Slippery

The internet is a slippery slope for me. Come, let's hearken back to a simpler time as I work this all out in my head. Yossie and I made a choice not to have television when we first moved in together eight years ago. At the time, it was because we were as poor as church mice and couldn't scrape together the extra money each month. Months later, after going home to Chicago and binging on television one weekend, we realized that our lives were so much richer without the option of turning on the television and zoning out for a couple of hours a day.

Enter the internet. Yes, I know it's been more than eight years since Al Gore invented the internet but doesn't it seem like it's really been in the past five years that the internet has reached its furious buzz of time sucking potential? Between the message boards, the blogs, Facebook, Myspace, Flickr, online television... there is maximum potential for wasting a whole lot of time online.

I've got justifications, don't get me wrong. I learn a lot online. Whether it's grabbing a quick recipe for hummus or an easy bootie knitting pattern, I love having so much at my fingertips. I am the hunterer/gatherer. I go, I forage, I discover what I was seeking. But do I then return home with my prize? No, no, not so much. First I have to check my e-mail, my mom's group message board, the other three message boards I frequent, Ravelry, my Facebook page, and what? What do you mean it's after midnight?!?

Full disclosure- I checked my e-mail four times while writing the last three paragraphs. It's like a sickness.

I do really like being able to follow a couple of television shows and I thank the internet for that opportunity. I can watch a couple of things regularly without losing myself in it too badly. The Daily Show isn't even a half hour without commercials. Heroes is getting increasingly less compelling so I'm sure I'll be leaving that one behind soon enough. Of course, in it's place is our new discovery, Pushing Daisies. That Emerson Cod is a funny guy. Oh and the Office! It makes me grateful every week that my office days are behind me.

I just checked my e-mail again. Sheesh!

I posted about this internet dependency in April and my wise friend Sara had some great advice that I will now share with all of you. The first time I read these words I nodded heartily and planned to take action. And here I am half a year later. I think it's finally soaked in sufficiently for me to take action. Here are Sara's ideas:

-Set a specific time each day that you will check/answer email. If you're trying to wean yourself from an addiction, be gentle on yourself and have "check in" times at 9am, naptime, and right before bed. Then cut back to 2 times, and then 1 time.

-Put a timer by the computer and set it for 15 minutes. Challenge yourself to answer all of the current emails and check any boards that you want to check. This will force you to be more picky when it comes to what you are reading. The problem with the internet is that time just "gets away" from you....so take back your time with a timer! :)

-Take yourself off of any message boards/mailing lists that are generating emails you don't really need to read.

-Know your triggers. Are there certain boards that you could spend hours on? Purposely limit yourself to 3 threads...and then pick your very favorite 3 and enjoy it!

-Re-discover the joy of writing a handwritten letter. Challenge yourself to fast from email for 1 week and instead, write 2 letters a day to encourage friends and family.

-Switch to dial up. There is nothing more annoying than waiting for something to load...and soon you will just give up and only do the most important things online!

-Treat it as an addiction...because it is! Google it and you will see that it's clearly recognized as one. You must have some other activity planned...so that when you get the urge to go online, you can engage in that other activity (i.e. reading a book (to kids or for yourself), going out for a walk, making a cup of tea).

-Fast from the internet COMPLETELY on the weekends and on one weekday. This deliberate self-control will help you realize that you don't need it as much and will help you put it all into perspective.

Here are my goals starting tomorrow and continuing until Thanksgiving:

1. Check e-mail three times a day and answer every e-mail as I read it. I can't put times on my e-mail checks because it is highly dependent on kiddo cooperation but it will be once in the morning, once at midday, once in the evening.

2. Check and post on our local mommy board, Facebook, and Ravelry once a day.

3. Check and post on other boards weekly with each of the three boards having their designated weekday.

4. Check on my favorite blogs and post on my own blog once weekly. Blogging will have its own designated day too.

5. Upload pictures to Flickr and Picasa once a week on the designated day.

5. One internet TV show a day at maximum. Preferably with Yossie and while knitting.

6. No internet at all on Sundays.

These may seem like relatively moderate goals but, um..., let's just say you have no idea how much internetting has been happening round these parts as of late. Let's just call it a lot times 100. And yet relatively few blog posts, hmm... The more quantity of time I spend online, the less time I spend making meaningful online contributions. Interesting.

Anyone else ready for some accountability in regards to internet time suckage? Feel free to jump right in.