Internet Addictions...

Ok so first of all, I have to admit I'm taking this spin completely from a friend who has been writing about it for awhile now. I totally understand where she is coming from. And well I feel bad that I haven't written a letter to prove I'm her friend. (Not that she is asking this)

What I have learned, about myself, since reading her experience of giving up the internet for 10 days, is kind of refreshing. Am I dependant on the internet? Most definitely. Would I go crazy if I didn't have it ever day? Yes I would, in fact, if the cable internet isn't working when I want to drink my coffee and check my friends on FaceBook, I get kind of cranky. However...the friends that I really consider FRIENDS I still talk to on a regular basis in real life. And I find it completely interesting and amazing that there are so many more people I'm able to connect with online.

Is it easy? Of course! Real relationships take time and effort, and cell phone minutes! My closest friends I would STILL go a week or more without talking to if I didn't have the internet. I'm busy, they are busy, kids are busy. And I don't have all day to talk on the phone to catch up with everyone. Should I make more time? Sure. But see, I might check in every once in awhile online, but I don't play my games anymore, and I don't let the internet be a priority. I feel rude to my kids if I spend all day on the phone, and they notice, as soon as I pick up the phone they are in my face. But I also feel the same way about the computer. And they do notice that too! If I'm on here for any extended amount of time, they become increasingly needy. Sometimes I find myself getting annoyed at them, then I realize, all they want is Mom's attention - and not to share it with a monitor. So we turn off the computer for most of the day. When I'm bored and they are occupied I might get on for a minute, but otherwise, my real addictions wait till after bedtime.

My addiction? Not really the INTERNET, but a game in specific. Which is the real reason I don't play the FaceBook games, who has time for those when I have gear to earn and honor points to obtain? There are dragons people, DRAGONS needing me to slay them with my 5 man team of warriors. (and the forts we make from their corpses are pretty cool too) We have to fight the Horde for the good of the Alliance and dance in there bank while they try to kill us, sometimes I just like to chill out in skeleton costume and dance the undead metal dance. See??? This is my addiction, World of Warcraft. And in the past it has gotten bad, where I spent hours all day, putting off chores and putting off kids, turning on movies and getting irritated at my distractions of daily life. But I don't anymore. I only play when the kids are in bed or on weekends when I don't have REAL LIFE to attend to. It is not a priority, per se, but it is my entertainment. I don't really watch movies, or much TV, I read books occasionally. But after 7:30, when my kids are sleeping soundly, I'm bored. So, judge me if you will, but it's what I enjoy.

And now, you all have permission to forever call me a geek.  But whatev's I don't care about your stinkin labels! I'm a geek and I'm proud!!!

Like anything, it can be taken too far. The internet has made a lot of us dependant. It has made a lot of us "lazy" friends. But like I said, there are a lot of people I keep in touch with now, that I would never be able to without it, so it's all in moderation. Enjoy it if you can, but know your limit - kind of like drinking huh? And addiction is just that, no matter it's disguise!