Internetaphobia

The Internet fascinates me. Like those really big moments in life, I actually remember when I got my first AOL account and got "online". It was so bizarre to be on this thing called the Internet and viewing things that others from around the world were sharing. Now I'm fascinated by the way my kids react to it. My 6 year old just refers to it as going to a "dot com" and thinks you can just type in anything, put .com after and you're golden. He gets it, yet he doesn't.
I'm curious, though, why there are so many adults who don't really go to online. I still feel like I'm catching up but I do use it a lot. I get e-newsletters, I read the paper online, I pay my bills and do my banking online. I do half of my shopping online (I love ebay and Amazon) and now blogging, social networking and document sharing. Even my parents are online.
So, what's your excuse for staying off the Internet?

• I have a friend who needs to know everything about a topic before she can comfortably utilize it. Can you imagine trying to know how the Internet works and everything about it? Impossible, besides, who cares?
• My Dad is head of a company yet just got his first personal laptop in the past year. Why do new things when we can do them the way we've always done them? Oh yeah, because it tends to get you what you've always gotten.
• Think you can't afford a computer? First of all, every library in the country has them and library cards are still free last I checked. And computers are pretty darn cheap last I checked. We have to get my husband a new computer (we have 2) because his bit the dust last night. It was 10 years old and our neighbor had informed us that it had the same memory capacity that an ipod does. He was still able to use the Internet and download songs. So you can buy a used for dirt cheap or in case you don't need your economic stimulus rebate to survive, you could actually use it to stimulate the economy and buy a computer.
• What about Internet access? Let me clearly state my opinion here - DSL sucks. And does dial up even exist anymore? Go for cable or fiber. It really isn't that expensive (see previous bullet - economic stimulus rebate) and you could surf all day long on 10 sites at a time. If that just isn't an option, at least get a wireless access card and go to just about any coffee shop in the universe, some restaurants, most libraries or maybe even your back yard. I have a friend who can access her neighbors network if she puts her laptop just so on her dresser.
• I just don't want to. Fine. We all know that's really just a cover-up excuse anyway.
  

So, what's your excuse?

Feeling like crap

Yeah, what is the excuse for that one?
Years ago I felt like crap. I mean, really like crap. s**t if you will. In my early to mid 20's I have to say I was in rough shape. Strange, because I exercised often and wasn't overweight. I didn't smoke or do drugs, maybe drank a little too much alcohol and coffee but wasn't really addicted. Stress took a toll on me. A pretty huge one - headaches, muscle spasms, knee and shoulder injuries, back pain, digestive problems, fatigue. I tried a lot of things, many that didn't work. But I kept trying. My motto is "whatever works".
MRI? pricey, but if it helps... Medication? sucks. Chiropractor? yeah. Acupuncturist? sure. Massage? ahhhhh. Energy therapy? why not. Yoga? absolutely. Placebo? does it matter? AS LONG AS IT WORKS.
Other people I know (I won't name names) get physical issues and just suffer, suffer and complain. I've even had to create a rule around it.
Health problem Rule #1: If you won't do anything about it, I refuse to listen to you bitch.
I have a hard time understanding why people seemingly like to suffer. I know we say we don't, but if we don't, why do so few really do something about it? What's your excuse?

• It's going to hurt. (Like surgery doesn't?)
• Does it really work? (anything does if you believe in it enough - hello, placebo)
• It will cost too much. (have you looked at your health insurance costs lately? I pay less per YEAR for yoga, massage, chiropractor and homeopathist than I do in 1-2 months of health insurance premiums. And I've only seen a medical doctor once in the last year besides a checkup. Did I mention that I'm in the healthiest I've ever been?)
• I really like to complain. Oops, don't know how that one got there. Not like anyone would really admit to that, would they?

What's YOUR excuse?

P R O C R A S T I N A T I O N

"to put off, usually habitually doing something that should be done. syn dawdle, delay"

I think it should say:

"to put off, avoidance of something you don't want to do, doing anything in order to delay what is seen as needing to be done"

Which makes me think, what really is behind procrastination? Is it just putting off something - anything? Is it random? Or do we avoid the things we don't want to do and do the things we want in a more timely manner? Or, as Stephen Covey says, do we merely do the Urgent, what's in front of us right now (and usually unimportant) and put off the non-urgent (and usually more Important)? Procrastination is like the Grand Excuse. General, Overarching, Comprehensive - it can apply to almost anthing.

My question is, what and why do you procrastinate ?

• Calling people - because every time I pick up the phone everyone in the house finds me and starts talking to me like they don't see I'm on the phone.
• Checking voice mail messages - because I just don't want to and besides, everyone knows I don't check them.
  
• Cleaning my house - because it's just messy again in 10 minutes.
  
• Going to bed - because I should be cleaning my house.
  
• Writing that paper - because I feel like I need many hours of uninterrupted time to be creative and when am I ever going to get that?
• Marketing myself - because I've just plain run out of energy.
• Making dinner - I have to eat again?
  

What's your excuse?

Cookies, Glorious Cookies

It's that time of year again - no, not Talk Like a Pirate Day - it's Girl Scout Cookie time! The glorious time of year when young girls peddle boxes of, well, cookies. We've all had that at some time or another or at least been asked with big pleading eyes to buy them. We have our favorites too (mine's Thin Mints). My question is, What's your Excuse for horking down half a box in one sitting?

• I didn't know anyone was looking.
• You mean these aren't carrots?
• You haven't heard of the "GS diet"? It's kind of like a no carb diet, except it's the opposite.
  
• Just like Lay's, you can't eat just one... or 10.

So, What's your Excuse?

What's my name again?

I remember a time when I used to remember... things. Many things, all things, things in general. Today I actually momentarily forgot to pick up my daughter at a friends house. Forget your own kid, you say? Never thought it would happen. That's about right when it does. Remember when our mom's used to call us by our brother's name or the dog's name? Of course you don't, I forgot too. Except that sometimes I do the same thing to my kids. I've even resorted to "whatever your name is". It's not that I don't love them, it's just that, well, I forgot.
What do you forget? To stop for milk on the way home from work? To call your mother? To get an oil change? Half of the data necessary for the big report? No wonder we're all so stressed out. We have more to remember than all the people in the last century combined.
What's your excuse? Here's my favorites (or at least the ones I remember):

• I lost your business card.
• I wasn't really listening in the first place.
• I'm sorry, my mind is really just too full from all the Family Guy/Seinfeld/Simpsons references.
• I haven't slept well in years. Really.
• I lost my cell phone and my contact list.

What's your excuse?

New Year's Resolutions

It is now January 18, 2008 and I have not made New Year's Resolutions yet. They may seem cliched, yet I find there is great purpose to making this grand pooba of lists. It sets your intention for the year. It brings hope of renewal. It keeps you focused. It allows you to dream. I am actually excited to make this list. I may even do it in the form of a picture (more visual). So, what's my excuse?

I haven't truly decided what I want for this year.
I don't have the right tools.
I don't have the time.
Oh, it was New Year's already?

What's Your Excuse?