, in time. Would we survive? Most definately. Would we like it? Hell
no!!! We use this for so much more than our diaries. I am on it anytime I need information, we
run a support site for amputees and their families and we use it to stay in touch with out of state
family members.
I'm not sure what happened in Roadies case. Whether it was family
obligations or simply that he felt life was passing him by, but I say to him, Good for you! If this
is what you need to do, have a great life! I know a particular family member (who I don't think
reads this, but if you do, you will recognize yourself). Her husband has absolutly no interest in
the computer. She got on webTV and from that point on, her life became obsessed with that little
black box. She would get on it first thing in the morning, stay on it all day and still be on it when
he came home from work. Throughout their marraige, she was a stay at home wife and didn't
have to work. That was all well and good, except after she got the web, his dinner was never
made, the housework became non-existant and before you knew it, Poof! She was gone. Yup, she
took off half way across country to some guy she met online. This was after 25 years of
marraige. Well after about 6 months, she came back and he took her back. It will never be the
same. Sure, they had problems in the marraige, but that was not the optimum way to repair it.
Life goes on.
My point I guess, and I'm not saying at all that this was Roadie's reason, is that
if the computer is taking you away from being with your family, turn it off. I have met a lot of
wonderful people online, but I can't imagine allowing it to cause problems for me in real life. If
you find yourself missing out on things you used to enjoy because you haven't got "time" or if
your spouse, significant other or your kids have to call you to the table, or outside more that a
few times before you respond, maybe you need to reassess your lifestyle. A good way to check
this would be to look at the questions AA asks to determine if you have a drinkng problem. I
have written the questions and just substituted computer for drinking:
1. Do family quarrels ever begin while you are computing?
2. Are family arguments ever a direct cause of the fact that you are on the computer?
3. Are you uncomfortable at social gatherings where a computer is not present?
4. Do you ever get angry when your computer time is discussed?
5. Have you ever had a memory lapse or blackout after being on the computer? (Don�t laugh, it would
mean you weren�t paying attention when someone was trying to talk to you.)
6. Do you jump on the computer to calm your nerves?
7. Have you ever lied about time spent on your computer?
8. Do you ever have insomnia (trouble sleeping) as a result of being on the computer or not getting to
spend time on the computer?
9. Has your appetite or eating habits ever suffered as a result of being on the computer? Do you just
grab a sandwhich instead of sitting down with the family?
10. Have you ever lost control or became violent while not being able to use your computer?
And a few I added:
11. Have you ever been late for anything because you couldn�t tear yourself away from the
computer?
12. Have you lost sleep because you couldn�t turn it off �just yet�?
13. Have you been guilty of being online at work when you were supposed to be doing
something else?
14. Did you lie on any of these questions?
If you answered yes of more than 4 of these, you may want to assess the time you spend on here.
You know, I was just thinking. This was not meant to be a joke. More of a public service announcement. There is nobody more important than family. You know how sometimes when you are online and it seems you have been on for an hour and when you check the clock, it has been 4 hours? Don't let your family or friends slip by while you are
"busy" on this. Time is too precious. They grow up and away in the blink of an eye. Enjoy them.
Well, I have to run before I am late for work myself! Just kidding.
Hope you all have a great day!
Later...
